Drumming in the News

Drummers are some of the most underestimated and talented musicians in the world, usually left to their own devices as they sit in the back of a stage, keeping rhythm and enhancing the music being played with unstoppable fills and solos. The same can be said for drummers in drum circles, drummers who teach and drummers who actively share their gifts with the world offstage (or out of the circle).

It has been 19 years since Eric Carr, the drummer from KISS, passed away after a battle with cancer. He is thought of as one of the most memorable and talented drummers that emerged in the rock world during the 1980s. Carr’s influence on KISS started when he joined the band in 1980, bringing with him a harder sound that helped propel KISS further into the spotlight during that decade.

Jason Bonham, son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham, wrapped up his Led Zeppelin Experience Tour that celebrated his father’s music as well as honored the 30th anniversary of his death. The concert series featured live performances of Led Zeppelin songs, photos, videos and more.

Travis Barker, the drummer from Blink 182 and Toby Morse, from H20 have partnered up to help fight against drug use among elementary, middle and high school students in the New York City area. Their mission is simple, to inspire a “rock star” life without the use of drugs. To promote the organization, Travis will be giving away 10 – 20 full drum kits per year to New York City area schools.

After the death of lead singer, Michael Hutchence, INXS stopped playing for about a year but began touring again with various guest singers filling the void that Hutchence left. In 2005, INXS fell into a reality TV competition in which JD Fortune was named their new lead singer, after which they went on to produce their 2005 album, Switch. While JD Fortune is currently touring with INXS in Australia, the band is set to release a new album, Original Sin, full of revamped songs and various singers, including Fortune, Rob Thomas and Ben Harper.

"It actually happened almost by accident," explains 49-year-old drummer Jon Farriss from Down Under. "We went in the studio just to set some gear up and have a bit of a jam. We started to muck about and started playing one of our old songs, and the next thing you know, we had recorded instrumental versions of several songs. Then we thought, 'Why don't we put some guest vocalists on it and make a celebration out of it?' It turned into kind of a recording party."

Syd Barrett, the founding guitarist of Pink Floyd, has had an anthology of songs released online from the 1970’s, including a track, Rhamadan, that showcases his guitar talent, with only one other instrument in the background, congas, thought to be played by Steve Peregrine Took, Marc Bolan's percussionist in the original acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex. The song is said to be a long journey into the mind of a guitarist who may have come out of his own drug-induced world to create a tribute to the music he loved.

Drummers and drumming continue to create headlines in the music scene, whether in the world of rock or in towns across the world. The purpose of drumming is more than keeping a steady rhythm for the rest of a band or circle to follow, but to produce a sound that can be seen as a form of expression that is vital to the music being played.