 Today marks my 25th year working for the leader in drums and percussion, Pearl Corporation. A LOT has happened during that time and I couldn't begin to cover it all in a single post (it would make a great book though) but here are a few thoughts. Growing up in TX, I would listen to albums while pouring over drum catalogs and listing out my massive imaginary kit. It was a thrill to see the latest models, finishes, configurations, hardware, technology, and which artists would be featured. Because of my affiliation with Pearl, I'm part of the team that brings the latest and greatest gear to drummers all over the world and I've had the privilege of working closely with some of the drummers I grew up listening to... and meeting a ton of new incredible players along the way. Thanks to the long list of people who are and have been a part of the Pearl crew over the years... you guys are the best!
In celebration, I got a wrap job on one of my kits in preparation for when live performances are a regular thing again. It's a 2012 prototype kit so there are no badges but it is essentially the current MCT thin 6-ply maple shell spec but now in Blue Abalone wrap. 24x18 / 22x18 / 10x8 / 12x9 / 13x10 / 14x14 / 16x16 / and I'm working on a very special component to go with it.
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 This was stitched together from 3 separate Polariod pics in order to show the entire drumline. I believe this is from a '86 or '87 lot rehearsal for our out of town performance for State Football Championships. Because drumlines are mostly made up of right handers, I had to lead with my right (or find double stroke cheats) so that we have the same sticking visuals... a good lesson to learn early on.
 My POV while in the sound booth with Dennis Chambers at NAMM 2005... 🐐🥁 I setup kits for the scheduled artists and teched while they played just in case something went wrong or a microphone fell. While doing this, I had a camera in my right hand that broadcasted the feed to a giant screen on top of the booth... for those who couldn't get close... and sound was blasted through a large PA system. In my left hand, I had my old Olympus point-&-shoot camera taking stills throughout the performances and that's where this pic is from. I'd get a few good shots out of the 50 I blasted out but that's the way it is even in the best of scenarios. I've been a lot of performances with Dennis over the years and it is ALWAYS a complete thrill to see him in action... living history right in front of your face!
On This Day In 1999: I saw 'Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace' AKA 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Slow and Carefree Decline of the Movie Franchise'.  The first 'luxury' item I bought for my apartment in the mid-90's was a nice pillow from Pier 1. That brought the total to a couch, 13" tv, mattress, stop sign, and a nice pillow. The retailer announced that it is closing all 540 of its stores in the US and Canada in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in February, but was unable to find a buyer. 
I'm always looking for new 'soundcheck beats' or intro ideas so I made a list on Spotify and it's over 900 songs now. It covers a lot genres and types of intros from a one bar of toms Phil Collins-style to a Questlove flam that has a ton of attitude.
I recommend listening on Shuffle mode to not only get inspired but also discover some new music... or relove some once familiar ones. Send me a message if I forgot that one song you need to have on there... One drummer who definitely deserves more recognition is Budgie from the ever evolving Siouxsie and the Banshees. His drumming was always a bit left of center by staying away from by-the-numbers rock beats and creating actual parts for songs. He wasn't incredibly technical but he played drums like a producer... never worrying about licks and tricks... just enhancing the melodies and creating a bed for it all to lay in.
I've been 'the internet voice of Pearl Drums US' since starting our MySpace in the late 90's and eventually progressing to our current social media platforms. If you've ever received a Comment, Like, Follow, Reshare, or Message from Pearl US, then that was (and continues to be) me. It's a complete joy to interact daily with the worldwide drum community. There's always something new to learn and it's a huge plus when I can assist someone in furthering their passion and knowledge for drumming. We recently hit the 500K mark on Pearl's instagram and I'm thankful that we have such a loyal group of followers who love our product... we certainly think it's the best!  |
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