Big Drum Thump

Drum and Drummer News and Photos

  • Drummer Seba Stephens Is 10 Years Old…

    And apparently pretty amazing. He just earned a professional certificate from Berklee college of music (you know, that little place that graduated drummers Cindy Blackman, Gary Burton, Will Calhoun, Tommy Campbell, Terri Lyne Carrington, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joey Kramer, Mike Portnoy, John “J.R.” Robinson, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Steve Smith, and Antonio Sanchez). He’s the youngest person ever to get the certificate.

    Why do we care? Well, we weren’t around to post when the incredible Tony Royster Jr. first came on the scene in 1997, so we don’t want to miss the chance to jump on the Seba bandwagon now. If he’s super famous in another 10 years, maybe he’ll send us a free signature snare.

    And for those of you who also missed prepubescent Tony Royster Jr., prepare for humiliation:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8UG22AiHyA

  • Steve Gorman Is Going to Get Paid

    But we aren’t exactly sure how much. Drummer Gorman sued his former Black Crowes bandmates back in April for unpaid royalties. Explaining the lawsuit, Gorman said:

    “For more than five years, my attorneys and I have made repeated requests to review the Partnership’s books to confirm the accuracy of royalty payments and my share, but Chris and Rich have consistently ignored my rights [to do so].”

    Now the two sides have apparently closed in on a settlement, but the ink isn’t dry yet. Whatever the amount, we hope it keeps him in sticks and shiny new bangables for all his days.

    [via Ultimate Classic Rock. UCR is totally kick-ass by the way, so check them out if ’70s and ’80s and a smidge of ’90s rock is your thing.]

    I smile big ’cause my wallet shall be fat.

  • Welcome Back

    Well, damn. It’s been a hot minute since BDT has posted here (actually, it’s been about 6,307,000 minutes), but we’ve kicked the dust off the server and are happy to get back to obsessing about drums, drummers, and drumming.

    What have we been up to over the last decade? The usual stuff: marriages, divorces, new jobs, new gigs, new homes in different states, new passions/hobbies/addictions. Hair is a little more gray and a lot more gone. Pretty much everything, in fact, has changed a couple or three times, but the one thing that remained the same was our love for playing drums.

    Same as you probably.

    So it’s about time we start writing about and photographing them again. We hope you’ll click on over every day to see what we are up to. If you have any press releases or drum rumors to share, please hit us up.

    And please excuse some of the mess you might come across. We’re fixing up broken links (it’s positively incredible how many sources have disappeared over the years) and tracking down missing images and working on a new look and logo.

    But enough with the whining. Let’s talk some drum-thumping bollocks!

  • John Hartman Is Dead

    Doobie Brothers drummer and co-founding member John Hartman died yesterday. He was 72.

    The Doobie dude played on the hits you remember blastin’ in your friend’s dilapidated and duct-taped Firebird back in the day, especially “Listen to the Music” and “China Grove.”

    The band eulogized Hartman on their Twitter feed.

    Little John, we’d light up a proper large-ass doobie to salute you and send you on your way, but it’s still illegal here in the mossback ATL. So let’s watch YouTube instead.

    [via USA Today]

  • John Bonham Endorsement Contract With Paiste

    This is a very cool bit of drum history. Have a gander at the original contract that John Bonham signed with Paiste 50 years ago today.

    The first page says that Bonham agrees to allow Paiste to use his name in advertising and marketing. Bonham’s signature is at the bottom of the document.

    The second page lists all the cymbals that Bonham received from Paiste. A whole lot of duplicate sets here, probably for different kits housed around the world as Zep was touring.

    Bonzo got 15″ Sound Edge hi-hats, 18″ and 20″ Giant Beats, mammoth 24″ Giant Beats, a sprinkling of 2002s, a 38″ gong….and a solitary and clearly overworked 24″ cymbal bag. It looks like everything but the gong was free.

  • John Bonham Memorial Statue

    Bonham would have been 70 this year. To commemorate the birth of the gloriously-phat-footed one, a giant bronze statue has been erected in his hometown of Redditch, Worcestershire, in the UK. Cash for the statue was actually raised by Bonzo fans, so that makes it even better. Hopefully there shall be yearly pilgrimages. Who’s in?

