Photo by Kelsey Winterkorn

It’s been a whirlwind two years for the pioneers of trance fusion. In November 2003, after almost a decade on the road, founding drummer Sam Altman privately told his bandmates that he planned to enroll in medical school, leaving the Disco Biscuits’ future in a state of permanent flux. Following through on a promise the band made after Marc Brownstein’s temporary split in 2000, the Disco Biscuits agreed to keep Altman’s departure a secret for a year, in order to allow the drummer ample time to privately weigh his decision. Staying close to home, the Biscuits played sporadic gigs while Brownstein and Aron Magner busied themselves with an electronic experiment that eventually crystallized as Conspirator. Jon Gutwillig, by contrast, shied away from the spotlight and, as explored in Relix’s April/May cover feature, spent time “getting his head together.” After officially announcing his departure in November 2004, Altman began to take pre-med classes on Long Island, officially resigning after the group’s semi-annual Camp Bisco festival in August. Meanwhile, the Disco Biscuits began a series of auditions, later hosting a public “drum-off” at Atlantic City’s Borgota, in mid-November. Based on the crowd’s response to the two-night affair, a clear frontrunner emerged: Allen Aucoin.

In his first interview since joining the Disco Biscuits, Aucoin describes the group’s new sound, his six-month audition process and why Harley Davidson bikes might be a fixture at future shows.

MG- First off, can you give our readers a little information about your background?

AA- Well, I’m 27 and originally from Columbus, GA, though I currently live in Auburn, AL. My dad was in the military, so we moved all around when I was younger, but he retired to Columbus. I studied for a few years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and that’s where I met the bassist in my old band, Skydog. We did some touring around the United States—-mainly in the southeast—- but we did venture out to Colorado. We were a jamband. We played funk and we did do some electronica, but it was more jungle than trance. That band kind of finished out a few years ago and I have just been playing in various cover bands and blues bands——looking for something that actually had some worth and wholeness to it

MG- How did you score your first audition with the band?

AA- I knew the light and the monitor guys for the Biscuits, Johnny and Patrick. They actually were the sound guy and light guy for Skydog. Johnny started out as our web designer and then he wanted to try out lights. When our band kind of dissolved, he went over to the Biscuits and then a few months later, they picked up Patrick.

MG- Were you a Biscuit fan prior to auditioning for the band?

AA- I was, but I didn’t listen to them too much. It was more like whenever they were around I’d go see them. Actually, the band I used to play with opened up for them a few times in Atlanta in 2002. But, I didn’t really listen to them because I was always on the road and concentrating on what I was playing. But, I listened to a lot of electronic music and jazz in general.

MG- Talk a little about your audition process

AA- My first audition was in May [2005]. They gave me a list of songs to kind of work up—-“Svengali,” “Floodlights,” “Story of the World.” “Chemical Warfare Brigade,” “Reactor,” “Save the Robots” and “Housedog Party Favor.” Then I went home and they called me back in July and then again in September. They gave me another list of songs to kind of work up and it went really well. At that time, they were auditioning a bunch of other drummers and they didn’t really have an idea of who they wanted to go with. Then, I got a phone call, and they flew me back up in November to rehearse a bit before we did the Atlantic City shows. At the time it was down to me and another guy——they really couldn’t make a decision. We kind of hung out and jammed for a week after AC and then they sent me home and the other guy came up. Then they called and gave me the wonderful news on Saturday [December 10].

MG- Did you try to emulate Sammy’s style or bring your own touch to those tunes?

AA- Well, I actually spent a lot of time learning their songs. I spoke with my boss—-he actually wanted to be a drummer, so it was easy to convince him—-and told him what was going on. He gave me two months off from work and I just practiced. I was working for Harley Davidson Motorcycles in the parts department. People would come up to me and give me a problem with their bike and I would have to diagnose it. During those two months, I would practice between 8 and 12 hours a day, learning their songs, working out transitions and experimenting with various styles. Jon [Gutwillig] had a lot of ideas about various jams and themes to work out in those jams—-different rhythmic things one can do to make the jams build and peak—-a sort of hills and valley type of thing. We also just worked on being able to feed off each other in the various improvisations. When I got the phone call from Dan in May, I pretty much absorbed myself in the Biscuits’ style and Sammy’s drumming. They’ve been a band for 10 years so, if I was going to come in, I didn’t want to completely change up their sound with my drum style. Especially for their fan base, Sammy is so essential to the Biscuits’ sound, I didn’t want them to lose that.

MG- The Disco Biscuits have one of the most extensive canon’s in jam-rock. How much of their material are you familiar with?

AA- About 30 songs right now, but we are hoping to have about 60 ready by New Year’s. I actually wrote up drum charts—- that’s how I learned the music. I would sit and listen to the music and write out charts—- especially for something Sammy would do—- or a particular fill or a type of groove he would play.

MG- Have you met Sammy?

AA- I was fortunate enough to be in Philadelphia when a friend of the band had a birthday party. I got to hang out with Sammy and chill for about an hour.

MG- Did he offer an pearls of wisdom?

AA- Well, he told me to cover my ass, but I’m not exactly sure what that means [laughs]. He was a really, really nice guy and he wished me the best of luck. I should be a resident of Philadelphia by January 10th.

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