You know what they say about guys with big drum kits?

Small Toms.

I’m going to go on a bit of a rant here for a minute, but before I do I’m going to tell you a little story.

When I was a kid I had a drum kit. My best friend Andre, whom taught me how to play lived just a few houses down the road and also had a drum kit. Sometimes, on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when we had hours to kill, he would show up to my house with his drums crammed into his van, and we would spend an hour or so mashing them together into one monster hybrid of a kit, and then spend the next three to four hours taking turns playing the shit out of it. It was interesting, it was creative, and it was fun as hell. The idea that maybe you would find a unique combination of items placed in a unique way so as only you can play a one of a kind rhythm or pattern is intriguing to say the least, sometimes I would just flail my arms around back and forth and just see what I could hit with no concept in mind. It was a hell of a way to spend an evening.

Putting the thing together was half the fun. Constructing a percussion shrine that loomed over you as you sat down to it. Searching for the most correct position for pedals and trinkets was a challenge you had to keep them within reach but out of the way. Thousands of variables for optimum performance, these are the things that make Neil Peart’s jeans tight.

Well, that and space-robes.

So before I get going, please know that I understand the desire to build the dream kit. A shining example of one mans lifelong creative pursuits and financial independence. A kit that speaks volumes about you and your talent by just existing, a kit that will make the local drummers that open for you on tour wet their Lars Ulrich mini-shorts in fear -- A behemoth of your own creation. I know, I’ve been through it.

You used my name bro, that's fifty cents.

This isn’t even about the stay at home guys that have a huge set of mid life crisis DW’s in a sweaty man cave in the basement where they bang along to old King Crimson albums on Sunday mornings when the wife’s gone to the market. Whatever those guys want to do is their business. This is for the guys that are really serious about wanting to get out there and play, and balk at the idea that anything other than talent could play a factor in why their phone isn't ringing.

I don't care how you have justified bringing a giant hulking drum-kit on the road up to this point, but from now on leave Drumzilla at home please and thank you, because it makes you seem like a jackass.

Fuck you buddy, I look cool as hell.

Here are a bunch of reasons why having an oversized drumkit is suicide for anyone wanting to be a gigging/touring musician. You might not agree with me, but this might just be why Thom Yorke hasn't called you yet.

First - Practicality.

Look drummers, let’s face it, we’re already on the shit list for having the most amount of stuff to carry in. Everyone else can get their shit into the bar in two trips while we’re on our fourth trying to not pinch our thumbs between two pieces of hardware. Add that to the fact that they will resent us when get way more chicks at the show (you know, because we're drummers) and all of a sudden we’re prime candidates for getting stuck sleeping on the floor and sitting in the bitch-seat at every chance.

What I’m saying is, travel light my friend. Having 6 cymbals and a set of blocks might be fun to plink around with at home, but when you bring all that stuff along you’re just making way more work for yourself. Not to mention you're upping the chances you’re going to leave something behind on those nights where packing up is the furthest thing from your mind. Be real, no one is going to be happy when they have to turn around and go back to the venue because you left your djembe behind the soundboard. It’s also downright inconsiderate and rude to your fellow passengers. It takes up way more extra space in the van/trailer, which could be better used for stuff like merch or booze (or if your band is creative, merchbooze).

Or shit, how about just having somewhere to put your legs up? The space you get is small enough, nobody needs weird hardware arms poking them or tambourines jingling around when you're trying to nap.

Try this -- When it’s time to leave, start with your standard kit (kick, snare, rack, floor tom, high hats, crash, ride) and then, granted there is still lots of room, maybe take one or two things you like to play around with (an extra snare or cymbal, or a electric drum pad, etc..) and leave the rest at home. Let HOW you play define your talent, not WHAT you play. You're band-mates won't thank you I'm sure, but you can act a little more smug knowing you sacrificed for them.

Bad for PR

Here’s a scenario. Your favorite band is coming to town and when their support act broke up and dropped off the tour, your band got the local slot. You’ve never been so excited. You guys have been practicing all week to get real tight in order to impress them. If you play well and schmooze well enough, you might be able to finagle your way onto a couple more shows.

Now, how do you think that band will feel towards yours when they show up to sound check only to find it’s been pushed back an hour because they haven’t gotten your drums checked yet? You’ve already put a sour taste in their mouth and you haven’t even met them yet.

