📄 Derek
Filed by L. Wren
Entry #005 — Pieced together from load-in notes, van arguments, broken sticks, and the beat still in my bones.
Derek never said much. He didn’t need to.
He hit like it meant something. Like he was chasing something inside the rhythm he couldn’t quite name.
And every time I thought he’d fall apart — after Dylan left, after Dirk broke down mid-set, after that tour where nothing went right — he didn’t.
He just kept playing.
That’s how Derek communicates. Through impact.
🥁 Role in Downvent
- Drummer, founding member, human metronome with demons in his back pocket
- Used to tape his fingers until they bled and then refused to stop playing
- Carried the band through tempo changes, breakdowns, and literal bar fights
- Known for refusing to mic his snare during early shows — “If they can’t hear it, I’m not hitting hard enough.”
💭 Personal Notes
There’s a kind of loyalty in Derek that I don’t think even he understands.
He’s the guy who’ll carry your gear after arguing with you for three hours.
The guy who’ll jump in front of a thrown bottle but still tell you you’re being an asshole in the parking lot afterward.
He never liked labels. I don’t think he ever really believed the band would “make it.”
But he showed up every time, no matter how hungover, bruised, or pissed.
There’s a cassette I’ve never played labeled just “For D”.
Dirk wrote it before one of their fights.
I’m not sure if Derek ever listened to it either.
⚠️ Notes on Reliability
Derek claims he doesn’t remember most of the early shows.
But when I asked him what the setlist was for the final NBR session, he recited it backwards — with tunings.
“The trick isn’t hitting hard. It’s knowing when to stop holding back.”
— Derek, leaning against the van, drum key in mouth, 2AM loadout, Sludge Pit 1996