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My friend Peter enjoys the process of finding an item of the highest quality, researching the product, saving up his money, and rewarding himself by purchasing and respectfully (even lovingly!) enjoying its use. Pete gets nice things, but he's not showy. He works hard and lives modestly so he can afford to indulge in the things he likes. And he gets the best because the intensity of his interest and the high level of his energy in general create a "perfect storm" of obsession that can only be sated by "the best". Peter is a passionate guy, and one of the things he is most passionate about is drumming.
I met Peter when I was 18 and he was 21 and over the years we've spent hours discussing drumming and drummers. He introduced me to names like "Vinnie", "Omar", and "Simon" (Pete refers to all his favorite players by first name only) and he played me a lot of music I hadn't listened to before. "You've never heard Frank Zappa?!? Are you kidding?!?" I was a drummer, but Peter was a passionate drummer.
Pete and I played the same club scene together for a few years and then he went to the Musician's Institute in L.A. Though he is a great drummer, his music career had had to split time with other interests as he's discovered new passions and developed new obsessions.
One of his interests is cycling. (Pete is now 40 and and still rides a bike with the vigor of an 8 year old.) He got into cycling and before long was competing (and placing!) in organized bike races. Eventually his apartment had bikes and parts and magazines everywhere. Once I was over and he handed me a water bottle cage. It sat in my hand but I couldn't feel it. "Titanium!" he said with his booming trademark laugh. He'd researched and purchased the lightest water bottle cage made.
Pete got into cooking, too, and soon was great in the kitchen. He made my family dinner one night and brought a knife no one else was allowed to use. "Too sharp." he said, but I sensed Pete felt the knife was a little too high end for our untrained hands. Then after dinner he stopped me from washing his "specially coated pan" with the hard side of the sponge.
Despite Pete's many hobbies and infatuations he always retained a serious obsession with drumming, and yet in all the time he's played there has never been a drum set that gave him the perfect look, tone, and tuning possibilities he was after. He's owned some nice sets, both new and vintage, but never had a set that gave him everything he wanted. Pete was able to check out some of the nicest drums you can buy from a few of the great drum builders in the Bay Area area. He looked at D'Amico Drums, and the San Francisco Drum Company. These are beautiful drums, but for whatever reason, not quite right for Peter.
Then one day he walked into a drum shop a played a set that seemed to have it all. He was very excited and located another set from the same maker. These drums had the same qualities. He played them both again, and played with the tuning. He realized he'd found "the ones". Pete had finally found the drums that possessed everything he wanted. So he called the drum maker, Greg Gaylord (Solo Drums), and together they created his dream set.
When the drums were finally ready Pete went to pick them up. He hadn't seen the finished drums until then and was gushing when he called me on his drive home. "They were so beautiful I had to cover my mouth with my hand. I stared for like five minutes." He described the drums with the pride of a new father. "It's a Champagne like you've never seen, more Copper than Pink, with-" "What do they sound like?" I asked. He said "I haven't even played them yet! I'll let you know when I get home." We talked some more about the sizes, edges, lugs, and we made a promise to get together soon so I could check them out. I was happy for my friend and I hung up the phone smiling. Peter had finally found a instrument that would allow him to get the most possible enjoyment out of the greatest and longest running passion of his life. Drumming.
Great story so far...
Pete stopped before going home that night and went to see a friend from the East Coast that was in town for a couple days. There was parking spot "100 Meters from the front door" so he allowed himself to go inside for a bit. He checked on the drums halfway through his short visit just to be safe and they were fine. So he stayed a little longer, said his good byes and left for home.
Pete walked to the car anticipating a night of staring and tuning and playing. He couldn't wait to get home... but his truck window looked funny... like it wasn't reflecting. He started jogging. It wasn't possible. His heart started to race and his throat tightened up. He was running now. As he got closer he saw there was glass on the sidewalk and his window was gone. Not possible! He got to the truck and it was empty. His dream set was gone - before he'd even played it.
I was stunned when I heard the news. I literally couldn't believe it. By the time he called me he'd already contacted all the pawn shops and drums stores in the area and settled into a quiet, patient depression. I said "Didn't anybody see anything? A witness?" Nothing. "But you must have the serial numbers!" I said. The drums were custom made for Peter. There were no serial numbers.
And then I asked the tough one. "Peter. You left those drums in your truck?" He didn't defend himself. "I made a bad decision and I'm paying for it. "It's not something I normally do," he said. "But I had a chance to see an old friend and I found a good, close parking spot. I gambled and I lost." Besides the drums (and the hard cases they were in) Pete also lost a cymbal bag he's used for the last 25 years, which had - among other cymbals - the set of 14" Zildjian New Beats he bought when he was 15. His first pair.
Pete says he was told if the drums are kept in the area they will probably hit the market in about five or six months. Until then he's just hoping they'll turn up, and that they'll still be in good shape if they do. The cymbals, bag, and hardware stolen that night are gone.
The theft occurred November 15th in San Francisco. In case you happen to come across these drums, here's a detailed description:
Solo Drums w/custom finish
The finish is a copper based champagne sparkle. Every fifth or sixth fleck has a rainbow sparkle which creates a "Holographic" effect across the shell in light. The lugs are Radio King influenced tube lugs, and the drums were last seen with Evans heads in hard black cases. Drum sizes are 10 x 9, 12 x 10, 14 x 14, 16 x 16, and 20 x 16.
On a positive note, Greg Gaylord told some of his industry contacts about the situation and Peter has been offered a substantial price break from Gibraltar Hardware and Sabian Cymbals so he can start getting his gear back together. Another "two-run shot" from the fine people of the drumming community.
I asked Peter if he had any advice for drummers reading this forum and he said, "Ya. Get renter's insurance. And of course, never leave your drums in the car." Peter wanted to thank AAA Insurance, who partially covered the loss, and to thank the many people who are keeping an eye out for the drums on ebay and in shops around the area.
Peter took the insurance check and made a down payment to "Solo Drums" for a new kit. Now he's back to saving and waiting and dreaming. He called the other day. "I decided to slightly change the size of the new bass drum. And I'm thinking if I can get the money together I should get a matching snare." And as he spoke I heard the excitement again. "You haven't seen his snare drums?!? Are you kidding?!?"
My friend Peter is a passionate guy.
Steve Bowman |
