May 19, 2020: Sitting at my drum kit, pen in hand, notebook on the snare-drum as my desk, I try to scratch out the lyrics and figure out the drum chart to this new song Bill played for me – The Ocean Breathe. I’m all alone in the rehearsal studio – Bill is working late. Next door, the speed metal band is thundering away...
March 6, 2014: I sent a request to Drew Friedman for permission to use his copy of The Different Drummer poster. For years and years, this poster hung in our rehearsal space while working on songs for our band, The Immigrants. It sat behind my Gretsch drum-kit. I tried to be The Different Drummer...
May 19, 2019: Back in 1990, when I looked around the music shop at all the drum sets on display. What’s that little drum set way up on the shelf collecting dust? Just maple – a pure wood finish - an old Gretsch kit. I picked the loneliest, saddest looking drum set in the store. It looked like a neglected pup that needed a home...
May 5, 2020: Last night, I found this video of Buddy Rich from 1943 playing with Tommy Dorsey – an inspiration to go back to those dang rudiments – two sticks, a drum pad, and spastic: LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR. Damn that Buddy Rich rudiment book! The bane of my existence...
My black Tama drum kit - I wanted to be just like Larry Mullen, Jr., the drummer in U2. I saw Larry in a video on MTV. He was playing 16th notes on his hi-hat, drumsticks buzzing in a blur, fast as a humming bird’s wings, sitting perfectly still while making quick snaps to the snare drum....
February 8, 2010: For the first time in 5 years, The Immigrants played once again. Where did all those years go? My trap case where I keep my snare drum and sticks, was a time capsule back to 1994, old set lists to clubs around Boston – The Rat, The Middle East, and The Causeway...
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