Ha ha ha, google her!

When I get back to Webster I will look you up and do a little jamin, maybe? Our plans to come this summer have fallen through, we decided to go North instead.

Sorry Blair, not making fun of you.

No problem...

She has been around a LONG time...Big UK star at 1 time....pretty eccentric....

Just did quite a bit of looking around on the song...

It is called Don't Give Up..and it's on Peter Gabriels "SO" LP...Tony Levin on bass and Manu Katche drums...

2 videos of it are out with Godley and Creme,of 10cc fame producing...

All sorts of cover version out there...even Willie Nelson and Sinead O'Conner did a cover of it together!

I like this thread..

Well I'm 43..2nd career / married / mortgaged & a child...& a dog. lol.

I played a bit when I was 12 to 19...

(older uncles/family had a decent band & the drummer was nice enough to teach me and let me sit in from time to time,,)

Then Life took over/...But Always loved the drums ..period.

Now several yrs ahead in time..(2003) on a date with my wife.

We Stop by a place / they had a drum set / players/music etc..

Someone shouted out.. we need a drummer for our set..!

I put my hand up / my wife looked at me in confusion..lol

She said to me (I didn't know you could play the drums..? / I responded back..(not sure if I still can lolol)

We Jammed the place for almost an hr...held a steady beat to all the old fav's (I.e. Rocky mountain way/ Rock around the clock) etc..

The NEXT day...My wife turned to me and asked if I would like to get a drum set.?...

So later that week I picked up a used 5piece set of Pearl exports for $200..

Practiced to music / and (VERY IMPORTANT) went out to Open mics once or twice a week for an hr or two..

Playing with better guys then myself was the best thing I ever did..!

I started upgrading my kit slowly / ..

Then started getting calls to sit in / play for this band & that band..

Now I practice once a week with our band The Weathered Kings and we gig every 2/3 weeks and I get Paid between $150/$300 for it..lol

This Saturday were doing a huge outside Festival in Oakville called the Bread & Honey Festival (6/8000 people) & I'm playing a completely Mic'd kit.

lolol..still waiting for bubble to burst.. :)~

All the $$ I make (less a beer at the bar) goes into my daughter's education fund..(shes 6)..

Next mth were going into the studio to record 6 songs..

Funny how it all works out..

Oh...and MOST Importanly....I've managed to Keep my Job and both my Wife and lil girl Happy with me...hahahahahah.

I hope this lil ramble helps...but in short / 10yrs has passed since I started on this journey

Now I'm a Roger's nutz and have several kits....I keep telling my wife that's its better then a ponytail & a convertible..lol

She likes the convertible..!

Rimsnskins, great story. I think it would be fun to play with a gigging band but I’m not sure my wife would support the idea. For now just practicing with my buddy is a lot of fun. The open mic nights will follow I’m sure. I just need to feel confident that I can keep a simple but steady beat going for a whole song first. Its funny you hear songs all you life and think you could sit down and just play them but its not that easy. If I go to one of these open mic nights how will I know what to do, I don’t know any songs by heart really. Is it just pretty much just improvising?

Yep, if it's Country, Blues, Pop, or dance music, it's pretty much just keeping the tempo. Unless they suddenly break out into Rush, Kansas, or ELP, just keeping the tempo is all that's usually needed and most bassists and guitarists will appreciate that far more than some drummer showing off with "watch-what-I-can-do" fills. After 46 years of playing every genre imaginable, I've come to realize I'll never stop learning, but at the same time, I'll never ever be Neil Peart, and that's alright.

This is obviously a great thread judging by its longevity and popularity, but buried very early in the thread you posed doubt as to whether you belonged here. Are you kidding Jeff?? I've learned so much from you and your restoration threads! We're about keeping vintage drums alive here and you, sir, are a restoration guru! I sometimes wonder if I belong here because I still can't properly fix a crack, and I'm frustrated that I can't master a router to cut my own bearing edges.

