Today, we talk about our worst gig experiences. Chris Pennie is the drummer of the week, the 17-stroke roll rounds our our roll rudiments as rudiment of the week, and Ask Dave answers where to get a cheap drum set online! Show Notes

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Last week, we told you about the Bucket Drumming Competition, but now, it looks like someone’s (Scott Rockenfiled of Queensryche fame) actually started making drums made out of buckets.

To me, it seems a little self-defeating. What makes bucket drums bucket drums is the fact that they’re just buckets. What we have here are buckets with drumheads, resulting in drums with buckets for shells. Not much fun for little harpo. Regardless, they are here now so I’m sure we’ll be reading more about them.

Here’s what their press release had to say:

BucketDrums LLC, introduces the world’s first bucket based drum. Using a revolutionary new Head Mounting system and a 100% Recycled Plastic Bucket, BucketDrums has now made drums affordable for everyone. In addition, the BucketDrums come complete with easily installed “tom mounts” for adding the BucketDrums to any drum or percussion setup, Drumsticks, sticker pack, and drum tuning key.

“You’ve never seen anything as cool as these things. They are easy to tune, fun to play, and really sound amazing,” said Founder and CEO Scott Rockenfield.

Prices are $49.95 each. Read more over at Harmony Central.

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The problem with reviewing these old drum technique instructional videos is that their modern counterparts just blow the old ones out of the water. These new DVD’s like Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer and Drum-Set Technique/History of the U.S. Beat are so thorough and comprehensive that there is not very much to be gained by viewing these old ones. This is somewhat true of Joe Morello’s Drum Method 1 & 2, but not as much as I expected.

There are only two volumes. Morello mentions a third installment in both volumes one and two, don’t bother looking for it, it doesn’t exist. Each volume is sold separately and comes with it’s own little booklet with detailed transcriptions of the exercises Morello goes through. It would be perfect if they would just sell it as two disk set with one big booklet/downloadable PDFs… but, alas, they don’t. I’m reviewing these two as a pair because they are at there best as a pair. I wouldn’t recommend buying one buy itself and I wouldn’t recommend renting them if you are serious about learning from them. The reason I wouldn’t rent them is because you won’t get the little booklets that come with them. The reason I wouldn’t buy one without intending to get the other is because the second volume is the juicer one of the two, but it refers you back to the first volume on several occasions. Meanwhile, the first disk just isn’t worth it in terms of content if it isn’t paired with the second. What a pickle. (more…)

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We have a great show this week as we talk all about drum heads!  Also, the 15-stroke roll is the rudiment of the week, Mike has news, we talk about the state of the music industry, and Mike Portnoy is the Drummer of the Week!  Show Notes

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Source: Sabian.com

It’s been a busy few months for endorsements as John Blackwell and Chris Layton moved to Zildjian. It looks like Sabian has just secured drumming prodigy, Tony Royster, Jr.

“HHX cymbals are my sound,” commented Royster. “I love the smooth responses of the Evolutions, the hot tone of the Xtreme and Legacy crashes, and the multi-hole design and wicked sound of the O-Zone, which is the real kicker! With SABIAN I’ve found a great range of sounds that cover everything from hip-hop and heavy metal to jazz and fusion. I didn’t know it before, but I know it now; SABIAN has it all.”

Added Christian Stankee, SABIAN artist relations manager (USA): “Tony Royster Jr. is one of the hottest young drummers on the planet. Not only can he play, he can groove, which is why he’s so popular at drumming events and, even at his young age, he’s playing serious gigs such as Jay Z. Tony is a great modern drummer and a perfect player for SABIAN.”

Who can forget Tony’s 12 yr-old video clip?

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Source: MusicRadar.com

According to a story in the Sun newspaper on 12 May 2008, Zak Starkey is unlikely to play with Oasis again, following completion of the band’s seventh studio album, due later this year.

The newspaper quoted a source close to the band as saying: “There have been arguments with Noel Gallagher and general disagreements. It looks like the album will be his last involvement with the band.”

It seems likely that Starkey will continue with his other day job as The Who’s drummer.

Meanwhile, Noel Gallagher’s search for a new sticksman appears to have ended. If reports are to be believed, Chris Sharrock, currently backing Robbie Williams, is set to become the fourth Oasis drummer, and incredibly, the 18th either temporary or permanent member of the band since their debut single, Supersonic, was released back in 1994.

