Boy Howdy's Guide To Drums '86: Part Two

Boy Howdy's Guide To Drums '86: Part Two

by Dan Hedges

This is part two of Boy Howdy’s annual drum guide. Not only does it feature the latest & greatest in drum gear—but an interview with fab drummer Mark Brzezicki from Big Country! Nothing on shrimp creole, though. Enjoy!

AQUARIAN

The Anaheim-based firm, Aquarian Accessories has come up with a line of drumsticks that should open a road-bleary eye or two. Following on the heels of their Aquarian Lites and Formula X-10s, their new Value Line sticks are available in your choice of 14 colors. We’re talking video colors here—everything from Sunset Orange, to T.V. Pink, to Studio Purple. Made of a special graphite formula said to outlast traditional wood by three times or more, the Value Line sticks are finished with a Hi-Tech Vista Coat process that promises greater durability than other finishes. Suggested retail price is $12.95 per pair ($13.95 for sticks equipped with shockgrips). For information on the company’s entire line, write Aquarian Accessories Corp., 1140 North Tustin Avenue, Anaheim CA 92807.

CAMBER

Camber cymbals (marketed by Out Front Inc.) bill themselves as “America s most successful student cymbal line,’’.specializing in items on the lower end of the price scale for musicians who’ve got the beat, but don’t have a bottomless bank account. Their Savage line of heavy duty rockers sports an added attraction in the logos stamped onto each cymbal: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Pteradactyls, etc. By way of example, the suggested retail price for a Savage 16" Crash is $50.00.

The rest of the firm’s line is divided into Camber Brass (“durability and rich resonance”), Camber NickelSilver (‘‘explosive and cutting”), Camber Crystal (‘‘sparkling brilliance”), and Camber Bronze (“brilliant tonal quality and versatility of sound”). Suggested retail price for a Brass 16" Crash is $45.00, while a Nickel-silver 16" Crash goes for $60.00. For more information, contact Camber, 101 Horton Avenue, Lynbrook, NY 11563.

PAISTE

As manufacturers of some of the most popular cymbals to see action in rock’s back line, Paiste has seen their extensive range of wares occupy prime riser space on club and arena stages the world over. The company’s new, affordably-priced 400 line is geared toward drummers “with developing skills, needing cymbals with true sound character.” The complete series includes 12" Splash, 14" and 15" Hi-hats, 14" Crash, 16" Power Crash, 18" Crash/Ride, 20" Power Ride, 22" Ride, and two China sizes, 16" and 18" . Suggested retail price for a basic set-up of 14" Hi-hats, a 16" Crash, and 20" ride is $285.00.

And for those in the market for unusually broad frequency ranges in their cymbals, Paiste’s 3000 series may well fit the bill. The Rides have pronounced brilliance and a penetrating bell sound. The Crashes sport “unique inner strength, generating strong, full crash presence.” The Hi-hats’ full and powerful sound is a result of the expand ed frequency ranges between top and bottom cymbals. For information on these and the rest of the Paiste line, write: Paiste America, Inc., 460 Atlas Street, Brea CA 92621.

PURECUSSION

A bass' drum, mounted tom, floor tom, and cymbal holder that collectively weigh-in at a featherweight 29 lbs. (less case)? PureCussion’s unveiled a new kit that fits the bill. Dubbed the RIMS Headset, it operates on the not-illogical premise that standard supports and mounting hardware only inhibit

a drum’s resonation potential. The RIMS design has no such paraphernalia. Allowed to freely resonate (without any contact with its hardware), a drum will produce clean balanced overtones in support of its fundamental pitch, so the Headset is streamlined down to basics: Remo drum heads, fitted to a strip of high quality steel, which are in turn fitted to traditional mounts. In other words, shellless drums.

There are three Headset models, with list prices ranging from $335.00 to $475.00. For those who already have a regular kit and want to improve its sound, RIMS drums are individually available as well. Manufactured in sizes ranging from 8" to 16" , they can be used alone or fitted to virtually any acoustic drum made. To find out more, contact PureCussion Inc., 5957 West 37th Street, Minneapolis MN 55416.

