Percussion Deconstruction™

Why in the world do I take the time to write this blog? I certainly don't need to hear myself talk, or more correctly, read my own writing. But I've been involved in music most of my life, and in that time I've been fortunate enough to not only be a musician, but to also write about music, interview musicians, sell musical instruments, manufacture musical instruments, teach & lecture about music, compose & produce music, and a lot of other connected activities.  Now I'm not saying I'm any better at anything than anyone else, but I do have a wide view perspective on drums & music, and I try to keep my finger on the pulse of things. So, this little corner of blogdom is just me trying to pass on relevant information, wisdom, and hopefully, inspiration, for you readers out there. And please remember, unless you take a minute to comment, I'm just talking to myself… ~ MB BTW, please have a look at my revamped website:  www.gongtopia.com

I've always been a rebel. Even in high school and university, I was not satisfied with the norm. For whatever reason, I always heard different sounds in my head. As a percussionist, this meant that I often heard some pretty crazy sounds. I've been known to show up to gigs with totally crazy set ups because, well, because those were the sounds I was hearing in my head at the time. At university, I recall asking my percussion instructor, "What do you know about using sheet metal as percussion?" At the next lesson, she handed me the score for John Cage's ' First Construction (In Metal) '—the rebellion was on. I headed down to the closet sheet metal fabricator, had them cut some metal sheets of various sizes, and promptly gigged with them. I still have a sheet of prized 24x36" textured aluminum that I got out of the scrap pile at a club I was playing at in 1975 that was remodeling. It has served me faithfully all these nearly 40 years. I've since ac...