Thanks Jeff for all you contribute to this community!

Mike C

I totally agree with Mike. Keeping the groove is the most important thing, flashy chops will come and will have a chance to be shown. The more you play with other people, the better you will know when that time is.

As for your restoration work is concerned, I have seen it first hand and it is top shelf. Your love for the instrument shows with every drum you bring back to life. Not to mention the ones you have stashed in the basement closet!

Stay with it and make the most of what you have instead of worrying about what you dont.

Thanks guys for your kind words. I just meant that as a drummer I don’t belong here. You guys are out there doing gigs and making money, that is a professional drummer! And, I kind of felt I might be getting in the way a little bit.

But I don’t feel that way anymore, this thread has helped me gain the confidence needed to keep going. All the advice to find other musicians to jam with was great. This thread show’s just how great the people are on this forum, nice to have you guys around to boost my confidence.

Bobby, it still blows my mind that you carted that practice set all the way from Colorado and gave it to me. That thing has really come in handy; I can practice when ever I want now. I only wish I would have asked to hear you play my drums so I can hear what they are supposed to sound like.

A far as my restorations go, I just love to do it, I am lucky to have had a spray gun in my hand for several years. Hope I’m not over posting with all these projects, if I do just tell me.

Thanks to all! I’m not giving up.

Jeff C

Jeff, It was my pleasure to get the pad set to you. I was happy to give it to someone that would put it to use. As far as me playing your drums goes, it would have taken me an hour just pick the kit to play. I wish all of my kits were set up the way yours are. I will get the info on a open stage that is held in the QC a couple of times a month. Its a good time with wide spectrum of talent levels. Mostly on the blues side of things but they can get rocking.

Bobby, thanks! I should know the place but I cant remember the name of it. Its in Bettendorf I think. How does that work anyway, do they have a house kit or do yo bring your own? Will they expect me to drum for everyone? We were in a bar on Beal Street in Memphis a while ago and they had an open mic thing going. The bass player and drummer were on stage the whole time, it was the guitar players/singers that were rotating. I remeber after a few beers thinking, hey I would like to get up there and play his drums. But I did not have the guts to do it, probably a good thing, I could have made a fool out of myself!

But it sure was a great time hearing all of these blues artist one by one and then at the end a few of them got together and jammed, man it was great!

Beal street rocks!

Funny story, we went to BB Kings to see what was up. There was a band playing and the front man looked and sounded just like BB king. My wife said right away "il bet there are people that think he is BB KIng" Then a few minutes later a guy walked up to me and said "Hi I from Dallas and this might seem stupid but, is that BB King up there", lol! (maybe you had to be there)

Yea buddy! If you make it back to Webster, TX again we will have to meet up for sure! Hopefully I won't be in a training class this next time. I hope to dry in half of my garage for a music room so hopefully by then it will be done!

In regards to the open mics, find one that plays the kind of music you want to play. Most of the ones at ice houses/bars are usually blues. When playing a song you don't know, just make sure to keep an eye on the singer or guitarist and that will usually give you cues (a drop of the guitar neck means a stop, watch for hand movements, etc..).

As far as tempos, practice with a metronome! I just bought a Tama Rhythm Watch last year and so far I love it. It has a headphone jack on it and also has a tap tempo as well. I've played for about 20 years now and last year is the first time I started practicing with a metronome on drumset (plenty when I was in marching band). I have noticed a big difference just in the past year on my tempos being more steady.. not perfect, but better. But, that's part of the beauty of live music.. tempos usually fluctuate some.. gives the music character!

Another thing I used to do is turn on the FM radio. Put it on country stations, rock stations, even rap stations (I know, I hate rap too for the most part). Start playing along to whatever song is on the radio, even if it is a song you don't really like. This will help over time with becoming a versatile drummer. You can do this with Youtube also. Just put on different music, plug them head phones in , and rock out!