I recently had the opportunity to talk to Cory Procter, Drummer of Free Reign and Dallas Cowboy Offensive Lineman, about his budding music career and here’s what he had to say:
Tell me how the band got formed?
It started with Marc Colombo and I jammin’ out on occasion and then Leonard Davis joined in. We started off much like a garage band, but the jam sessions went well and we started doing charity gigs and small shows at places like the Rock Room. About three years ago we played a charity event at the House of Blues in Dallas and then the Grenada Room shortly after and that’s when we started getting a lot of press about it.
How do you find time for both football and the band?
We have time in the offseason. We workout five days a week, but mostly in the morning so we’re done by noon. Then we get some time to go home and rest and later on we’ll meet up and practice in the evenings and on the weekends.
Has being in a band helped you guys on the field?
I definitely think it helps us on the field because it helps us gel. Both on the field and on stage we have to work together as a cohesive unit. In football we need all guys working together and it’s the same as a band. We’re friends in football and in the band.
With football being first, would you say this is the thing you are second best at?
I would say so (he says laughing). It’s more than a hobby. Hopefully after football we can continue this as a second career. We love what we’re doing and want to continue after football.
Who are some of your influences personally and what are the bands influences?
We all come from very different musical backgrounds. Marc and Justin are more metal heads. Marc is really into Metallica and bands like that, and Justin is more into the newer metal like Killswitch. Leonard has a jazz background but he’s an all-around musician. Me, I’m a lot like Leonard, an all-around musician, but I come from a country music background with rock influences too.
You’ve played in some pretty big football games in front of 10’s of thousands of people, How does being on stage compare?
The rush is the same. It’s different in the opponent you face obviously. You’re not going against 300 pound defensive lineman, but you are facing an opponent. You’re going against yourself, trying to play the perfect show to please the fans. Trying to please the fans is also something we’re competing with every night.
Switching gears and asking a football question, you’re a restricted free agent this year, what happens to Free Reign if you get picked up by another team?
We would try to do things from a far, and in the offseason try and get together as much as possible. We’ve done things like that before where Justin will send me a riff and I’ll listen to the track and lay some drums on top of it. It’d be difficult, but since this project has become more serious we’d make it work.
Has Jerry (Jones) ever been to a show?
(laughing) He hasn’t been to a show before, but he knows about the band though. He doesn’t mind he lets us do our thing and doesn’t say much. Wade Phillips on the other hand likes to get a laugh out of it. During practice he’ll throw out a Free Reign show out every now and then.
Bob Lopez
Free Reign will be on hand to open for Sevendust
March 22, 2010 at the Las Palmas Race Park
www.ez-tixx.com for tix & info
