And The Beat Goes On

What makes you happy? Do you have a passion? Is there something you are willing to sacrifice for? I think I was about 10 years old when it hit me like a brick wall. It was the Bay City Rollers with the song Keep On Dancing, back then the drums influenced me so much I knew right then I wanted to be a drummer. I bugged my parents so bad they allowed me to join beginning band in 6 grade. I had a pare of sticks, a practice pad, and I was learning how to read drum music, and play the drums, I was on cloud nine. My second Aunt gave me an vintage blue sparkle 1963 pearl snare back then, have no idea what happened too it,. In 7 grade I was placed in cadet band, Oh, man marching band, cloud 9 once again. I loved it, and I was getting pretty good really fast. Now it was the end of my seventh grade, and my folks were splitting up. I ended up leaving with my old man, cause me and my mother don’t get along. They split up in June in the summer between my 7, and 8 grade year. By Thanksgiving my Old Man was married to my Step Monster, and I was with three Step Critters . I transferred to their school where I was not really accepted. I was fat, with glasses, and well, tits, and what my sister called a double, bubble, but. I was not accepted in the band at all, no one would clue me in, they would never share sheet music, I was sabotage from the get go. One day one kid named Lane kept throwing a cymbol on the floor, and the whole percussion group pointed at me, after about the fourth toss, I was kicked out. I did not touch a pare of sticks again until, 1990, when everything went down in the band room it was 1979. After I was really losing my vision I was in training with the State for readjustment training. I found an old 4 piece Pearl drum set from the early 60’s for 75 dollars at a Pawn Shop. I was packing the small kit into the house Mamma Monster askced what the hell is this. I said, I have lost my apartment, job, vision, I have been denied this my whole life, and now I am going to have this one thing. I looked at my Pop, and said I need to find some kind of peace. He looked at her and said, what can I say, I can’t deny him. I took the kitto the Division for the Blind in Salt Lake City where I was staying in the Dorms, and receiving readjustment training. Man oh man every single day after the Center closed for the day,, I would pound the crap out of those drums, and I was in absolute heaven. Did you know that drums are the only thing in the world you can beat on the head and they will never complain, just sing. I am almost 55 years old, and drums still make me happy. Some will say that my passion is more of an obsession. I own 18 high end snare drums, a custom 10 piece kit, and a 5 piece kit set up next to the larger set. I am seriously thinking about my next set of drums, yup, another one. I would rather spend time with my drums rather than most people, at my age my body feels it sometimes, but I love it. There are times when I am learning a new technique, or song, and it is very challenging, I will play until blisters bust open from the friction from the sticks against my fingers. I keep going on though. We all need something in life to keep us grounded. Something that brings us joy, and comfort. For me drumming is mentally stimulating, and physically demanding. It can really be anything though maybe one of those paddles with a ball on a long elastic smacking it up, and down, it doesn’t matter. Just find something that brings you joy. Cheers!