Today we’d like to introduce you to Kostamos Yiacoumis
Hi Kostamos, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It is a really long story …..some of it is on my website.
Briefly, I moved here from Greece, about 12 years ago, without any back up really, nothing. I didn’t know anyone in music scene or business. It takes so much time…..sooooo long. Patience, focus, persistence and resilience are the right words i am looking for, I think.
There were way too many obstacles on the way… some of them in my one family (way too long story)…so much drama, so many life lessons.
You know it is very hard to do a completely different start up, in your late 20’s, in a different country, far far away from the one place you know and grew up…with no resources, no money honestly, with problems you can’t expect. You need a really thick skin and a concrete solid soul, not to give up and overcome all these.
Also for music, to make this a full time job, It takes time….I had to say many times “no” to play for free, for exposure etc. It’s the worst thing you can do to a musician.
If you feel like you are good on what you are doing, you should always get paid…and get paid well, especially as you progress. Nobody goes to a plumber or other professional and tells them to perform their work for free or exposure…so why they do it always to the musicians..?
It’s crazy to see the amount of people who play music in Austin, the venues (small or big), the whole music scene…but only very few can survive here and make a living as a working musician.
The city has extreme limits of average pay in jobs…. most of the people can barely survive the rates, while others make above 6 figures.
It is truly a miracle that there is still live music here…and maybe that’s the magic.
I have been playing drums since I was 15 years old. I basically learn by practicing on a couch…air drumming…on pillows, on the mattress, etc… but I started working as a performer around 20-21 years old. And yes, I started playing with bands and friends right away, but it wasn’t until my early 20’s that they will call me for some work etc.
Also, in my early 20’s I started giving lessons, slowly…easy level , and later on became my actual source of income.
I have really worked very hard in my life, from a young age, in many different jobs, in order to say “you know what, I am only happy when I can play music”.
That’s why it’s not just a job for me, it’s what I love to do, no matter the difficulties. And that’s why I want to keep doing it as long as I can play, as long as my body and my brain allow me to do so.
Yes, I would like to have a better plan in life to retire and relax, but that’s another story. I still believe I will have music in my life though…
I will probably end up back in my beautiful Greece, somewhere nice, peaceful, probably close to the water.
Greece…oh, Greece…. There is a whole other section of life for me, in Greece….
Sometimes it feels like I have lived two lives in these two Countries and I know there is so much more that coming in the future.
So much more to say….so much to remember…. such a beautiful life!
Especially when you are doing what you love! And usually it’s not easy.
Honestly I don’t know for how long I can stay in Austin. I have had an amazing amount of great people, beautiful times, hard times, life lessons, a lot of work in many different aspects. Feels like a full lifetime already and it has only been 12 years…imagine that.
The Music here is a blessing and most of the times hard to find anywhere else. It’s everywhere, it is a lot and as all the things in life, there is good and there is bad…or, not to our liking.
I remember my first year I was saying ” what is happening?? I have seen 300 bands but only 10-15 that made me feel something” ! But fast forward, the percentage of the good music has flipped. it makes sense, it’s a lot of music, especially when you are new to a place, you just watch or listen at the place you are sitting…..then, you go further out, you find out more, you meet more people, more music, more good stuff, more to your liking!
Networking, friends, right places at the right time…and a little luck sometimes!
It’s always around there, you just have to find it! It’s like Love, there is always somewhere! Sometimes it is in front of you, sometimes it takes awhile to find!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth…..??? Ha!! Nope…not for me! It feels good and smooth now, but no.
Especially in the beginning of moving here….with a big time family drama, that still hunts me to that day. And it is actually painful to realize who is your fiend and who is your “enemy”.
Biggest struggles were definitely financials, not being able to legally work in the beginning, separating who’s crazy (or liar) and who’s actually trying to help you, filtering all the info I was receiving…and to adjust in a completely different country, even the language/accent barrier (which is funny now).
And the biggest life lesson was to know how much you can push yourself.
It is e very thin line between knowing when to move forward and when to give up. That’s life…
BUT! Look at the bright side! Without all these, I wouldn’t have lived everything I did, I wouldn’t have grown and learn from all of it, I wouldn’t have met maybe all the people I met along the way.
