PJ grew up with parents who exposed him to some of his earliest influences. PJ remembers coming home from school and arranging his textbooks on his bed to become his first drum kit. PJ would play along to everything from Frank Sinatra to blink-182 to Snoop Dogg.

In 8th grade, PJ started his first band playing bass. That didn't go so well. The guitarist told PJ to sit behind the kit and encouraged him to keep at it. Apparently lessons on stringed instruments can't surpass natural drive.

2 years later, PJ joined Lee Terrace; his first band as a drummer. They were a Grateful Dead-esque jam band, but once he joined, their sound started to form. They'd play a few Sublime covers and started to come into their own. PJ never thought they'd grow to be one of the most respected prog-rock bands in the local scene, opening for national acts such as Tim Reynolds, Kung Fu, Dynamo and Zach Deputy. Lee Terrace did short runs in the Northeast US for nearly a decade, putting out one full-length album with Cayuga Records and 2 more under independent labels.

A few months after having joined Lee Terrace, a friend of a friend asked if PJ would be interested in trying out for a new band they were putting together. They had already self-released a completely electronic full-length album, but they wanted to round out the sound with a live act. Phantom Chemistry gave PJ some of the weirdest experiences of his life. Phantom Chemistry meshed the sounds of Daft Punk with actual punk-rock. By the end of their run, they released 4 full-length albums and a handful of EPs; 3 of the albums being nominated for SAMMYs. Phantom Chemistry opened for acts such Rubblebucket, and Matt & Kim.

With PJ's daily listening being rooted in hip-hop, early influences in cabaret and punk, and two bands forcing him out of his comfort zone, PJ found his place working with numerous artists in a wide-variety of genres. PJ can stay in the pocket, but when given the opportunity to improvise, he's down to clown with polyrhythms and compound-meter.

Since moving to San Diego in 2018 PJ has played with several artists and been on a West Coast tour in 2019. In late 2018 PJ got his start in the San Diego music scene with Rockabilly group Gino and the Lone Gunman. This was a great way to expose PJ to the scene as well as learn a new body of music. Later in the start of 2019 PJ joined a group called The Vibe. They had great success in a year's time. They released an album titled "Album 2" and later went on a West Coast tour all over California. The Vibe was also on local news station KUSI two times. Now PJ is in a new band called Verado and has session work as well as releasing his own original tracks.

Music I play:

funk, rock, punk rock, hip hop, rap, R&B, reggae, a little jazz and fusion

--past projects and type of player covered in my bio--

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pj.sweeney.12/

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pj_plays_thedrums/

youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl0WxLT5ixuOGXPFP0Rh5gA

website: pjplaysthedrums.com

The biggest thing to me is recording. When I record with my Soultone cymbals, I really don't have too much mixing to do. They have such a great response and sound that a little mixing is all they need. They have incredible bounce back and I love the look of them.

They are better than others cymbals for several reasons. One is that these are hand made cymbals and you can tell. They are build very solid, they don't not have a flimsy feel to them at all. The drum stick bounces back better off them verses many other cymbals and there tone for recording is second to none.

I think other drummers should try Soultone cymbals because they are extremely versatile. As a drummer who plays a dozen different kinds of music, every cymbal sounds good for every genre. With other cymbals, I found myself changing them out for other sizes, tones, etc. With my Soultone Cymbals, they always stay up because they work for any style of music.

Soultone has helped me as a drummer is many ways. One of the ways they've helped me is by getting my name out there more. They do a great job sharing posts and getting the artists name out there. Their customer service is second to none, always helping me with questions I have and advice on what steps I should take next.