Drum Related

Name: David Eric Grohl

D.O.B: 14th Jan 1969

Place of Birth: Warren, Ohio USA

Started playing aged: 16yrs

General info:

A young master Grohl, as you may well know, started out playing guitar and got very into the “punk” scene as a youngster. He started to teach himself the drums when he was in a band as a freshman in high school and felt that the drummer wasn’t really all that great! At the time he’d played guitar and sang but when they kicked out the bass player of the band he decided to become the drummer. His influences as a drummer around this time were the likes of John Bonham from Led Zepplin.

At age 17 Dave dropped out of high school to tour the world with a new band, Scream. He spent the next four years. It was while touring with Scream that he met up with some of the guys who would later on become Nirvana.

A few months after Scream broke up and Grohl, in search of work tapped up Buzz Osborne for some advice. He then teamed up with Nirvana to become their full time drummer. It was here that Grohl really got recognised as a drummer. Also while in Nirvana Grohl got involved in the song writing process and over the years made more and more contributions. Band life was going well until, as many know, Kurt Cobain decided to blow his brains out! So that was kinda the end of that!

Dave didn’t quite know what to do for a while, and it was rumoured that he might even become a replacement for Pearl Jams drummer Dave Abbruzzese, but this never happened. After doing some recordings and demos and what not, the Foo Fighters were finally born in 1995. Grohl is famous for being multi talented and in the Foo Fighters dabbled in playing all the instruments. Though, eventually Taylor Hawkins joined the band as the permanent drummer. People left and joined, as is quite the norm with bands, but still the Foo Fighters continued to crank out hits.

Grohl’s life of non-stop touring and travel continued with Foo Fighters’ popularity. During his infrequent pauses he lived in Seattle and Los Angeles before returning to Alexandria, Virginia. It was there that he turned his basement into a recording studio where the 1999 album There Is Nothing Left to Lose was recorded.
In 2000, the band recruited Queen guitarist Brian May to add some guitar flourish to a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar”. Grohl and Hawkins joined Brian May and Queen drummer Roger Taylor to perform “Tie Your Mother Down”, with Grohl standing in on vocals for the late Freddie Mercury.

Near the end of 2001, Foo Fighters returned to the studio to work on their fourth album. After four months in the studio, with the sessions “finished”, Grohl accepted an invitation to join Queens of the Stone Age and helped them to record their 2002 album Songs for the Deaf. (Grohl can be seen drumming for the band in the video for the song “No One Knows”.) After a brief tour through the USA, Britain and Japan with the band and feeling rejuvenated by the effort, Grohl recalled the other Foo Fighters to completely re-record their album at his studio in Virginia. The effort became their fourth album, One by One. While initially pleased with the results, in another 2005 Rolling Stone interview, Dave Grohl admitted to not liking the record: “Four of the songs were good, and the other seven I never played again in my life. We rushed into it, and we rushed out of it.”
Grohl and Foo Fighters released their fifth album In Your Honor  in 2005. Prior to starting work on the album, the band spent almost a year relocating Grohl’s home-based Virginia studio to a brand new facility, dubbed Studio 606, located in a warehouse near Los Angeles. Featuring collaborations with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and Norah Jones, the album was a departure from previous efforts, and included one rock and one acoustic disc.
Foo Fighters’s sixth studio album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace was released on September 25, 2007. It was recorded during a three month period between March 2007 and June 2007, and its release was preceded by the first single “The Pretender” on September 17th. The second single, “Long Road to Ruin”, was released on December 3, 2007.
Grohl is undoubtedly a massively talented and sort after musician and I know that he’s widely regarded as a great drummer and an inspiration for a new generation of drummers. Though his style is very abrasive and unpolished he’s certainly got a great sound and rocks the world! For this he has to get a solid 8/10!

Name: Roger Meddows-Taylor

D.O.B: July 26th 1949

Place of birth: Norfolk, UK

Started playing: 12yrs old

General info:

Roger Taylor is best known as the drummer from the rock band “Queen”. But did you know he’s also played alongside stars such as Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Roger Daltrey, Phil Collins, Genesis, Jimmy Nail, Elton John, Gary Numan, Shakin’ Stevens, Foo Fighters, Al Stewart, Steve Vai, Yoshiki Hayashi and Bon Jovi??
Did you also know he plays guitar, bass and the keyboard as well as sing AND compose??
I didn’t know this, but it turns out he composed at least one track on each of Queen’s albums. Tracks such as “Radio Ga Ga” and “It’s a Kind of Magic” were his creation.

