Anyone got any idea what make, and for a huge bonus what model, of drumkit Pete prefers to play? I've always loved his snare sounds, and his kit in general. I can visualise a nice white or off-white one he's used in recent years. Haven't trawled any credits to see if makes are mentioned, cos I wondered if anyone here knew straight off. I'm thinking of getting a new kit soon (first non-second hand one ever, and only my third in 23 years!), so have the topic very much on my mind.
Right then, back to the drummers' message board I've recently discovered...
Pete's choice of kit
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Otis Westinghouse
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I'm sure he plays a DW kit now(probably white marine pearl, same finish Krupa and Rich played) and I think he played Ludwig kits way back when. Don't know the model but the sizes look pretty standard, 22, 13, 16 with a snare. I remember the video from radio, radio has a good shot of Pete's set, if you see it you can tell what he played.
I'm pretty fond of late 60's early 70's Slingerlands. I wouldn't buy any of their newer drums(after 79) except for a few years in the late 90's when they were building kits in SC(these were Keller shells just like DW and a bunch of other builders).
DW makes fine drums but they're pretty expensive.
If you have any questions maybe I can help.
I'm pretty fond of late 60's early 70's Slingerlands. I wouldn't buy any of their newer drums(after 79) except for a few years in the late 90's when they were building kits in SC(these were Keller shells just like DW and a bunch of other builders).
DW makes fine drums but they're pretty expensive.
If you have any questions maybe I can help.
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laughingcrow
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Otis Westinghouse
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- Location: The theatre of dreams
Aha, so when you said you 'play in a bunch of bands', Michael M, you kept quiet that you were the drummer. So that's three at least of us on here. Thanks for the Pete site, LC. I have come across that before (when searching for an answer to my question), seen that hilarious photo and 'International drummer' ref (what Pete keeps at his poolside!), but had forgotten the DW/Zildjian endorsement on the bass head.
So what do you play, MM? A vintage Slingerland, or something else? Or do you have a selection?
I've got a 60s Trixon kit (trivia question: what is the connection between Pete and Trixon?). They went bust in the 60s or early 70s. Mine is inherited from a German drummer who used to play with my uncle. It's sparkly gold. Looks fantastic on stage. It's always sounded good, but it's just getting too old now. Can't replace parts. So I'm after a brand new one. I'm very taken with Mapex in terms of quality and value for money. Would like a Saturn Pro, but it's out of my price range, so a Pro M with a good set of Sabian AAX cymbals looks good to me. Can get that with decent quality Mapex hardware for £1,000, so $1,400-1,500, I guess. Do you know anything about Mapex? Would you have any other recommendations for that sort of price? The Sonor 3001 gets quite a few mentions in the drummers' forum I've been looking at. I think DW would be too pricey.
What are Keller shells?
Why does Pete only use 2 toms when he can afford at least 3? It interests me that a lot of drummers stick with 2, almost implying they're so brilliant that they can do with 2 what others can do with 6. I don't go for the Phil Collins 'as many toms and cymbals as you can reach with 2 arms, and a few besides' approach, but I definitely want 3, and am even tempted by the idea of 4. I've always found the 2 I have a limitation. Surely Strict Time requires 3?
Lots of questions, see!
So what do you play, MM? A vintage Slingerland, or something else? Or do you have a selection?
I've got a 60s Trixon kit (trivia question: what is the connection between Pete and Trixon?). They went bust in the 60s or early 70s. Mine is inherited from a German drummer who used to play with my uncle. It's sparkly gold. Looks fantastic on stage. It's always sounded good, but it's just getting too old now. Can't replace parts. So I'm after a brand new one. I'm very taken with Mapex in terms of quality and value for money. Would like a Saturn Pro, but it's out of my price range, so a Pro M with a good set of Sabian AAX cymbals looks good to me. Can get that with decent quality Mapex hardware for £1,000, so $1,400-1,500, I guess. Do you know anything about Mapex? Would you have any other recommendations for that sort of price? The Sonor 3001 gets quite a few mentions in the drummers' forum I've been looking at. I think DW would be too pricey.
What are Keller shells?
Why does Pete only use 2 toms when he can afford at least 3? It interests me that a lot of drummers stick with 2, almost implying they're so brilliant that they can do with 2 what others can do with 6. I don't go for the Phil Collins 'as many toms and cymbals as you can reach with 2 arms, and a few besides' approach, but I definitely want 3, and am even tempted by the idea of 4. I've always found the 2 I have a limitation. Surely Strict Time requires 3?
Lots of questions, see!