LATIN PERCUSSION

There’s more to percussion than just a snare, a few toms, and a bass drum. Latin Percussion’s range of international drums takes things beyond the realm of your basic kit. For musicians looking for a hand drum somewhere between congas and bongos in size, LP Junior Congas should fit the bill. At 8" and 9" in diameter by 15" tall, the wood drums come with chromed hardware (and stand) and are available in Asiatic White Wood or Wine Red Wood (list price $399.00).

Conga players preferring their drums full size can check out the Matador line: 28" tall professional congas in 11" , 11%" and 121/2" sizes, available in red, black, or white. Lighter in weight is sister company Cosmic Percussion’s Fiberglass Congas. Reinforced with fiberglass and steel, they come with heavy duty hardware.

According to Latin Percussion, “the most popular of Latin rhythms, the Merengue, cannot be played correctly without the drum of the Dominican Republic, the Tambora, a two-headed drum...played with a combination of a stick and bare hands.” Those feeling deprived should check out the company’s new tambora, with its contoured shell of Asiatic White Wood, fitted with an integral striking block. Fiberglass is the name of the gatfte for LPs newest bongo, setting ’’new standards of crackling highs", resounding lows, and durability never before obtainable with the wooden equivalent.” For info (including current prices) on these Instruments and the rest of LP’s line of percussion products and accessories, contact LP Music Group, 160 Belmont Avenue, Garfield, NJ 0702$. ,

AVANTI

Crafted in Europe ana marketed in America by Out Front Inc., Avanti Cymbals have whipped up a line for drummers wanting to put a little more color into their backbeat. Their Series 6000 cymbals come in your choice of either red, black, or blue. The suggested list price for a 16" Crash is $90.00.

Naturally, the company also crafts cymbals for drummers who prefer being a tad less visually conspicuous. Their Series 7000 cymbals are made of bronze, and come in a complete range of types and sizes. By way of example, a 16" Crash carries a list price of $90.00.

BIG COUNTRY’S MARK BRZEZICKI: ■ NO STICK IN THlMUK

’ “A g^£fife>us.e lias to have a good foundation." Mark ;2^zezickr of Big Country, says in London. "The drummer and bass player, being the backbone, have to be totally be intune with' each otheland the j|usfd;'T

f 'By“in-tune” the ing in the cosmic sense, Soulmates, right? A rhy®^l|f|Je«i ness, With 1$83’s The Cro&sM frig, Big^flwt^ injected no small dos^ of Celtic grandeur into an identikit music scene still trying to pawn off warmeddyer disco rifts asttuey^&yo. J Steeltawn , p$>Jhe SedHlonr I''fmuedrape crusade. The i London-born Brzezicki might have one of the most unpronounceable names jn rock, but the eheck$'»are coming in steady-nowgHe s got no complaints. Have sticks, will travel.

But he’s a traditionalist^ Iften | drummerless revolution m »p^ma, no hands’percussion electronics with a skeptical eye, Brzezicki would rather |||enci' tflHKoney qjftrbeor# ] thanlflL A^lhe fa#; quite strongly that there are too manfldlum machines aqd am icon chjpgHHffirlthe same I ^.SOgnc|%oin%thi|fighthe same treatment, being.programmed by people who don’t understand rhythm. Its an easy way * olil. After all, you need fewer ipflgfe -ef|tge, there’s less I "money you have to pay out, ^and it seems to be a hip sound vto have on your record.”

He modestly claims his goat " if "‘to put real drums back on the map--, Good music always ;^Snes from the heartThe aSKfe-have iplglrie from a The excitement. Thq crqscenjdos. The iodlppars pergonali‘ ty.Sphe drive.’*jj j|j

When it came to equipment on Big] Country’s last tour, Btzezicki’s^ drums-of'Choice were Pearl. Hjd^^^^drum j waSgiurrounded by a small percussion shop's worth of „gear that included'an 8" Mvooden snare, 6 brass mtare, a full six-pack of toms (8W JO” , 12", 13" , 14" , aifjj jliS*), and four Octobans/Most of fife cymbals were Paiste,

and' included iHBflMBMh Iceheft, 10" 505 splash, ft?, splash, 15” 505-^lash, »6| 505 splasM6" 2002 splash, 20" rede, 20” Novo i^Ghina, Rude China, Rayman a 15” Rude Hi-hat.