Originally, although very musical, he wanted to be a dentist! (What a good job he didn’t follow that career path, otherwise we may have all been denied their legendary music!)

After a lot of chance meetings and band re-shuffling and what not (as per usual in this business) in 1971 “Queen” were born. (On a non drummer note, did you know Freddie Mercury’s real name was “Farrokh Bulsara”??!!)

When listening to Roger play you can’t help but notice one of his most renowned of trademarks, the slight (and apparently involuntary) opening of the hi hat on the “2” and the “4” of the bar. I had to cover one of their tracks, “Hammer to Fall”, the other day and I made sure I added that in intentionally to give the “authentic” feel! He’s also known for having a very BIG sound and using a big set up to produce it. Along with his normal kit he likes to include quite a lot of percussion instruments and is known for playing timpani solos during live shows. He was also one of the first drummers to use electronic trigger pads alongside his acoustic set up, something which is now done the world over.

He used to play the guitar a little in Queen, and also used to do a lot of backing vocals, but this just wasn’t enough for his creative genius, he wanted more! As one of Queen’s three vocalists, Taylor’s voice is notable for its “raspiness”, which has been compared to Rod Stewart’s. He is famous within the Queen fandom for his ability to reach very high notes (e.g. the high B-flat at the end of “Bohemian Rhapsody”’s operatic section, and the high falsetto notes (highest at A) in ‘39). His solo career demonstrates he was very good at the low range as well; for instance, in his cover of “I Wanna Testify,” he sang all four choir parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass). In some Queen tracks he recorded his voice in octaves, and in “I’m in Love with My Car” he arranged and sang all the cascading harmonies. Another fine example of his vocal talents is in the music hall-esque ‘Seaside Rendezvous’ where he and Freddie Mercury imitate tubas, clarinets and kazoos through mere voice manipulation. One of Taylor’s other talents was his ability to play fairly complicated drum parts while singing, as can be seen in numerous Queen performances.
He actually had his own band, “The Cross”, at the same time as he was in Queen as he liked to play a lot of his own instruments and sing. He’s had many solo albums, but none reaching the heights of fame that came with playing with Queen.
The kit Taylor used on the latest Queen + Paul Rodgers tour is mainly a Ludwig kit (classic maple shells), with a Sleishman bass drum. He uses Vic Firth Extreme 5B wooden tipped sticks (like tree trunks!). His hardware comprises of all new Ludwig, with a DW 9002 double bass drum pedal.
Kit
• 24″ x 18″ bass drum by sleishman
• 10″ x 9″ hanging tom Ludwig
• 14″ x 13″ hanging tom Ludwig
• 15″ x 15″ hanging tom Ludwig
• 16″ x 16″ floor tom Ludwig
• 18″ x 16″ floor tom Ludwig
• 14″ x 6.5″ or 14″x8″ (depending on the venue) maple snare drum
• 12″, 14″ & 16″ Remo Rototoms
• LP Double Row Studio Wind chimes
• Ludwig Cowbell size 6,7/8
• Ludwig Tambourine
Drum Heads
• Remo Powerstroke 3 head on the bass drum
• Remo Coated Emperor head on the hanging toms
• Remo Ambassador head on the floor toms
• Remo Powerstroke 3 head on the snare drum
 Cymbals
The cymbals are all by Zildjian.
• 15″ A zildjian New Beat Hi-Hats
• 17″ K zildjian Dark Crash Medium Thin in Brilliant Finish
• 19″ K zildjian Dark Crash Medium Thin
• 20″ K zildjian Crash/Ride
• 22″ A custom Ping ride Ride
• 20″ oriental Oriental China Trash in Brilliant Finish

Roger Taylor may not be the most technical drummer of all time, but he certainly has a great following, and being in one of the greatest bands of all time (Bohemian Rhapsody being voted by the British public as the greatest song of all time!) he deserves a solid 9/10.

Name: Bernard “Buddy” Rich

D.O.B: 30th Sept 1917

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York

Started playing: aged 18months!!

