Drive By Todd
Interview by Alisha Goslin
Photos by Studio Soleil Photography & Fine Art, Sean & Tracy Sheppard
I first had the opportunity to see Drive By Todd play at the 2022 All Roads Music Festival. Immediately, I was in awe of their drummer. She had long, wavy blonde hair, was visibly pregnant, and was rockin’ it on the drums. When I had the chance to interview her, Peyton’s son, Ziggy, had just turned a year old, and was teething.
Formed in 2013, when Peyton Clark and Jake Nagy were seniors in high school, Drive By Todd isn’t easily categorized into one genre - it’s more like all of your favorites have blended together into one when listening to this group. Taking inspiration from a number of bands all across the board; everything from Radiohead to Guns N’ Roses to Cindy Lauper, you never know exactly what you’re going to get, but you know that it’s going to sound awesome. I sat down with drummer and manager Peyton, aka Peytonius Maximus, to get the low down on DBT.
What style of music would you say you play?
It’s like if Guns N’ Roses, The White Stripes, and Dolly Parton had a baby. That baby’s birth certificate would read Drive By Todd.
Who are the members?
Over the years we have been blessed to play with many talented musicians, however, throughout that whole time, Jake and I, the two founders, have stayed committed to the band. Joanna Greirson was a huge part of the band for many years and she is a big part of what elevated us, but she recently retired to be with her growing family. So, we reached out to a local, talented woman named Shannon Johnson to take over for Joanna. We are so honored she said yes! Joanna helped her train for a few months, and we played as a four piece this past year before Joanna left. Now we are welcoming our new bass player, Spencer Reulliard.
How was the band formed?
I have been playing the drums since the 3rd grade and have always wanted to be a musician, ever since I watched the movie “Josie & the Pussycats” when it came out in 2001 when I was 6 years old. During my senior year I became friends with a student in her junior year. We lived right down the road from each other and decided to meet up and jam. We vibed really well and decided to try and start a band, all we needed was a guitarist.
I knew of a guy that played guitar, he was dating my friend at the time. We all used to hang out at the non-profit called Out! As I Want To Be! (now known as Out! Maine,) an organization that offers LGBTQ youth and their friends a safe space to hang out at after school. It provides them with a hot meal and a safe place to hang out and have a lot of fun. Out! Maine also takes the kids on fun field trips and camps. During my time there, we went to Bangor Pride and got to stay the night in an old mansion, we went to drag shows, and to the coolest week long camp called Rainbow Ball held at the Machias College. We got to pick out our very own dorm rooms and even eat at the cafeteria with the college kids. I remember feeling so cool. We learned lots of stuff about safe sex and other classes related to LGBTQ and being safe in a relationship, etc. Another thing we were lucky to do at Out!, was to be a part of a Maine-made film. I acted in it and Jake recorded and composed some of the background music. I asked Jake if he’d be interested in joining the band and he was so eager, too. And from then on, well, it's history!
What inspires you/the band?
I think it is so cool to see how far we have come and how much we’ve accomplished. When we play shows, we forget how many fans we have. I know that sounds cocky, but I’m just so honored and proud about it and how some of them travel across state lines just to see us. We call our fans our “Hot Toddys” by the way.
We really want to be famous, but our current, more realistic goal is to become Maine Famous, like Rustic Overtones, Spose, Ghost of Paul Revere, and The Mallett Brothers Band.
It feels like the only thing holding us back to get started on that path is the money piece. We don’t make enough from shows to afford new equipment as we don’t take home our money, we put it all in a safe and use it towards recording fees. We are hoping to come out with a 10 to 15 song album in 2025 and get into Bull Moose.
Also, people are always surprised when I tell them this, but Nicki Minaj is a huge inspiration to me. I even have a Nicki Minaj tattoo.
Who are the band's musical influences?
The guitar solos are influenced by Slash from GNR, the drums are influenced by Meg White from the White Stripes, and Shannon’s vocals sound a lot like Janice Joplin.
Any difficulties you find being a woman-led rock band in our state?
Often when I play, drunk men try to come up to me (while I’m literally in the middle of a song,) and try to tell me how to tune my drums, how to position them, how to carry them in, etc. . . . They often follow me to my car at the end of a show, or insist on packing up my drums for me and bringing them to my car.
I appreciate their kindness, but I like to pack them up and put them away a certain way, and if you don’t know how to handle musical equipment it can mess them up. I have had men literally adjust the PA while we are in the middle of playing because they think they know better than Shannon or Joanna on how it should sound. I’ve also had a man tell me I need to tune my cymbals, which is not possible!
People also automatically assume Jake and I are married just because we are friends and I have to constantly tell people that I am married to someone else. People also assume Jake is in charge of the band, just because he is a man. They don’t realize we are both in charge.
Do you have a favorite show you have played?
My favorite show I ever played was when we opened for the Rustic Overtones at the Camden Opera House. It was such a huge opportunity and all of the members were so kind and welcoming. Also, when I got to play on the tv segment 207 Maine on NBC’s News Center Maine.
Favorite venue?
My absolute favorite venue is the Myrtle Street Tavern in Rockland, because they are kind and they pay their musicians so well. I feel like they actually pay us what we need and compensate better than any venue in Maine.
Lastly, who IS Todd? How did you come up with the band's name?
People always think Jake’s name is Todd, but nope, that’s not it! My mom and I were in the car listening to the Bob and Sheri Radio Show, and they were in the middle of a conversation, so I’m not exactly sure what they were talking about. But, they were talking about one of the show's producers, Todd Haller, holding a sign on the side of the road, and when people “drive by Todd” they would say this or that… and it was so random but I was like yup that’s it, and Drive By Todd was born!
To learn more or find out where to catch an upcoming show, check out Drive By Todd on Facebook or Instagram—and listen on Spotify.
