Dang, Mick... you made me blush! :p lol

(Thank you for the very kind words...)

John

Dang,49 years.....

41 years for me. And I really cant believe it. I started the Summer of 1973 and I remember it like yesterday. "Crockodile Rock" was one of the first songs I learned hot to play that summer. Where did the time (and my youth) go?

I had little paper sets since 1962. Then in 1965 got a Remco Liverpool compact. 1968 a Whitehall set with hi hat and floor tom. 1971 first Ludwig Hollywood set. I did go through a period of a few years in the 90's where I just did studio drumming and performed live mostly singing, playing keyboards, and vibes, but drums are what I play best. 2012 started performing again live regularly playing drums out on gigs. So around 50 years now.

I am 42....I started playing late in life. I was twenty. I wish I started when I was younger. I feel like I would have been so much further in my ability.;)

Started when I was 13, still playing at 37.

Although I took a decade off for college, etc.

Hey guys,looks like this thread is winding down so i just wanted to thank everyone for their stories,memories and comments.One thing i think we all had in common with this thread was we couldn`t believe how fast those years have passed and that we`ve been playing for that long.Kind of made us all take stock of how time does fly and yet we`re all still drumming.I feel like i know each and everyone of you guys just a little bit better as a result of your posts.Thanks again for your interesting stories and keep that drum fire alive and well!

Wayne

I started in the summer of 1985 when I got my first kit. (I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before, but in case I didn't my first set was a Mod Orange. Don't ask where it is, I have no idea :o) I haven't stopped playing since. I've come close to "making it" a couple times. Played on a couple songs that where on some pretty popular movie and video game soundtracks. And I was lucky enough to make a meager living playing professionally for a few years. I slowly went broke but I had a lot of fun :)

These days I'm refer to myself as a musical prostitute. I'll play with anybody as long I get a little cash at the end of the night. That affords me the opportunity to, 1 keeping buying drums and cymbals I don't need. And 2, play music I truly love on my off nights. The pay from prostituting myself helps pay for the things that come up in an original band. Studio time, promo etc. I've found now that I'm not looking for a big pay off in the business I actually enjoy playing more now than I ever have.

Very cool bizz-it`s ok to prostitute ourselves,heck i`ve been doing it for decades.Cause in the longrun,it`s all been fun and alot of drum chops and road stories along the way.

Wayne

Started playing in the 80's in high school. My first instrument was sax, but with the British Invasion nobody was playing sax in rock music anymore, so I picked up bass, and then drums because there were far fewer drummers in town than anything else. So nearly 30 years now. 20 of those years were in the Army, not always with access to drums.