2010, PEARL MASTERS EXTRA MAPLE

PEARL DRUMS


Image © Melt Images

I am now pleased to say that I am a PEARL player once again. I have been a Brady player since 1986 but since that time have always remained very close to Pearl, having had an endorsement with Billy Hyde Drum Clinic and Pearl Drums in my days with Mother Goose. As a result I am now playing this beautiful PEARL MASTERS EXTRA MAPLE 6 piece drum kit. Not only is it a beautiful to look at, it's wonderful to play. From the relatively quiet intimate jazzy / blues gigs to the full on Oxo Cubans R&B Big Band and Country roadshows, to the pumping rock gigs with Argus or corporate shows with the X-Factor, this kit does the business. Cymbals are Zildjian and Sabian includingl Neil Peart Sabian Paragon cymbals 8" and 10" splash, 20" China, 22" ride.

I also use a 10" Pearl Firecracker and sometimes, depending on the nature of the show, I add 3 x Roto Toms 8", 10" 12" and chimes. After many years playing Brady I felt it was time for a change and this kit, along with my relationship with NZ Rock Shops and Pearl came at exactly the right moment. I was ripe for the picking! It's fabulous to have a new, modern drum kit and I love the sound of it. It's exactly where I want to take my drumming. A new feel, a new sound and a great look. What more do you want?


MY DRUM KITS OVER THE YEARS.

Below is the Pearl fibre kit with three bass drums which we used in Mother Goose. It was an absolute beauty at the time, both visually and acoustically. It did lots of tours and all sorts of shows and was itself a feature of the Mother Goose show and toured with us for around three years.

The first kit I ever owned was a set of Beverly drums in red sparkle metalflake. I thought this was so special… my first kit! I followed that with a set of silver/clear Royal Star vistalite drums, a la John Bonham, though his was Ludwigs of course. I remember getting that kit into the practise room with the band Argus (see News & Current Bands) and the guys commenting on how loud the kit was. It was a very punchy sound, perfect for Argus. I loved that kit

Here are some pics and thoughts on the kits I’ve played. Each of these kits represent a time period in my drumming career and they all meant something special to me at that time and still do I guess.

Ludwig Black Panthers 1975 Ludwig drums really do have their own great sound and this kit was no exception		Pearl Fibre Shell 1979 We nicknamed this the 'Triplikit' because of its three kick drums! It totally suited Mother Goose's over the top stage production. At one point in the show there were two drummers playing this kit! ………….so much fun to play!
Brady Fiber Shell 1982 From this moment on I was hooked on Brady		Brady Jarrah Block Shell 1986 - 2006 This unique, custom built kit is 20 years old and still fits me like a glove! I still absolutely love it…though I can feel another upgrade coming soon!