X8 Drums Blog

Def Leppard may be best known for its songs like, “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” or “Hysteria,” but this hard rock band has one thing that relatively few other bands can claim: a drummer who personally knows the value of drumming as therapy.As the result of a street racing accident in 1984, Def Leppard drummer, Rick Allen, underwent the amputation of his left arm, a devastating injury that would have left most drummers without a means to pursue the passion for rhythm. With the help of Pearl Drum …

Social anxiety is a problem we all face from time to time. It can rear its head in a “stage fright” manner, or in the total avoidance of any public situation. If you’ve ever had butterflies before a first date, an interview or before heading off to college, you’ve had a taste of social anxiety. Others may experience a more panicked state than just a fluttery stomach when faced with social situations, and the thought of even a friendly drum circle is enough to send them back to bed.We know, …

The phrase, “drumming up support,” is reflected in anything from PTA fundraisers to the drum circles that we saw during the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, and for very good reason. These circles of musicians, dancers, singers and performers have a long history of working to get the attention of others for a good cause by joining people together with one purpose, and “creating a joyful noise” in the hopes of creating lasting change. The history of drum circles and drumming isn’t …

A drum circle participant, facilitator or audience understands the power that rhythm and drumming brings to us all. With the slapping of djembe drums, the shaking of maracas and the beat of a cajon, a drum circle becomes more than a way to share a love of drums, percussion and dancing: it becomes a uniting experience for all to behold. It is no secret why people love drum circles, or why more and more “outsiders” are trying out the experience, only to be hooked. Many of us look forward t …

The current largest hand drum circle ever assembled consisted of 1,331 participants playing dolu drums at an event in India on May 6, 2012. Seems an impossible number to top, but the Maryland Center for Health Equity and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland are up for the challenge of setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest hand drum circle. During the university’s annual  Maryland Day event, the Maryland Center for Health Equity will rec …