Starter Set
"The only thing I like more than playing music is listening to it and talking about it." - Mike Campbell
That’s me in the photo above right around the time I was in the 10th grade. I was setting up my drums for a rehearsal in my band’s practice space, which was the back yard garage we commandeered from my best friend’s dad.
When I wasn’t in that garage behind that Tama drum set, or playing a show in a local bar with that band, I was at home listening to music on my stereo in my bedroom, at a venue listening to a band or hanging out at a friends house talking about music and bands.
I was lucky, fortunate and blessed I had found “my thing” very early on. When other kids my age were asked what they were going to study in college, or what they dreamed of doing after high school they usually had no answer, or they said they were “going school to figure it out”. That was cool for them, but I already knew for certain what I was going to do. I was already doing it. I was already in the music business.
From around the ninth grade on I’ve spent my life involved in music in some form or another. The month after I turned 16 and received my drivers license I drove 14 hours to Sag Harbor, NY to seek drum lessons from the legendary teacher Jim Chapin so I could learn to play drums from the best. This was back when you had to find your way with a paper map and use pay phones. I founded a drum publication in 1993 to get media credentials just so I could get into my first NAMM Show in Nashville, TN. I recorded numerous albums and played and recorded music in a lot of bands. I founded and operated a multi location music school with retail shops for 26 years, and I’ve pinned a hugely popular column for Music Inc. magazine since 2010. I’ve been a adjunct professor in music business studies at Appalachian State University, featured in ad campaigns for cymbal, drum stick and drum head companies as an artist, and written a column for Modern Drummer Magazine. I’ve been on the cover of numerous magazines and part of delegations lobbying on Capitol Hill in senator’s offices for funding and support for music education in schools. I’ve been to parties at rock star’s houses in Malibu, planned national and international drum and percussion marketing campaigns for The Percussion Marketing Council and playdrums.com and been a featured speaker on music education and the effects of music and the brain. I’ve shared the stage with Gene Simmons of KISS, been in the presence of musical greatness on more than one occasion and I can tell you what separates the pros from the amateurs. Now I’m putting those years of musical experiences to work in this newsletter, infectious tunes.
I eat, sleep and breath music in all forms.
That’s me in 2023 after playing a benefit show for a good friend, Vance Moore, who is pictured on my front bass drum head. Vance was a phenomenal guitarist that took many musicians, myself included, under his wing and introduced us to various styles of music and was always in the front row at shows to support local bands.
Unfortunately, Vance passed away a few years ago and the benefit was raising money to get Vance a head stone. (I’m happy to report we raised the cash and got that headstone for our friend).
Music, and musicians like Vance, saved my life. I was a lost teenager searching for “my thing”. Like many folks, I was hanging with the wrong crowd and on a path to nowhere. I started getting into trouble in 8th grade. My dad would drop me off at school in the mornings on his way to work and I’d walk in the front door of the school, go down the hallway, and walk right out the back door of the building to go skip school with my friends.
One day I came home after an exciting day of doing nothing when I should have been doing math and science in school to find my mom and dad waiting on me when I walked in. The punishment they dished out that afternoon didn’t do much to deter me. I was right back out doing the same things the following week. It took me a few years to find a better path. However, this newsletter isn’t about how I found salvation in the church of Marshall amplifiers and Ludwig drums.
Music wasn’t a foreign concept in my house. My dad was in a band when he was in high school and had a tremendous singing voice. He attended Duke University Seminary and was a Methodist minister, singing in the church choirs at each house of worship he was assigned. My mom pulled double duty as a retirement home administrator and amazing homemaker. While my dad was a man of the cloth he was a rock n’ roller at heart that never lost his love for music of all genres. You could tell where our priorities were just by looking at our entertainment options. Where most families had a nice, large color TV we had a small Magnavox 19” black and white TV in the den. What we lacked in the TV department we made up for in the music department. We had a full size 1977 Seeburg jukebox in our dining room. We’d sit around the dining table and listen to the jukebox while my mom made dinner, or on the rare occasion, when I worked on homework.
My dad introduced me to Elvis, The Righteous Brothers, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, The Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and so many other artists.
My parents weren’t big on my tastes in bands like Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, but they also didn’t outlaw it in the house. I just had to keep the volume down when they were home.
Music quickly became like another best friend. I had my buddies Steve, Don, Read, Dean, Karl and I had my other buddy, music. If one of the guys wasn’t around I could hang out with music anytime.
When I was down I had music. When I felt like I didn’t have anything or anyone to turn to after a terrible day I had music. When I felt misunderstood I had music. My drums and my radio were my sanctuary.
My drums were also an escape and a differentiator. There were other kids that could run fast, throw a football or baseball further and jump higher. There were smart kids, popular kids and rich kids. But there weren’t many that could play the hell out of a drum set. I’m still playing drums and working in the music business while many of those sports kids have long since hung up their cleats, gloves, helmets and shoulder pads from age or injury.
I’m also still listening to new music and discovering new artists every day. I’m still listening to that same jukebox that my dad had in our dining room. Granted, I’ve added some new 45’s to the rotation, but I still love hearing that jukebox scroll through the albums and the warm crackle of the needle on the vinyl.
It’s been said that everybody has a soundtrack to their life. I’m always working on my soundtrack and my life’s playlists. It’s my hope we’ll turn each other onto something new to add to our soundtracks.
I’m a drummer and musician. Most of all I’m a music fan.
Thanks for being here and participating.