Many people talk about Buddy Rich as being the ALL TIME greatest drummer. Obviously any claim such as this can be argued, and people may say that by some of today’s standard he’s not as technical or not as radical as some of the drummer we have now. Fair enough, but no matter what anyone says, the guy is a legend! Drumming wouldn’t be as popular if it wasn’t for him. He’s been the inspiration for countless drummers out there now. Even people who have never heard music before in their lives have heard of Buddy Rich! He was a pioneer of his time, and although mainly played jazz (not really my favourite kinda music I will admit) his skills have been highly sort after the world over for all types of modern music. I urge you to go out and have a listen to some of his stuff, remembering that drum kits had not long been invented when he started to play them, so he was literally making this stuff up as he went along!

(This taken from Buddy’s official site)

Arguably the greatest jazz drummer of all time, the legendary Buddy Rich exhibited his love for music through the dedication of his life to the art. His was a career that spanned seven decades, beginning when Rich was 18 months old and continuing until his death in 1987. Immensely gifted, Rich could play with remarkable speed and dexterity despite the fact that he never received a formal lesson and refused to practice outside of his performances.

Born Bernard Rich to vaudevillians Robert and Bess Rich on September 30, 1917, the famed drummer was introduced to audiences at a very young age. By 1921, he was a seasoned solo performer with his vaudeville act, “Traps the Drum Wonder.” With his natural sense of rhythm, Rich performed regularly on Broadway at the age of four. At the peak of Rich’s early career, he was the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world.

Rich’s jazz career began in 1937 when he began playing with Joe Marsala at New York’s Hickory House. By 1939, he had joined Tommy Dorsey’s band, and he later went on to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Ventura, Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. Rich was regularly featured in Jazz at the Philharmonic during the late 1940s. He also appeared in such Hollywood films as Symphony of Swing (1939), Ship Ahoy (1942) and How’s About It (1943).

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Rich toured with his own bands and opened two nightclubs, Buddy’s Place and Buddy’s Place II. Both clubs were regularly filled to capacity by fans of the great master drummer. After opening Buddy’s Place II, Rich introduced new tunes with elements of rock into his repertoire, demonstrating his ability to adapt to his audience’s changing tastes and establishing himself as a great rock drummer.

Known for his caustic humour, Rich was a favourite on several television talk shows including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Mike Douglas Show, the Dick Cavett Show and the Merv Griffin Show. During these appearances, audiences were entertained by Rich’s constant sparring with the hosts and his slights of various pop singers.

This famed musician received outstanding recognition throughout his career. The Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame Award, the Modern Drummer Magazine Hall of Fame Award and the Jazz Unlimited Immortals of Jazz Award are just a few of his numerous honours. Rich gained international attention for such master compositions as his 10-minute West Side Story medley. During his lengthy career, Rich toured around the globe, performing for millions of fans and several world leaders including the King of Thailand, King Hussein of Jordan the Queen of England, and U.S. presidents Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumour. Long time friend, Frank Sinatra, spoke a touching eulogy at Rich’s funeral. Today, Buddy Rich is remembered as one of history’s greatest musicians. According to jazz legend Gene Krupa, Rich was “The greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath.”

Seeing as he’s classed as one the greatest drummers (if not THE greatest) of all time I though you might wanna know a few more facts about the man!

Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 160 lbs.
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Nickname: “Traps the Drum Wonder” (as a child); “B” (as an adult)
Religion: Jewish
Occupation: Musician, Drummer
Burial Location: Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles
Favourite:
     Actors: Sean Connery, Lawrence Olivier, Burt Lancaster, Clark Gable, Bruce Lee
     Films: Films about war
     Food: Spaghetti Bolognese, Steak, New York Cheesecake, Papaya King hot dogs
     Cars: Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes
     Drinks: Fox’s U Bet in cold milk
     Hobbies: Buddy was a black belt in karate and a huge fan of the New York Yankees and Mets (for those of you who don’t know these are baseball teams.)

Name: Hector Samuel Huan Torres (now that’s a mouthful!)

D.O.B 7th October 1953

Place of birth: New York

Started playing: ??

General info:

Master Tico is widely known as being the drummer for Bon Jovi. He’s also pretty well known for his rather predominant facial hair that dominates his chin!

Born in New York in the 50’s he grew up a big Jazz fan and later turned his hand to rock. He’d already had quite a bit of studio experience before he joined Bon Jovi, however this is obviously where he really became known as a drummer.

It appears he’s rather a quite man as there isn’t a huge amount written about him, but one thing’s for sure, what he does, he does it well! Despite your own personal preference you can’t deny that Bon Jovi are and have been one of the biggest rock bands of all time! Yeh sure some people say their stuff is a bit “cheesy” but hey, it sells and that many people can’t be wrong!

