Big Drum Thump

Yamaha wasn’t going to let Halloween slip by without giving us drummers at least a couple of goodies. First up is the company’s Hex Rack System that we first reported on in April. The latest incarnation comes with improved arm clamps and the grandly named “Synthetic Open Sphere,” which makes omelets or cleans floors or something equally useful. Here it is supporting a boner-inducing cock-rock kit (…two penis references in a six-word phrase is almost a record here at JamJaw):

Next, Yamaha is whipping out ten new snare drums. Models include an all-birch snare in the Stage Custom line, a 10″ Musashi snare, a new Vintage snare, and two new series—the Loud and the Sensitive. No mention of prices in the press release, but the Loud model below looks pretty spectacular with its offset lugs and nine freakin’ air vents:

Three of Tama’s big boys—Kenny Aronoff, Jason Bittner, and John Tempesta—are doing some individual clinics to show off their skillz (…and promote a couple signature snare drums). Tragically, most of the dates are on the East Coast. Check the link for showtimes and locales.

It’s good to see Travis in the wilds of Malibu, California, and we continue to be impressed with how exceedingly tolerant he is of paparazzi.

Steve Smith just completed a North American tour with his band Jazz Legacy. For those of us who missed them, a 10-minuteish documentary has been posted to YouTube (and, of course, embedded in high quality below). Most sobering revelation: even drumming royalty have to set up their own kits on jazz tours.

But the gorilla definitely played better….

Never let a drummer, particularly a crazy-ass Muppet drummer, behind the wheel of an Audi.

[via Gizmodo]