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Charles Iwuc

@charlesiwuc

2.5K

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769

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austin, tx
artist development @fieldhouse.artist
pop punk side project @lastlettersny
nostalgic drum covers @chuckslapsdrums

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Impromptu work trip to Yellowstone with the Guyzers!
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📍Yellowstone National Park
📍Grand Teton National Park
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#yellowstonenationalpark #grandteton #wyoming #grandtetonsnationalpark #bison

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I’ve been trying not to cover the most obvious songs from every band, but I got so many requests for Ocean Avenue that I had to do it. And honestly, it absolutely holds up. A huge part of that is Longineu W. Parsons III, who was such a strong, recognizable drummer across Yellowcard’s run together. His playing gave the band so much lift, speed, and personality without ever taking away from the song.

Yellowcard took off in 2003 with one of the biggest pop-punk songs of that summer, but this song ended up becoming much bigger than a summer single. It turned into one of those songs that stayed connected to an entire era. The album floored a lot of pop-punk fans when it came out, and it still feels stacked front to back. The violin, the hooks, the energy, the emotional pull. Yellowcard had their own lane, and this record proved it.

They went on to write a ton of songs that I love, but this is the one everyone knows for a reason. Seeing their comeback and resurgence over the last few years hasn’t surprised me at all. These guys earned it, and watching Ocean Avenue still send crowds screaming back to them more than two decades later says everything. Feel free to share a story about this band in the comments.
 #yellowcard #oceanavenue #poppunk #drumcover #drummer

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Posting this two weeks before the 26th anniversary of New Found Glory’s self-titled album feels right, because this record still doesn’t ease you in. It starts with “Better Off Dead,” a song that basically opens the door and drops you straight into a circle pit. Fast, melodic, scrappy, and instantly memorable, it’s the kind of opener that tells you exactly who this band was in 2000. No big introduction needed.

There are zero skips on this record, and even the artwork feels tied to that era in the best way. Minimal cover, fold-out booklet, band photos, the whole thing. This was the album that pushed New Found Glory into a much bigger lane, with videos showing up on MTV and the band starting to feel unavoidable. Rachael Leigh Cook and Corey Feldman popping up in their videos around this time still feels like a perfect early-2000s time capsule.

Cyrus Bolooki’s drumming is a huge part of why this album moves the way it does. This was his first record with the band, and he immediately brought that fast, tight, unmistakable New Found Glory bounce. “Better Off Dead” works so well because it captures the band at full speed: catchy, urgent, youthful, and already completely locked into their identity.

#newfoundglory #cyrusbolooki #poppunk #drummer #drumcover

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I have a really specific memory of following Warped Tour in 2009 and making sure I was always near the stage when The Devil Wears Prada went on. In a summer full of bands fighting for your attention, they were one of the heavy acts that always felt worth stopping everything for. Mike Hranica completely owned the crowd, and I still remember that being the summer he was running around with a missing front tooth.

The late Daniel Williams was a huge part of what made those records hit so hard. His footwork was unreal, and I swear you could recognize his double kick from stages away. There was something so distinct about the way he drove the band: tight, aggressive, and always pushing the songs forward without losing the feel. His playing is all over why that era of TDWP still feels so impactful to me.

I still think the Zombie EP is some of their most insane work, but Dead Throne holds a special place in their catalog. It was their first full-length without Joey Sturgis producing, with Adam Dutkiewicz stepping in, and you can hear the band pushing into something darker and heavier. “Born to Lose” is such a strong snapshot of that era. I’ve always loved how much TDWP has evolved since the early metalcore days, and they’re still one of those bands I’ll always keep up with.

#thedevilwearsprada #danielwilliams #metalcore #drumcovers #drummer

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System of a Down’s first album doesn’t get talked about enough. You can hear them still sharpening the edges, but the blueprint was already there: heavy riffs, strange turns, frantic tempo shifts, and ideas that felt completely outside the usual metal playbook. Before Toxicity made them impossible to ignore, this record was already setting the table for one of the most original bands to come out of that whole nu-metal era.

I see a lot of drummers covering the same handful of songs online, and I get it. “Chop Suey!,” “Everlong,” “First Date,” “Misery Business,” “Song for the Dead.” All great songs. But part of the point of this channel is digging into the slightly less obvious tracks from albums that shaped me, give or take a few classics along the way. “Suite-Pee” is exactly that kind of song: unhinged, heavy, weirdly catchy, and a perfect example of how fully formed SOAD already sounded right out of the gate.

SOAD has been one of my favorite bands since middle school, and I got to see them on the Mezmerize tour in 2005 in Long Beach. Massive show. The Mars Volta opened, which already feels like a fever dream, and afterward I somehow met Daron and John, plus Scott Ian from Anthrax and Mike Einziger from Incubus. Truly bizarre lineup of people to run into outside a venue. I didn’t get to say hi to Serj because he took off in a blue Toyota Corolla, which honestly made the whole night even more legendary.

