I always wanted to be a drummer. I learned while I was in Junior High School on detention while waiting for my stepdad to pick me up. The music room was impressively sound proof, and yet always left unlocked. I only picked up the basics on my own back then. It wasn’t until High School that my friends and I did the whole, let’s make a band even though none of us had much talent at all; thing. Why do kids do this? No talent, just a flyby desire to be a rock-star 😅
But we managed to get the opportunity to go into the local music store (Musik Haus) when it was on main street. The one guy who could play guitar somewhat was amazed that I sat down and put out a beat without ever having heard me play the drums before. After practicing for a couple of months, I finally got the nerve to start bugging my mom for a drum kit. I had to take her to practice to show her I could actually play the drums. Until then, I never told her I could. Her and my stepdad had split, so she was the single mom barely making it. But she had a friend who was generous enough to pick me up a used drum kit from the thrift store near him in Detroit. He brought it up to our house and surprised me with it.
Used Slingerland Drum Kit (Metallic Blue)
1986 – 1991
Sadly I don’t have a photo or a manufacturer image like I do for my other kits. So this silhouette will have to do. I rocked this thing pretty hard. It had Remo heads and some off brand cymbals I can’t even recall what they were. They didn’t sound half bad though and I was shocked at how good looking this used kit was. It was almost pristine.
I unfortunately was married shortly after high school and as a young couple starting out. We had little money. Our car needed repairs and I sold the drums for a mere $40 to help pay the car bill. I had no idea what a drum kit was worth back then and there wasn’t an internet to speak of.
Between 1991 and 2014 I was only able to play drums on occasion at music stores or using kits owned by other people every few years. But my love of drums didn’t fade, I just kept making bad choices that kept me from buying another kit.
Roland TD-11K-S V-Compact Series
2014 – 2020
Having returned to Michigan from Virginia after my surviving my triple heart attacks in 2012. I got this ordered as a bundle kit from Kraft Music. It came with a Gibraltar double kit pedal and a set of headphones. Living in an upstairs apartment at the time, I had to find out when the neighbors would be at work or when it was OK for me to practice. Even though I used headphones to practice. They can still here the thumping of the kick pedal and batting of the drum sticks to the rubber trigger pads. I really liked rocking on this and made a few drum cover videos.
Tama Imperialstar 6-piece Complete Drum Set
2020-2023
It was time to get serious and upgrade my drumming to a real drum kit. This was early 2020 and I didn’t make the good money yet. So I got what I thought would be a good kit. Tama being a worldwide leader in drums. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for. It was a fun kit, but it had serious tuning stability issues. The snare and toms would loosen after just a few hours of play. It was frustrating. But I did get my Zildjian Custom A set of cymbals that I still use today. Though I’m considering a Mienl set. Just need to do some research. Yes, that was the kick drum art I had put on it.
Sonor AQ1 Stage Drums
2023 – Current
Finally got the best set I’ve had so far. I hope when I have my music studio finished to be able to do drum covers and more to add to my collection.
I will always be a drummer. Though I hope to learn other instruments to do even more.