Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

McCartney writes:

Dear Sir,

In reply to your advertisement in Echo, Wed. night, we would like to offer you an audition for the position of drummer in the group. You will, however, need to be free soon for a trip to Hamburg (expenses paid £18 per week (approx.) for 2 months.) If interested, ring Jacaranda club, Slater St. [ROYAL 65’64] and ask for either a member of the ’BEATLES’ Alan Williams [sic], or else leave a message, stating when you will be available.

Yours sincerely,
Paul McCartney of THE BEATLES

The find has excited Beatles historians because it is one of the earliest occasions that the band referred to itself as The Beatles. It also reveals that the boys knew more about their forthcoming trip than previously believed.

At the time the band consisted of McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. They desperately needed a drummer, as the tour to Germany began days after the letter was written on August 15 and the group had agreed that they’d go as a five-piece band. We don’t know what happened after that, but we do know that Pete Best ended up joining the group and went to Hamburg. He was, of course, replaced by Ringo Starr in 1962. It’s clear now that they were still deliberating over who should fill the post.

The letter, from an anonymous seller, will be auctioned at Christie’s South Kensington office on November 15 and is expected to earn around £9,000.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Here’s how it works: Vault artisans from Sabian have been asked to develop a list of 12 new cymbal models — rides, crashes, hats, effects and more. The cymbals will be shipped to a studio in California, where the group of top Sabian endorsers — including Mike Portnoy, Dave Weckl, Neil Peart, Terry Bozzio, Dave Elitch and Stefanie Eulinberg — will be filmed playing the cymbals in all styles and genres. Viewers will be able to watch the videos online and vote to eliminate one cymbal each week, for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8 weeks, the top 4 cymbals will be announced as Sabian’s new product offering at the annual NAMM show.

The voting begins October 17, 2011 at www.CymbalVOTE.com. Drummers can register to watch top drummers talk about and play the cymbal models, and then vote for their favorites.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Drumjam, a group of drum circle facilitators, are looking for 1,000 volunteer percussionists 18 years or older by March 1, 2012 who are able to meet the following commitments for auditions and rehearsals:

1. Up to two auditions that will take place evenings and weekends in November and early December of this year.
2. Up to two or three rehearsal sessions each week of four hours per session from March 2012, and a number of all day rehearsals in the three weeks leading up to each Ceremony.
3. All of these rehearsals will take place in East London. While it is possible to get assistance with public transportation to and from rehearsals between certain zones within the Transport for London transportation network, you will be responsible for covering the cost of your own transportation outside.

If you are interested and want more information, send an email to london2012@drumjam.co.uk.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

The two professors from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm asked 34 right-handed men between the ages of 19 and 49 to tap a drum stick at a variety of intervals, and then gave the test subjects psychometric test of 60 questions. The results suggested that those subjects with the best sense of rhythm scored highest in the intelligence test.

“The rhythmic accuracy in brain activity that is observed when a person maintains a steady beat is also important to the problem-solving capacities measured with the intelligence tests,” Ullen concluded, effectively verifying something that drummers have known for time immemorial: We smaht!

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

The top ten Fastest Hands and top ten Fastest Feet then stepped into battle at WFD World Finals, on Saturday, July 23rd.  The event was open to the public as a feature attraction for NAMM’s Wanna Play Music Day!  Also appearing was musical director Derrek Phillips, bassist Alana Rocklin, and Miss WFD 2011 Sammi, from Jacksonville, Fl.

The Battle of the Hands winner was 24 year old Joseph ‘Thunder From Down Under’ Moujalli of Sydney, Australia, with 995 single strokes in 60 seconds. Rick Alegria of San Jose, California, placed second (870), while Dale Bartholomew of Nashville, Tennessee, placed third (812). The Battle of the Feet winner was Kevin Bernardy of Oklahoma with a score of 860 single strokes, followed by a tie between Leonardo Baroncini (845), and Isaac Harris (845), third place went to Stephen Sparks (791).

Dan Laskowski, who traveled with his wife Bridgette from Canada and placed fourth for fastest feet (787) added, “Since I began my journey competing at WFD 9 years ago, I have learned that nothing is impossible!!”

