It’s not each day you hear a couple of dying steel drummer taking the stage not with blast beats, however with private anecdotes. But that’s precisely what Paul Mazurkiewicz, longtime drummer of Cannibal Corpse, has been doing in a sequence of performances at The Commodore, a small improv and sketch comedy theater in Tampa, Florida. Simply don’t name it standup comedy.
“Effectively, man, it is humorous as a result of I do know it is gotten on Blabbermouth [that I was doing it], and it acquired on Blabbermouth the primary time I did it. That is my third time doing this. However all people thinks I am doing standup comedy. I do not know why they listing it as I am doing standup comedy. I am not. And when you learn what it says, it is fairly self-explanatory what the scenario is,” Mazurkiewicz revealed (through Blabbermouth)
Mazurkiewicz defined that his appearances are a part of a loosely scripted improv present, the place he merely tells tales — tales from life, music, or random moments that struck him as value sharing — whereas a troupe of comedians crafts impromptu skits based mostly on these tales.
“What occurred is — we had been speaking sports activities earlier — I am from Buffalo. I nonetheless play ice hockey. That is what I have been doing my entire life. I began skating once I was 5, and I am nonetheless taking part in. So, a man that was on my crew, I suppose it was a couple of yr in the past, ‘trigger the primary one I did was final March [of 2024], he was, like, ‘Hey, I acquired a bit of type of bizarre factor for you,’ and requested me if I wished to… He is concerned with The Commodore, this place in Tampa that is type of an improvy type of a comedy store, they usually do completely different sorts of exhibits, however loads of it, the factor is improv. And he mentioned, ‘Hey, man, that might be nice. Perhaps what you’d do is go up and inform some tales, inform a narrative for 5 minutes.’”
From there, the night unfolds in a collaborative rhythm: Mazurkiewicz shares, the comedians riff, and the gang will get a present that lives someplace between steel memoir and absurdist sketch comedy.
“So I am simply speaking, type of like I’m now. I am doing an interview and I am speaking a couple of story, whether or not it was [actor] Jim Carrey or something that was, I felt, worthy of speaking about, that has occurred to me in my life or the band, however particularly me. After which they might do the troupe, which is like six or seven people, the blokes and ladies would do comedy skits, like improv skits.”
“So I speak, I do my factor, I’m going sit down, they go up on stage for about 10 minutes, they usually simply go off the cuff. And it is loosely based mostly on what I am speaking about, I suppose. So, I do, possibly, I suppose it is like 4 tales I find yourself speaking, after which they do the comedy like that. So it is possibly a bit of over an hour of a present. However that is it.”
Regardless of the confusion across the format, Mazurkiewicz isn’t notably bothered. He’s simply doing a favor for a pal and having a little bit of enjoyable with it.
“I do not know the way it acquired twisted to the place I used to be doing standup comedy, ‘trigger it is clearly fully completely different than that. However, yeah, it was all due to the man. My pal requested me if I wish to try this, and he knew I most likely had some cool tales and will assist the comedy place out. And I used to be, like, ‘It is one thing completely different. Why not?’ And, yeah, right here I’m about to do it for the third time. So, yeah, it is enjoyable stuff — a bit of completely different, like I mentioned, for me. I am not used to doing that. However it was cool. So, I am trying ahead to doing it once more.”
Requested whether or not he’d think about turning the present right into a touring challenge, he’s extra hesitant. It’s one factor to jam with Cannibal Corpse in entrance of 1000’s, fairly one other to face solo in entrance of a crowd and inform tales with no drum equipment to cover behind.
“It is bizarre. At first I used to be, like, ‘Man, I do not know. This is not me.’ I am not that a lot of a man who needs to be up there speaking like that. I will do interviews, and I really feel like I can speak, I suppose, however I am not a lead singer. I am taking part in the drums. I do not speak in entrance of individuals like that. It is truly a bit of nerve-racking.”
“After I first did it final yr, I used to be, like, ‘Oh my God. I am so nervous,’ as a result of I am simply telling tales. That is all I am doing right here. I am on my own in entrance of individuals telling tales. So it is that entire talking to a big group, they usually’re listening to your each phrase right here. And I am on a stage, and I simply do not try this.”
Regardless of the nerves, Mazurkiewicz says he’s tailored — and possibly even improved — with every look.
“So I used to be a bit of involved at first, am I gonna stand up there and freeze up? Or am I gonna begin fumbling my phrases and sound like a whole fool? And I did all proper. I suppose I did pretty nicely, it appeared. They requested me to return again once more, and I did the second in November. They usually wished me to do it once more. So it was, like, ‘All proper, cool.’”
“I imply, I do not know if I might wanna take it to that excessive of like — am I that man that is gonna wanna go up and do it and [go], ‘Oh, let’s take it on the highway.’ It was accomplished for my pal and their comedy membership and all that. However hey, you by no means know. Like I mentioned, I am having enjoyable doing it, so who is aware of what the longer term holds?”