In a recent interview with “Drummer’s Review” host Ollie Winiberg, Korn drummer Ray Luzier offered blunt advice to up-and-coming musicians, expressing his frustration with the modern tendency to rely on studio technology to fix sloppy playing.
When asked what guidance he would give to aspiring drummers today, Luzier initially joked about choosing a different career path before addressing the realities of the modern music industry.
“Aspiring drummers? Go to law school. No… Get a doctor degree, and then… No. You know, it’s a wacky, wacky road, especially today. It’s not like it was when I was getting my start back in the day,” Luzier said. “Everyone knows that the Internet rules everything — everybody’s online doing everything, everybody’s doing this — so it’s a lot of figuring out the system of today.”
However, his primary concern focused on the lack of authentic practice and an overreliance on digital editing and quantization.
Luzier continued: “But stop relying on… One thing that bums me out about today is a lot of drummers will play — they’ll just get by, ’cause they know in the studio it can get fixed. That stuff drives me nuts. Play your instrument. Get in the garage and suck. I don’t care if it’s for five, 10 years — whatever you need to do — play with musicians all the time. Play with people.”
He emphasized that audiences are beginning to reject overly polished, highly edited tracks in favor of authentic human performances.
“Don’t rely on the studio, ’cause people are getting burnt out on the whole stale, stiff, soulless music… We’re all humans, we’re not perfect, but you can perfect or get close to what you want to achieve on your instrument by putting the time in. So put the time in on your instrument. Stop relying on the studio to help you fix everything,” he concluded.
Luzier, who was raised near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before moving to Los Angeles in 1988, is best known as the driving rhythmic force behind the multi-Grammy-winning pioneers Korn, a position he has held since 2007. His audition for the band is a legendary piece of heavy metal trivia: after flying to Seattle on the final day of fill-in drummer Joey Jordison‘s tenure, Luzier was instructed to learn just five songs. Instead, he arrived fully prepared to play over thirty.
Before stepping in to join Korn, Luzier built a formidable resume as a highly sought-after session and touring drummer. Using his networking skills and determination, he famously landed a gig with the David Lee Roth band, holding down the drum throne for over seven years between 1997 and 2005. His extensive performance and recording credits also include work with Jake E. Lee, Billy Sheehan, The Nixons, Arcade, Hideous Sun Demons, and Army Of Anyone. In addition to his stage and studio work, he spent years teaching at the prestigious Musicians Institute in Hollywood and previously released an instructional DVD based on his curriculum there.
Luzier recently opened up about the intense personal sacrifices and unique challenges he faced early in his music career, sharing that his strict decision to avoid drugs actually cost him highly coveted opportunities with two major rock acts.
Making a special appearance during “Pearl Day” at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, on April 18, he spoke about his transition from growing up on a massive farm in Pennsylvania to playing sold-out stadiums around the globe.
When asked how a “farm boy” managed to navigate his way to rock stardom, Ray Luzier offered a humble perspective on his status.
“I’m just a guy that hangs out with rock stars. I don’t really consider myself the whole rock star… Trust me, I like reaping the benefits of [being a rock star]. Private jets don’t suck, I gotta say,” he said at the time.
He highlighted the absolute necessity of remaining grounded, especially when looking back on his extensive tenure with Korn.
“A big part of it is, like, stay humble,” he continued. “You never know what’s gonna happen. When I got [the Korn] gig in ’07, [then-Korn bassist] Fieldy told me, ‘Yeah, we got another year or two.’ So I’m, like, ‘Okay. I’m here. Let’s do this.’ I’m used to being a chameleon. I’m used to going from one gig to another. And so every year would go by, I’m, like, ‘Here’s another set of tour dates.’ ‘Here’s another album cycle.’ ‘Now we got new management.’ ‘Wow, we’re doing this now.’ Now we’re doing stadiums again. We sold out South America in, like, 63 minutes two months ago. Yeah, it’s insane. The popularity — you used to see fathers, sons, mothers and daughters. Now you see grandpas and dads. It’s the coolest thing ever. They all have Korn shirts on… But it’s a beautiful thing to watch the generations keep coming by. It’s such an awesome thing to see.”