  • Ringo’s Ludwigs Sell for Over 2 Million Bucks

    Got a few extra millions in Apple stock or Bitcoin? Well, you are too late, you rich bastard, to put in the winning bid on Ringo’s original 1963 Ludwigs. The famous kit was purchased yesterday by the owner of the NFL Colts for $2.25 million.

    Happily, you can still purchase your very own set of new Black Oyster Pearl Ludwigs for only 3 grand or so, but there is absolutely no guarantee you’ll ever record a hit song like “Can’t Buy Me Love” or “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

  • Zildjian Is Turning 390 This Year

    That is a whole lot of candles for Zildjian to blow out. They’ll be so out of breath that we are just going to have to steal borrow (?) some of the new A-series cymbals getting released. I mean, it’s almost like it is our birthday. Thanks, Big Z.

    First up is the re-introduction of the 19” and 20” Thin Crashes and the 20” Medium Thin Crash. A brand-new and totally huge 23” Sweet Ride is coming to the A series too.

  • New Mapex MPX Birch Snare

    It’s 13” x 6”, it’s limited edition, it’s lacquered in a super sexy and slightly dangerous “Transparent Midnight Black,” and it can be all yours for only around 150 bucks—a great deal just in time for Christmas.

    It would make a particularly bitchin’ side snare for a Raven kit if you or the drummer in your life is lucky enough to have one.

  • Mapex’s “The Raven” Drum Kit

    More new gear from Mapex, and we definitely ain’t complaining. Nicknamed “The Raven,” this new kit is part of the Meridian Black series for good reason: black shells inside and out, black hardware, and black heads.

    The shells are a hybrid maple and birch that Mapex says “crank out low and dark tones.” Sizes include a gigantic 22″ x 20″ kick, 14″ x 12″ and 16″ x 14″ floor toms, and a 12″ x 8″ rack. The snare is 14″ x 6″.

    Only a limited number of kits will be made available in North America, so we might have to fight it out—Lord of the Flies style—to get one.

  • Tama’s New Mike Portnoy Signature Snares

    Hmm, the “new” part on Portnoy’s 12-inch snare appears to be a badge that you can read if the drum is upside down. There is also a legit new 14-inch model with the same funky badge. No word yet on pricing, but hopefully it’s exactly the same as the old model. Paying more money for a new badge totally blows.

  • Joey Jordison Stick Bag

    ProMark has just unveiled Joey Jordison’s signature stick bag. It has the usual bag stuff: pockets on the inside, pockets on the outside, a handle, a zipper. You can use it to transport sticks and things.

    The remarkable bit is the rather haunting half-image of Joey in his badass Slipknot mask. Just show up with this on your jazz gig. We dare you.

  • Drum Workshop Snags Big-Name Drummers

    Jay-sus, man. Lots of changing musical drum thrones lately in terms of endorsements. Sonor and Tama are the big losers here as Thomas Lang and Dave Grohl jump ship to sign on with DW. Also joining them in Drum Workshop’s ample, woody bosom are extreme metal master Derek Roddy, Creed stickman Scott Phillips, studio legend John J. R. Robinson, and Muse drummer Dominick Howard.

    AppleMark

  • Free Bass Drum Pedal From Shine Drums

    All you have to do to get a free Foundation series pedal from Shine is throw down the cash for one of the company’s Select Custom or Definition series kits. The stomper retails for $288 and features these goodies:

    • dual-chain drive system
    • cast construction and assembly
    • dual spike-style floor spurs
    • fully adjustable tension and swing settings
    • full underplate design
    • 3-way “whiskey barrel” beater system
    • complete customization capabilities
    • on-board wrenches and tools

  • PDP’s Blackout Snare Drums

    PDP, the company that pretty much turned the drum industry on its head by first offering affordable maple-shell drums, has just added some new snares to its line of inexpensive bangables. The Blackout series features, as you likely guessed from its cryptic name, a super slick black-on-black maple lacquered shell. Models are available in the following sizes: 6″ x 10” (retail $218.99), 4″ x 13” (retail $272.99), 5″ x 14” (retail $272.99), and 6″ x 14”(retail $272.99). Each drum also comes outfitted with a side-to-side throw-off, oval lugs, and Remo heads.

    These snares look so cool, we’re going to go ahead and start a rumor: when is the full Blackout kit coming?