howdy drummers,
Great website,Ive been visiting for awhile and finally decided to join once I saw all the Slingerland junkies that hang out here !
I was a very lucky kid growing up in Chicago in the 70's,my father was a professional musician and bandleader in the Chicagoland area for more than four decades !
My dads drummer was a long time Slingerland employee(Brad Morey) he was a great drummer and friend,he was always very kind and generous to me,he would always spend time with me whenever he would visit our house in Edgebrook,usually with a box of Slingerland drumsticks or some other little treat from the slingy plant!
My dad and I would often visit Brad at Slingerland on Milwaukee ave. in Niles Il. , which wasnt too far from where we lived in the northwest corner of Chicago and he would always walk me through the factory!
I was able to see and learn about all their phases of manufacturing from
forming rims in a metal press ,to glueing up shells,applying finishes, to even how they would age the metal snare coils in a wood bin before making them into snare wires,AHH! what great memories !
Man the stories I could tell you,like seeing and touching buddy's and louie's
extra drum sets locked in a caged area ready to be shipped out at a moments notice wherever they might need an auxillary kit wherever they might be performing when they were Slingy endorsers !
Also getting a fresh set of remo pinstripes when they first came out before they were in the stores, with the Slingerland logo on them!
getting to meet louies brother tony bellson also a Slingerland employee and good drummer, boy they looked alot alike!
I guess I was a little spoiled in the way that Slingerland was kind of my own personal drum shop throughout most of their Niles Il. era ! Whenever I needed sticks,heads or parts , I'd just call Brad and he'd drop it off on his way home from the factory,boy was I Blessed to know him and have a dad that truly appreciated drummers!
Well this has gotten pretty lengthy for my fist post so ill sinn off for know,
any Slingerland questions just bang away !
Sincerely C.G.
AKA Slingerhead 65
