| One of the
most interesting things about rock & roll is that not everyone that
now seems “born to do it”, always started out that way. The youngest of
four, born to a modest household in Joplin, MO, Jason Charron had a fairly
normal childhood and upbringing “ As young kids,” Jason recalls, “We really
didn’t have much to worry about, we had an incredibly loving supportive
household. I was very lucky.”
So how did a young, well-adjusted boy come to be a rock & roll pounder? What made a bright, athletic child decide he wanted to beat things with a stick for a living? “ It’s all John Bonham’s fault!” Says Jason with a laugh, “ I just heard Bonham playing and I knew...I gotta do that!” This didn’t come as much of a surprise to his parents who, in addition to having music in the house all the time, had supplied Jason with toy guitars and toy drums as a young boy. “I would break the guitars and pound on the drums,” he remembers, “ and when tiny plastic wasn’t enough, I’d go get anything I could. Oatmeal boxes, pots, pans; you name it, I’d hit it.” It was after hearing Bonham, however that he realized what it was really supposed to sound. Soon after that Jason got his first drum set, and began to constantly play. Forgoing lessons, Jason proceeded to teach himself how to play by pouring over recordings and videos of all the major influences, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Neil Peart, and CharlieWatts, Jason stopped everywhere in between picking up every ounce of drumming knowledge he could. This cool mixture of sounds is what helped him in developing a style that has the bombast and aggression of Bonham and Moon, and the concentration and groove of worked out parts that compliment the song like Peart and Watts. This rare ability is what makes Jason, not only a crucial part of the Zak Perry Band, but also a top-notch drummer all around. He is one who can restrain, and groove and compliment a song, but then can explode live when the emotion and power needs to be there. Not only can Jason do that, but he is that. It’s the basis for his whole style, you know trying to mesh both of those talents. So obviously, Jason had everything he needed to be a top rock and roll drummer, except one thing....a band. “ I had played in countless bands, really since I was good enough to play out, but none of them ever worked on, or would make to that serious level. There were some great players, but it just never carried over.” He says. And then he met Zak Perry. Jason has worked with Zak for several years in the Ma Driver Band and now the Zak Perry Band. He and Zak seem to "read each other's mind," when they perform on stage and they have formed one of those great friendships. |