Three new WFD World Records were set including the first ever WFD ‘upside down’ endurance record. Clifford Marshall Van Buren played 6033 single strokes on the Drumometer while hanging upside down for ten minutes. WFD Champ Eric Okamoto set two WFD records of 1744 in closed doubles and 1155 to 1279 in paradiddles breaking his previous records of 1620 closed double and 1159 in paradiddles.

“This year’s Finals were totally wall to wall excitement! We had contestants from around the world including Taiwan, Australia, the Bahamas, and Canada. It was the type of event I envisioned some 35 years ago, especially seeing young WFD Champs like Joey Moujalli starting their own charities such as Drum Against Cancer, Beating Cancer with a Beat!,” said Boo McAfee, creator of WFD.

Over $12,000 in prizes were provided by Pearl, Sabian, Remo, Axis, ProMark, Power Wrist Builders, Modern Drummer, Alfred Publishing and Drumometer.

For more information on Joseph Moujalli’s kids cancer charity “Drum Against Cancer, Beating Cancer with a Beat!” visit www.facebook.com/groups/45960176130/#.

For more on WFD and upcoming events please visit www.WorldsFastestDrummer.com or email Info@WorldsFastestDrummer.com.

Originally posted by Modern Drummer

“Ok! Ready for the funniest sh*t ever!!!,” tweeted Lee. “Dancing With The Stars just offered me a spot on the show!! I’ve never hit the PASS button so quick.”

But, the Motley Crue drummer will be back on TV soon enough. Enter “Culture Shock with Tommy Lee,” an investigative travel show for the SyFy network. The unscripted series stars Lee as he attempts to uncover various rituals, symbols, and other mysteries of secret societies. Tommy will immerse himself in the history of each society, meet with former members and participate in their ceremonies.

Sounds legit. Especially alongside Syfy’s award-winning made-for-TV films like Sharktopus and Dinocroc Vs. Supergator.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Instructions:
-While attending a DCI 2011 event, capture any Pearl Drumline or Adams Front Ensemble on video or in a picture.
-Upload your video(s) onto YouTube.
-Post a link to each individual video you wish to submit to the Official Pearl Marching Facebook Page between July 14th, 2011 and August 27th, 2011.
-Post your pictures on the associated Adams or Pearl Facebook site.
-Pearl will keep acceptable submissions on the Adams Musical Instruments US Facebook page or the Official Pearl Marching Page Facebook page.
-Get the most people to “like” your video/picture on our Facebook pages to win!
-“Likes” will be tallied and the winners declared based on totals at 11:59pm of Saturday, August 27th, 2011.

Criteria:
-Videos and Pictures must feature a PEARL Drumline or ADAMS Front Ensemble and show a Pearl or Adams logo.
-Footage must be filmed during the 2011 DCI Competitive season.
-Videos must be less than 12 minutes in length and must be YOUR OWN VIDEO.
-Videos and Pictures featuring any profanity or indecency will be disqualified.
-Pearl Employees/family of employees are not eligible.
-Please label entries with: Group in video/picture, Location, Date recorded.
-Winners will be contacted via email for instructions on claiming prizes.
-Please remember that video recording within the venue of a DCI event is strictly prohibited.

Pearl/Adams DCI percussion ensembles include:

Blue Devils
Blue Devils B
Blue Devils C
Blue Knights
Blue Stars
Mandarins

Santa Clara Vanguard
Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets
Seattle Cascades
Spirit of Atlanta
Troopers

Prizes will be awarded to video entries for 1st through 5th place in both the front ensemble and drumline categories.  Grand Prizes for the leading “like” getters are a Championship Maple 14”x12” FFX Snare Drum, or a 14”x5” Philharmonic Snare Drum, both coming with the appropriate stand.  The photographers of a Drumline and Front Ensemble with the highest amount of “likes” will also receive Pearl/Adams prizes.

Originally posted by Modern Drummer

The Avedis Zildjian Company held an open house to celebrate the Grand Opening of its new West Coast Artist Relations Office in the CenterStaging complex in Burbank, CA. Zildjian first opened a West Coast Artist Relations office in 1982 in West Hollywood, CA. In 1989, the office relocated to Studio City, CA.