Really? You saw Vedder backstage? Did he ask about me?

Big kits take longer to load in, set up, and to sound check. It’s just logistics. You give me the fastest drum setter-upper in the world setting up Mike Portnoy’s kit and some sixteen year old neophyte setting up a standard one, and the kid will win every time. You want the respect of your fellow touring bands? Set up in a timely manner, don’t dick around during sound check and keep things running on time. Then if you blow them away during your show they will be a lot more likely to talk to you about it.

Bad for the show

I’ve run into countless drummers using oversized kits on shows with three or four bands and there’s one trend I noticed that makes things worse than they already are. Most often these guys are both insistent that they use their own drums, and very hesitant to let anyone else on their throne.

I dunno man, these high hats are vintage.

Let me put it bluntly. If you’re going to be a big enough dick to fuck up changeover so you can get your heap of a drum kit on stage, you should at least be prepared to let the next few bands use it so the show can remain somewhat on schedule. Taking thirty to forty-five minutes to set up between bands can really make the crowds decision to stick it out for the rest of the night or call it a night, go home and stream TV until they pass out. Ideally you want each band to be ready by the time the smokers saunter back into the venue from the previous set, because unless you’re AC fucking DC people aren’t going to stick around while you place your chimes.

The best rock shows aren’t just a series of sets, they are nights that flow perfectly with the will of the crowd. The bands start when everyone wants them to (and finishes when they want them to as well). Everyone has good sets, but good shows are a little more rare, so don’t ruin it by wishing everyone to indulge you without giving them something in return.

This isn’t the O2 Arena

Stage size at most venues is sometimes passable at best for even one full band, but indie rock shows will hardly ever have just one band, so the stage usually ends of a mess of chords, amps and pedals. Sticking drum add-ons all around can start to take up much more room than you are allotted, with cymbal stand booms and legs sticking out among the periphery you’re just begging for someone to kick over your Octobans.

I always laugh when I see a drum kit so big that the rest of the band has to set up and play on the floor in front of the stage. All I can think of of is how indulgent and egotistical you would have to be to not see how ridiculous it looks. I have no problems judging clueless musicians.

I think the go-go dancers can fit in front of the Marshall.

What it comes down to is this. If you have the ambition to really take drumming to even a semi-professional level but you can’t represent your playing unless you use your super customized mega-kit 2000, then you need to take a step back and sort out what’s actually important. Versatility is an asset, take yourself out of your comfort zone and minimize as much as possible. Use a little to say a lot. Or if you’re going to lug your 12 piece monster to open for my band and insist you use it, at least let me take a crack at it. You can’t bring a grenade launcher to the gun range and not expect everyone to ask to shoot it.

Tom Petty - Long After Dark

I love the way Stan Lynch plays drums on Tom Petty albums, and when Howie Epstein came in to play bass on Long After Dark they really learned how to play off each other well, giving the songs a stronger base than on previous records.

Lynch gave a little more to Tom Petty's songs than he gets credit for. Petty is an incredible songwriter, but Lynch really gave the songs their drive, keeping momentum rolling. Even songs that weren't really single-worthy still play well even today because Lynch and Epstein really kept things pushing forward. Finding Out is one of the best songs on this record, and it has little to do with Petty's vocals and a lot to do with the band just killing it for four minutes.

Lynch seemed to have a good ear for when to throw himself around the kit and when to hold back. Hell, the beat on You Got Lucky never strays for the whole song, but some well timed crash hits bring in all the dynamic that was needed.

For a guy who, at the time, looked like a pretty big cheeseball he sure played the drums like a champion.

Mullets aside, the albums Stan Lynch did with Tom Petty will probably be listened to for hundreds of years. Sure Tom Petty's songs were great, but his music wouldn't last if he hadn't put together such a shit hot band. Every element was taken care of, and when you don't have to worry about your backing band you can really focus on the songs a lot better.

If you're reading this and thinking Tom Petty was a lame-o just remember that when Stan Lynch left Tom Petty's band the first guy to cover for him was Dave Grohl, and not post-Nirvana-Kurts-gone-I-can-be-free Dave Grohl, but 1993 era, long haired, I-need-to-make-sure-everything-I-do-is-cool Dave Grohl, which was a much harder Dave Grohl to convince. Here is video proof.

And here is some video of Stan Lynch rockin' the shit.

