Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shane Wise. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Shane , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Honestly, I feel like I’m still finding my purpose—it’s always evolving. But looking back, the core of it has stayed the same:
Play music and have fun.
In the beginning, it was simple. Coming from a musical family that toured year round in a band, it felt natural for me to find my place in music—almost like destiny. Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but the truth is, my childhood and early adulthood were spent traveling from city to city, watching my parents perform at their best every night. I saw the roaring applause, the camaraderie between band members, the revelry that followed. That was where I first fell in love with music and the joy it brings to people. From birth to adulthood, I had a front-row seat to the life of a traveling musician—how could I not feel like this was my future?
From that experience, drums became my way of leaving my mark on the world of music. I’ve always had a special relationship with rhythm. According to my mother, when she was pregnant with me, I would kick in time with the beat during her performances. Who knows if that’s an exaggeration, but what’s true is that I did have a natural feel for rhythm. Also—newsflash—drums are hella fun.
As fate would have it Kyle Lampi, my best friend since the age of 5, joined me on this journey—only with a guitar. From the moment we sat in my parents’ garage at 13 with me on drums and Kyle on guitar, jamming to Metallica songs, the dream of “making it” in music was no longer a solo adventure. It became a team effort. Soon, other friends would join us to form a full band and our purpose shifted from a personal ambition to an almost military-like philosophy: every hour dedicated to our instruments wasn’t just for ourselves but for the brothers standing beside us. We carried that for ten years— practicing, promoting, changing members, changing genres. We did everything we could to make this dream a reality but unfortunately, the truth about trying to “make it” in music is that it’s almost impossible—something we learned the hard way.
After a decade of trying, the musical brotherhood we spent so much time cultivating eventually dissolved and we went our separate ways. That chapter of the dream was closed, however looking back, I owe a significant part of my identity to that time in my life. It taught me the value of dedication, a strong work ethic, compromise, and collaboration—all lessons I learned from my time with those guys. It was place in time that was something truly special. Those cherished memories I made along the way shaped and prepared me for the next stages of my journey.
Although that significant part of my story ended, the core idea remained: keep playing, keep having fun. And somehow, that mindset paid off.
That original dream of “making it” —getting into a band and getting signed—actually came true after 20 years of effort. I found myself in a really cool band called Five Knives that eventually landed a record deal. I can’t express fully in words the feeling I had when I realized I was finally at the doorstep of something I had worked for since I was a kid. To be put simply, It felt like a dream come true. We toured with incredible acts like Twenty One Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins just to name a few, we got the signing bonus, recorded an album in LA with a prestigious producer— all things that I could fill an entire book about but to summarize, I lived a dream with another group of amazing individuals that I will cherish forever. But once again, the harsh reality of the music industry set in. Money ran out, momentum stalled, and the dream was once again halted. The band broke up, and I was left, yet again, with the question:
“What do I do now?”
Anyone who has lost a job or gone through a painful breakup knows that moment—the need to reevaluate, to dig deep and rediscover what truly drives you. Drums had always been a key source of joy for me. But what else?
Video games.
Once I identified those two passions, the path became clear:
Live streaming.
These days, my purpose is still to play every chance I get—only now, I showcase the niche video game soundtracks I’ve always loved but never had the opportunity to highlight before. The difference between then and now is that the internet has given me the space to be my true self: a drummer and an avid video game nerd.
Sure, it’s not in a crowded, smoke-filled venue. It’s in front of a webcam, in the bonus room of my house. But it’s still a place where I can sit down and have that same childlike joy with music again and again. It may not come with the instant feedback of a roaring crowd, but it gives me what I’ve always wanted: a place to play music and have fun.
And in the end, that’s what it was all about in the first place.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Gamer-Drummer.
For as long as I can remember, those two words have defined me—inseparably. Video games and drumming aren’t just hobbies; they’ve shaped my identity, inspired my creativity, and fueled my passion. If you need proof, my first tattoo was the Legend of Zelda Triforce, my second (and last) was a classic Nintendo controller, and I even had a custom Mega Man-themed drum set made. Let’s just say, I don’t do things halfway.
Video games have always been more than just entertainment to me. Sure, people have criticized them as time-wasters, but I see them as something more—interactive stories that invite you to be part of the adventure. Unlike books or movies, where you passively absorb the narrative, video games make you the driving force. Without you, the story doesn’t move forward.
But my connection to games runs deeper than just gameplay. Music has always been at the heart of my experience. Try imagining Super Mario without its infectious theme or The Legend of Zelda without its soaring melody. Impossible, right? The Zelda theme, in particular, had a profound impact on me. The first time I heard that 8-bit masterpiece on the NES title screen, I didn’t need to see the game to understand what it was about—I felt the adventure in the music alone. That moment sparked something in me. Soon, I was recording game soundtracks onto cassette tapes and playing along on my drum set, immersing myself in the rhythms of Mega Man and Final Fantasy. Looking back, I’d say those practice sessions were the foundation of my drumming career.
For years, I tried convincing my music-loving friends just how incredible video game soundtracks were. The composers behind them—Koji Kondo, Nobuo Uematsu, Yoko Shimomura—deserve to be recognized alongside the greatest in music history.
Then came YouTube.
I remember watching Travis Barker’s drum cover of Soulja Boy’s Crank That (Superman) and being blown away. A rock drummer seamlessly blending hip-hop? It felt groundbreaking. That’s when it hit me—why wasn’t anyone doing this for video game music? So, I started uploading my own drum covers of my favorite game soundtracks. That passion project eventually evolved into WiseDrums LIVE, a livestream where I drum along to video game music and other requests in real-time.
