Forget the lead singers; it’s the drummers I like best. When I catch a band live, my eyes are on the drummer — unless the vocals are deep and bluesy, just like Jason McClellan’s. And when I listen to a song in my car, the strong voice and beat of percussion is what leads me into a frenzy. Yes, I am the person who uses the steering wheel as a drum set. And I pick my nose at stoplights, so there.

McClellan and his band, J. Mac Cadillac, have been together a little over a year and are currently recording inside Tacoma’s Pacific Studios. I’ve always wanted to be a fly on the wall during a band’s recording session, so I tried to squeeze some inside information out of him as we sipped a strong dose of coffee together.

STEPH DEROSA: You guys have been in the studio and working hard on your next CD, which comes out in February.

JASON MCCLELLAN: Yeah, sometimes we’re there for entire weekends. We sleep on cots and only leave for short breaks.

DEROSA: Wait a second; hold on there just a minute. Are you telling me that there are four lonely men all cooped up in a room together for days on end? Go on …

MCCLELLAN: Some of the guys have girlfriends. But not me, I firmly believe it’s good to just have friends with benefits.

DEROSA: Oh, right, of course you do. Typical man. Well, are the girlfriends there on those weekends?

MCCLELLAN: NO! It’s too distracting.

DEROSA: So what do you guys do to keep “busy”?

MCCLELLAN: Make music?

DEROSA: Horrible answer.

MCCLELLAN: I know it is horrible, isn’t it? I’ve said you could stop by and see us anytime you want. You could see for yourself.

DEROSA: Well not now that I know how wretchedly lame you guys are. Tell me you at least spoon on those cots, or something.

MCCLELLAN: We only do that when we’ve been drinking heavily and it’s cold outside.

DEROSA: Stop placating me.

MCCLELLAN: What are most interesting are the characters hanging out around downtown’s Pacific Avenue. The homeless are ruthless. One of them took a crap outside on the studio’s window. It’s a great atmosphere to come up with new song material. You should definitely come by.

DEROSA: If I wanted to see splattered crap I’d read another Tacoma paper. But thanks anyway.

Next show: Jan. 23, Inni’s in Lakewood