I’d like to share some of our conversations in order for you to get to know Mike as I did, describe a few examples of his work, and also explain how his approach differs from that of other gifted hand engravers, like John Aldridge and Adrian Kirchler.
Read moreFrom Editor George Lawrence
Hi, from my bunker in Memphis TN. during this time of “Corona virus bullets flying and no one is bullet proof”.
Read moreGuide to Vintage Drum Indentification - Slingerland Lugs
The Slingerland “Streamlined” lugs were used on snare drums, bass drums (a larger version) and tom toms. While Leedy is credited with the first modern non-tubular lug casings, Slingerland was the first to use them on tom toms and bass drums.
Read moreWin a Set of Istanbul Mehmet Black Bell Cymbals!
Enter To Win A Set Of Istanbul Cymbals And Other Prizes! Here’s your chance to win some bronze from Istanbul Mehmet, the original handmade cymbals from Turkey.
Read moreUnsung Heroes - Ash Soan
Our unsung hero this month is a U.K. born drummer whose rhythmic stylings can be heard on over one hundred recordings, including 56 top ten albums…
Read moreAll In A Day's Work
OK, full day of studio work, jazz lounge gig in the evening, sit-in at the after-hours club ... and it's still not enough! Well, some of us really are that obsessed with playing, but 8 or 10 or 12 hours a day? Sure…
Read moreMarcel FAIVRE full dress drumset
Probably a special order... a "custom" drumset as we say today. This drumset was manufactured by METJAZZ brand (Jean Metzger drum maker), whose specialty was those very decorated drumsets, very fashionable in France from the 30s to the early 50s…
Read moreGuest Editorial - Words of Encouragement
Early teardown
One by one every tour was canceling. One by one all the buses were coming back to Nashville. One by one we were hugging it out, bummed that we couldn’t finish the tour. One by one we all got in our cars and left. It only took a few days for Lower Broadway to follow suit. No industry was safe from the effects of COVID-19.
Read more1920s C. G. CONN 5 x 14 8 LUG ENGRAVED/GOLD PLATED “DOUBLE DRAGON” ALL-METAL DRUM
“This drum has been nicknamed “The Dragon Drum” and was probably an un-catalogued one-off special order…
Read moreFrom Editor George Lawrence
This is great! and I’m having so much fun staying at home and being safe and drinking as much coffee as i want and i don’t have to shave or use punctuation and the ideas are just pouring-pouring-pouring out of my head and I’m typing 130 words a minute and I’m gonna go play my drums now and I’ll be back in a minute - woohoowoohoo!!! (“Editor on Maximum Coffee” image courtesy of the editor on maximum coffee)
OK this is a long one - I have plenty of time to write and you probably have plenty of time to read if all of your gigs and rehearsals and students have cancelled like mine. :-)
Read moreKelli Rae Tubbs' Early Drum Set Video Series, Episode 1: "Woodblock"
Not So Modern Drummer welcomes old friend but new columnist Kelli Rae Tubbs. She knows her stuff about the early drum sets of the early 1900s and she is a great presenter and host. We will be featuring one or more of Kelli’s very well produced videos every month.
Read more"Drum History Podcast" - episode 1 with Kelli Rae Tubbs: The Death of the Trap Drummer
Kelli Rae explains and demonstrates the sound effects used by drummers during the silent movie era, and also how the “talkies” eventually put many drummers out of work in the theatres. Bart van der Zee has graciously allowed Not So Modern Drummer to publish his podcast and direct our viewers toward his awesome podcast site at www.drumhistorypodcast.com
Read moreBiff Adam, Drummer in Merle Haggard's Strangers, Dead at 83
Drummer Biff Adam, who was an integral member of Merle Haggard’s legendary backing band for four decades, and also served as the singer’s publicist and bus driver for several years, died Saturday, March 7th, after battling congestive heart failure.
Read moreGuide to Vintage Drum Identification - Leedy Lugs
In 1929, the Leedy Drum Company was sold to the C.G. Conn Company and a true innovation in lug design was introduced that year. Known as the “X” lug or “Box” lug, this new tension casing was attached to the drum shell from inside the drum with two screws.
Read moreGuide To Vintage Drum Identification - Overview
If you have ever found yourself looking at an old vintage drum and wondering, “What year was this made?”, or “When did they first use this type of snare strainer?”, or “What’s the name of this unusual finish?”, then this vintage drum guide may be of interest to you. The purpose of this guide is to help identify the various types, models, and features of vintage drums during the years 1923 to 1965. I consider this period to be the “golden age” of American drum manufacturing. This
Read moreNew book by TERRY SILVERLIGHT and MORRIS ‘Arnie’ LANG - "A NEW CONCEPTION"
Legendary classical percussionist and educator Morris “Arnie” Lang together with jazz/pop/fusion drummer Terry Silverlight present a unique concept of changing meters over four bars (sixteen beats) in 4/4 time.
Read moreRelease Your Inner __________ (insert drummer of choice)
Tribute band Mini Kiss
What Daniel suggests, and I fully endorse, is that you step inside the other artist's skin for a few minutes. He even goes as far as to suggest you imagine yourself as that drummer to help you emulate their style and energy.
Read more"I hand built an entire drum set in my garage" by Eric Olson
The shells are all hand built in my garage. I do have more pictures of building and complete. The “show piece” is the snare made from maple and Purple Heart.
Read more1926-27 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 5 x 14 NOB/12 pt. FLORAL ENGRAVED DeLUXE SUPER-LUDWIG MODEL
I think that this drum could have possibly been an un-cataloged special order. Everything points to a mid-1920s L & L DeLuxe snare drum (black nickel plating, 12 pt. floral engraving and DeLuxe copper plated/gold lacquered hardware) with the exception that the shell is nickel plated with the 12 pt. floral engraving showing through.
Read moreUnsung Heroes - Kate Schellenbach
This month’s drumming unsung hero is Kate Schellenbach. Kate is a 54-year-old musician and television producer. Since 1992, she has been the drummer for “Luscious Jackson” and was also the drummer in an early incarnation of “The Beastie Boys”.
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