I've played the drums since I was about 14. I'm older than that now. I've played in several bands. Some of those bands have supported other bands some of you might know. Life's like that. I still have dreams of fame and riches from a rock and roll lifestyle. You just never know....
I lead a balanced life. When not playing drums I surf. I have to work to pay for that lifestyle as no one will pay me to surf and music doesn't really pay does it?
Favourite bands? Changes like the weather but if you looked at the bands I have everything (good) by you'd see Can, Iggy & the Stooges, The Go-Betweens, REM, Sonic Youth etc. and, more recently, Wilco. But I also listen to a lot of dub reggae and funk (Meters, James Brown) and a bit of Jazz.
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There are two. And extra bits. You can't have too many drums. Sure you can only pay one kit at a time but it's nice to have a choice...
Main kit is a Sonor Force 2000 with a Sonor Designer maple light snare. Best I've ever owned or played, no question. The rest of the kit is also pretty amazing sounding considering how little it cost bit by bit from the 'net.
Cymbals are an old Paiste 505 20" ride (nice), Avedis Zildjian 16" crash (OK), and Zildjian Z custom 13" hats (tasty).
Spare kit (for practices and stuff because it's lighter and less precious than the Sonor) is an ancient Pearl Professional Series from the mid 1970's. From the catalogues it was top-of-the-line in it's day. I've unwrapped the shells, oiled up the fibreglass-lined mahogany shells and fitted current tom mounting hardware to it. It's got a suitably grungy rustic look which sets it apart from any other kit...
Other odds and ends are a 1959 Olympic birch snare and a 1960's(?) Trixon 13X9 tom.
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First drums I heard that influenced my behaviour were in the Dave Clark Five's "Bits & Pieces". I was very young but It was all downhill from there...
Next was probably Ringo... but then the Velvet Undergound made drumming accessible for the masses. Thanks Mo.
Then, and most profoundly, it was Jaki Liebezeit of German band Can. His drumming still challenges me to try things 30 years on from first hearing him play.
I suppose Bonham, Moon and Mitch Mitchell were subconscious influences at times too...
In the 80's/ 90's it was local drummer Gary Sullivan from the Jean Paul Sarte Experience (later JPSE, now with Dimmer). At a time when big kits, big hair and big fills were the rage, he played hypnotic grooves on a 4 piece kit and always seemed to play what you'd least expect. That Jaki Liebezeit factor again I suppose.
Recently I'm listening to a wide range of drummers from many genres... and discovering some of the old masters from the past too.
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Currently in a couple of bands.
Main one is The Dark Beaks...a mesmerising mix of brightly skewed indie-pop and darkly hypnotic (but always melodic) journeys into places you should never go alone... think Sonic Youth meets XTC. Or not. Fun to drum in as only 2 of us so it's interesting filling the gaps the bass normally plugs and keeping the forward propulsion going.
Playing live as and when... and intending to begin recording in August. Other band is more traditional power-trio and hopefully gigging shortly too.
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A Sonor Designer in Walnut...
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