TigerBill's DrumBeat Community Forums for Free Expert Advice on Drums and Percussion.

My name is Todd, and I live in Texas. I am a self employed cabling technician. I mostly install commercial computer and phone cable plants, but I also do residential as well. I am not currently gigging in a band as I pretty much gave up gigging 10+ years ago. I currently do not have a website/myspace page, but that will change eventually.

My first inspiration would be hard to nail down, as I have always been connected to music. As a child in the mid 60's I was exposed to Al Hirt, Floyd Cramer, and Herb Albert and the Tijiuana Brass...that would be from my Dad. From Mom it would be Creedence mostly and a lot of the popular Top 40 that was happening at the time. From my Grandmother, I got everything from Roger Miller to the Ink Spots, and a bunch of the swing era stuff on 78. Through all of this I was always connected to the music. I just wanted to play music...I did not care what instrument, I just wanted to play.
As I got older, my musical tastes began to align more with my Mom's. (A lot of that has to do with my Dad getting sick in 69, he was diagnosed many years later with MS, and died in 97) In the early 70's it was all Top 40. That was back in the day when you could hear Aretha, Chicago, Led Zepplin all back to back...what a really cool time! Mom was definitely a CCR fan, and that had a huge influence on me. In the early 70's I learned to play the guitar, something I still do today...don't shoot me...I swear I am a drummer!

I can remember being 10 or 11 years old, and gathering cardboard boxes from dumpsters that were clean mind you. Organizing them into a "drum set" with an empty suitcase on the floor for a "kick". Stealing Mom's longest serving spoons, setting the biggest AM radio we had in the house...and jamming to my hearts content...well until Mom missed the serving spoons!
As I grew musically on my own through my early teen age years it was BTO that was a huge influence on me. As I grew in to my late teen years, I really began to "expand" what I was listnening to. 2112 just blew me away, to me at that time, that's what drumming was about. At 14 or so, I was still doing the same thing...except this time it wasn't cardboard boxes, it was the back of vinyl recliner and the wall was my ride cymbal. Yep the same empty suitcase was my bass drum. That was my firt true inspiration to really explore the drums. I got my first kit when I was 16. I was working at the local full service gas station, and had a little money saved up. I bought a hodge-podge mix of drums...enough to build a double bass kit with 4 mounted toms and a floor...all just diffent makes and colors, and all cheap. The night I brought them home, I had my two buddies who "played" guitar and bass, bring their gear over. The very first time I ever set up a drum set, I was getting ready to play. That was the first time I had real drum sticks in my hands! LOL...but we "jammed". with the bits and pieces we could put together. My first time behind a "real" kit, and we could jam...abliet very crudely we could jam.

As far as favorite drummers...that would be tough, as there are too many to name. I just like a drummer that fits the song.

Musical Styles, hrmm, that I like or I can play? I like it all for the most part. I am not a big fan of the Death Metal thing going on, but that's cool...been there and done that...Black Sabbath, EARLY Judas Priest, Riot just to name a few. I remember "teenage anger" very well. It's all good. I am not much on Opera either, however I do like Classical Music, not all that familiar with it, but I do know what I like. I like Tejano, and Cojunto as well as Polka as well as Country and Bluegrass...and don't forget that Texas Swing

What I can play is rock/pop/blues. I am currently working on learning some country licks as well as some funk licks, and developing my blues licks.

As far as Mentor/Support goes, I would have to list Bobby Kallus as an early mentor. No, I am sorry there is no long list of who he has played with, but he has gigged plenty and is a respected drummer in the Austin area. My later mentor would be Mike Lefevbre. He was my teacher when I took my first drum lesson at age 29. He tought out of Houston Percussion Center, and gigged on the jazz scene in Houston. He was hard core, but he taught me how to grip the stick...to this day I use his "lessons" to guide me, as I grow as a drummer. This would have been around 92/93. I recently met a fellow through work. Awesome drummer, as I got to hear him rehearsing for a Christmas production. We have developed a friendship based around drumming and this is so cool for me. I have not had anybody to talk drums about with, locally, in ages. We talk about everything from drum sounds and technique, to how to learn songs quicker. It's has become a very cool outlet for me.

As far as my story...
That's My Story and I Am Sticking To It!

Peace to all,
Todd

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