More than 200 Zildjian artists and industry friends stopped by to check out the new West Coast Artist Relations Office, as well as Zildjian’s new Gen16 office. The event featured a selection of Sound Lab Prototypes for artists to play and provide feedback. Artists included Vinnie Colaiuta, Gary Novak, Sheila E, Airto Moreira, Russ Miller, Gil Sharone, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Teddy Campbell, Aaron Spears, Nisan Stewart, Gorden Campbell, Kenny Aronoff, Luis Conte, Ronald Bruner Jr., Danny Seraphine, Mike Malinin, Michael White, Vince Wilburn and others.

The event was hosted by John DeChristopher, Vice President, Artist Relations & Event Marketing Worldwide; Kirsten Matt, Artist Relations Manager-West Coast & Latin America (who manages the West Coast office); and Sarah Malaney, Artist Relations Manager-East Coast. Other Zildjian personnel in attendance included Debbie Zildjian, Vice President of Human Resources; Paul Francis, Director of Research & Design; Matt Read, R&D/Quality Engineer; Steve Tirpak, Regional Sales Manager; Mike Brucher, Zildjian Sales Rep for Southern California; and Derek Zimmerman, Gen16 Business Manager.

According to John DeChristopher, “Having a presence in Los Angeles is important to Zildjian for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is being accessible to our artists. Zildjian has enjoyed a long relationship with CenterStaging, so it was only natural for us to be here. We’re excited about our new home and its location, which is arguably at the center of the LA music scene.”

Regional finals in the Roland V-Drums Championship will be held Thursday July 28. You can check them out in Los Angeles, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Wayne, New York, and San Antonio.

Here’s the Tony Roster trailer for the event.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

Burke was recognized for his “groundbreaking work with students” during The Clem Burke Drumming Project, a study conducted by the school in 2008 to determine the physical and psychological effects of drumming.

The results were nothing short of spectacular, concluding that a regular regimen of drumming could lead to a heart rate equivalent to a professional athlete’s. “It is truly a great honor and I accept this award on behalf of my brother drummers everywhere in the world,” Dr. Burke said.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

There were two classes for this year’s contest, A and B. Your level was determined by your preliminary speed score and talent, not your age. For only the second time in fifteen years there were repeat winners. Eighteen-year old Tyler Ommen won in Class A and twenty-seven year old Paul Thopmson pulled off a win in Class B. More pictures and info are available at http://www.fagianodrums.com/

This years sponsors were Evans, HQ percussion, Pro-Mark, Vic Firth, Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, DRUM! Magazine, Gretsch, Yamaha, Toca, Latin Percussion, Gibraltar, Alfred Publications, Percussive Arts Society, Humes & Berg, Modern Drummer, Animusic,U.S.M.C. D&B Wash. D.C. Alumni, Northwest Herald, Piano Trends Music, CENTRIFUGAL FORCE Drum School, 4SaleExpress.com, Tyler Press, Chicago Royal Airs, McHenry County College, FagianoDrums.com and PercussionMusic.com. The photographers were Jeff Williams and Brook Mrkivicka and the emcee was Rob Madeya.

Originally posted by DRUM! Magazine

“This is an amazing opportunity to find the next great drummer, organically,” says Joe Hibbs, product marketing manager for Mapex Drums. “It’s the only worldwide drum competition, spanning over a dozen countries.”

The Drummer of Tomorrow United States contest will be broken out into several elimination rounds, which run from June 1st, 2011 through 2012 at the Musik Messe show in Frankfurt, Germany. For the U.S. competition, entries will be accepted from June 1st through July 31st, 2011 on the U.S. contest site DrummerofTomorrow.com.  As winners advance through the contest, they will be flown to various locales to perform. Destinations include a studio in Nashville, Tennessee, the 2012 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, and the 2012 Musikmesse show in Germany.

Entries will be judged by voters on the contest site, DrummerofTomorrow.com, as well as a panel of drum industry professionals and artists from the Mapex roster.

“This is the ultimate audition for any drummer out there – playing in front of a worldwide audience,” says Hibbs.

For more information, visit www.DrummerofTomorrow.com

Originally posted by Modern Drummer.

Aside from music, image means a lot to a band or artist, especially if you’re still trying to get recognized. There’s no better way to represent yourself than with your band’s logo screaming off the bass drum (or kick drum) head with custom bass drum head printing!  It’s like having your own billboard front and center with your band.

Our custom bass drum heads are always shipped insured and come with a one year manufacturers warranty. We guarantee the absolute best quality custom drum heads at the best prices in the industry!