Jerohn : “I had Kima! (Laughter).
Michael: “My uncle, and my dad, I would be like “I want a new drum set, I want a new
drum set.” They would be like either “work for it or just like what you got, it’s the full tool.”
They always told me that. Then I saw a Dennis Chambers video or article or somethin’, and was like “every tour
I change a cymbal around, switch the toms different, something to make it different every night,” so he doesn’t
fall into any type of rut. At church gigs or in jazz band, you always got the crap kit like at school. You do TV and stuff
in Canada, the Canadian rental companies that’s a whole nother thing.
Ray: “Joe Porcaro, who was my private instructor at PIT, told me “Ray, a true professional
can play on a cardboard box and make it sound good.”
Marco: “Totally true.”
Ray: “Even if it has “Animal” on the front head and it’s a muppet kit. You
should be able to make it sound decent. Everytime I complain at one of those gigs where I got the little “whatever”
set up where, the toms, you can’t adjust anything…(Laughter)
Jerohn: “Where the legs just won’t stay up, and every time you hit the floor it falls
over..” (laughter).
Ray: “Can’t adjust the thrown and you sit on telephone books!” (Laughter).
Marco: “I like the one where the mounted tom is actually lower than the snare.” (Laughter).
I used to be super freaky about bringing my kit…”
Greg: “Used to?” (Laughter).
Marco: “Anyway! After a while, you do all these auditions and shit, and it’s always on
a different kit. Whatever kit you play, you should have enough bone-tone to make it sound like you. It should always sound
like you. You should be able to adjust. Figure what you can do with your hands and what you can do with a drum key within
5 minutes you should be able to get it pretty cool. Sometimes it is bad, like in Europe, the rentals are fuckin’ horrendous!
We were in Germany, I swear the S.I.R. over there is called “where is the stage?” (laughter). Yeah, it’s
called “where is the stage?” They show up in this little white van that says “where is the stage?”
They show up with a B3 that has a 9-volt battery in it, a fucked up DW kit with Pinstripes from 1982 so it sounds like a Tejano
band. Always, always if you’re renting a kit, the cymbal stand will have no sleeves on them. Guaranteed.”
Michael: “I bring those. I carry ‘em in my stick bag. Speaking of Brooks Wackerman, he
would come into jazz band sometimes, and I’m doin’ my thing with the toms thinking this thing sounds like shit.
Blaming a bad day at rehearsal on the kit, and Brooks comes in after rehearsal, in like sixth grade, (and plays the kit).
I’m like “holy shit! That sounds good.” It’s so much the player.
Greg: “Time to go guys. They’re closing the restaurant…”
(c) 2001 Drum Solo
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