Big Drum Thump

Orange County Drum & Percussion busted out with a black-on-black-on-black Travis Barker kit at this year’s NAMM show. The set was also—and understandably—outfitted with Zildjian Pitch Black cymbals. Less understandably, a “do not play” sign, which you’ll see in the teaser pics below, defaced this beaut of a bangable.

Check out our full OCDP gallery on Flickr for more images from NAMM.

According to E!, Barker’s attorneys have filed a negligence lawsuit against both the owner and the manufacturer of the Learjet that crashed on September 19. The court documents claim that “one or more of the tires failed, leaving tire debris and portions of airplane components along the 8,600 foot runway.” The pilot is accused of making a “negligent attempt to abort the takeoff,” and a number of the plane’s parts and components are alleged to have been “not airworthy.”

We’ll keep you updated—Perry Mason like—as details unfold.

It’s been only a couple of months since Travis Barker survived a plane crash and was seriously burned, but he’s already back in the studio and playing drums. He made the announcement today on MTV’s Total Request Live (which finally and mercifully has gone the way of the dodo). Barker said, “I’m already playing my drums again….It was like riding a bike. It was really exciting to know I still have my chops. It still felt good. I still can make it around the kit. Everything felt right, so I’m thankful to be able to play.” Shit yeah!

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.

Some pics from Barker’s Calabasas outing this week. The severity of the burns on his legs is quite evident.

The National Transportation Safety Board released some of its findings today about what caused the crash that seriously injured Travis Barker. According to People, the “aircraft’s wheels had very little rubber remaining and its brakes were severely damaged.” The investigation is ongoing. We’ll keep you updated as more information is available.