The End of an Era

Once again, this winter I have to come to terms with the fact that a good thing never lasts forever. Once again the Savoys Blues Band has had to endure another upheaval. We have known for quite some time, but have kept it quiet, that our guitar player BG declared his intentions to leave the band. This last Saturday was his last performance, and thus, the last night he was a member of the band.

The band has clear intentions of moving on and finding a replacement, though our search is taking longer than we had hoped -- by a few months. In fact, due to this upheaval, we have sat on our haunches and haven't been looking for work, so at this point, the Savoys have no future performances, and the future seems uncertain, despite the best of our intentions.

What I find so perplexing about this situation, is that in one light, it appears as the end of something very unique to Southern Alberta. Our last few gigs have been very positive -- actually exceeding our expectations for crowd enthusiasm. The blues community in the Hat is very alive and well. So, in this light, I can see this as a time of rebuilding.

To further complicate matters both MA and I are members of Tung N' Groove, the new Classic Rock act that is gaining momentum like a high-speed train with a stuck throttle. It could be very easy for the two of us to focus all our energies into this new act; but if we did, we would be neglecting a side of ourselves that needs to surface. Our eclectic musical tastes just cannot be represented with one band alone. So the answer is clear; both bands must endure.

As for finding a replacement, we have our prospects which we hope to recruit. Issues surrounding this problem resides under the notion that it's not so much about liking the material or the people; it's a matter of who has the available time to dedicate to such an endeavor. The Savoys are moving away from being an old-school blues band into an act that will play everything from R&B to Soul to Funk to Big Band Swing, while retaining blues roots. We want to do more than have people sit and listen to our music; we want to pack dance floors, and we know that there is a great deal of work to be done if we want this dream to be realized.

But it all comes down to finding the right recruit for the job, and this job ain't for anybody. A great deal of dedication and perseverance will be required of the ideal candidate. A professional attitude and work ethic is integral, as the current bandmates are constantly trying to push the limits of our abilities.

So on that note, I'll send BG my warmest wishes and hope he is successful in his future endeavors.

How Many Drums Does a Drummer Need?

You know you are addicted to drugs, er, drums when you can't have more than just one. My first drumkit was an el-cheapo made-in-Taiwan no-name brand that had seen better days before I even purchased it for $100 in 1989. I likely sunk in some $400 just to get it playable, and it served me well, even through the days of my first band, Hot Chocolate Boy.

By the time I began to collaborate with JL and create The Anglers, I felt like I outgrew my cheap drumset, and I wanted a more professional instrument. I spent the entire summer of 1993 working my bollocks off so I could buy my new drumkit -- a 6-piece Tama Rockstar DX in a deep metallic blue finish. It was a huge improvement over my little blue sparkle jazz kit, and it served me well over the years, earning enough mileage to likely circumvent the earth at least twice. It also happens to be the only drumset that I purchased new.

I used that kit as my primary drumset throughout my career, including bands such as The Anglers, Left of Centre, ZanZee, Legacy, Mule Shoe and many countless one-offs, sit-ins and recording sessions. As good as it has been to me over the years, there is one nagging thing about my Tama Rockstars: They are classified as an "entry-level" drumset, and as such, have compromises in the quality of construction. It is not a professional-level instrument, but it is well enough for the working-class drummer or student. I kept it in shape and it still sounds good, even after all the gigs and the miles and the (one) car accident -- but I have heard some drums sound better, much better than my Rockstars.

When I began teaching, and gigging on a heavy schedule, I realized the limitations of having only one drumset, as I had retired my P.O.S. jazz drumkit, and later sold it to a relative. A second drumkit was necessary to teach; I could sit at one and demonstrate while the pupil sat at the other kit and copied the rhythms I had just shown them. Furthermore, as my teaching schedule got more hectic, there were some nights and weekends where I needed one drumkit in the club, and the other at my studio waiting for my next student.

It became imperative that I needed a second drumkit -- one small and portable; one that could be packed up in a pinch. Thus, in 2002 when my good friend and mentor Bernie Anderson closed his drum shop, I was lucky enough to buy a piece of drum history, a late 80's or early 90's PureCussion portable drumset -- one in his personal collection which he gigged with regularly.

The PureCussion kit is a wonderful instrument -- completely collapsible, and easily fits in the back of an MG. It sounds good -- for its' size, and for the fact that the drums are only single-headed. These drums have seen a lot of gigs, and (mostly) rehearsals, but I have used it for shows such as the Best of Broadway series at the Esplanade, Medicine Hat Musical Theater's Grease, Fut in the Hat's I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road, and the Savoy Blues Band.

Now that I play in two bands, I am beginning to see the limitations of having two drunkits,; I really would like to have one drumset living in cases, ready for the moment the telephone rings. I could essentially load and go to the gig, ready for anything. No packing, no hassle; just load and go. Furthermore, being a professional drummer, I still don't have a professional-level drumkit.

Until now.