It sounds 1}ke a ;pretty straightforward setup. The ■ is in how it’s need to explore

you’re worthing with has an equally adventurous streak. Brzezicki first met Big Gpiirrtfy bassist Tony Butler whenbgtft auditioned for (and landed) legofe" :S|mon; Townshendfe old band, On The Air. ’’We’ve been working together now for Jjleyen "dr; eigf^Sears as a rhythm secttOi^gBrzezicki says. “We’ve gone through different stgpe^dl: Wgfte and jfWsf'.From small-time session ||pk fb the Big Tftne^H

As for his rhythmic mesh with Butler, Brzezicki explains that, onstage, they’ve gotten to the point where each knows jnstinctivefy what musical move the fiher will make “at the drop of a hat. Where it's gq|ng to tie, where we’re going to hit Very fpfien, Tony doesaft actually (Stay as If he’s playing bass, while I play very solid. Then go off on a tangent and join the guitars and the echo they use, playing double-time and cross-! rhflhm min|fs white Tony is the one playing dead solid. Pounding. Even in an ad-lib situation, we’ll end: Up *n the same place. We know each other's playing that weftji

What all this boils down^o is that Mark Brzezicki refuses to wx^ifeto any set, cruise-control -formula “where j^fve got a bass drum plodding on fours, and a snare,Man plodding on two, and foi!§«urn beats inside j put. Play reggqe sometimes. You should try ptaylng^ack-tofront deliberately, hit the snare where the bass drum should be. Play your toms where you ’shouldn’t.’^

’ ’As long as it doesn’t spoil the vievp^^

“As long as it's exciting it pan be ft you change these ffhjhpSr because ygp’re taking; your music info new areas.

: Which cant be a tod thing at: all.-' -4V-' --4

On the flip side of the coin, Avanti’s Series 5000 Silvertone line comes in an even wider range of dimensions and types, WftH. a 16" Crash listing for $70.00. All cymbals come with a velour storage pouch. For more information* contact Avanti, 101 Hortdrt Avenue, Lynbrook NY 11563. "

, REMO

With so many of the new developments in the drum world geared toward arenaclasS players with uranium credit cards, Remo’s expanded line of drum kits appears to have something for everybody. Their Encore kits are available in standard size or power tom 5-piece sets equipped with RpwerSnaps—lug tuning plus quick head changing capability. Other features include PinStripe batter heads, transparent Diplomat heads, coated Ambassador snare batter and Ambassador bottom heads. List prices for the sets start at $756.50.

The Liberator Series is available in 5-piece power tom, standard, and bebop sets with PTS PowerSnaps (claw-hooks to retain pretuned heads plus builtin lugs for fine tuning). Drum heads are PTS/CS Black Dot, apart from the Ambassador transparent front bass drum head. List prices for the sets start at $678.50.

Remo’s Discovery Series, available in bebop, standard, and power tom models, features standard lug tuning, PinStripe batter heads and transparent Diplomat Bottom heads. The snare heads are coated Ambassadors. List prices for the kit begin at $569.50.

The Innovator kit is Remo’s original 5-piece PTS latch drum set (single head, bebop, or standard), and comes fitted with a heavy duty tom tom mount and pretuned PTS coated Ambassador heads. All four series are constructed with soundenhanced Acousticon SE shells. Drummers wanting something visually flashier with their Encore and Liberator kits can opt for the Designer Series featuring white shells with black color bands, red REMO decals, Ebony PinStripe batter heads and Ebony Ambassador bottom heads. For information on the complete Remo line, write Remo Inc., 12804 Raymer Street, North Hollywood CA 91605.

PREMIER

Premier like to describe their angle on drum crafting as “taking a fresh look at the world’s oldest instrument.” A case in point are their Resonator kits with patented floating inner shells. The thin, two-ply birch shells produce “a full, deep sound with fewer high overtones.” and since no hardware is mounted to the inner shell, it’s left free to vibrate. A five-piece standard outfit carries a suggested retail price of $2555.00. For that, you get a 22x14 bass drum, two tom toms (12x9, 13x§), a 16x16 floor tom, 14x61/2 wooden snare, and Tristar hardware.

The Projector series, on the other hand, features birch shells pre-bent into shape and thin enough to vibrate freely while thick enough to stand up to hard playing. The Projectors, Premier says, “give you a clear and warm tone with plenty of cutting power.” A five-piece standard kit consists of a 22x14 bass drum, two tom toms (12x9, 13x9), 16x16 floor tom, 14x51/2 beaded steel/chrome snare, and Tristar hardware. Suggested list price is $1,780.00.

