Featured image: Credit: @dajoeberlei 

We recently caught up with Frank Zummo at Slam Dunk Festival to discuss his current drumming setup, how Electric Callboy recruited him for their summer shows, and his advice for young drummers. You can watch the full interview here. 

Powerful, fierce, adrenaline-fueled drumming isn’t in short supply when Frank Zummo is at the kit. From his days with Street Drum Corps, playing junkyard-bucket-style shows on bin cans and kitchenware, to his time with the legendary Sum 41, to now touring with Electric Callboy for their European festival dates, the drummer has a whole catalogue of drumming styles and experiences behind him.

He’s found a setup that works for pretty much everything. Zummo plays SJC drums, adapting them to what he needs on stage: two kick drums, one rack tom, and two floor toms, with a 12-inch rack, rather than a 13-inch rack, for his Electric Callboy setup.

The drums never falter. They’re durable enough to take any amount of hard hitting, gig after gig. Zummo’s even used one of SJC’s most affordable kits… and drowned it in a pool for a music video – and it still functioned afterwards!

Drumming for Electric Callboy is a “workout”, but it has the “same energy” as Sum 41, Zummo says, making him feel right at home with the band and the crowd. It’s lucky that the vibe is so similar, as the collaboration came about in a very spontaneous, albeit very last-minute, way.

“I was able to jump right in. I did three shows in a row with them… and it worked out somehow.” – Frank Zummo

Electric Callboy asked Zummo to step in literally the morning of one of their Australia shows – a dream come true for Zummo, who was already a massive fan. After getting to grips with the songs for five hours in his hotel room, Zummo stepped up to the mark when the time came and continued for another two gigs: “I was able to jump right in. I did three shows in a row with them for their festivals, and it worked out somehow.”

Fast forward to the last ever Sum 41 show, and Electric Callboy asked Zummo if he’d be interested in touring with them in the summer… and the rest is history!

Credit: @dajoeberlei

Zummo is no stranger to standing in at a moment’s notice. Possibly one of the biggest highlights of his career was filling in at a Mötley Crüe gig – a full-circle event for Zummo, who attended his first ever Mötley Crüe concert at the age of five, the concert that set him on the path to drumming greatness.

Opportunities like that don’t just land on your lap, they come from years of hard work, setbacks, and perseverance. Zummo’s parents were in a band, and he knew he wanted that life for himself – but he also knew the graft he’d have to put in.

He started playing the drums at as young as two years old, and ever since that first Mötley Crüe gig, he’s been chasing the feeling of that arena-filling sound and the energy that comes with it.

“Being in that arena, feeling that power, I knew right there, and it set me on the path that I’m still living today,” Zummo explains. It’s a powerful experience to have at five years old, but it’s sculpted him into the famed, influential, and highly passionate drummer he is.

He went on to form Street Drum Corps, where he played on anything he could find before bringing in a drum kit that consisted of a few large drums rather than a “tonne” of drums, as this suited their setup better than a comprehensive kit. In 2015, he joined Sum 41 – this was his big break. He added ferocity and even more aggression to the band, and he hasn’t slowed down since.

What’s particularly inspiring about the drummer is his work ethic.

Of course, you don’t get to the level that Zummo’s at without being so dedicated and assiduous, but he also takes these opportunities with gratitude and curiosity – even when things don’t work out, he views the setback as a chance to learn and grow. Mental health and the lessons he’s taken from each gig are all detailed in his new book, coming out in Autumn.

These are also the kinds of things he teaches at his drum workshops, inspiring the next generation to take up drumming, find a passion for music, and keep a level head through such a crazy, demanding, and thrilling lifestyle.

It would be easy to let this degree of success go to your head, but Zummo doesn’t. Instead, he uses his experiences to help others who have the same dream he had. His drum workshops go beyond basic classes, they have a social purpose. He teaches young aspiring musicians how to cope with the pressure that the industry brings and how to break through barriers they might face.

“Go until it happens. Then, when it happens, just keep going.” – Frank Zummo

His advice for young drummers wanting to make it in the industry? “Just do it until it happens.” It’s simple but makes so much sense.

“Just have tunnel vision,” Zummo says, “Learn everything you [can]. Never stop learning… Go until it happens. Then, when it happens, just keep it going.” This is exactly what Zummo practices; when Sum 41 ended, he didn’t stop touring, he found Electric Callboy and started a new band, Gravas, who are releasing new music.

Zummo is a thrill to watch on stage. It’s easy to see how those early gig experiences, his endless drive, and passion have shaped him as a musician. And what’s even better is that he’s inspiring the next generation to start their journey, too.