FROM THE TOP PEARL DRUMS I MAX IISHI
many different materials suppliers, and in some cases, things happen that are outside our control. In those situa- tions, the only thing we can do is communicate very closely with all of our suppliers and work with them to get materi- als in time. We invest in building up inventory of critical materials to help deal with those sorts of disruptions. HAVE THE RESULTS BEEN GOOD? Yes, we don’t have serious delays in shipping products, thanks to our close relationships with suppliers, and also because of our efforts to carefully control inventory. These strategies put us in a good position to weather supply chain disruptions when they happen. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL MANAGEMENT STYLE?
consumption, more intangible things that we can offer our customers. I know that may sound vague right now, but it’s an interesting question. What can we do as a drum manufacturer to sell intangible products or experi- ences — or combine tangible and intangible products? Exploring those directions will lead us to create some ex- citing and different offerings in the next five to 10 years. TO YOU, WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT DRUM? Our approach is to make an exceptional drum that musi- cians can use to express their individuality. We want each artist’s creative voice to be realized through our products. In order to do that, the instruments we make have to be extremely precise. We deal with wood and metal, and our challenge is to use strong engineering to build excep- tional instruments from those materials. To help make that
I talk to people no matter who they are and what role or level they occupy in the company, I don’t just communi- cate with management. I also try to talk to customers and artists, and really listen to what’s happening with them, and what they think is important when it comes to music. Understanding the communities and regions that we serve helps me build our global vision and figure out how to translate that message into a regional strategy. It’s never just top-down. I always want to understand what’s going on with our company and customers around the world, and then give creative direction from there. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS?
happen, we always use the very best woods and metals we can find. Careful engineering applied to fantastic ma- terials helps us make very responsive and reliable instruments that empower musicians to express themselves to their fullest, and inspires them to keep play- ing and to learn more. A drum that does all of that is my dream instrument. WHAT’S THE LAST MUSIC YOU STREAMED? Jeff Lorber Fusion. I also love Mike Stern. I listen to jazz fusion a lot while I’m driving. It’s very relaxing, but I’m also amazed by the musicality and
“RESILIENCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN SO MANY WAYS. WE LIVE IN WORLD OF UNCERTAINTY WHERE TOMORROW, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.”
creative approach of these artists. I’m not a professional musician myself, so when I listen to this kind of music, it feels very inspirational. NICE. CAN YOU SHARE YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND? When I was in junior high school, I joined my first rock band. I loved playing hard rock and got to perform at school music festivals. In high school and university, I got more into R&B, jazz and funk, and had a great time playing drums with my friends. We played music by art- ists like Van Halen, Prince and many others. It was great. IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN THE MI INDUSTRY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING FOR WORK? When I was a teenager, my parents moved around glob- ally. I spent a lot of time in different countries like Singa- pore, Germany and England. I enjoyed visiting the new places and meeting different people. So, if I wasn’t work- ing in music, I would be involved in international business, probably working in a different type of manufacturing job, trying to reach and develop an overseas market. MI
When we think about what defines our competitive strength as a company, we try to stay close to the play- er’s journey from beginner all the way to top profession- al, across every channel. Under that concept, each musi- cian level has a different challenge. For each musician’s journey, our aim is to identify their niche and provide responsible solutions. That means having new products for the market, and investing heavily in research and development. It means both electronic and acoustic in- struments and trying to come up with new ideas that can support each player’s journey. In five years, I’m hoping for an even more diverse product mix, and new products coming out regularly. I think it’s going to be a very excit- ing journey not just for drummers, but for our company. BEYOND ELECTRONIC AND ACOUSTIC DRUMS, WHAT AREAS ARE YOU LOOKING INTO AS FAR AS PRODUCT EXPANSION? We’re looking more into experiential engagement and
28 I MUSIC INC. I AUGUST 2026
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