“Drumming is a very self-directed instrument. You are your own world—you control everything. There is no right or wrong in drumming.”

“I ended up buying a portable drum kit on the same day to make it work; I would do anything for performing.”

Kyle Jin is one of those people who quietly stands out with his easygoing nature. However, turn down the lights and put him in front of a drum set, and he will go wild. I had the opportunity to sit down with Kyle and witness his passion for drumming come to life as soon as we started talking. You would never guess that he is studying education, not music, given the way he talks about punk music. Leading two lives, Kyle truly resembles Batman—an education student by day and a drummer by night.

MH: Could you introduce yourself and tell me about your drumming background? 

KJ: I am Kyle Jin. I am technically in my second year academically because I switched my major from business to education. So, while I am a third-year student overall, I am in my second year of the education program. I have been drumming since I was seven, almost eight, so for 11 years. It has always been a thing in my life ever since then. I did start learning piano at the same time, but I quit after a year—it just was not for me. But it did help me learn how to read music, and I do read music now.

MH: What is your favourite thing about drumming? What drew you to the instrument?

KJ: Drumming is a very self-directed instrument. You are your own world—you control everything. There is no right or wrong in drumming. You can play the easiest note on the snare for a whole song, and you are not wrong. It just might sound bad, but you are not wrong. It is inspiring because you do not need to follow anyone else. You create your own fills, your own rhythms and that is what makes it so creative and personal.

MH: Tell me about your band. What is the story behind Sponge 49?

KJ: Sponge 49 started last spring during TWU’s Music program talent show called the Orbs. I saw a guy performing “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, and I realized he was into rock music like me. Another guy sitting near me also loved punk music. Later, we decided to perform together and ended up winning a prize—a sponge! That is where the name Sponge 49 came from. The “49” is kind of an inside joke. You will have to ask our bassist about that one.

MH: How have you found performing with your band?

KJ: We have performed at events like Hootenanny, TWU’s biggest talent show of the year. It has not always been smooth sailing. Last year, there was a lot of back-and-forth with the organizers because they did not want bands performing due to setup challenges. I ended up buying a portable drum kit on the same day to make it work; I would do anything for performing.

During the performance, we faced a technical issue: our guitarist’s pedal was not working, and his guitar could not get distortion. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, someone in the crowd started yelling “distortion,” and then the whole gym started chanting “distortion.” Oh, it was awesome. We played smoothly in the end.

MH: Should we be on the lookout for any Sponge 49 original songs?

KJ: We have been working on our very first original song recently. We just came out with the title and some background story. Hopefully we can get it done this semester, if not... stay tuned!

MH: Your passion for drumming and education shines through. How do you plan to connect your love of music with your future career in teaching? 

KJ: As an international student from Beijing, I am an English language learner myself. I want to help people like me because I have been through all these processes. I know what being a minority feels like, and I understand that feeling. While I know I will not pursue music professionally, it would be cool to keep playing gigs on the side while working as a teacher. Go on gigs at night and then teach kids during the daytime.

MH: Do you have a favourite artist or one that you consider a role model?

KJ: I mentioned that I like that emo and punk, especially Midwest emo. There is a band called Hot Mulligan that I really love. Their music is mostly about connecting to teenage feelings, something that I have found inspiring. I also grew up listening to bands like Guns N’ Roses, Green Day and Linkin Park. Oh, and I am actually going to a Linkin Park concert this month in Vancouver—I love them! 

MH: Thank you for your time, Kyle. Sounds like you are ready to rock both the classroom and the stage!