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How Many Working Drummers Here?

Guest
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Just curious as to how many actual working drummers we have here on this forum; full time pro, semi-pro, weekend warriors. Also what kinds of gigs are you doing and how long have you been gigging?

For me, it's been working bands starting in the late 60s, through college and beyond in the early to mid-seventies, then took a break until 1979. I joined a hard rock cover band that year and haven't had stopped gigging since. I'm now playing in four bands and managing my schedule carefully so I have time for all of them. It's rare when I have a weekend off, and in the summer when we play a lot of outdoor shows and concerts, I'm working 13-19 gigs a month.

Posted on 6 years ago
#1
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I'm a working drummer, but not working as a drummer. :confused:

I'm a civil engineer working in Jordan right now. No gigs for a couple of years as a result. But I would classify myself as a recreational drummer in any event. I've been in a number of bands over the years and used to play out a couple times a month. I think that may be just about over. I play occasionally in the church here, but it's done using an electronic kit and that's not quite the same thing as being able to lay into a nice set of vintage drums.

Posted on 6 years ago
#2
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PS - How about a picture of the 1972 Rogers in "oyster"?

Posted on 6 years ago
#3
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I play about 100 paying gigs a year. Local stuff. I'm 68 years old and have been playing since I was 10.

Posted on 6 years ago
#4
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I'm what you would call a weekend warrior, been gigging regularly for over 20 years. After my last band broke up a few months ago, I've been concentrating on just practicing on my own. I'll be doing a benefit show and our annual Christmas party this month with some former band mates. After that I'm starting a new band with a few younger guys I met, playing a lot of Beatles and 60's oriented music.

Posted on 6 years ago
#5
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From jerrysterken

I play about 100 paying gigs a year. Local stuff. I'm 68 years old and have been playing since I was 10.

Smokin' record of playing!

Posted on 6 years ago
#6
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I've been playing for about 25 years I'd guess (almost 36 years old now). I started out in school band as a kid, played drumline in high school, followed by a year of jazz band at the local community college which is also where I found my first vintage kit Excited

I do mostly fill in gigs now due to my work schedule at the oil refinery. I'm the named drummer for a soul, disco, r&b, rock group but I often have to sub it out to another guy because of the career. I'd call myself a professional part-time weekend warrior =) Most gigs these days are blues, classic rock, classic country..

In my early days I played in a ska/reggae group called Secret Agent 8. We had regional success during the resurgence of ska music in the late 90s to early 2000s. I got to play a lot of really cool venues with some great bands back then! Fun times.

Here's a sound clip of one of my favorite recordings with them:

[ame]https://youtu.be/oBLCnD_urC4?t=19s[/ame]

-Justin

"People might look at you a bit funny, but it's okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different."- Bob Ross

"After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music..." - Aldous Huxley
Posted on 6 years ago
#7
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I really admire you working drummers, wish I could say I was one but It seems as though I started too late in life and probably wont even make the weekend warrior category.


Thank you!
Jeff C

"Enjoy every sandwich" Warren Zevon
Posted on 6 years ago
#8
Posts: 1971 Threads: 249
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Weekend warrior... We practice once a week and about 10 odd ball gigs a year. Parties, local festivals, open mics, our last gig was as the Guinea pig band for lighting and sound students. I feel very lucky that our band is very much aligned in our goals... Have fun and then have a little more fun! One of our guitar players is battling cancer right now so we are on our first break in a few years.... I miss it!

Not a Guru... just interested..
Posted on 6 years ago
#9
Guest
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From jerrysterken

I play about 100 paying gigs a year. Local stuff. I'm 68 years old and have been playing since I was 10.

We're almost in the same boat. I average over 100+ gigs a year and will be 67 in April. No sign of quitting anytime soon, in fact, I'm better now than I ever have been in many ways. My hands don't have the speed they used to have, but my timekeeping is always spot-on, and I've surmised that's the reason I seem to be in demand. Also, I play guitar in a band and am very much involved with playing and collecting guitars.

Posted on 6 years ago
#10
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