20-Year-Old NIN Drummer Talks Life on the Road

Stepping in as a touring member of one of Generation X's most influential bands would be daunting for anybody, but 20-year-old Ilan Rubin is taking his role as Nine Inch Nails' drummer in stride. "A good thing about being 20 is I never run on fumes from touring," Rubin tells OurStage.com. "Plus, I'm a chronic sleeper, so whenever I'm not doing anything, I pass out and recharge."

When the time comes for a gig, the eager drummer is miraculously devoid of pre-show jitters. "The only things I do before every show are stretch and not eat. I can't stand waiting around, so anything to kill time and get onstage works for me."

When he's not performing for massive audiences on the road, Rubin flexes his musical chops under a solo moniker, the New Regime. On a recent release entitled 'Coup,' he performed all instruments and vocal parts himself, and cites classical music as a primary influence. "As far as '90s music, the only artists I listen to are Jeff Buckley and Radiohead."

It looks as though the budding rockstar has a long musical career ahead of him, but he still has a little while to go before he can enjoy the full benefits of life on tour. "The only times I run into age problems with venues is when I play TNR shows in smaller, 21 and up clubs. Doesn't matter if I play for NIN, I'll have to wait outside on the sidewalk for another few months."