He uses a Pearl kit and Paiste cymbals, and what a set up he has…..

Pearl Masterworks, Red Sparkle Finish, Chrome Hardware
• 2x Pearl Masterworks 22″x18″ Bass Drums
• Pearl Masterworks 12″x9″ Tom Tom
• Pearl Masterworks 13″x9″ Tom Tom
• Pearl Masterworks 16″x16″ Floor Tom
• Pearl Masterworks 18″x18″ Floor Tom
• Pearl Tico Torres Signature Snare Drum 14″x6.5″,Pearl Sensitone Brass Snare Drum 14″x6,5″,Pearl Sensitone Phosphor Bronze Snare Drum 14″x6,5″,Pearl Sensitone Aluminum Snare Drum 14″x6,5″
Paiste Cymbals (Signature and 2oo2)
• Paiste 14″ Signature Heavy Hi-Hat
• Paiste 16″ Signature Power Crash (2x)
• Paiste 18″ Signature Power Crash
• Paiste 20″ Signature Power Crash
• Paiste 14″ Signature Full Crash
• Paiste 10″ Signature Splash
• Paiste 20″ 2oo2 China
• Paiste 22″ 2oo2 Rock Bell Ride
Not sure about the 2002’s though… I’m not a big fan of those. Other than that his set up seems pretty nice!
I’d say he’s a great “meat and potatoes” player, meaning that he might not be the most flashy player out there, but he’s very solid and reliable, and he’s does a fantastic job!

Hi All. Ian here again standing in for Chris during his absence.

LOADS of the younger students I teach have been raving about the new CD from Welsh metal band “Bullet For My Valentine” so I thought I would do a bit of research about their drummer, affectionately known as “Moose”.

Name:  Michael Thomas

Date of Birth:  4th June 1981

Started Playing Drums: Aged 16
Originally a guitarist from Mid Glamorgan in Wales, Moose decided that he wanted to play the drums at the age of 16 and purchased a drum kit from fellow Bullet For My Valentine member Padge.

Bullet For My Valentine formed in 1999 while the members were studying music at Bridgend College in South Wales. Originally called “Jeff Killed John”, they changed their name in 2003 and released their self-titled mini-album in 2004. Influenced by such Heavy Metal bands as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Metallica, the band play “old-school” style metal which features lots of high-precision double bass drumming. Catchy riffs and big, memorable choruses are a trademark of the Bullet sound.

Their first full-length album, The Poison, followed in 2005 to much critical acclaim and their latest album, 2008’s Scream Aim Fire, promises to send the band to new heights of success. They have received a number of awards including the 2004 Welsh Music Award for “Best Newcomer”, the 2005 Kerrang! Awards for “Best UK Single” and “Best British Newcomer” and the 2006 Metal Hammer Golden God Award for “Best British Band”.

He plays a Pearl Masters Maple series kit. The typical set up includes:
• 2 x 22×18 Bass drums
• 8″ Tom
• 10” Tom
• 12” Tom
• 16″ Floor Tom
• 14×5.5” snare
Hardware
• 5 x B1000 boom stands
• 1 x H2000 Hi-hat
• 1 x S2000 snare stand
• 1 x T800W tom stand
• 2 x P2000C Eliminator pedals
Zildjian Cymbals
• 8IN. A CUSTOM SPLASH
• 14IN. A MASTERSOUND HI-HATS
• 17IN. K CHINA
• 16IN. A CUSTOM PROJECTION CRASH
• 18IN. A CUSTOM PROJECTION CRASH
• 20IN. A CUSTOM PROJECTION RIDE
• 6IN. ZIL BELL-SMALL (turned upside down on ride bell)
• 16IN. A CHINA HIGH

http://www.bulletformyvalentine1.com/

Drummer Profiles Neil Peart

Name: Neil Ellwood Peart (Pron. Pert)

D.O.B. September 12th 1952

Place of Birth: Ontario, Canada

Started Playing: Aged 13yrs

Neil Peart is best known for playing for the rock band Rush, and is widely regarded by many to be one of the greatest drummers alive today. It all started when a young Master Peart got a pair of sticks and a practice pad for his 13th birthday, along with lessons and the promise that if he stuck at it for a year his parents would buy him his first drum kit. As promised, aged 14yrs he got his first kit and began to practice his a*se off!!
Not saying to anyone that this is a good idea, but Neil actually dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a full time drummer! He spent some time in England before returning home to join local (ish) Toronto based band, Rush, in the summer of 1974. His rock style is said to be influenced by the likes of Keith Moon and John Bonham (who isn’t?!?!). He then started to broaden his influences to the likes of Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.

