Getting the band back together.

“Guess who just got back today?

Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away

Haven't changed, had much to say

But man, I still think them cats are crazy.”

Let me start with, I never was in a band, wasn’t crazy, but I did play the drums…for a short while. As much as I had hoped, my right hand was coordinated, my left didn’t quite keep up— my music career never happened.

I thank my parents for dealing with my desire to play drums, and their generosity in buying me a set of drums—-and after a few years…selling them. They dealt with the noise, and some of the worst drum playing I am sure they ever heard—in the end I am sure they were very pleased to see the set in someone else’s home and not in our basement. 

As I grew up, I always watched the drummer in rock bands. They’re normally in the back, but if you watch the amount of drumming they do, you know they are in really good shape and a very critical part of the band. It was a long time ago, but one time I was given tickets to see “Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band”—up until seeing Ringo play, I had no idea how good he was. His drumming style is so unique, and seeing him in person obviously reminded me of where he became famous. It was a “Wow” moment.

Although I never saw him play, except on YouTube, but the late Neil Peart was one of the most gifted musicians I have seen. What impressed me about his style was not only the way the drums wrapped around him in his set up, but that he actually played all of them. Plus, for a rock star, he took it all in stride—what I have seen in a documentary, he was very modest. If it were me, I probably wouldn’t be like him. 

A few years ago I was asked to photograph an event at the House of Blues in Chicago. I am not sure it’s still there, but I was provided complete access at the event. Whereas there were other photographers, I was the only one who photographed next to the drummer. At one point I was concerned I got too close while he was playing, but afterwards when we spoke he said he didn’t even know I was there. I can’t imagine if I had disrupted him.

The photo above was taken in Detroit a few years ago. After one of my daughters was done playing in the band she was touring with, I walked in back and saw these drums in back gathering dust. When I saw them, I knew I had to have this shot—-they brought me back to those days of “noise” in my basement and very kind parents.

Thanks for stopping by.