I've been playing for about 18 years now. Did the tours across the states in a van, making very little money, but it was so much fun. I mostly play my 77 Slingerland kit(22, 13, 16) with 6.5x14 ludwig maple snare. My baby is my 61 Slingerland Black diamond pearl(looks like black oyster(20, 12, 16)) with a matching Slingerland radio king(solid maple) snare. That kit doesn't leave the house though.
I've heard good things about Mapex but I've never played them. Trixon are hard to find over here. I've never owned a brand new set and have always been happy with what I've found. For the last year I've been buying and selling 60's and 70's drums, mostly Slingerland. Making some money and collecting as I go.
My next set will be a custom built Keller shell kit with 70's Slingerland hardware. Keller makes 100% maple shells that all the smaller shops use, DW used Keller shells up to the late 90's when they started making their own. OCDP, porkpie, ayotte, and many more all use keller shells. I'm going to buy my shells with the edges cut and wrapped in blue glass glitter and put all the hardware on myself. I've got almost all the hardware I need in mint to near mint condition.
Here's a great site for custom building info
http://www.drumrap.com/
As far as 4 piece sets go, I'm a firm believer that's all you need. I like having the ride closer to me and I can do more than enough fills with just a rack tom and a floor. My setup is pretty much the same as Pete's, a four piece with a ride, hihat, and 2 crashes.
If I remember correctly most of Strict Time was played on the snare with the snares off.
I've heard good things about Mapex but I've never played them. Trixon are hard to find over here. I've never owned a brand new set and have always been happy with what I've found. For the last year I've been buying and selling 60's and 70's drums, mostly Slingerland. Making some money and collecting as I go.
My next set will be a custom built Keller shell kit with 70's Slingerland hardware. Keller makes 100% maple shells that all the smaller shops use, DW used Keller shells up to the late 90's when they started making their own. OCDP, porkpie, ayotte, and many more all use keller shells. I'm going to buy my shells with the edges cut and wrapped in blue glass glitter and put all the hardware on myself. I've got almost all the hardware I need in mint to near mint condition.
Here's a great site for custom building info
http://www.drumrap.com/
As far as 4 piece sets go, I'm a firm believer that's all you need. I like having the ride closer to me and I can do more than enough fills with just a rack tom and a floor. My setup is pretty much the same as Pete's, a four piece with a ride, hihat, and 2 crashes.
If I remember correctly most of Strict Time was played on the snare with the snares off.
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Otis Westinghouse
- Posts: 8856
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
- Location: The theatre of dreams
Wow, you're a specialist! That '61 Slingerland sounds brilliant.
You didn't go for the trivia question, and as we're in the Elvis section not the Annex, let me do it for you: Trixon's biggest claim to fame was the conical bass drum, which they may not have invented, not sure about that one, but which they certainly popularised, and of course Pete is playing one on the back of Trust. I can't tell if that's a Trixon or not. I'll have to look at a friend's vinyl copy to see if it looks like one.
My kit has a steel Ludwig snare, very nice. Am not sure whether to go for a steel or maple snare now. Mapex do one called the Black Panther that has a good reputation.
Strict Time is definitely played using toms and snares with snares on, but actually it does sound like just two toms, with the floor tom on the right channel and the top tom on the left. I've always imagined there was a third tom in the middle, but I guess not. I like a close ride too, so I might find that hard to adjust to, but I just want that extra dimension.
So we can alternate at the throne for the First Annual Elviscostellofans Convention house band, but I vote that you tackle Lipstick Vogue.
You didn't go for the trivia question, and as we're in the Elvis section not the Annex, let me do it for you: Trixon's biggest claim to fame was the conical bass drum, which they may not have invented, not sure about that one, but which they certainly popularised, and of course Pete is playing one on the back of Trust. I can't tell if that's a Trixon or not. I'll have to look at a friend's vinyl copy to see if it looks like one.
My kit has a steel Ludwig snare, very nice. Am not sure whether to go for a steel or maple snare now. Mapex do one called the Black Panther that has a good reputation.
Strict Time is definitely played using toms and snares with snares on, but actually it does sound like just two toms, with the floor tom on the right channel and the top tom on the left. I've always imagined there was a third tom in the middle, but I guess not. I like a close ride too, so I might find that hard to adjust to, but I just want that extra dimension.
So we can alternate at the throne for the First Annual Elviscostellofans Convention house band, but I vote that you tackle Lipstick Vogue.
I've covered Lipstick Vogue before so I can play on that one and I wanna do Man out of Time as well. Pete Thomas has been a huge influence on my playing, I've played along to those records since I started drumming some 18 years ago. I've borrowed more than a few of his fills.
I prefer wood snare drums to metal, but that's just me.
I really need to listen to Trust and Get Happy again, seems like I've been stuck on Blood&Chocolate and Brutal Youth lately.
I'll have to get some pics of my set on here.
I prefer wood snare drums to metal, but that's just me.
