SKF NOTE: This is a photo of the envelope I used to send Mel Lewis his first Modern Drummer interview transcript. The glued postage stamp is long gone.

It reminds me of when I started freelancing writing about drummers, before submitting my interviews for publication, I would send my finished manuscripts to interviewees for approval.

Early on, Levon Helm, Jaimoe Johnson, and Butch Trucks told me about interviewers inventing quotes and stories in their published pieces. As a freshman freelancer, hearing about such unethical practices was appalling. I couldn’t imagine making up quotes.

Sometimes drummers would make small changes to the manuscripts I sent them. But they really appreciated the gesture. And my policy ensured no surprises when the interview was published.

I still use that fact-checking method.