Last week, I bid on a set of Canwood drums, and out of sheer luck, I was the only bidder. The seller mentioned that the drums had seen a lot of miles, and they would likely need some maintenance -- something I was prepared for.

Canwoods are high-quality hand-made custom drums built in Lloydminister, Alberta. They are comparable to flagship models of major drum manufacturers, including Ayotte, DW, Yamaha, Gretsch, Tama, Taye, and many others. We are talking top of the line here.

On Saturday, my new Canwoods arrived at the local Greyhound station, and I could not wait to pick them up. I brought them home, eagerly opened the cases and began to assess what kind of shape the drums were in. As you can see from the photos, the drums were a little beat up; the finishes were scratched, there was some rusting and pitting on the chrome, and the heads needed replacement. My objective was to give them a quick-and-dirty cleanup job and get them playable in a matter of a few hours. This required a trip to the local music store to buy some replacement drumheads.

I had the drums in a playable condition by dinner time, and I took them to the Blue Turtle to test-drive them that very night.

Not only did they meet my expectations, they exceeded them in terms of sound. In fact, they were the topic of conversation of the entire band. Even my folks came by to the club to hear them, and they were very impressed with my latest investment. These drums sounded fantastic, and they served me well that night. I fully expect these Canwoods will become my primary drumkit for the next several years.

I wanted to get this drumkit playable and sounding good in the shortest time possible, and I think I have accomplished that. The drums are currently sitting at my studio being used when I teach. They will return to their cases once I begin gigging with Tung N Groove in about six weeks.

The long-term project for my Canwoods is to go through an in-depth assessment and restoration program. This will include refinishing the drums. I hope I only need to redo the lacquer, since I already love the color. It may take me several months, even a few years, but in the end this will be a drumkit that every drummer will drool over.

So how many drumsets does a drummer need? At least three, but I have yet to determine if a drummer needs more than that.

Shot Nerves

I'm on vacation. I don't have to write in my little weblog if I don't feel like it. Truth is, I haven't felt like much of anything this week. I have been so burnt-out, that the only thing that makes sense is sleeping, playing video games, and the consumption of copious amounts of whiskey.

The Savoy blues band gigs tonight at the Silver Buckle. It should be fun; the Buckle has a certain vibe to it, it's cool, rustic, and laid-back. We will be debuting a few new songs tonight, specifically, I will be singing Tower of Powers' "Diggin' on James Brown". That should get all the patrons grooving in their seats.

Tongue & Groove's first so-called "gig" at the Blue Turtle on Tuesday was interesting to say the least. The jam was attended by some of Medicine Hat's finest musicians, so you might say it was a "tough crowd". There was another band's equipment set up on the stage, so right away, you might say we were already at a disadvantage.

Musicians generally don't like playing on other people's rigs. It's kind of like wearing someone else's underwear; you don't really feel as comfortable as you should be.

Overall, the band and our material, was very well-received. Even the bar owners expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation for the new act. The other musicians were quite impressed with the level of professionalism of the band and difficulty of the material. The bar patrons were cheering, clapping, dancing, and drinking -- doing what bar patrons should.

But that's not to say our performance was perfect. Far from it. For what mistakes we made (which were plentiful) we made up for in energy and stage presence. In my opinion, we played like crap. Call it first-gig jitters; call it what you will, but our set started off badly, and that set the tone for the remaining songs.

The stage sound was horrific, and the monitors were poor. I couldn't hear anything; not even my own voice. It was just a sonic assault that didn't quite sound like noise, or music, but something inexplicably in between. Looking and listening for our respective vocal harmonies was an exercise in ear training not quite unlike searching for your keys at the bottom of a murky pier, after accidentally dropping them.

So the sound wasn't that great. The vocals probably sounded like rush-hour traffic, our nerves were shot, we were on other people's equipment, and the adrenaline was pumping.

We never played better. That's probably because there was nothing to compare it to.

My thoughts on the matter is that this is the worst that band will ever sound. It will only get better and stronger from here.

Our first performance might have been a bit premature, but it had to be done -- and sooner rather than later. We now have a much better perspective on the dynamics and limits of the band. We know what works, and what doesn't, and we know what's happening, and more importantly, what needs to be fixed.

It's back to the rehearsal studio on Sunday, to prepare for the next round.

Savoys to Rock The Turtle This Weekend

As I just mentioned on the Savoys Webpage, the band has been invited to be special guests at a charity fundraiser at the Blue Turtle this weekend. We were pleased to find out that we were also featured in today's edition of the Medicine Hat News.

I am getting excited about playing the Turtle this weekend. The band will be featuring a lot of new material, many of which will feature yours truly on lead vocal. I hope my voice will hold out until the end of the weekend.

I might be needing many doses of that bad, bad, whiskey.

Savoys Gone Digital

MA, our new bass player has decided to jump into the world of cyberspace and set up an "official" webpage for the Savoys. You can access the site here. I expect the site will be dedicated towards band-related news and upcoming performances. We might be able to use it as a portal to keep in better touch with our fans.

A permanent link has also been added to the sidebar.