MY FIRST SECONDHAND KIT.
Having now acquired a bashed up 2nd hand but workable classic cream Premier Olympic drum kit for the grand sum for £25. I then had to work out what to do and not annoy the neighbours too much! A bit difficult if you play drums as electronic kits weren’t yet invented, unless you count Kraftwerk’s synth created sound.
YELLOW PAGES & MR POTTER.
The music of the late 70’s played a massive part on the style of music that I still play today 45 years later. But first I had to learn how to read drum music -see we are musicians! – contrary to popular belief, by taking professional lessons. Bring out the Yellow Pages and hey presto I found John Potter, a local military trained drum teacher living a mere 20 minutes cycle ride away. John was known as the drummer with the orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall Remembrance concert held each November. I’m grateful to John for showing me the importance of rudiments and the creation of rhythm. It also helped me to establish the practice techniques and regimes enabling me to multi-task and play four different things at the same time! That’s Latin music all over. Once you’ve mastered the Cha-Cha-Cha you’re home and dry and that’s before it gets more complicated!
THE KIDDIES WITH THE DRUM STICKS!
Influencers list too numerous to mention, across all genres but here goes, in no order, only from memory.
POCKET MONEY – THE WAY FORWARD.
Watching and hearing these drummers helped me shape the look and feel of my future drum set up (read replacement!) and started the shopping trips to see Eddie the drum specialist at the (now sadly gone) Aladdin’s cave of musical instruments at Kingfisher Music in Fleet Hampshire. He must have thought the frequent visits (without a purchase) by a spotty teenager were a futile sale, but alas no. He always treated me as a “prospective” customer and over two years of paper rounds, golf caddying and pocket money I eventually renewed my entire kit, piece by piece, stand by stand and cymbal by cymbal. Plus the additional cases to carry them all in which I still have today having done 1000’s of gigs!