Shifting the conversation toward the reality of the music industry for aspiring players, Luzier delivered a blunt warning regarding substance abuse.
“Stay away from dr*gs. Don’t do dr*gs, kids. No drugs — ever. Seriously.”
Reflecting on his eight-year stint backing iconic Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth, he explained the wild environment he had to navigate without partaking in the excess himself.
“When I moved out here [to Los Angeles] — I mean, come on. I played with David Lee Roth for eight years. Dr*gs were free. Dave‘s whole thing was, like, ‘I used to have a drug problem. Now I can afford ’em.’ So that was eight years of that bipolar maniac stuff. So I saw what it did [to other people].”
For the drummer, the ultimate goal was always a sustainable career over a fleeting party lifestyle.
“I wanted longevity. I wanted to do this till I can’t pick a stick up anymore. Like, literally… I wanted longevity, no matter what. It’s my whole thing of, like, hard work,” he explained.
Detailing the insane work ethic he developed as a student at the Musicians Institute, he revealed that navigating the professional rock scene meant facing rejection for bizarre reasons, including his absolute refusal to do drugs.
“When I was a student here [at MI], I never did anything but play drums. I would literally go to class, go home, get something to eat real quick, go to 7th Street downtown rehearsal, rehearse with my band from, like, five to nine or 10. I’d come back here, and I had two-hour slots carved out with other bands here. So I was out of my fricking tree. You would never catch me without [a drum stick] in my hand — for years, in my twenties. My whole thing was, like, ‘I’m gonna get so good, no one’s gonna deny me.’ That’s not the attitude to have, because you never know., I didn’t get gigs ’cause I didn’t have dreadlocks. I didn’t get gigs ’cause I didn’t work out enough. You’d be surprised, the reason you don’t get gigs. I’ve lost gigs ’cause I didn’t do dr*gs. That’s a true story. I can’t name the bands ’cause they’re hugely famous. But I had two really big bands, and because I didn’t party, I got let go, and it was straight up.”
He also recalled a tense early moment when he genuinely feared his sobriety would get him fired by David Lee Roth.
“And that was weird, because when I got the David Lee Roth gig, I was freaking out. I’m, like, ‘I’m not losing this gig,’ ’cause I grew up with Van Halen playing all this stuff,” he continued. “Big old Jack Daniel’s bottle comes around, here comes the jo**ts, here comes the b**w. And I’m, like, ‘Oh. Damn, I’m done.’ And then it was, like. I’ll never forget, Dave called me out. He’s a smart guy. He may be kind of a clown, but he’s a smart dude. A big old bottle of Jack Daniel’s. It’s coming around. I [pretend that I’m taking a swig], and it hits my lips, but I don’t swallow it. And it had to go back in the bottle. S**t like that, ’cause I was, like, ‘I’m not losing this gig. I’m one of you. Look at me. I can do this.’ Whatever. So, two months goes by and then Dave goes, ‘Luzier, you don’t party at all, do you?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, s**t.’ I go, ‘Hey dude. Whatever you do, that’s you. That’s cool. I don’t care. You could do [whatever you want].’ He goes, ‘No, that’s great. I want somebody that can drive the ship back here. The drummer’s gotta provide the time. I don’t want you partying.’”
Connecting his commitment to sobriety directly to career survival, Ray Luzier noted the tragic fate of another legendary frontman he briefly worked with.
“So that’s one of the things. I wanted the longevity. Stay away from stuff that’s gonna interfere with longevity. How many people you know in rehab? I filled in for Stone Temple Pilots on three gigs. [Late Stone Temple Pilots singer] Scott Weiland, rest his soul, he was so gone when I filled in for them during those shows. It was so sad. He was on his, like, 30th rehab, and it just broke my heart ’cause he’s so talented.”
Offering a final piece of practical advice to the crowd of aspiring musicians, he stressed the importance of combining raw talent with relentless dedication.
“So if you mix all that — longevity, hard work, persistence… You gotta get out there. In today’s day and age, with the phones and everything, obviously you YouTubers out there and all the influencers, that’s an instant way to get reach people. But you gotta put the work in,” Ray concluded.
