Back on the Throne

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-11-2009, 10:03 PM

Hello Keepers of the Rhythm,
Just retired after 30 years of teaching, and I'm rolling out the old Yamaha 701's and Zildians to reexperience one of the great pleasures of my life. Also purchased some electronic drums, choosing Yamaha over Roland.
You know, I set out to buy Roland, thinking they were the best, but for some reason, whether it's drums, motorcycles, outboard motors, keyboards, or whatever, I always end up with Yamaha. I was playing the Yamaha DTXTREME III Special in the store, and it just lifted its wings and carried me away. We're going to fly together for awhile!
I'm buying my 30-year-old niece a starter set. Looks like I'll go with Tama's Imperialstar with Meinl cymbals. She is truly an artist and will bring abundant expressiveness to her kit.
Retirement means playing drums and living life with music and rhythm!
I'm back!
Dave

butter · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 12:39 AM

hey D00d welcome to the forum.

30 years of teaching school or drums?

so how long have you been playing? what genres do you like?
if i ever get an electronic kit, ill probably go with yamaha, too. they make some really good stuff.

good to have you here Dave.
cheers and happy drumming
butter

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 01:20 AM

Hey, Butter,
Thanks for the line.
30 years teaching elementary school, regular ed, emotionally disturbed, autistic, bilingual.
I love working with a class of kids everyday, lots of fun, but the rest of it was poopy.

I played with band and orchestra in high school, marching band too, plus a swing band. At heart I'm a rock 'n roll banshee, having played mostly in garage bands, but I have written a number of my own songs from ballads to crazy stuff, and I love Lunceford, Basie, and Ellington, many genres. Gonna let the music world swallow me up.

I laid off drums 30 years, but it's like riding a bicycle -- seems to hurry right back. Except, if somebody out there could send me a new left foot, I'd be thankful. Willing to swap an old Slingerland black diamond pearl snare for it.

xtreme

**Tainojim** · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 01:22 AM

Welcome to the forum dtxtremeiiispecial.

Good to have an instructor on board.

Look around have fun being back on the (Drum) throne.

Happy Drumming

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 02:08 AM

Thanks for the welcome. Rim shot! Look around definitely! Lots to learn.
xtreme

**Tainojim** · #6 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 03:32 PM

Forced retirement for me. Back injury almost 9 years ago.

Doctors told me to keep up with the drumming for vascular workout.

Nothing beats seeing lots of kids smiles. Your gonna miss it.

Good taste in your music genres. It's never too late to follow your passion.

So your niece want to play drums and you stopped for as long as she is old.

Good luck to both of you on your quests.

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #7 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 04:32 PM

Jim,
If you are of the Taino people, then you trace your roots to somewhere in the West Indies, perhaps Puerto Rico. I imagine that one could find deep rhythmic roots in those islands. What does the native drumming sound like?

Back injuries -- what a pain! I am ignorant of your specific situation, but two of my back bibles are "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie and "Healing Back Pain Naturally" by
Art Brownstein. Swear by 'em.

You're right about the kids -- I think they kept me young. I have no substitute at this time.

Yeah, my niece's Tama Imperialstar set arrived at the store and she was screaming over the phone about it. They shipped it out today to her in California. Believe it or not, her first interest in drumming came via Animal, the drumming Muppet. Unbeknownst to her, an Animal
the drummer T-shirt is also heading west to her.

I'm cleaning the basement so I can set up my Extreme III's down there. This basement has been neglected for 15 years. Dead squirrel, mouse droppings, a huge expanse of old junk -- I am literally cleaning the bowels of Hell so that I can play my new drumset. There's something poetic in that, don't you think?

Thanks.

**Der Trommler** · #8 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtxtremeiiispecial

I am literally cleaning the bowels of Hell

Sounds like the makings of a song to me.

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #9 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 10:36 PM

Del Trommler,
OK, thanks. I'll crank out a couple of verses.
dtxtremeiiispecial

**Tainojim** · #10 (**permalink**) 12-22-2009, 10:16 PM

Your Geography needs a little work. Let me help you a little. The original name of P.R. was "Boriken". I can trace my roots all the way back to 10,000 B.C.

Puerto Rico (Rich Port in English) is located in the Caribbean Ocean along with Hispanola (Haiti/Domincan Republic) and a few other Islands. P.R. is the farthest East Island. Google Map it.

Jamaica, and other Islands are in the West Indies.

That's why my people play Salsa, Latin Jazz and so on. I'm sorry if I sound a little vague, but this is a drummer's forum. But if your interested, I can send you a PV through the forum and send you some web links to find out more.

Back operation - Laminectomy on the L-4/L-5 with fusion. I was lucky, I didn't end up in a wheel chair.

Which reminds me, Mr. Slingerland asked me for a drum battle earlier this year. So I teased him back due to his condition and mine. I recently accepted it as the "Drum Battle of the Crips (Cripples)". When ever he feels up to it, we'll do it, just for the fun of it.

The house I live in was inherited and I also had to clean what you mentioned above and then some. It took 2 dumpsters to get rid of that mess. Thinking back, I started playing drums in this basement at the age of 8.

Maybe you could name that song "Cleaning Excreme Hell".

Better you than me today.