The Johns Wanna Dance With You

Derek, The Percussion-loving Pianist:
AB: Where are you from?

DK: Virginia. Southwestern Virginia.

AB: Why are you here?

Derek: I’ve been here for fourteen years. I moved here right after college and when I’m not doing music, I’m a graphic designer. I design CDs for Broadway shows, I do editorials for magazines, Soap Opera Digest and TV Guide and things like that. I work for myself up in Harlem. I balance the non-stop graphic design work with lots of fun music playing.

AB: What was the last Broadway show you designed a -

Derek: Xanadu, which was my dream job, because when I first saw that movie, the main character was an album designer and I didn’t know that that was a profession one could have when I was a young nine-year old boy in Virginia. It was very cool to end up designing a CD for a movie that inspired me to be a designer.

AB: The circle of life.

Derek: Yes. Now I can retire!

AB: What was your first album?

Derek: My first album was Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits from 1977.

AB: You really had a thing for her, huh?

Derek: I did.

AB: Do you think she’s a lesbian?

Derek: I don’t know, but I had a cousin who looked just like her – this is probably incestuous – but I had the biggest crush on her! She played the piano and sounded and played beautifully and it inspired me to want to play the piano, so I started taking lessons.

AB: Do you think the Keytar gets the respect it deserves?

Derek: No, but the keytar gets more audience woos and wows than anything else I could do. I bring it out mainly just for show – people like it! Plus, when you play piano you get trapped behind a wall: the keyboard and this allows me to step up and jump around with the guys. And it’s plastic, so if you drop it and if it shatters, it’s just plastic.

AB: How did you get involved?

Derek: I have been in a number of bands and I’ve been playing music for years and I wanted to play with other people, because working with other people motivates you more. And I needed to get out of the house. So, I went on Craigslist and they were looking for a hot gay drummer. I responded by saying “I’m not a hot drummer, but maybe you could use a percussionist and keyboard player.”

AB: Oh, right! You also play the tambourine.

Derek: Yes, the tambourine and the shakers and all that. It’s another way to get away from the keyboard. And it’s good exercise. And I have an accordion I’m going to bring out soon. The accordion definitely doesn’t get the respect it deserves.