Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz has been drumming now for fifty-one years, thirty-six of them with Weird Al Yankovic. Jon has a passion for vintage instruments and is quite a collector, with a lot of rare drums and cymbals in his collection. Those who know Jon also recognize his particular fondness for Ludwig drums. Among them are Vistalites, huge concert-tom kits, and wooden kits in multiple configurations. He’s also a Ludwig artist whose real-world input is highly-prized at the factory. I caught up with Jon currently on tour with Weird Al in the states.
Read moreMy evolution from a not so modern drummer to a modern one
On September 14, 1980, I met someone that would motivate me to open my ears, and my mind, regarding the drumming protocols I'd held onto for many years. It was a little known accordion-playing parody/satire artist named "Weird Al" Yankovic, at the broadcast studios of the Dr. Demento radio show in Los Angeles. Al debuted his new Queen parody - "Another One Rides The Bus" - live on the air, and asked me to pound out the beat on his accordion case. Afterward, I suggested he have a band, and I'd be his drummer. It was the start of a lengthy and rewarding musical journey for me.
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