In a brand new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program “Wired In The Empire”, EXODUS‘s Tom Looking was requested how he first acquired into drumming. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I initially performed guitar somewhat bit; I simply say ‘dabbled.’ I used to be left-handed — I am left-handed — so I performed left-handed guitar. And I did that for a few years in junior excessive, after which I simply wished to modify to drums. So I switched to drums in the midst of junior highschool. They usually lastly let me flip the equipment round to left-handed, after which I may really play, ‘trigger I could not do shit right-handed. In order that’s the place that journey acknowledged.”
“Lots of drummers on the market which can be left-handed, they play open-handed,” he continued. “Lots of people do not know this, however Dave Lombardo [SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS, TESTAMENT] is definitely left-handed; his outstanding hand is left. Which makes him double badass, ‘trigger when he goes right into a drum roll, one hand’s gotta climb over the opposite one. It is loopy. However by means of that he invented his personal sound. There’s loads of goofy-foot left-handers on the market too. Like Will Carroll [of DEATH ANGEL], I name him goofy-foot, ‘trigger he is lefty within the prime of his physique, doing his rolls and stuff, however his outstanding foot is his proper for his kick drums. My proper kick-drum foot is fairly ridiculous; it would not have the identical mind because the left one does. It will get me in hassle generally. [Laughs]”
Looking not too long ago launched his first solo EP, “Looking Social gathering”, which options covers of a few of his favourite songs.
Tom underwent a profitable whole gastrectomy in July 2021 in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the abdomen.
A GoFundMe marketing campaign to assist Looking with medical bills had raised greater than $111,000 — together with $5,000 from Tom‘s former EXODUS bandmate, present METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, and $1,500 from FOZZY singer and wrestling celebrity Chris Jericho.
The 58-year-old rejoined his EXODUS bandmates on stage in October 2021 on the Aftershock pageant in Sacramento, California.
In January 2022, Looking was requested by Niclas Müller-Hansen of RockSverige if his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the abdomen has modified his view on life. He responded: “Effectively, I positively do not sweat the small stuff anymore. It provides you a brand new perspective the place that is involved, I feel. Issues that used to emphasize me out, I am simply, like, Meh.’ It is simply stuff that is gonna occur to a few of us. I am fortunate — very fortunate — that they have been capable of take a nasty scenario and make it okay. I am strolling round, I am consuming, I am respiratory, I am taking part in drums. I am fortunate and the science is superb like what they’re capable of do. They’ve completed loads of assessments and so they cannot discover most cancers inside me proper now in order that’s a very good factor. I would’ve dodged a few bullets there. [Laughs]”
Looking stated that there was a brief interval after the surgical procedure when he could not play drums. “They would not let me do something for, like, 5 weeks,” he stated. “Then I began doing pushups. Earlier than the surgical procedure, I used to be getting chemo doses, like 4 of them, and so they have been fairly large. I did play drums somewhat bit, however I wasn’t feeling it that nicely. I believed I used to be gonna be within the throes of getting 4 extra outro doses of chemo, however they don’t seem to be doing them. They need not. Proper now I am getting immunotherapy which does not likely have any negative effects. Getting small doses of that when each three weeks, however I’ve no restrictions on taking part in or something, principally. They stated, ‘Simply resume your life. Rejoice and resume your life.’ And that is kinda what I am doing.”