As musicians sometimes we ask ourselves why is it important to practice? There is many reasons to practice but the most obvious one is to be ready. You never know when an opportunity will present itself. All we can do is
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Often times I find myself spending countless of hours behind the drumset aimlessly practicing some of the most tediously boring exercises or concepts on the planet…so it may seem. Why?
Read more →During this years NAMM show I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and Chris from SJC Drums. I really didn’t know much about the company but was drawn in by the beautiful drums they had on display. Without knowing who I was, Mike took the time to talk to me. Almost immediately I was able to see the passion Mike has for drums. It’s hard to describe in words but Mike definitely has it. You wouldn’t have known it then but SJC was struggling. Like in life, there are struggles, trials and tribulations. SJC was dealing with real life issues of a custom drum company in a vary competitive market. SJC recently appeared on NBC’s “The Profit”. They gave us, the viewer, a glimpse into something very personal and important to them. Rather than spoil the episode, I’ll let you guys view the episode at the link below. One thing that continued to be present throughout the entire episode was their passion. It’s very inspiring to see what these guys have gone through in such a saturated Market we call the music industry. I’m pulling for these guys. I hope they continue to push forward and wish them a ton of success.
Joe.
Read more →Over this past weekend I had an opportunity to meet with a musician that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. Although we’ve had several conversations in the past, it was the first time we’d met in person. It was a highly anticipated meeting for me because he also happens to be a kick ass drummer. knowing there was a lot to gain from this meeting, I anxiously went in with an open mind and a willingness to learn. I was blown away by the experience. Although I didn’t play a single note on the kit, that in itself represented the bigger picture. We talked about drums, but more importantly we talked about music. That’s what it’s really all about, music. As drummers, or musicians it’s easy to get lost in our instrument. Playing our instrument for “self gratification”, which is fine. It’s important to never lose sight of the bigger picture. What is the bigger picture as a musician? It’s actually being a “Musician”. Listening, feeling, creating something unique with others, that’s what it’s all about. Your instrument, which in my case happens to be drums. The vessel to carry that message across from somewhere deep inside you. As our conversation continued, I realized that message in a way has been lost. It’s crazy to see the constant saturation of “chops” or “lick” videos on youtube that get thousands of views, yet lessons that are more important as musicians only get a handful. There was a lot of knowledge I gained from our meeting. One of which was answered in this question. How can one make a living as a musician? It involves a lot of things, but one things for sure. It doesn’t involve playing a ridiculous amount of chops or Licks. That’s NOT how you get the gig. Since he’s been able to make a solid living as a drummer since the late 80’s, I’m definitely willing to take his word on it. Hope this helps my fellow drummers out there 🙂
Read more →I had a moment of reflection this morning about the weekend. If you look closely in the picture you can see me behind the kit sharing the universal symbol of rock and roll, “Devil Horns” with a fan next to the stage. I didn’t catch his name, but as soon as our set was over, he asked me if he could have one of my sticks. Stunned that anyone would want my stick, I asked him to repeat what he said. He reiterated, can I have one of your sticks, and can you please sign it? My response was absolutely! I went and grabbed one of my sticks and tracked down something to write with. I signed it and thanked him. He told me that he is also a drummer and has been collecting signed drumsticks for many years and currently has over 100 signed drum sticks. He said he was collecting them and was putting lacquer on them to preserve the signatures. He wanted to make a giant piece of artwork for himself. He started to tell me the names of some of the signed drumsticks he has and I froze the second he mentioned John Bonham. The thought of having anything I’ve played in the same room, let alone in the same art piece as John Bonham blew my mind! I cannot confirm his story but the mere thought and moment reassured me why I do what I do. It’s about the music, the moments in time where you could connect with all walks of life without ever even knowing a person’s name. I want to thank that dude for letting me share that moment with him. Rock on! \m/
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