He is a great technician at the kit and is renowned for his ability for proficiency and stamina….. A testament to what can be achieved if you are dedicated and practice hard.
In addition to his profession as a musician, Peart is also a prolific writer, being the author of several published travelogues and evidenced by his position as chief lyricist for Rush. Over the years, Peart has become known for an a-personal writing style and a propensity for addressing diverse subject matter including science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, as well as secular, humanitarian and libertarian themes.
To date he used kits from the manufacturers Slingerland, Tama, Ludwig and D.W. and he’s used Cymbals from Ziljian and Sabian.(Of which he now has his own signature series I believe.)
Neil Peart is a massively influential and inspirational drummer of our time and for this he gets a solid 9.5 out of 10 from me! (Not that he really cares I’m sure!)

Name: John Henry Bonham

D.O.B: May 31st 1948 (died September 25th 1980)

Place of Birth: Redditch, Worcestershire

Starting Playing: Aged 5yrs

General Info: At the tender age of Five John started playing the drums….. well, not exactly drums, but containers and coffee tins apparently! He used to try to copy his idols, Gene Krupa and Biddy Rich.
In 1964 (aged 16yrs) John joined his first band, Terry Webb and the Spiders. He also drummed for local bands such as The Blue Star Trio and The Senators who released a moderately successful single “She’s a Mod”.
Two years later, he joined A Way of Life however the band became inactive and in desperation for a regular income, joined blues group Crawling King Snakes whose lead singer was a young Robert Plant. During this period, Bonham developed a reputation of being the loudest drummer in England, often breaking drumheads and being asked by clubs to stop playing. Throughout the next few years he played in a few bands and opened sets for the likes of Tim Rose.
Led Zeppelin later formed when Jimmy Page wanted to start a band and wanted Robert Plant on vocals, who in turn suggested John on Drums. He won through despite some pretty hefty competition!
John then went on to sign with Ludwig drums (which he’s renowned for using to this day) along with the longest and heaviest sticks on the market! He called them “trees” (which is kinda odd, ‘cos I call big thick sticks “tree trunks”… must be that us drummers think alike!)
John is widely known for his “big” sound along with his crazy long drum solos such as featured in the songs “Moby Dick” and “Pat’s Delight”.

As well as recording with Led Zeppelin, he also found time to session with other artists. In 1970, John drummed for Screaming Lord Sutch on his album Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends. He also drummed for his Birmingham friend, Roy Wood, on the 1979 Wizzard album, On the Road Again. Then for Wings on their Back to the Egg Rockestra project.

John both disliked being away from his home and family for long periods and also flying, which led him to use alcohol to work off his nerves. On September 24, 1980, he was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King from The Old Hyde hotel to be at rehearsals at Bray Studios for the upcoming tour of the United States, the bands first since 1977. During the journey Bonham had downed four quadruple vodkas before continuing drinking at the studio. A halt was called to the rehearsals late in the evening and the band retired to Page’s house in Windsor . After midnight, Bonham had fallen asleep and was taken to bed on his side. The tour manager found him dead the next morning. Despite the sensationalist press which indulged themselves, a subsequent coroners inquest found no drugs in his body. His death was a tragic accident. John Henry Bonham was buried on October 10, 1980 at Rushock parish churchyard, near The Old Hyde farm.

A tragic end for a legend among drummers. But you know what they say… “only the good die young.” So he was doing something right!

Even though Led Zeppelin isn’t my style John Bonham has been an inspiration to drummers for decades, and will continue to be for decades to come, and for this he gets a 10/10!

Name: Dennis Chambers

D.O.B: ……..1960

Place of Birth:???