#systemofadown #numetal #drummer #drumcover

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There’s a ton to say about Foo Fighters, especially when it comes to the two drumming brains at the heart of the band: Dave Grohl and the late, great Taylor Hawkins. I think Dave came from a small local band that had a video on MTV at some point, but The Foo is where he really shines. What’s always stood out to me is how much force lives inside their heavier songs. “All My Life” feels like one of those tracks that comes from somewhere deeper, like the kind of riff and rhythm that has to fight its way out of you.

I got into Foo Fighters a little later, around this era and into the In Your Honor “I’ve got another confession to make” double-album era. I don’t know every record front to back, but so many of their songs feel permanently built into modern rock. They have a way of writing music that feels huge without becoming empty: loud, direct, melodic, emotional, and always human underneath the volume.

Taylor Hawkins brought so much personality, power, and swing to this band, and you can feel that chemistry between him and Dave in the DNA of the songs. “All My Life” is action-packed rock and roll, but it still has that controlled tension that makes Foo Fighters so effective. I still haven’t seen them live, which feels like something I need to fix at some point, because this band has been inspiring people to pick up guitars, hit drums harder, and chase the big chorus for decades. In the words of Christopher Walken, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Foo FIGHTERS.’

#foofighters #taylorhawkins #davegrohl #drummer #drumcover

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I first saw Hawthorne Heights on a rainy Warped Tour day in Massachusetts in 2005, and they immediately got my attention with that clean vocal and scream dynamic. A year later, I caught them again at a free show outside Providence Place Mall with Yellowcard, got to meet them afterward, and they were genuinely so kind. They even took my high school demo, which, looking back, was probably some deeply embarrassing GarageBand material. Extremely brave of them to accept that CD
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What always stood out about Hawthorne Heights was how much heart they brought to the stage. They were tight, emotional, and completely locked in, but there was also a real warmth to the band. Casey Calvert was such a major part of their sound and identity, and his loss felt heavy for anyone who connected with that era. The fact that the band carried forward, rebuilt in different ways, and continued honoring that history says a lot about who they are.

“Ohio Is for Lovers” has become more than just a scene-era single. It’s one of those songs that helped define a moment for a lot of us, and it still feels tied to the roots of Hawthorne Heights in the most meaningful way. Two decades later, they’re still out there playing with heart, still showing up for the scene, and still part of the Warped Tour story in 2026. They even have their own Is For Lovers Festival, always announcing a killer lineup. I’ve always had a soft spot for this band, and I hope I get to catch them again soon.
 #hawthorneheights #ohioisforlovers #emo #drummer #drumcovers

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It’s 2002, and Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus release the first Atticus compilation, which was absolutely stacked: Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Finch, The Starting Line, Glassjaw, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and then this darker, heavier song called “Tiny Voices” by Box Car Racer. For a lot of us, that was the first glimpse of what Tom and Travis were building outside of blink-182. I remember buying the CD at Newbury Comics the day it came out and dying to get home to put it in my CD player. The booklet even folded out into a huge poster with all the lyrics on it.

Tom, Travis, and Jerry Finn made a record that felt like a collision of Quicksand, Refused, Fugazi, and the heaviest corners of blink’s DNA. Darker riffs, beaten-up drums, aggressive vocals, and this constant sense of tension running through the whole thing. Personally, I think this is Tom’s best work ever. When Box Car Racer did their one and only tour, I couldn’t go because we were moving to the Caribbean, but my dad went while he stayed back to sell the house. He saw the show, grabbed me a tour poster, and somehow got it signed by Tom and Travis near the buses after the set. It’s still one of my most prized possessions. Poster is in the comments.

Box Car Racer always felt like the heavier blink-182 record that wasn’t quite a blink record. In Travis’s documentary, Mark talks about the tension that grew from it, saying it was basically “blink-182, minus me.” After that, blink’s Untitled record arrived as their darkest and heaviest album to date, and personally, I think it’s the strongest writing in their catalog. But Box Car Racer stands on its own completely. Jordan from New Found Glory, Tim Armstrong from Rancid, and Mark Hoppus all show up on the album, making “Elevator” feel like its own rare alternate-universe blink song. I know every guitar, bass, and drum part on this record like the back of my hand.

#boxcarracer #tomdelonge #travisbarker #drummer #drumcover

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This one is a little different because Last Letters is my own music. I’ve always treated this project like a one-man band: writing, recording, tracking, editing, and building the songs in my own studio until they feel like they’ve landed in the right place. “Write Me Off” has always stood out to me, partly because it sits right in that emo/pop-punk lane I’ve naturally gravitated toward, but also because it gave me room to let the riffs, drums, and production choices hit a little harder.

I was lucky enough to have @kellinquinn of Sleeping With Sirens sing some of my lyrics on this track, which still feels pretty surreal. He’s a vocalist I’ve been inspired by for years, so hearing his voice on something I wrote was a huge full-circle moment. The song was also mixed by Will Carlson, who has worked with Bilmuri, Knox, and Wage War, and he absolutely brought it to life. The mix came out killer. Spotify link in bio for the full song.

