George,
New to me, parallel action strainer with rollers on this drum? Have you ever seen one before?
Are you wasting your time writing about drum stuff on Facebook?
In the future, Facebook will become obsolete and be replaced by a new internet site or other technology yet to be discovered. Don’t think so? Have you looked at your MySpace page lately? The information and knowledge you pass on to other drummers may be lost to the ages one day.
Read moreMy Rogers "Beater" kit
The term beater is usually applied to old cars that are beat up and butt ugly but are reliable and run well enough to get you to work and back. I’ve had several beater kits over the years that fit that description. You know - that beat up old kit that you take to that outside festival gig in case it rains, or to the “jam night” gigs instead of taking your nice kit. You don’t care if it gets rained on, or if beer gets spilled on it, if someone else plays it, or if it gets scratched up – it’s already scratched up.
Read moreFrom Editor George Lawrence
Prices lowered on my listings at DrumSellers.com, and letters to the editor.
Read moreThe impact of the full-scale war on Ukrainian drummers
And even if a band or an individual wants to perform, they must find a protected place, like an underground club or cafe. No matter how big, the number of opportunities went down for all musicians.
Read moreFrom editor George Lawrence
George Lawrence with FreeWorld band at Memphis Italian Festival
At DrumSellers.com: Please look at the very desirable vintage cymbals on consignment from Steve Johnson and John Dittrich click here. To see Tom Boyle’s snare collection on consignment click here, and to see John Dittrich’s snares on consignment click here.
Read moreVideo & Review: John Crocken Drum Sticks - Premium Persimmon, Brazilian Cherry, Jatoba and Purple Heart
Percussionist John Crocken has been manufacturing high end drum sticks by hand in Baltimore Maryland for forty years. Not your typical hickory, maple or oak sticks, but more rigid and dense, yet lighter woods that are preferred by symphonic percussionists and rope drum drummers. John sent four models for us to check out:
Read moreFrom editor George Lawrence
Drum Shows: The Music City Drum Show is coming up next weekend. July 9 in Nashville TN. The St. Louis Drum Show has moved into a much nicer venue In conjunction with the UMSL Music Dept. This year will be at the beautiful Touhill theater. The date is October 8. AND.. There is quite a drum show going on lately at DrumSellers.com. Check out all the latest gear for sale that has been consigned to us by collectors.
Read moreFrom editor George Lawrence
*The death of 50 year old Taylor Hawkins last week stunned the world of drummers. Why was he so immensely popular and admired by drummers the world over?
Read moreMy Beale Street Marching Band funeral parade drums
I use these drums in the parades on Beale Street for the funeral procession of famous Memphis musicians who have gone on to the great gig in the sky. The different musicians from the Beale Street clubs and others from around the city get together in an ad hoc New Orleans style marching band in front of the Hearse, playing “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” at a mournful tempo for one block and then breaking into a joyous, fast paced “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” when we pass B.B. King Boulevard. Recently, drummer Howard Grimes passed away (see article) and we had an abundance of drummers for the drum line.
Read moreLawrence Drums - Only three sets made
Before Joe Partridge and I started the Famous Drum brand (“You must have heard of us - we’re Famous!”), I built three sets of custom painted drums for a catalog of what was to be the “Lawrence Drum Company” and had some great pics made of the shells. This was in the early mid 2000s when I was building drums at George’s Drum Shop. I abandoned the Lawrence badge name in favor of Famous, but these drums were never badged.
Read moreFrom The Editor
A few announcements…
Read moreFrom the editor
That’s me, sans cataracts, playing at Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street in Memphis with the FreeWorld band. I am back playing four nights a week on Beale as of the last week in September 2021. I’m not unhappy, that’s just my “drum face”. :-)
This heart felt note from JD in Australia reminds me of what an emotional and spiritual attachment we drummers have to our instrument and profession. Thanks, JD. “I'm crippled with damaged arthritic hips & end stage emphysema but I still tap along despite puffing after one song!…
Read moreRichard Katz's Vintage Ludwigs on exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix
This past Spring Rich Katz hired me to do an appraisal of his drum set and collection that he donated to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. It is currently on display there. I do appraisals of drums/cymbals/percussion instruments for tax and insurance purposes, as well as for determining resale value. I charge between $100 and $500 for appraisals depending on the number of instruments and the amount of documentation and notarizing desired. For insurance and tax appraisals I base values not on current market value or collector value, but on replacement value which tends to run higher. For resale appraisals, I base the value on current market prices. I thank Rich for bearing with me in getting his appraisal finished and for letting me show his instruments in this article. Nice pictures, Rich!
Read moreCharlie Watts :-(
When I received my first snare drum in the sixth grade I played along to the 45 rpm single record of “Satisfaction” incessantly. I still, to this day, think it is the best rock and roll drum track ever recorded…and it’s nothing but quarter notes on the snare drum and bass drum! Unrelenting, pile driving, perfect timing, tempo like a metronome, simple quarter notes. It’s so simple that you wait in anticipation of a little variation -expecting him to break face. But NO.
Read moreFrom Editor George Lawrence
George Lawrence, Jim Pettit, Greg Morrow - three VERY not so modern drummers! (at Memphis Drum Shop)
-Arnie Lang passes
-New England Drum Show postponed
-Summer of Soul a must see
-We are selling back issues of Classic Drummer/Vintage Drummer magazine
Review of Cympad Foam Cymbal Washers
Cympad Optimizers
So the fine folks at Cympad sent an assortment of their cymbal washers for me to review. Cympad washers are made from a cellular foam material and can be used in place of traditional felt washers. The Optimizer washers are pretty close to the same size as any typical felt washers for rides, crashes and hi hats, and effects cymbals. I felt that these would be a good starting place to do an A/B comparison with my felt washers. I used several different types of ride cymbals: My “holy grail” Bosphorus 21” Master Series ride/crash cymbal - extremely thin with a small bell, an old EAK Zildjian K 22” ride that is very low pitched and dark with a big bell , and an older 20” A Zildjian rock ride - pretty heavy and bright with a medium sized bell.
Read moreReview: Cympad Shark Gated Snare Dampener
Cympad Shark
Ding! Ding! Ding! Folks, we have a winner! This one tops my “George’s Picks” list. From Cympad’s Website: “The gated drum damper enhances the attack while keeping the tone of the drum. The Shark’s exclusive hinged design allows the device to float on the playing surface— subtly reducing the volume and resonance by reacting to the intensity of the stroke. Rugged, re-useable, with plastic carrying case included.”
Read moreDelay in sending July 2021 issue of Not So Modern Drummer
The July 2021 issue of Not So Modern Drummer has been delayed for a few days. We normally send it via email on the last day of each month but ran into a last minute issue with our subscriber email list. It needs to be cleaned to be in compliance with spam regulations, or else be barred from sending bulk email. This usually takes 24 to 48 hours so look for it within the first week of August. Sorry for the delay.
Read moreFrom publisher/editor George Lawrence
Bill Ludwig III and George Lawrence at the 30th annual Chicago Drum Show, 2021
Tidbits and morsels from that rascal sage, prophet and soothsayer, George Lawrence
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