Blarobbarg

Listening to the Sex Pistols and Ramones convinced me I could play sloppy as hell and still be a drummer (as long as I had the confidence to do so).

Listening to a lot of Latin music allowed me to branch out and use hand percussion, or else transform my beat up garage drum kit into some sorts of other instruments by hitting it in odd ways, muting the heads, or slapping the drums with my palms and fists.

And then discovering Zach Hill was like a revelation. It was almost a spiritual experience, the first time I really tried to beat the hell out of my kit. My first phase taught me that good drumming could be sloppy or minimalist. My second phase taught me that good drumming could be odd styles of playing the instrument or using exotic beat patterns. But Zach Hill taught me that sheer ferocity, animal instinct, and making the most of what I had (even if that were a snare, a kick, and a single cymbal) is much better than trying to use a 20-piece kit poorly.

Now I mostly just kick it with my djembe, since I moved across the country and all, but I dearly miss my drum kit and look forward to the day I can get behind another one.

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1so-static

Kate Bush, Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd, Bach, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Jethro Tull