I try not to overdo the self-promo on here, but this song holds a special place in my music career. Last Letters has always been a creative outlet for me to vent, experiment, chase different riff ideas, and build songs from the ground up. This track feels like one of the best snapshots of that. Also, the new Sleeping With Sirens album is amazing and easily top three for me. Go check it out.

#lastletters #kellinquinn #poppunk #drummer #drumcovers

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Paramore is one of those rare bands that has somehow stayed at the top of its game while refusing to stay in one place. I first remember seeing them break through in the mid-2000s on MTV2, and even then Hayley Williams felt impossible to ignore. She had the voice, the presence, the attitude, and the kind of command that made it clear Paramore wasn’t just another band moving through the scene.

I’ve only managed to see them live once, which feels criminal at this point. Tickets always disappear, or I’m in the wrong city at the wrong time. Someday. I still remember following Warped Tour in 2009 when Paramore played a surprise set in Cleveland and the place completely lost it. Hayley even stopped by our merch tent for a minute that day and gave some respect to the grind of us selling CDs and shirts all summer without a guaranteed stage slot. Tiny moment, but one of those things that stuck with me.

“Still Into You” is such a perfect example of Paramore’s evolution. By the self-titled album, they had pushed beyond pop punk into something brighter, sharper, and more timeless without losing the heart of the band. The song always reminded me of a new wave band like The Cars, only reimagined through Paramore in 2013. It’s huge, but it never feels empty. Hayley’s vocal is pure confidence, the hooks are ridiculous, and Ilan Rubin’s drumming keeps everything crisp, driving, and alive. Watching Paramore grow from Warped Tour favorites into an arena-level band, while Hayley’s solo work and Newport Folk moments keep expanding the universe, has been pretty incredible to follow.

#paramore #hayleywilliams #ilanrubin #poppunk #drumcover

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I went back through The Academy Is... catalog a few months ago to get ready for their return, the new album, and the tour, and it reminded me why I loved this band so much in the first place. At their best, they had this almost classic-pop sensibility hiding inside the mid-2000s pop-punk world: sharp hooks, clean melodies, and songs that felt instantly familiar without being boring. It brought me right back to that era when Warped Tour, writing songs with friends, and designing merch for my band felt like the entire point of summer.

The Academy Is... were such a key part of that Fueled by Ramen wave, right alongside Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes, and Cobra Starship. But they always had their own lane. The rhythm section was strong, the guitars were tight but playful, and William Beckett’s vocals had this very specific melodic style that made the band immediately recognizable. “About a Girl” is a perfect example of that: glossy, clever, ridiculously catchy, and just dramatic enough to feel very 2008 in the best way.

I was lucky enough to catch them in April at Brooklyn Bowl on this reunion-type tour, and hearing those songs live again hit way harder than I expected. They also played some of the new album, which I’ve been really digging. Fast Times at Barrington High still feels like a record built for windows-down nostalgia, but it holds up because the songwriting is stronger than just the memory attached to it.

#theacademyis #aboutagirl #fueledbyramen #drummer #drumcover

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I first heard Fall Out Boy on Atticus: Dragging the Lake Vol. 3, through the acoustic version of “Grand Theft Autumn.” They stood out immediately, but I didn’t fully catch up until From Under the Cork Tree. I actually picked up my copy at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square during a random trip to the city, right as the band was becoming impossible to avoid. Three massive singles, constant MTV and radio play, and suddenly they weren’t just hometown scene heroes anymore. They were nerdy scene punks gone fully viral.

From Under the Cork Tree was a huge pivot in Fall Out Boy’s trajectory. At first, I didn’t totally know what to make of it. They crammed too many words into every song title, too many syllables into every chorus, and somehow made the whole thing work. What really hooked me was Patrick Stump’s voice. It never felt like a standard pop-punk vocal sitting on top of a pop-punk song. His melodies were sharper, stranger, and way more soulful than the genre usually allowed. “7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)” still feels like a perfect deep cut from that era: anxious, catchy, dramatic, and packed with nervous momentum.

I caught Fall Out Boy on Warped Tour in 2005, right as everything was exploding, and even saw Patrick jump on drums for a second during My Chemical Romance’s set. The crowds around both bands felt completely electric. Neal Avron helped bring Fall Out Boy to another level sonically, keeping the record polished and massive without making it feel overproduced. And Andy Hurley has always been such an important part of the band’s backbone. He plays tight, direct, and close to the pocket, with just enough flair to remind you he came from a much heavier world. The fact that a drummer with that much emo, hardcore, punk, and metalcore history is still holding down one of the biggest rock bands of his generation is pretty awesome.

Photo with Patrick from that warped tour 2005 date in the comments.

#falloutboy #andyhurley #poppunk #drummer #drumcover

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