I had the great pleasure this summer to play "double-drums" with Steven Butler and The Dozens Band at SLOSS FURNANCE for the annual Brewfest. Steven is a excellent drummer. Never heard him out? Think of a driving, thumping metronome-perfect cross betwen Levon Helms and ?uestlove (The Roots drummer). Of course, he plays vintage Ludwigs, and based on the gig and room, either a Ludwig Supraphonic 400 or a new Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum. He's a great, great drummer, an even better friend, and well, my brother from another mother. And as I say every time I hear him play (to quote Pete Townsend on Keith Moon): CANNONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I will be playing drums with The King Tully Band on Halloween for the Crestline Halloween Parade Party this Wednesday, October 31st. Here's a rough cell phone audio clip of last week's rehearsal.

Here's me playing a vintage Ludwig "Bowling Ball" set dated 1969 at a New Year's Eve gig on 12/31/10. This kit now belongs to the legendary drummer Vinnie Colaiuta!!!!!!

One of the best versions of "New York, New York", taken from a video last year at The Club, in Birmingham, Alabama. This version is by The Second Chance Band and features: Mark Brewer on Bass, Tony Oliver on Keys and Vocals, Sam Chiarella on Guitar and John Oliver on Drums.

Great gig this past weekend with The Sassy Brown Band. This was the first gig I played out the downbeat set of vintage Ludwig Champagne Sparkle drums.......they sounded great for the gig in this smaller room.

This is one of my favorite recordings from this year. This is Take 3's rendition of Miles Davis' "All Blues"' performed at Old Car Heaven this past summer, 2012. The recording features Benton Robbins, Ken O'Gorman, Mark Brewer and John Oliver on drums!!!!

A blast from the past....around 1981. Wow, I thought my Mom and Dad were old back then.....they were only in their early 40s!!!!!!  I don' t have that set of  1958 midnight blue sparkle Slingerlands anymore ( I know, it has a Ludwig front bass drum head), but I still have the Acrolite Ludwig snare in the music room!!!!!

JOHN OLIVER DRUMS!!!!I just received another set of vintage Ludwig Drums......this time from around 1966 in the very cool "downbeat" set-up. And yes, they are in the beautiful Champagne Sparkle finish!!!!!!!

Last year, I sent these Ludwig Blue Oyster "Bowling Ball" drums to LA....to none other than the great Vinnie Colaiuta...........I loved this finish....and yes, they had the clear interiors with re-rings and were stamped from early 1970.    

2012 Nashville Drum Show

Some great pics from September 29, 2012 in Nashville, TN at the Nashville Drum Show....WOW!!!!!

I spent this past weekend in Nashville celebrating my birthday with Miranda. Wow, what a trip! We attended the Nashville New and Vintage Drum Show, where I met many of my drummer friends, then later that night, we attended the Wayne Krantz Trio concert at the historic Third and Lindsley club in downtown Nashville. The group, featuring Keith Carlock on drums (Steely Dan, Sting), absolutely knocked my socks off.....it was the best live performance of any group I've ever heard, period! Wow! Here's a pic of the group, and then a pic of Wayne Krantz and me.