What started as a way to keep my skills sharp during the pandemic has grown into an amazing community of gamers, musicians, and music lovers. It’s become a space where we geek out over our favorite tracks, discover new ones together, and share our love for the music that shaped us. More than that, it’s also a platform where I can highlight independent artists who deserve more attention—like mashup genius Botanic Sage and Undertale AU composer SharaX.
If you love video games, music, or both, come hang out with me on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. Let’s keep the adventure going—one beat at a time.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. “Just Do It.”
When I first started my content creation journey, I would get caught up in the smallest details, obsessing over making everything perfect. Here’s a reality check for anyone just starting out: it’s never going to be perfect. And that’s okay. The best thing you can do is just do it. Post the content. Learn from your mistakes. Move on to the next project.
One thing I’ve noticed about content creation—and I’ve heard this from other creators as well—is that the things you expect to flop often do the best. It’s a weird phenomenon, but it’s real. So, I try to maintain an “F-it” attitude when working on new projects. I remind myself to relax, have fun, and enjoy the ride. In the immortal words of that Shia LaBeouf meme: JUST. DO IT.
2. “Learn to Love Yourself.”
It may sound cliché, but it’s absolutely true. If you’re a creative person, you already know who your biggest critic is—you. You notice every tiny mistake, every flaw, every seed of doubt. While self-criticism is a necessary tool for growth, it can also be a paralyzing force if you let it take over. Don’t feed into it.
To this day, learning to silence that inner critic is something I work on. What helps me the most is practicing positive affirmations and being patient with myself. Whenever I accomplish something, I make a point to acknowledge it: “Hey, that was pretty cool!” or “You’re great at what you do.” These small affirmations have made a huge difference in my mental health when my inner critic is getting too loud.
Think of self-love like a muscle—it only grows if you actively work on it. Just like you practice your craft, practice being grateful for where you are. Act like you’ve already made it, and everything from here on out is just the cherry on top. I know it sounds like something a dad would say in a Lifetime movie, but it’s genuinely helped me keep moving forward.
3. “The Drummer is the Driver of the bus”
This lesson is for any aspiring drummers out there. One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is this simple analogy: The drummer is the driver, and the band is the rest of the bus.
It might sound silly, but it perfectly illustrates the importance of the drummer’s role. The drummer sets the pace. If the driver speeds up or slows down, the band has no choice but to follow. If the driver stops, so does everyone else. While other musicians might get away with a missed note or an off-key moment, the drummer’s mistakes are much harder to hide. If the beat stops or drastically shifts, everyone notices.
It’s easy to look at drummers like Travis Barker or Eric Moore and think drumming is all about flashy solos and speed. Don’t get me wrong—that stuff is a lot of fun. But first and foremost, the drummer’s job is to keep people moving. Even someone with zero musical knowledge can tell when a beat is off.
If you’re serious about being a drummer in a band, I highly recommend starting simple. Get comfortable with a metronome and practice staying locked in for long periods without drifting off tempo. If metronomes feel intimidating at first, try playing along with Techno, Disco, or House music—styles with steady, straightforward beats. This approach helped me tremendously when I was starting out and made transitioning to metronome practice much easier.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The biggest obstacle I’m working through right now is learning how to be self-motivated. Throughout my creative life, I’ve always thrived as part of a strong team—whether it was my immediate family or a band I was in. I naturally gravitated toward being a solid team member rather than the leader, which is part of why I became a drummer instead of a singer. When I’m part of a group that means a lot to me, my commitment to being the best I can be extends beyond personal fulfillment. It brings a sense of belonging, connection, and purpose. Success feels fully realized when the people who rely on me acknowledge and appreciate my hard work. Having like-minded people around me has always reassured and motivated me to push forward.
Now that I’ve shifted my focus to solo content creation, it’s been much harder to find that same sense of accomplishment. There’s no one to bounce ideas off of, no one to edit my work, no one to encourage me when I start to doubt myself—it’s all on me. And at times, it can feel really lonely. It’s even tougher when my inner critic starts creeping in, leading to task paralysis.
However, I’ve found ways to push through these moments. One approach is using that critical inner voice to my advantage. That voice exists because I want to improve—it’s there to challenge me. So instead of letting it paralyze me, I turn it into motivation. If it tells me, “You suck,” I respond with, “No. You’re wrong, and I’ll prove it.” I get defiant. I get determined. Some of my biggest leaps in creativity have come from moments when I felt underestimated or even let go from a project unfairly. I channeled that frustration into action and proved to myself what I was capable of. So now, when self-doubt creeps in, I treat it like a villain that I’m always proving wrong.
To combat the loneliness of solo content creation, I remind myself why I started in the first place: for fun. To create. To express myself. To share my passions, quirks, and interests. It was never about chasing fame, getting signed, or making a fortune—it was about the joy of playing, experimenting, and connecting with others. And when I look at it that way, it’s not lonely at all. Because along this journey, I’ve met so many people who share my interests, people who have told me that my content made their day a little better, even if just by making them smile. And to me, that’s worth more than any contract or paycheck.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WiseDrums.Com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisedrums/
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Wisedrums
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/WiseDrums
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wisedrums
https://Gamejolt.com/@WiseDrums
Image Credits
1st image
Mickey Mouse Drumset at age 4
2nd Image
My time with Five Knives
3rd Image
My first band (and other close friends)
4th Image
Me and Kyle Lampi jammin
5th image
My Dad (Dennis Wise) and Mom (Marcia Wise) and myself on drums.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
