You know I guess I was lucky. All I had was encouragement. My uncle Big band and Jazz Drummer Robert Taylor started me at 3 and I had all these positive influences that he was always around. People Like Sandy Nelson, Gene Kupa and Louie Bellson. Louie had the very first double bass kit I ever saw. After that, that was it, I was hooked. For decades I was a double bass man. I wasn't around Buddy Rich until years later. By the time I was playing in public I was an accomplished drummer. Add band in Jr. High and I didn't need encouragement. On the other hand I encourage youngsters and late bloomers alike all I can. There are no bad drummers. There are drummers that need to practice more or drummers that need direction like rudiments! Even at 3 there was constant rolls and rudiments.
But years later you learn how important they really were. 52 years later I still practice and often!
Like any instrument though, you need to be willing to pay the price! I had a buddy one time that I was always trying to get to go to the lake with me. He always had to work out and practice. As a result he became the worlds greatest gymnast. He was Kirk Thomas. He was willing to sacrifice. One night I needed sugar and I walked next door to borrow a cup from him. I heard voices and when I knocked on his door he said "come in." On either side of him on the couch and on the floor at his feet were 7 or 8 beautiful women in bikinis.
I quit feeling sorry for Kirk because he was missing out. I started feeling sorry for me!
Remember encouragement promotes excellence, discouragement promoted failure and hard feelings. It has been my experience that those that discourage others are lacking in their own life and feel they have to bring others down to make themselves look bigger! Those that are mentors and encourage others do not have to look bigger, because they already are giants!
Danny Meazell
Re: Critisizing Young Drummers
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