I really need to listen to Trust and Get Happy again, seems like I've been stuck on Blood&Chocolate and Brutal Youth lately.
I'll have to get some pics of my set on here.
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Otis Westinghouse
- Posts: 8856
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
- Location: The theatre of dreams
Pete does have great and highly borrowable fills. He's always been one of my faves, if not the very fave. I'd need to work hard to come close to being able to hold down Lipstick Vogue convincingly enough (I've suffered due to being apart from my kit from '85 till '98 as I was living abroad and then in a house that couldn't accommodate them, and don't get the chance to play enough still now, but am really getting back into it and have even played a couple of gigs this year).
Brutal Youth is one of my favourite Pete LPs. Lots of interesting and imaginative drumming, and I like the Mitchell Froom approach to recording drums using weird techniques (repeated on his production of Pete on Ron Sexsmith's Whereabouts). Trust is also a great Pete LP, with a great clarity of sound, and the prominence of drums oin the aforementioned strict Time and also Lovers Walk (which you were thinking of when you talked about snareless snares, cos he's either playing that, or a very high and resonant tom. I love the 100% precision of the hi-hat on New Lace Sleeves.
Yes please to the drum photo(s)!
Brutal Youth is one of my favourite Pete LPs. Lots of interesting and imaginative drumming, and I like the Mitchell Froom approach to recording drums using weird techniques (repeated on his production of Pete on Ron Sexsmith's Whereabouts). Trust is also a great Pete LP, with a great clarity of sound, and the prominence of drums oin the aforementioned strict Time and also Lovers Walk (which you were thinking of when you talked about snareless snares, cos he's either playing that, or a very high and resonant tom. I love the 100% precision of the hi-hat on New Lace Sleeves.
Yes please to the drum photo(s)!
Pete's fast stuff like Lipstick Vogue was always easier for me than his slow stuff.
I've got a kinda wierd punky, swing style of playing. I grew up listening to my dad's 40's, 50's and 60's jazz, then got turned onto stuff like Elvis, Police, Joe Jackson, and Squeeze from about 9 to 13. Through high school I was completely into punk stuff like Black Flag, Descendents, Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, and Husker Du. Later I discovered stuff like Billy Bragg and Tom Waits
It's been an interesting mixture ever since. My two biggest influences have to be Pete and Bill Stevenson from the Descendents.
I played a whole set using Pete's fills with one of my bands the other night(I always improvise my fills) cause this girl I like loves EC. She noticed and ended up going home with me that night, THANK YOU PETE.
When I was learning how to play I probably played along to My Aim is True, This Years model, Trust, Get Happy, and Imperial bedroom the most.
I listen to music more for my mood than for the drumming anymore. Couldn't call it unexpected, my little blue window, almost blue, and the live version of accidents will happen get a ton of play lately. I like playing along to Tart and Alibi, cause the groove is so much fun to mess with and they remind me of Seville and my EX. I've noticed that I just get stuck on certain albums. I don't think I've listened to Goodbye Cruel World in 3 or 4 years. Blood and Chocolate gets played all the time, I'm working on a cover version of Next time around with one of my bands. I play along to Brutal youth at least once a week. New lace sleeves is one of my favs too.
Luckily my practice place survived the fires(I'm in San Diego) so I'll get some pics soon.
I've got a kinda wierd punky, swing style of playing. I grew up listening to my dad's 40's, 50's and 60's jazz, then got turned onto stuff like Elvis, Police, Joe Jackson, and Squeeze from about 9 to 13. Through high school I was completely into punk stuff like Black Flag, Descendents, Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, and Husker Du. Later I discovered stuff like Billy Bragg and Tom Waits
It's been an interesting mixture ever since. My two biggest influences have to be Pete and Bill Stevenson from the Descendents.
I played a whole set using Pete's fills with one of my bands the other night(I always improvise my fills) cause this girl I like loves EC. She noticed and ended up going home with me that night, THANK YOU PETE.
When I was learning how to play I probably played along to My Aim is True, This Years model, Trust, Get Happy, and Imperial bedroom the most.
I listen to music more for my mood than for the drumming anymore. Couldn't call it unexpected, my little blue window, almost blue, and the live version of accidents will happen get a ton of play lately. I like playing along to Tart and Alibi, cause the groove is so much fun to mess with and they remind me of Seville and my EX. I've noticed that I just get stuck on certain albums. I don't think I've listened to Goodbye Cruel World in 3 or 4 years. Blood and Chocolate gets played all the time, I'm working on a cover version of Next time around with one of my bands. I play along to Brutal youth at least once a week. New lace sleeves is one of my favs too.
Luckily my practice place survived the fires(I'm in San Diego) so I'll get some pics soon.