"RUSH-ing" It After BHR - A Drummer's Note

jakemn · March 01, 2012, 04:26:37 PM

Well, here it is, exactly two weeks out from surgery, and I just couldn't wait any longer. I had to get behind the practice drum kit and play a few songs, it felt GREAT! I decided to go for a short, well-practiced, setlist by my favorite band, Rush, including the songs "Limelight", "Circumstances", "Freewill", and "Middletown Dreams". I am a right-handed drummer, so my right operated side is on the main kick drum pedal and I do have an auxiliary pedal for double bass lines. The only real problems I experienced were my right foot had a tendency to slip off the DW bass pedal to the right side (i.e. migrating away from the center) a bit, but not to the extent I couldn't pull it back in. I am fortunate that the operated side is not controlling hi-hat accents, because that would be too much lifting at the hip joint I believe. With my style, I use my ankles more than lifting at the hip and slamming down on the pedal like metal drummers tend to do. Of course, not having played for a couple of weeks (the day before surgery), I was somewhat rusty and I found my timing was bit off, but surprisingly not too bad! I need to remember to stock my drumstick holders to the left and right with the same size sticks.. I dropped one of my beefy Promark 747B Super-rock sticks in the middle of "Freewill" (rockers, you know the part LOL!), and reached for one, and it happened to be a little, tiny 5A size guy..ooops! There is a marked difference in weight and especially LENGTH between those particular sticks, and I really felt it! The short stick caused me to lean a bit forward to strike cymbals, it was a bit of a challenge with a big slice on your hip LOL! I would say muting the cymbals with your hand was also a bit of a challenge as it forces you to lean forward a bit too far, but the double bass pedal fills, etc. were working surprisingly seemless. Luckily I am a fairly long-armed fellow, and I was able to reach all the toms with ease, so long as I keep the right size sticks in my hands anyhow!

The bottom line is, the "Neil Peart wannabee" kid is back in the saddle again!

Jake said it

WTW15 · March 01, 2012, 10:24:14 PM

WTG Jake!
Bet that felt Great!!!

johnd_emd · March 01, 2012, 11:01:20 PM

Yeah baby, ROCK ON!!!

Baby Barista · March 02, 2012, 01:24:18 AM

I got back behind the kit about 3 weeks after surgery. I'm also a right hander. I didn't bother clamping the hats, other than to spill them on a few songs.

Tonight will be my first practice with the band we have here where I work. We have an upcoming Battle of the Bands fundraiser in April, so it's time to get at it. Here at 5 1/2 weeks, I'm pretty well back to form.

Rush may end up making our set-list. If it does, it will probably be Red Barchetta.

Happy sticking to you!

jakemn · March 02, 2012, 03:14:44 PM

Go get'em BB! Best of luck to your band.

Yeah, I enjoy playing Red Barchetta also. For some reason, I'm stuck at the mid-80s for my Rush covers, which is still my favorite period in their discography. I enjoy covering stuff like Big Money, Grand Designs, DEW, Kid Gloves, Between The Wheels, Force Ten, and Lock and Key, to name a few. I've tried to teach myself "Earthshine" from Vapor Trails, which is one of my favorite all-time songs, but Neil's style had changed so dramatically from 80s to 2002, that it is quite foreign to me and hard to get into that groove. Maybe 20 years from now, I will have worked my way up to the early 2000s material, or maybe even something off Snakes and Arrows LOL!

BTW, do you have Neil's latest DVD "Taking Center Stage: Lifetime of Live Performances" ? It's very good, and it has a slow-mo breakdown of all songs off Moving Pictures (including Red Barchetta) which they did in its entirety on their just completed Time Machine tour. I also really like the documentary "Backstage Secrets: On The Road With The Rock Band Rush". I thought it might be kinda cheesy, but after watching it, I thought it was awesome! You don't even have to be a Rush-head to appreciate it. If you're a concert junkie at all, seeing all aspects of putting together a tour that big was very interesting!

Take care,
Jake

Tin Soldier · March 02, 2012, 04:32:33 PM

Two weeks? Did you get approval from the doc? Might want to wait til posterier restrictions are lifted to perform YYZ.

I'm just giving you a hard time because I used to drum and I was at one time a total Rush nut, I haven't been keeping up with Rush or drumming. My high school buddies still go to the concerts and then debate about newer/older Rush,...

Keep up the good work. I think music is an excellent means to experience life again.

BB - Where in Seattle is the battle of the bands?