> I get off more on a awesome guitar player than a great drummer...

Mike, I just have to say, in defense of one of my hero's... Mitch Mitchell always held his own against the single most gifted/talented/jam-monster guitar player of the last century. Listeners pay as much attention to what is happening on the drums on those recordings than they do to Jimi himself. I just wanted to make a exception for Mitch.

Although, drummers like, Steve Gadd or *Bobby Columby (*Blood, Sweat & Tears - and the teacher of my teacher...) could easily act as exceptions as well. I agree with you up to a point. There are just 'some drummers' that cannot be relegated to number two status.

Joe Morello rolled over in his grave when you wrote that! CryBaby

Good night, Joe, wherever you are!

John

Okay, interesting dichotomy of musical tastes here. Personally, as I've matured, I've tried to open myself up to appreciate more, and more genres of music, for example I like swing, folk, doo-wop, pop, rock, punk, new wave, heavy metal, alternative, gothic, techno... the list goes on. Of course there is always some crap produced in every genre, but if there's someone out there willing to buy it, then I suppose it's justified. 'My personal criteria for, what I consider to be a good song is that it has to have a 'good hook'. I have to agree with bunnyman, in that, I too am not a fan of over indulgent guitar players, (Freebird - the most cacophonous din in popular music as far as I'm concerned - but that's my opinion. Obviously somebody likes it...) A brief, tasteful, Chuck Berry-ish solo generally works best for me.

I love a lot of those old, primitive recordings with all the roughness, and crudity, simplicity, and charm, but there are a lot of well produced recordings being made currently that are excellent, and there are some absolutely fantastic, young bands recording right now, that just blow me away.

The great thing is, that even with the diversity of ages and musical tastes represented here, at least we can all agree on one thing - that vintage drums are great! Right fellas?

Hey all, great thread… Really entertaining! I’m 42, been playing for over 30 years and still very much learning. My first snare was bought in ’82 - a UK-made Carlton “King” (I found out via this forum that it was from 1939, cheers!), so I’ve been playing vintage gear for quite a while I suppose. Back then I found an old big band kick drum (must have been something like a 30 x 10), complete with original skin and pedal… Not sure what happened to that, but I wish I still had it, just like the amazing old Zildjian ride that I sold for £10. Dammit!

I dearly love vintage drums, but still love top quality modern gear. I play an SJC kit / DW hardware / Sabian + Dream cymbals, together with the Carlton or my ’73 Slingerland Artist (which is just fantastic).

What I want next is a vintage piccolo snare. Any suggestions???

Oh, and does anyone else rate Jaki Liebezeit…?

I can't stick today's popular music; however, I do like the independent music movement that is coming today. Not the "indy rock" crap that is just as canned as Lady Bla Bla and Justin Boober. I am talking about the stuff you can troll Myspace or whatever social network and find. On the whole, I think that the traditional means of consuming music is having it's last hurrah.

I am with you in that drums are generally not a solo instrument. I am more of a Ringo fan than Carl Palmer, though both have their place. I enjoy short solos on every instrument, as long as it is in context with the song.

I guess I get tired of self-indulgent jamming that is really only enjoyable by the ones IN the jam. I listened to a hardcore jam band that gave me a headache, especially since it was the same thing over and over.

I've gotten incredibly restless in my listening style. I used to be able to listen to long, long jams. Now, if it goes over 4:40, I'm climbing walls. Freebird is one of those songs that makes me climb the walls!!!

A good hook IS essential. When my collaborator and I were recording my song "Emma Jayne" (not on my myspace page, btw), my collaborator wanted to produce this thing that was going to be 7:38!!!! I simply couldn't do it, so I finished it without him. I got rid of intros, and cut the solo from being an entire verse and pre-chorus long to just being the last verse, the pre-chorus being the vocals of the last verse. Between that and changing other parts of the arrangement, I cut it to a respectable 3:45!!!

Yeah- you're right about the young bands out there, they're just needing to be found.

And yes indeedy- vintage drums are the BEST!!!

John I think this thread points out a line in the sand LOL I think I am still in the 60's when every week or month a new band was coming along that just blew you away great musicians, great song writing and no fear.. everything i said about guitar players applies to drummers and bass players as well I just do not see the talent pool today as was in the 60's and 70's where are the Mitch Mitchell 's of today or is it that they just do not have the music to express themselves in... I am old and stuck in my ways but when i hear something like this clip I am taken to another place that can only be reached by a very few players...great thread guys

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vACV9ttnaU[/ame]

I got my first set in 1983 when I was 12 and it was/is a Gretsch 1971 22,12,13,16 and it came with a 1966 Ludwig supra. I started actively collecting vintage drums when I hit 20 and it was mostly because I was dissatisfied with new drums(this was 1990).

I still love the vintage drums but I am also very happy to see the quality of a lot of the new stuff as well. Gretsch and Ludwig are making some great stuff. A lot of other companies have cool stuff too.

I do think some of the smaller boutique makers make some great stuff. OCDP (before it became a Banjo Center Exclusive Sinodrum brand) made some of the coolest stuff you could find. DW still makes nice things. But really, those are for a more modern sound. But I like them all the same; however, my heart sticks with the vintage stuff.

I do think some great values are had on the low end of drums. I have been able to make several made in China and made in Taiwan kits sound like their Japanese and American counterparts with a head change and a tuning session. And I have seen crap on that low end, as well. And none of those drums will make it through the rigors of regular gigging...

@ Mike T - Nice clip. Three drummers? Oh, I know - in case one dozes off, and maybe another has to go drop some more acid, or take a whiz...Guitar Dude Man. Definitely not my bag, but I try not to judge people on their musical tastes, especially if it gets you drumming!band2

I'm 62 years old. I've been playing since I was 10 years old. I still play 80-90 gigs a year. When I started playing the school drums still had calfskin heads! I can remember when we first started using plastic heads and kept breaking them until we could figure out the right way to tension them. I've played mostly Ludwig all my life. I've accumulated about 40 snare drums and 10 kits over the years. My main kit for the last 30 years has been a blue Ludwig Vistalite. Its a player kit and has been rode hard over the years. I recently picked up a green vistalite kit. My favorite snare drum though is an old black diamond pearl Rogers Holiday snare with B&B lugs. I consider anything newer than 1979 to be a new piece of crap!