Well I'm now 39 but, I'd like to think I'm still young and able to compete with most of the younger guys.
I've been drumming on and off for 31 years and although I haven't done much lately (as I've been on an enforced sabatical due to being in a small house and not being able to use the acoustic) I love playing live.
I enjoy going to concerts and love seeing up and coming new bands, my current favourite being Esteban, a group from Nottinghamshire and Derby who have some awesome songs and vids on youtube. In fact I bought my custom kit off of their drummer, which is in one of the vids.
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UK custom Matt Henton drum kit. The 3pc European Walnut over Keller Maple shells
Bass Drum 24x24 (walnut hoops) - High Tom 13x13 (chrome hoops) - Floor Tom 16x16 (chrome hoops)
The oversize bass drum was specifically built that way so it wouldn't have to be miked up. The high tom is mounted basket case style on a snare stand so neither the bass nor the high tom needed drilling. The resonance is moving. The floor has a thunderous rumble, yet all can be played as softly and with all the control you'd wish for. It's really the advantage of the kit, it allows you to feel the drums and become dynamically involved.
African Zebrano Wood Snare Drum 14x5.5 (black chrome hoops)
The perfect partner for the walnut shells. This was built a little later so allowing the kit to settle before matching a snare to it. Again over a Keller Maple shell, so it's nice and warm with heaps of control.
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My influences are Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Thomas Land, Aaron Spears and Gerald Heyward and Dennis Chambers to name a few.
I like Thomas Lang for the technical and independence ability, Dave Weckl for the Salsa and Latin American feel, as well as him just being an awesome drummer. Steve Gadd for down to earth feel and groove. Aaron spears for the Gospel chops and Gerald Heyward and Dennis Chambers for their down to earth grooves that just get you rocking.
Too many drummer's seem to just want to play chops and fast nowadays and forget the musicality. I love technical stuff but, there's a time and a place. When I listen to Aaron Spears, Gerald Heyward and Dennis Chambers it just makes me want to get on my kit and throw down a good old funky groove.
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I am at present joining in every now and then with the music club in our area; however, the singer and I are looking at branching off and doing a few things of our own.
I was previously in a band called Mr Jones, in 1989 we were quite big in Nottinghamshire and played in covent garden and all over UK. Had a couple of write ups in NME at the time and have since just been playing for fun. When the singer left, we were starting to get some recognition and it fealt like we'd wasted 2 years for nothing, so gave music up for a few years but, as ever, I can't stay away from the drums as I love playing them and love listening to good drummer's and good bands.
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My ideal wish list would consist of a Roland TD20 KX to explore more musical capabilites. A double bass DW kit in tobacco fade and a Gretsch kit like Phil Collins with the old concert toms, as one of my first kits was concert toms and it sounded awesome, even though it wasn't anywhere near the same quality as the Gretsch.
MMMMMMMMMMmmmmm what else????? Oh yeah, to be part of an awesome band with decent original material and a nice little record deal to accompany it.
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