“We’ve Always Got our Drumming”
Dateline: March 2007
It’s been 30 very short years since I made that wonderful discovery, and that very fateful decision. “I was going to be a drummer!”
Now, I suppose that the amazingly fast-paced amount of time that has elapsed since then could be loosely referred to as “history!” But much has, indeed, taken place since then, as I’m sure that you can understand in relation to your own life. And interestingly, drums and music have always been something of a “time-keeper” for me…it was a fateful day in 1980 that I had emerged from the basement practice room in the house where I grew up, to hear the startling news reports of the Challenger disaster…and there, before the television, I remained in stunned silence as the events, and the video, were recounted. And a great day of practice was lost. But, I am ahead of myself.
I have few memories of what drew me to the drums; save for an astonishing display by Buddy Rich on, what was for me then, a very late-nite “Tonight Show” starring Johnny Carson. My mother was tuned in, and I watched with fascination (and disbelief!) as Buddy did magical things with two twigs and some very shiny drums. I couldn’t have been nine at the time, but that spectacle stayed with me for years. I wanted to do that!
But, again, a dank and dark basement seemed to be my destiny at the time…it was at a high-school basement party that my decision was made; I heard this music that I had never heard before; yes, an actual vinyl album; the singer screaming his venom, and melodiously; and this drummer was playing in a way that I had never heard drums played before… ”who IS that!?!” “WHAT is that?!” I was hooked. I promptly and spontaneously sold my dirt-bike, and purchased my first set of drums. They were configured into a little four-piece kit of brown “swirl,” and with a well-established name like “Apollo,” or something like that…
I must admit at this time that a self-Biography is not my thing…and besides, there isn’t much glamour in sweat and hunger and blisters…and little to say that most would care to hear about anyway… but I can tell you a few things. I practiced hard! I would avoid the attendance of school many days, waiting for the rest of the family to be off on their way, and feigning preparation for a long hard day at school, myself…only to “stow myself away” behind the drums and have a good five-hour bash. Hardly a long, tedious day to a high-school boy! But I was soon in my first band. What a glorious evening it was for me, to play on the stage at my high school, my friends and peers in the audience. In the High School auditorium! Scandal! Funny enough, I don’t even remember the name of my first band!
Not many months later I was in my second band, “COZMOS.” What a wonderful time of life that was for me, and my fellow band-mates were truly my best friends. We practiced after school daily; it was quite a mad dash that I made for that bus after school, and we played for hours. Honourable mention goes to my Mother, who sustained and withstood not only MY playing, but returned home from work daily to poorly-tuned guitars and thumping (and also poorly-tuned!) drums. (She used to tell me that she liked it…I guess it was okay to “lie” in this type of instance…!)
It was during a Cozmos show that I was approached by Bassist Michael Wallace, one of the talented Wallace Brothers, and our acquaintance was made. Some weeks later, I received a call; “Hey, we liked your style…why don’t we do an audition?” I was reluctant; my mates in Cozmos were just that, mates. But I had heard of the notoriety and virtuosity of the brothers and their band at the time, “Prodigy,” and after some gnashing of teeth, decided to give it a go. Things went quite well, we “clicked,” and after some prompting from the Wallace brothers, Paul Lent (a Music Major acquaintance of theirs, and an astounding Vocalist) was added. And the Rock band “WORLDS” was borne. Music was written, shows were played, and after two years of constant rehearsing and steady gigging, “WORLDS” entered the studio. Pumpkin Studios was chosen, (or should I say they chose us) just outside of Chicago, and we managed to convince Producer Gary Loizzo (Styx) to assist in the Project. We emerged from the studio with smiles, sweaty brow, and the album titled “OUT OF THE COLD,” recorded and mixed in under two months (and Mastered at Masterdisc in New York; Gary had some pull, and we insisted!). So, I’m finally a “recorded artist”… a goal met!
Though sales were sluggish, (you guys aren’t commercial enough!) “WORLDS” live shows were nearly always a success. And we had a product we were proud of! Novelty! “WORLDS” split in 1986; the Wallace brothers were off to California and the “Promised Land.” (I guess I didn’t see much promise in the “ladies” playing pool in the basement bars of The “Strip” in their lingerie, or the almost humorous police “incident” that involved my friend and light-man from the band, at the corner of Hollywood and Vine…and all this in just my first few hours in L.A!) So, naturally (?) my next stop was Minneapolis! I was hearing great and encouraging things about the “scene” there, which, it turns out, were not QUITE true…
While in Minneapolis, I’ve kept busy, performing with the progressive-jazz group “Second Wind,” the Rock band “PUSH,” and more recently, writing, playing and recording with artist “Jacob Martin.” (should I even mention my “off-campus” adventures as a Golf Pro?)
Currently, I am working on a “SOLO” presentation for Clinic/Demonstration appearances, geared toward the encouragement and inspiration of the beginner and intermediate-level drummer. I also take the occasional student, am in constant drum study, and am applying myself to learning the “art and craft” of Soloing. It really has become a “lost” art, and sadly so. For some time its’ been considered “out of vogue.” Thankfully, a handful of todays great drummers are changing that; Neil Peart, Dave Weckl, and Terry Bozzio, to name a few. And, in my bold and brazen moments, I think that PERHAPS we can do something about that, too… WELL!
Regardless of the happenings of todays “Pop” culture, my preoccupation with the current Political landscape (I never dreamed I would be interested in that!), and the somewhat sorry state of the music industry on the whole, my mind still wanders back to thoughts of a more promising time; dare I say even a more romantic time…to a Golden age when drummers truly stood out; at basement parties and on late-nite talk shows. To thoughts of the Masters; like Buddy Rich, and Charly Antolini, and Gene Krupa…and back to a thought that has stayed with me since I was a boy…
“ …we’ve ALWAYS got our DRUMMING…”