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will

When will Mogwai make a bad record? I have long wanted to write about Martin Bulloch, but despite his awesome playing, I couldn't find anything on previous Mogwai records that I hadn't already talked about with some other similar players. Instead of forcing it, I figured I would just wait, and lo and behold, Mogwai released Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will and this post practically writes itself.

On previous records, Martin would usually adjust the volume of his playing to change and affect the mood. Quiet playing for quiet parts, loud playing for loud parts. Simple really, and effective. But with HWNDBYW he plays hard, with consistent volume and relies more on the technique to push things forward, and it's fucking great. Take a song like Mexican Grand Prix which starts with a bare kick/snare pattern. It's already pretty punchy and has a lot of momentum, and then simply by adding the high hat he takes it so much further. Nicely placed high hat flourishes and snare/cymbal hits keep things interesting, but it's always grounded. This is a drummer who we've been able to hear mature over the last few Mogwai records, and it's a big contributor to why Mogwai are still an interesting and relevant band sixteen years into their career.

We get sort of a throwback to early Mogwai with songs like Rano Pano and Death Waves, which have pretty consistent guitar/bass patterns, allowing Martin a little more room to play with the timing and drive of his patterns. It's incredible how rooted his feet and snare had stay while he travels around his drums, the man is a rock.

Martin seems to have developed a better feel for softness as well, giving us some really lush brush playing of Letters To The Metro. It's one of the slowest tracks, but it is one of my favorites.

Bulloch is an example of a good drummer taking a proper look at his rhythmic position in his band, and over time finding a way to let his personality and style shine through the limitations, becoming a great drummer. I don't think there is a bad track on this record, and it's insane to think that a band that has been together for sixteen years is still recording some of the best music of their careers.

Mogwai and Lady Gaga are both playing in Montreal on April 25th. I'm driving up from Halifax. I'm going to let you guess who I'm going to go see.

BDK News - Kuato Winter EP

My instrumental band Kuato have released our second EP. It has 3 songs and is 30 minutes long. You can get it for free from the Acadian Embassy.

The Holy Shroud - Ghost Repeaters

Loel Campbell is the real fucking deal. Genuine talent mixed with imagination and stamina. I've seen him play fill in sets for Kary and Trephines, two bands that are part of every Yarmouth County musician's DNA, and whom have albums that have aged better than most. I've seen him play countless times with Wintersleep and Contrived, his two main outfits for a while. I've seen him take part in the blossoming of Holy Fuck, the little band that could. I've seen him double up on the drums for an entire Jon Epworth set (alongside Mike Belyea, whom I've written about already. You can watch a clip of it here). Shit, I've seen Loel play more shows than any other drummer. I'm sure no one will be surprised to see me writing about him.

I was so close to writing about one of the Contrived records, but I just knew that I would start writing and get lost on how to sum up how fucking awesome those records/that band are. There is just too much history there to cram it into a blog post.

The Holy Shroud's history is much simpler.

1/2 North Of America +

1/2 Contrived

= One hell of a rock band.

When The Holy Shroud formed I had just started to come to the city for shows, and I saw them play at The Idiot with Radarfame. They came out all dressed in white with white ski masks on and they ripped through their set flailing around and blowing everyone away. It looked sort of this.

As far as drumming goes, this is Loel at his most spastic and uninhibited. The energy never wanes, but his playing never loses focus. He is completely locked in with Mike Bigelow's bass, and this record is one of many examples of why those two were the most sought after rhythm section in Halifax when they lived here. The amount of sweat that went into these songs is unimaginable. For a brief period The Holy Shroud were the best band in Halifax, even opening up for The Arcade Fire during their legendary performance at The Marquee for the Halifax Pop Explosion. We might only have one full length record to remember them by, but what an album it is.

The thing about Loel's drumming is that it has that little extra touch that can never be emulated. You can always tell when it's him on the skins, but you can't pinpoint how. I think one of my favorite songs is Landmarks to Postmarks, where the drums and guitars are totally in sync, only to have the guitars drop out and the drums take the lead. The rolls in Calling In Confederate Debts are also lightning fast and perfectly executed, candy to a drummers ear.

