The Past Returns-Pearl, Zildjian

The Tyrus mini reunion on Facebook got me to really think about embracing the past and the sounds that we made.  In the 80s I was using a used Pearl snare drum for most of the Tyrus/Open Highway recordings as well as some of the old Route 66 albums of long ago, last time I used it was on the 1985 R.Smith And Route 66 album.  It replaced the old Reuter Snare that originally came with the Zickos drum set but I think I may have donated it or sold it off, either day it didn't last too long.  The Pearl Snare went through a few wars and I beat the shit out of it with my playing and the only thing that didn't last was the snare wires falling apart.  I never quite understood why I never replaced the wires in the first place, either I didn't know how nor didn't want to deal with it and it stood gathering dust and rust in the dew room downstairs.  The old band may never reunite but perhaps the next best thing is to bring back what I still have for percussion.  And I'll be using this snare for the upcoming TE album Forthcoming Trains.  Here it is in its restored glory.



Also a change of cymbals is coming as well. For the past week on Facebook I asked the fan base about cymbals.  For 7 years I've been playing Paiste and still believe the ones I got are the best sounding ones.  I asked a question to the fans about what cymbal that I should use for the next project and it was unanimous.  The overall champion in a shutout mind you was Zildjian which really surprised me that not a single vote went for Paiste.  Even when I asked Martin and Geoff, (Martin didn't care either way), Geoff thought that the Z's were the better choice, a much more darker and aggressive sound than even the Paiste 2002 series.  It doesn't matter about endorsing any brand, I never had any music maker give me free stuff but I always known to post the stuff used for albums. The guys in Tyrus (Doug and DeWayne) both said that the Z's were the ones that they rather hear since they grew up all around them.  And so the masses have spoken and after a change over during the week, I introduce the new lineup of cymbals.  All Zildjians.




19 inch  Armund Ride
20 inch  Old  A Zildjian Sizzle Ride
20 inch Oriental Crash Of Doom
18 inch K dark session crash
18 inch A  Medium thin crash
16 inch A  Rock crash
13 inch K/Z hi hats (mixed)
(not pictured) 13 inch K Zildjian Splash (original Istanbul made version)

The 16 inch rock crash and the 13 inch K Splash are the links to the Paraphernalia band days, both purchased in 1984, one from West Music and the other came from the pawn shop.  The medium thin crash is not the same one that I used back in 1982 but since it's basically the same type of cymbal used during the formative years.   The K/Z hats were brought in 1988 when I decided to get back into playing drums after selling most of what I had after making Postcards From The Edge, and thought it was time to grow up and quit playing drums all told.  But regretted that decision and more so since selling off those prized Zickos for a very cheap price.  And basically probably will never have another Zickos set in this lifetime since every one I see on EBAY are top price or sold in pieces at top prices.

The sizzle ride is a vintage old Zildjian cymbal and I've been using more of a sizzle type ride cymbal since using the Paiste 3000 or the Paiste signature flat ride with rivets. The sizzle ride was brought in 1990 at the Marion West Music store used and was more of a crash than actual ride but when I jammed with my best friend Russ and another guy, it turned out to be the ideal crash ride that I was looking for.  But then I ended up overdoing the EBAY buying and ended up getting the Paiste sizzle rides and crashes that nobody wanted.  Or I overpaid.

The Yamaha cymbal stand holding the Doom Cymbal was brought around 1982 and is a direct link to the past as well.  Although I play DW and have DW bass and high pedals and stands I prefer Yamaha stands since they're less cumbersome than the DW and that damn Dogbone thing that you can't lower.  I guess I'm still old school to rather have the toms coming from the bass drum rather than standalone.  They're a pain in the ass to put together as well.  I still can't get over using the DW snare drum and seeing assorted nuts and bolts inside the snare, which never happened on the Zickos, Pearl and Yamaha drums that I used to have.  In fact I haven't used the copper DW snare all that much either.  I think I enjoy the trashy sound of the Pearl snare that drove the band into new melodies.

As a oldie rock and roller, I still enjoy the comforts of having at least 6 cymbals in a lineup although in later years I have not had a middle cymbal in front of the drumset.  The compliment of the Armand Ride and Sizzle ride enables me to jump from one to another and not miss a beat.  I have plenty of cymbals to mix and match on the sideline as well. I still have my favorite 18 inch K Medium Thin Crash although it somehow gotten chipped on the side.  And then discovering a 18 inch rock crash that probably came from a Ebay bid I forgot all about.  I may bring the Impulse ride out of mothballs as well. But for the moment, the cymbals seen in the picture above will the ones you will be hearing on the next project.

This may not be the second coming or reunion of Tyrus but with the magic of drums and cymbals used from the past it's the closest thing to a reunion.