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Source: kbsradio.ca

Original Rush drummer John Rutsey died this past weekend at the age of 55, according to Toronto radio station Q107. Rutsey’s death was announced by Rush’s management company, Anthem Management. The cause of death was not disclosed. Rutsey and guitarist Alex Lifeson formed Rush in 1968, with bassist/singer Geddy Lee joining a short time later. Rutsey played on the band’s self-titled 1974 debut album, but left the group due to health concerns. A diabetic, Rutsey was unable to commit to long-term touring and elected to step down.

Read the full story …

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I’ve already sung the praises of traditional grip, so now I have to give matched grip it’s fifteen minutes. This probably won’t be fifteen minutes worth of reading so please just read it at a slower pace.

Traditional grip was developed out of necessity. It was created because of marching snare drums that were suspended with a strap. The severe angle prevented the common sense matched grip from being used. So they made up traditional grip which became a marching tradition (this sentence sounds very redundant now that I think about it.) The marching tradition was naturally passed on to the drum-set because the drum-set is a direct descendant of marching drums. Go figure. (more…)

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Source: Fosters.com

“I will never forget the expression when we played the first notes of ‘Long Tall Sally’ on the kids’ faces,” Best recalled Friday afternoon during a telephone interview from the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y., where his band was scheduled to play that night.

Suddenly, there was a great roar that ushered in the beginning of what was to become Beatlemania, Best recalled.

“It was a moment of magic,” the now 66-year-old Best said.

But Best’s career with the Beatles was short-lived. Just before his former band mates became successful British pop stars in 1962, the decision was made to replace him with Ringo Starr.

Former Beatles Manager Brian Epstein broke the news to Best and Best never spoke with John, Paul or George again.

Read the full story …

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Traditional grip has come under considerable fire as of late in the drumming community. They say that because of its origins in marching where the drums were tilted, it loses most, if not all of its relevance in a world where mostly position our drums with much less angle then in the old days. They also cite (correctly) that matched grip is a much more natural grip. Both arguments have their merits, but I am of the opinion that traditional grip is and shall remain formidable presence for as long as there are drummers.

I will be the first to admit that matched grip has many advantages over traditional and may be a better general grip. However, there are some areas where traditional grip is superior to matched. One of these area is subtlety. Much of which has to do with the upside down nature of the traditional grip and its placement in front of the fulcrum an opposed to behind it. Subtly comes from the ability to control the stick beginning, during and after the stroke. While matched and traditional are roughly even in the beginning and the end of the stroke, traditional excels in the area of control of the stick during flight. This comes mostly from its being in front of the fulcrum. (more…)

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Bobby Standridge has done an amazing job of animating Neil Peart and his performance of YYZ - every lick!

Find out more over at BobbysBrane.com

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Dave is back in the driver’s seat as we talk all about drum racks on today’s show.  The 15-stroke roll is the rudiment of the week, Thomas Pridgen is the drummer of the week, and Dave talks about his root in the Ask Dave segment.  Show Notes

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Source: ConnectSavannah.com

THOUGH BEST KNOWN AS THE INVENTIVE TRAP DRUMMER in the groundbreaking fusion band Living Colour (whose aggressive and noisy metallic funk helped shape the sonic landscape of late ’80s and early ’90s hard rock), two-time Grammy Award-winner Will Calhoun is also a respected jazz percussionist who continues to play and record with a diverse roster of major artists.

He recently wrapped four shows at NYC’s Performance Space 122 that found Calhoun integrating his loves of poetry, sound and photography into a mixed-media event drawing on his studies of global ethnic music.

He returns to Savannah nearly two decades after his last visit for a special clinic at Portman’s Music Superstore. I caught up with Calhoun by phone.

How did the shows at PS122 go?

Will Calhoun: Tremendous. It allowed me to play dulcimer and interesting indigenous flutes handmade for me during my travels abroad. It was called Black Holes because those are missing spaces in the middle of universes. No one knows how big or deep they are — just like our lives.

Read the full story …

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In March, we told you about Rainn Wilson bangining on Neil Peart’s kit for research for an upcoming movie. We now have the trailer for The Rocker featuring The Office star as a washed up drummer making a comeback!

See also BigDrumThump.com.

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Presonus, a company that manufactures audio gear, has posted a 6-part video series on recording drums featuring Invisible Records’ Martin Atkins.

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