If you have been paying attention to anything musically you'll know that Loel is constantly breaking new ground with Wintersleep (the band just performed on David Letterman, the first for a Nova Scotian band) and if you've done any research you know about Contrived and all of the Dependent Music bands he was involved in. I'm hoping that if you've never heard this album you'll seek it out, because it's a treasure worth finding. The amount of quality albums Loel has played on is massive, and it gets larger every year. Hopefully this one won't get lost in the past.

Led Zeppelin - in Through The Out Door

I know that John Bonham is not an underrated or neglected part of drum history. Hell, if you play the drums and you don't know who John Bonham is I don't need to tell you you're an idiot, I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough. I'm not writing about John Bonham on here to talk about his influence or importance, that's been discussed to exhaustion in every god damn drum magazine and forum in existence. I'm here to tell you that John Bonham the drummer may have died at 32, but John Bonham the artist was just an infant, barely two years old when he was taken from us, and that's the biggest tragedy. Let me explain.

In Through The Out Door is my favorite Led Zeppelin album. I'm sure that's some sort of blasphemy somewhere, but fuck you I think about this stuff a lot more than most other people do. You see, this is the first album where Led Zeppelin had really stepped out from under the safety blanket of the blues and really made something innovative stylistically. They had proven they could wail on the last seven records, but the songs on In Through... have a certain maturity to them, all the power and energy of the previous albums but much more focused thematically, concentrating of feel and dynamic more than virtuosic playing.

A big part of this can be attributed to Page and Bonham becoming unreliable due to their various addictions, and the writing responsibility falling mostly onto John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, who had always had input but never this much. The previous songs had mostly always relied on riffs, with everything else coming to life around them. Until now Bonham had been used to the freedom of Page's parts. Page was a master of creating space for his band mates to work their way into, it's one of the best parts about his playing. As a drummer, when you play along to guitar riffs, there is usually quite a few pockets of space where you can throw in little frills and fills, which Bonham had been doing quite well up to this point. Once Jones took the reigns writing parts for In Through The Out Door, the songs became very bass-prominent and it sort of lasso'd in John's playing. Jones has a great ability to keep things grounded, but his playing is very thick. Bonham couldn't start throwing in drum flourishes everywhere because there was simply no room for them.

This could have killed his inspiration, but instead Bonham used this musical confinement to hone his skills under duress. By this point he had really carved out his own niche, and he worked within the limitations set by Jones while still holding onto his style. The result is an album full of really interesting rhythms, played with the ferocity and skill of his previous material. When he does get a little room he makes it count, working in fills as extensions of his rhythms. There's parts in Carouselambra that are just out of this world, better than anything he had laid down before.

It's not that Bonham hadn't done anything impressive before this point, but this was the first time he was forced to change his approach, and instead of throwing in the cards he really shaped it into something unique. It's like throwing a painter a lump of clay and saying, "there, what can you do with that?" He always had his own style, but this was the first glimpse of personality to come from his playing. He died shortly after this album was released, and it's the only glimpse we have into where his drumming would have progressed.

I can't help but wonder what kind of drummer he would would have been on the next three records the way I wonder what Albert Camus' books would have been like if he hadn't died in that car crash. Sometimes it's best not to think of these things.

The Boredoms - 77 Boadrum DVD

In the summer of 2007 legendary Japanese noise rock group The Boredoms hand picked 77 drummers from around the world, brought them to New York and set them up in a park for a one of a kind performance. The drums were set up in a spiraling motion, and patterns would begin in the center and travel outward until the entire group played in unison. With a set of colored sticks with various meanings, The Boredoms would orchestrate the entire performance from an elevated stage in a middle, and for an hour and a half the city of New York was witness to one of the loudest, most powerful performances ever recorded, whether they wanted to be or not. This DVD is a must-see for any drummer, just ogling at all the different kits they wrangled up could take up a lot of time.

If you're wondering what 77 drums sets look like in spiral, well, here ya go.

This DVD is a mixture of documentary footage and performance footage, and it gives great insight into how this giant project was executed. If you have a surround sound system, the drums will swirl around you, putting you right in the middle of the performance.

This is something that will probably never happen again, and is a true example of drumming as an art. When things really get going you can hear the true force that exists in drums and it must have been heard for miles. If you watch closely you will see a crowd full of people in tune with what's going on, and if you look closer you'll see one hippy in a bandana and tie-dyed shirt just losing his mind trying to grasp what's happening.

I mean c'mon.

duuuuuuude.

drums.