Started Playing: Aged 4yrs

General info: Dennis started playing drums at the age of 4, and by the age of 6 he was playing in night clubs. He says he had no former training and learned all he knew from the hands on approach. All his training came from playing in night clubs. At 18yrs he went from high school to a band called “Parliament and Funkadelic” (sometimes referred to as “P-Funk”) and stayed with them until 1985. He then went on to do a lot of session work in New York and was the house drummer for “Sugar Hill Record Company”. After that, he joined “Special EFX” in 1985. In 1987 he joined the “David Sanborn Band” and the “John Scofield Band” which ended in 1989. Shortly afterwards he joined the “Mike Stern/Bob Berg Band”. Since then he has been playing in various other bands such as: Randy Breckers Band and Michael Breckers Band/Mike Urbaniak’s Band/Bill Evans Band/CTI All Stars/George Duke/Stanley Clark’s Band/Steve Kahn’s Eyewitness Band/John McLaughlin Band.

He’s also recorded his own record called “Getting Even” on Pioneer Records. He’s done many a drum video too. My favourite of which is “Common Ground” feat. Tony Royster Jr (surprise surprise!). It’s well worth checking out.
In 2005 he was playing for Santana and in 2007 for a fantastic soul/funk group called Tower Of Power. (which happen to be two of my favourite bands musically!). I can’t wait to hear what he has in store for 2008!
Dennis is known the world over for being a cracking drummer and many people owe their inspiration to him. He’s a living legend and so if you ever get the chance to go see him play, DON’T pass up the opportunity!

Name: Ian Paice

D.O.B: 29th June 1948

Place of Birth: Nottingham, England

Started playing: Before 15yrs, but got his first proper drum kit at 15yrs.

General info: Ian started playing on a make shift kit of pots and pans and using his mums knitting needles until his dad eventually bought him a kit. From an early age he was inspired by Gene Krupa and Ringo Starr, and even bought the same kit that Ringo had. At the age of 20 Ian joined the band “Roundabout” who later changed their name to Deep Purple, the band in which he shot to fame and become a renowned drummer the world over.
Ian says that his favourite album (as far as drums go) is Made in Japan (live). On this album is a song called The Mule which features a cracking drum solo well over 5 minutes long. This is actually something I listened to over and over again as a young drummer and it inspired me to play like I do today. Ian is a cracking rock drummer and after seeing a Whitesnake gig, wanted to be in the band so much that they offered him the gig. So in 1979 he became a Whitesnake (with two other band members from Deep Purple would you believe!).

Ian is still going strong today doing numerous tours with his band and drum clinics round the world. If you ever get chance to go see him I fully recommend it! He’s a cracking drummer and an inspiration!

http://www.deep-purple.com/
http://www.deep-purple.net/

Drummer Profiles: Chad Smith

Name: Chad Smith

D.O.B. 25th Oct 1961

Place of Birth: St Paul Minnesota

Started Playing: From what I remember he said he was self taught and started playing in his early teens.
General info: Chad plays for the world famous “Red Hot Chili Peppers” or “Chilies” as they’re often called. His style is aggressive funk, or rock/funk…. Take your pick! He says his biggest influences in drums are John Bonham, Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell…. (All the rock classics!) Chad endorses Pearl drums with Sabian cymbals and the Chad Smith Signature Snare is a 14×5” inch snare which has a Black Nickel Plated Shell. Chad has also designed 2 signature crash-cymbals with Sabian - the 18.5″ Chad Smith Explosion Crash and the 20.5″ Chad Smith Explosion Crash. Chad also endorses Vater drumsticks and bass drum beater.

Personally I think Chad is a great drummer. Not necessarily the most technical drummer about, but his groove is solid and his fills not overly complex. He’s inspired many a drummer to play and his stuff is fantastic to play to for people of all levels. He always puts on a good show, and having met the guy I can say he’s a really nice bloke! Well worth buying some their tunes even if it’s not really your cup of tea. In November 2007, Chad performed a series of drum clinics in the UK, with legendary drummer Steve White. The drum tour went to many places in the UK, so keep your eyes peeled for his next tour.

Current tour kit (2006-2007):
Pearl Masters Custom MRX Drums & Sabian Cymbals:
Drums – Custom CeeLight Finish
12×10″ Rack Tom
14×14″ Floor Tom
16×16″ Floor Tom
24×18″ Bass Drum
14×5.5″ Yamaha Jimmy Chamberlain Signature Snare (Current Main Snare)
14×5″ Pearl Masters Snare (bottom head & snare wire removed, used as a timbale) Cymbals – Sabian (all with brilliant finish)
14″ AAX-Celerator Hi-Hats
21″ AA Rock Ride
19″ AA Medium Thin Crash
20″ AA Rock Crash
10″ AA Splash
20″ AA China
21″ Prototype China w/rivets (Added to Setup in late 2006)