Riot Fest 2013 will take place September 13-15 @ Humboldt Park in Chicago. Tickets are on sale now. Three-day passes start at only $69.98.

We’ll be there for sure!

While holding true to the Maple/Walnut hybrid shell formula that made Saturn a unique and respected pro-level kit, the new look and features of the Saturn IV mark a significant departure from the Saturn of old.

Features -
• 7-ply (6.15mm) snares and toms, and 9-ply (8.55mm) bass drums all constructed of North American Maple and Walnut Hybrid shells with an outer ply of exotic wood veneer
• SONIClear™ tom suspension mounts
• SONIClear™ floor tom legs,
• Low-contact bass drum claws
• Memory Mark™ bass drum spurs
• New badge and lug casing,
• Optional free-floating bass drum mount
• Striking new finishes
• Black hardware is standard

Our kit specs -
7×10 tom
8×12 tom
14×16 floor
20×22 bass
6.5×14 snare
Natural Ash Burl finish

(Photo)
Will Calhoun and Vic behind Will’s Saturn IV MH Exotic kit @ Park West in Chicago last month

Bop Kit Specs:
• 6-ply Gretsch formula Maple Shells with 30 degree bearing edges
• Silver Satin Flame Nitron finish
• 14×18 bass, 8×12 tom, 14×14 floor, 5×14 snare

This kit is only 1 of 35 in the world!!

In this DVD, Spanky explains and demonstrates a wealth of concepts, licks, and secrets to take your playing to an entirely new level. Topics covered include playing creative grooves and fills that can sound “off time”. He also discusses creative concepts to spice up your drumming tool kit, including innovative ideas of his own creation, such as “partial diddles,” “the echo,” “the CD skip,” and being able to play over-the-bar-line fills. There is also an extensive section on hand and foot techniques and tricks, including foot doubles, before-and-after effects with the hi-hat, “sneak attack” bass drum technique, playing off time with the ride cymbal, hi-hat/snare combinations, and much more.

The package comes with an extensive 45-page eBook containing note-for-note transcriptions and play-along MP3 versions of all tracks played by Spanky on the DVD.

According to DW’s Vice President, John Good, “This drum is a completely different animal. Our goal is to outfit drummers with as many sounds as possible, so this one definitely fits the bill. At first, we were surprised at the dry, focused sound, but, man, does it have volume! It’s a shotgun!”

Mr. Good speaks the truth!!

Behind/Center
Cube Cajon with adjustable stand

The cajon was most likely developed in coastal Peru during the early 19th century. Knowing that the cajon comes from slave musicians in the Spanish colonial Americas, there are two complementary theories regarding the instrument’s origin.

The first theory postulates that the cajon is a direct descendant of a number of boxlike musical instruments from West and Central Africa, especially Angola and the Antilles. These instruments were adapted by Peruvian slaves from the Spanish shipping crates they had at their disposal.

Another theory posits that slaves simply used boxes as musical instruments to combat contemporary Spanish colonial bans on music in predominantly African areas. In this way, cajons could easily be disguised as seats or stools, thus avoiding identification as musical instruments. In all likelihood, it is probably a combination of these factors – African origins and Spanish suppression of slave music – that led to the cajon’s creation.

The cajon is the most widely used Afro-Peruvian musical instrument since the late 18th century. Today, this unique drum has been showing up on worldwide stages in contemporary music becoming rapidly popular in all styles of music from blues, pop, rock, funk, world music, fusion, and jazz.

7×14 Parasonic
• North American Sugar Maple shells are 6ply Maple, 4.8mm thick with 2.3mm Triple Flanged Hoops

7×14 Walnut/Mahogany Hybrid in Champagne Mist finish
• Walnut and Mahogany Hybrid shells are 2ply Walnut interior, 6ply Mahogany core, 2ply Walnut exterior with 6ply North American Sugar Maple SoundRings
• “SideLatch” Snare Release
• 2.3mm Triple Flange Counterhoops
• Vintage-Style Tube Lugs

Chad actually began his career using Vater drumsticks (3A wood tip) and is currently using a custom prototype model.

Chad and 311 are gearing up for their 11th consecutive summer tour, “Unity Tour 2013″, which will run from July 2nd through August 4th. Look for Chad and 311 in a city near you. — with Carlos Juarez.

“Rhythm Knowledge” represents a culmination of nearly 30 years of his practice and performance experience.

“Volume One: It’s Easy When You Know HOW!”

This volume focuses on showing you HOW to practice and manage your available time effectively.

“Volume Two: It’s Easy When You Know WHAT!”
This volume presents a series of exercises that have helped Mike Mangini gain the extraordinary technical abilities he has. He’s compiled an invaluable collection of exercises that will benefit all musicians regardless of instrument choice.

Remember, practice makes perfect…if you do it right! It’s easy when you know HOW, WHY, and WHAT to practice. Check these books out and be like Mike!