Premier has also developed some new drum heads, created to cover the full spectrum of playing requirements. There are six categories. The TS heads are coated. The single-ply CL heads (featuring the CL Polo bass drum heads) are damped and pre-cut for a flatter sound and easy placement of damping materials and mics. The double skin DS heads have an overtone gasket between its film which eliminates unwanted drum "ring.” The SD heads offer a full selection of batter and snare heads. The TM heads are designed specifically for standard and elite tympani. The MS heads are for bongos, new era drums, and pre-international shell sizes.

Another recent development, Premier’s ProLock hardware system, was invented to make set up and dismantling easier and more precise through a dual function adjustment collar that

operates as either a telescoping or memory clamp. The ProLock line includes a weighted boom cymbal stand, a convertible boom/straight stand with a disappearing boom arm, and the Fastball tom tom holder. For info on these and the rest of Premier’s products, write: Premier Percussion USA Inc., 1704 Taylors Lane, Unit 1, Cinnaminson NJ 08077.

Premier’s

PROLOCK HARDWARE

PEARL

Pearl, one of the most familiar names on the percussion circuit, have added a number of new kits to their roster. All are fitted with Super Gripper lugs (eliminating tension rod back-off, normal lug rattling, while providing quick, precise tuning and 50-75 percent faster head changes), Super Hoops (insuring proper head seating and even tensioning), Independent Suspension System tom arms for 203 degrees of total angle adjustment, and vibration-free tom holders.

The Prestige Artist series sport all-maple “Deep Force” shells made from “selected maple plys and cross-laminated for extra strength, producing a wide variety of warm sounds and superb projection.” The snare drum is a brass shell 61/2x14, while the hardware includes the “direct pull chain link” H-900 Hihat stand (with dual-spring mechanisms for wide and full tension adjustment), fast-action foot pedal, cymbal boom stand, cymbal stand, and the Total Action Adjustment S-900w snare stand. A five-piece kit starts at $2,730.00.

The Prestige World and World Series each feature power projecting “Deep Force” crosslaminated shells of birch, super lamin, linden, and super mahogany. The 10-lug metal snare is fitted with Pearl’s “new and unique” strainer, while the hardware includes the “direct pull chain link” H-800w Hi-hat stand (with dual-spring mechanisms for wide and full tension adjustment), fast-action foot pedal, cymbal boom stand, cymbal stand, and the multiangle S-800w snare stand. A five-piece Prestige World kit starts at $1,440.00. A five-piece World kit begins at $1,290.00.

The Export Series features “Deep Force” and standard cross-laminated shells comprised of nine plies of mahogany (the 8x8 and 8x10 power toms are six plies of selected grain woods), with Acousti-coat sealer inside shell that helps project sound anc|| protects moisture. The metal snare drum measures 6V$>xTi|and the han ware is the same as on the Prestige World, series. Prices a five-piece export kit go as I as $770.00. For those more electronically minded, Pearl have introduced the Drum-X. The pr grammable device produo both electronic and®‘a re acoustic drum sounp and feel” through its touch-sensitive pads. Price is under $1,400100. For more information on these products and the rest of the Pearl line, write Pearl International, 408 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville TN 37222.

EVANS

Evans Products of Dodge City, Kansas, have developed what they consider to be “tomorrow’s drum head,” the single-ply t|NG 58, engineered “to resound freely under alt playing conditions” since nothing touches the head but the drumstick. With the Uno 58, the film is crimped evenly around the full circle and imbedded in the composite flesh hoop at a 45 degree angle, which forms a uniform collar and keeps the counterhoop from affecting the resonance. The slightly flexible flesh hoop conforms to any irregularities in the drum shell and/or counterhoop, providing an even tension that holds accurate tuning and produces the drum’s distinctive tone. Available in a complete range of sizes, thickness, and coated, smooth white, or clear finishes, the heads range in price from $9.00 to $40.00. The average cost of a 14” snare head is $13.00, while a 24" kick drum head runs about $35.00. For more information, contact Evans Products Inc., Box 58, Dodge City KS 67801.