Author: Kai Strandskov

Kai Strandskov grew up in a musical family. His father played the tuba in a Danish folk dance band and sang in the church choir, while his mother played a variety of musical instruments--including accordion in a Balkan music ensemble. It was as a small child while falling asleep listening to the intricate rhythms and melodies of folk music from around the world, that Kai naturally gained an interest in music. Starting in the 4th grade, Kai played trumpet in school bands. It was in his senior year that a buddy of his, Shawn Evans, introduced him to a local ska band, Smidgen, headed by Libby Roach. They gained some local popularity, and regularly played in the local scene and with touring bands that traveled through, such as the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. The next year, the band decided to reinvent itself into a more experimental rock band. With influences like John Zorn’s Naked City, No Means No, Sonic Youth, and Mr. Bungle, the band got louder and Kai ditched the trumpet and took on the drums. Kai obsessively taught himself the coordination needed for a drum set and to keep up with the complicated rhythms that the band required, listening to recordings of drummers with a wide range of styles such as Terry Bozzio, Mike Bordin, Jon Fishman, Neil Peart, Tim Alexander, Bryan Mantia, Carter Beauford, and John Bonham. Kai continued to play in the local scene, working on additional projects such as the Heroin{e} Martyr Coalition, an avant-garde spoken word group, and A Million Fingers, a rock band with a strong political message. He briefly moved to Santa Cruz, California, and dabbled around briefly in the scene there, and then dived into the deep end of the Seattle scene. Today, Kai is still playing a wide range of styles in Seattle; from the neo-wave progressive electroclash band Hidden Number, to a Party Metal band by the name of Shiplosion, to a chaotic Balkan ensemble called the Bucharest Drinking Team. He is also a session drummer for recording studio Magnets Large & Small, and available for subbing in for folks.
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