For me, being a starter doesn't matter. Of course, I'd like to be in at the end of the game, to be a big part of the team, and to play as many minutes as I can play. But starting and coming off the bench are two different challenges. ↗
To me, it's the kiss of death when you start winking at the audience as an actor. I just never liked it. I don't like it when we do monologues, looking into the character. ↗
But I think that any young drummer starting out today should get himself a great teacher and learn all there is to know about the instrument that he wants to play. ↗