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IrelandNo loops, no backing tracks: Steel Beans plays the whole band for Rick Beato
Jeremy DeBardi traces his road from local Washington shows to a Tool tour invitation, then plays three songs live in the studio.
Rick Beato
Story of Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 852,533 views.
Steel Beans: How The F*ck Does He Do This?
Things we can learn from the video
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- 1:13DeBardi recalls leading a full band and discovering he could drum while holding a guitar.
- 2:33A $300 minivan tour and living-room promo clips lead to his unexpected viral moment.
- 6:12Opening for Tenacious D, then Maynard James Keenan's invitation to open 26 arena shows for Tool.
- 8:04He shows how picks, sticks and hammer-ons work together, with no loop pedals or backing tracks.
- 12:24First live song, "Stowaway"; "Throwin' Stones" follows at 26:46.
- 35:51Closing performance of "Drive Me Home," built on vibraphone from a 2020 demo.
Two amplifiers, a guitar, a full drum kit, two plastic plants and two fake heads: that is the gear list in the description for Jeremy DeBardi's visit to Rick Beato's studio. DeBardi performs as Steel Beans, and he plays drums and guitar and sings, all at the same time.
The interview's title asks how he does it, in blunter language than this page will repeat, and close to 850,000 people have come looking for the answer since yesterday. The comment section filled more than five times as fast as on a usual first day for Beato's longer videos.
The answer is less technical than you might expect. "There is nothing in my setup that couldn't have been done 50 years ago," DeBardi says. He uses ordinary picks and drumsticks, strums and hammers on notes, and leans on no loop pedals. Partly that is pride, he admits, and partly "I'm terrible at looping pedals." His drumming heroes are Keith Moon and Ginger Baker, and he shows off double kick drums and cymbal crashes to prove it.
His story starts in North Everett, Washington, writing songs and leading a full band, until he found he could play drums while still holding a guitar. Years of local gigs later, he booked a solo minivan tour with $300, filmed promotional clips in a hot living room to sell the shows, and went viral. Arena dates opening for Tenacious D followed. Then a message arrived from Maynard James Keenan asking him to open 26 arena shows for Tool. "Oh, this can't be Tool," he remembers thinking.
Between three live songs, "Stowaway," "Throwin' Stones" and "Drive Me Home," Beato's first remark is practical: the guitar stays in tune. That guitar is a modified Silvertone 1478 from the mid-1960s, and a fan in Boise once gave DeBardi one stamped with his birthday.
Much of his live show is improvised, he says, and the only real rehearsal is a show. Mistakes are welcome too. "A big part of the show is how many things can go wrong that I'll make it look like it was part of the show."
It is Beato's second unusual player in a week, after the Slovak guitarist David Kollar, but this one does it with drums.
Published on Trari
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What viewers say
Who needs a power trio when we have a power uno
@JeremiahSchollSee it on YouTubeI brushed my hair and my teeth simultaneously this morning. I was SO proud of myself, until now. This man is absolutely inspirational.
@matthewprobasco924See it on YouTubeAnother case of overnight success...that took 20+ years to achieve.
I love stories like his.
Support your local music scene.@ZodibighSee it on YouTube
7 more comments
The most impressive part isn't that he can do all 3 at the same time. The most impressive is that the music he creates is amazing.
@RodrifuuuSee it on YouTube"Everything is hard, but I block it out so it doesn't feel hard." That's my new philosophy on life!
@kyraandamysdadSee it on YouTubeI love that it’s not just about the novelty of the whole thing- he’s really good
@zwick6890See it on YouTubeHe’s actually a good singer is the best part. None aof this really works without the good pitch and vocals. It’s the glue.
@davidhurley5032See it on YouTube30 years from now his reunion tour is going to be EPIC
@jimgilliland6502See it on YouTubeThis dude is not only so talented, but also so honest about his story and journey and where he is and what he does. He was so unpretentious, humble and funny. It was refreshing.
@jason3fcSee it on YouTubeThis is a musician. That's it right there.
@FT4FreedomSee it on YouTube
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- Channel
- Rick Beato
- Subscribers
- 5,890,000 ▲ 10,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 16,461,364
- Channel views, pace per day
- 4,264,632 (on a normal day: 1,498,104)
- Video published
- October 27, 2026
- Video views so far
- 1,002,977 (2 days online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 852,197
The numbers
Close to 850,000 people watched the Steel Beans interview since yesterday, and the comments arrived far faster than usual for the channel.
💡 Test your knowledge
Keith Moon, one of DeBardi's drumming influences, was the drummer of which band?
Keith Moon played drums for The Who from 1964 until his death in 1978.