Being able to be completely comfortable on any type or size kit has served me well through the years. Sometimes you have to play an odd house kit or use a certain type of kit because of the visual aspect... but when you can dictate your own gear, ask yourself if the music really needs all of the voices you're bringing. This would also be a good opportunity to fill a space with an 'x-factor' voice that you usually don't use like a crasher, cymbal stack, cowbell, small tom/snare, etc. I promise you that your gig won't implode if you don't play that same 'falling down the stairs' fill every other song.😁

Will Hunt always has interesting kits but this one is a total work of art. It was tough keeping my reflection out of a Mirror Chrome kit with Chrome hardware AND Mirror Chrome reso heads😬😁a killer kit for a way killer drummer🥁🥁

​We just debuted a new video featuring Mike Wengren of Disturbed... these guys are living proof that hard work & dedication = success. He and the entire DISTURBED crew have been in our "inner circle" since the 90's... nothing but big respect for them!

Mike and I go back to the late 90's/00's and I knew the he and the band were something different from the start. They did all of the stuff you'd expect from an emerging metal band but they had serious focus when it came to the music. 
I visited Mike and DISTURBED in Chicago during their recording of the follow-up the crazy successful 'Down With The Sickness' CD, Believe. Although I got to interview Mike and producer Johnny K, one of my favorite memories of that trip is riding downtown with Mike in his truck blasting System Of A Down's Toxicity with the windows down. He was showing me some important local spots, went to see a band (maybe Rob Zombie?), and just hung out afterwards... just low key. There are some other highlights that I can't get into details (Memphis, Ozzfest 2000/01/03, House Of Blues for NAMM 2000-and something) BUT it's funny how it has changed to us now talking about our kids and families.
Some artists transcend the roster to become people you connect with and care about... Mike is definitely one of those and I couldn't be more happier about it.

A tremendous show by KISS tonight in Nashville! They smacked us with 10 tons of hits, fire, and explosions... 💿🔥💥 I thoroughly enjoyed the show but the biggest thrill was the lil' one getting a picture with the favorite member... The Demon. 

Thanks to Eric Singer (a standard for being a pro rock drummer decade after decade) for taking care of the Pearl Drums crew as always!😸

Happy Birthday to the late Jeff Porcaro... today would've been his 65th birthday and 1st eligible day for MediCare. 

Do you remember where you were when you heard about Jeff's passing?

Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew were the architects of popular music during the 60's and 70's having played on thousands of thousands of tracks. No doubt his drumming influenced a generation of players and will continue to heard for years to come.

If you have a favorite musician or creator, take the time to tell them how much their art has meant to you... most can even be reached through social media. Just a simple 'thank you' is good enough while they're still around versus waiting until it's too late.

​I'm glad I reached out to Hal many many years ago and was so grateful when he took the time to respond... R.I.P Hal.

Some of you can relate... :)

Marvel's The Punisher drops some truth by suggesting a one-night-stand with a vigilante is preferable than dating a drummer...

Well, that's a tough one to dispute. 

From The Punisher Season 2 Episode 1

I usually post a picture from when I was younger for my official birthday post but I'm going to change it up this time. 

​This year is the 'big five zero' and I've never been one to actually pay attention to the number but... I have to acknowledge it is a milestone. I've worked hard to keep close to the things that make me happy... music, drums, and comics. I'll just talk about a few recent events and some others that have significance to me: 

If you know me then you know I've been a lifelong Batman fan since seeing repeats of the '66 Adam West / Burt Ward television show at around age 7 or 8. Comic books helped me learn to read, develop a love of writing, and an understanding of remixing a creation using characters that are celebrating up to 80 years of publication history. I had the good fortune of meeting author Marc Tyler Nobleman in 2009 who was beginning (what would become a nine year) campaign to get the late Bill Finger credit for his contributions for co-creating Batman. I've learned a lot through Marc's research and he's a great example of fighting for a cause you believe in... even with the odds are stacked WAY against you. Three years ago today, DC Comics officially added Bill Finger’s name to the Batman credit line after 76 years of anonymity. I love that this happened on my birthday because there's no truer story of truth and justice than Bill's and I'm honored to have been acknowledged by Marc in the 2017 documentary, 'Batman & Bill'. 

Which leads me to the other thing I've done for just as long... play music. 

I was very lucky to have been exposed to so many different types of music growing up. I inherited a lot of 45 records from my aunts and uncles that kicked the whole thing off. Santana, Joe Tex, Chicago, Jackson 5, The Stylistics, The Who, Commodores, and Heatwave were only a few of the ones I would listen to over and over. My neighborhood friend had three older brothers who were all in the Colombia Record Club so there was a LOT of new music coming into their home. We would sit and listen to their collection (mostly rock) for hours. I remember hearing ELO's 'Discovery', Cheap Trick at Budokan, Steve Miller's 'Fly Like An Eagle', and The Eagles' 'Hotel California' when they debuted and were considered the cutting edge in the genre. 
It was a entirely different vibe when my parents and I would visit my grandmother. She still had two teenagers in the house in addition to everyone always coming over (it's a huge family). I'd hear traditional Tejano music (it's a huge Mexican family) from my grandfather's radio, raw disco from my late-teens uncle, or listen to the local soul/funk station KHYS 98 blasting through an open window (aka the A/C).
My Dad really loved traditional country music and that's what we listened to in the car or in his garage... I'm sure that's what prompted a trip to Nashville when I was around 8 or 9. I remember they asked me to go up to this 'strange man' and ask for his autograph... so I guess Sonny James is the first celebrity I ever met. By the time I started getting into my own music, I had a pretty vast catalog to build on which has served me well throughout years of creating and performing.

So... I'm 50. There. I said it. 

But I still enjoy the same things that brought me so much joy as a kid and I can now share them as a parent. Encouraging your kid to watch/draw cartoons, read comics, and make noise by swinging wooden sticks and hitting hand drums... that's me!

I brought in the closing hours of 49 by playing a quick one with friends and was joined by Garth Brook's touring guitarist for a rendering of "Baton Rouge".