- PAUL "THE MAVEN" WILLHELM - Drums, Backing Vocals - January 2024 to Present

                             ONE OF THESE IS PROBABLY MADE UP:

• I’ve been playing drums since roughly 1998 when my dad bought me a used Pearl Export kit from a man from South Africa who lived in the trailer park in Hodgkins or McCook, IL.

 

• I started playing in bands shortly after that. My first real band was a punk/ska band called The Vanilla Village Villains. We played around the Chicago west burbs and had a couple “big” gigs such as opening for Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish at the Rave in Milwaukee in 2004.

 

• Other bands throughout the late 90’s and 2000’s included Damage Case (Metal), Blacklist (Hard Rock/Metal), Fetor (Punk/Alt-Rock), Falkirk (Hard Rock) and Blvd Manor (Hard Rock).

 

• I was once ranked in the top 5 Lawn Dart Players in Alabama.   Lost in a championship match to man named "Grizzly Fred."  It cost me a top 3 ranking.

 

• I recorded 3 full-length albums and 1 EP with my long-time Alt-Rock/Jam/Cover band Out For Hours, with whom I rocked from 2006 - 2020. We played several well-known venues such as Metro, Lincoln Hall, House of Blues, Elbow Room, Cubby Bear as well as festivals like Chicago’s World’s Largest Block Party and Naperville’s Last Fling Festival.

 

• My influences include Jimmy Chamberlin, (Smashing Pumpkins is my fave band), Dave Grohl, Matt Cameron, John Bonham, Neil Peart and Danny Carey.

 

• No matter the situation, I try ultimately to keep the groove cranking without overpowering the music.