So, I wouldn’t change a thing!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Well, I am a drummer and I am mostly playing shows but I do some studio work too, which I love! Especially lately I had the chance to do a really great project with a team of amazing people and musicians!
I would say that I am mostly a Rock drummer…but funny enough I have a LOT of Blues work! Till about 4-5 or so years ago I wasn’t picking any local blues because I wasn’t feeling that I am the right guy for the job…but I heard many times the phrase “you have a lot of blues in you”, so I started playing way more Blues.
I play a lot of Rock, Hard rock, Blues Rock, Blues, a little bit of Jazz( just a bit) or Fusion, I also love playing international music!
I have also played a lot of punk rock and heavier music in my life.
But one thing I have really come to notice is that I love original music more than anything!
I love the Singer/Songwriter work! I love the creativity behind it! I love the process, I love the moments of happiness on the Artist’s face when I do “The right thing” for them..!
Throw me different stuff, interesting stuff, throw me to the wolfs with your genre…I will figure it out and make the best out of it! It works MOST of the times! Haha. It mostly happens ON Stage…and it’s even more fun, the chemistry is there, the energy is there…..it’s magic!
And yes, I think I am proud of that. I can tell, after years of experience, that I can play mostly with everyone…even with a huge language barrier sometimes. Music is my communication. Music is the way we speak, we talk, the way we feel.
Sometimes we play different because we feel different…
If I have to say anything about “what sets me apart from others”, I think it would be a combination of things, based to my past work.
Rule no 1, if I can’t enjoy my work, I am not doing it. I love playing music….and when I am not happy on stage because of the music, or because of the team, I can’t do it again.
People always say “you look like you are having fun up there”….yeah, hell yeah I do! So you can have fun too while being in the same room! It’s art, it’s what we love doing….even at the hardest times of our lives! Sometimes, especially then…
One thing I want to say is, since landing here I told myself that I would stay true to the music but do it with my own flavor. Like, if I hear someone play and I have no idea what that is , I recreate it the way I hear it! It doesn’t matter if it’s the most popular song in the City you are from…I put my character, my input on that, my brain, unless I am told otherwise.
There is no such a thing as “I don’t know the song, I can’t play”…I only know that if you want me to try it, I will follow your lead the best possible way.
Also I think one of the most important reasons that I have work, is that I am responsible.
I am reliable….you can count on me, if I say yes, it’s a yes, if I say I can play, I will. I will be there on time.
I have reliable equipment and I know what to pick from my equipment that “fits” the job. My raw sound is everything to me! That’s why I am picky with what equipment I play.
And also (I like to think) I am not a mess. I will do my job right, I won’t go back n’ forth with agreements, i won’t embarrass the people who put their trust in me. They can count on me….and I believe that this is what gets me the “call back”.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Be your own mentor..!! Well, that too, right?
Mentors are everything…and they are everywhere. You just have to see who is the right one for you.
I had a hard time finding someone to inspire me a lot, especially lately.
But then I realized that they are everywhere…!
Some of our friends are our mentors, sometimes a family member, sometimes a kid on the street, someone who said something that blew you away on the tv, on social media or on the radio. But like, a real mentor…. not seeing the same stuff that all the people follow because it’s popular. What is important to you, what did you feel when you saw or heard this… that’s it.
To tell you the truth, I am tired of seeing these “popular” people on social media, in the last few years…suddenly everyone knows better…and all the followers say that’s amazing! Is it though..? Search more! Listen more! Find what is good and what is not. We need to look for what makes us better! For the exceptional.
As far as networking goes, yes! Definitely the more networking you do, the better! At any level.
You see a lot of music, you meet great people on the way! Definitely an eye opener. And the most important, you learn when to say yes or no…
Pricing:
- no, but value for the money has to be right.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kostamos.com
- Instagram: kostamos_y
- Facebook: Kostamos Yiacoumis
- Youtube: @kostamosyiac
Image Credits
Stan Martin
Kim Yarbrough
Seven Pillars
Stacey Lovett
Rick Moore
