Our drummer in Manila

[abstamaria]

My cousin sent me this photo, taken in 1966, of his band, made up of his classmates. My cousin is at the far left, playing lead on a Stratocaster. The young drummer is Red, who plays for us still. The drum kits were very simple in those days, with usually just one mounted tom and one cymbal. Plus the high hat, floor tom, snare and bass drum, of course.

I thought it might be interesting to you to see what it was like in the 60s here in Manila. We called the bands "combos."

Andy

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[abstamaria]

Red was the premier drummer in his high schools' drum-and-bugle corp, being allowed to play the schools best snare, a maple one, he recalls. He was of course attracted to Shadows and Ventures music, and his band played that principally, with the Beatles eventually coming into the mix. As with many, Red stopped playing in the late 60s. A few years ago, we formed our amateur musical company, the Madeleine Cookie Company, which tries to do accurate covers of pre-64 recordings, including those by the Shadows. There are fewer and fewer "old-style" drummers, and many of the young ones don't really care to play in the old style or as the original artists did, so we are lucky to have him.

Here is Red now, with our bass guitarist Anna.

We didn't plan it, but the gold hardware on our drum kit matches those on the Precision bass. What luck!

Andy

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[Paul Creasey]

Hi Andy,

Good to hear that Red started in a Drum & Bugle Band..............so did I!
As for Drum Kits in the 60's being "simple", my first kit was made-up of bits & pieces "rescued" from the Drum & Bugle Band Room at our local Air Training Corps Headquarters, I think I paid the Band Master about 5 shillings for the privilege of removing thm!
Best regards to Red and Anna, and to all of you in the Madeleine Cookie Company.

Regards
Paul

[roninnes]

Us "oldies" do care more about getting it right. I am sure there are some younger players who do the same as us but most are not "Shadows" drummers.
Me - started in the Boys Brigade band in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Nice to see Red still going strong.

Regards to all in Manila

Ron

[abstamaria]

I'll pass on your greetings to Anna and Red. My cousin Bob was in the drum and bugle corp, too, but played the trumpet. He has lived in the US since the 70s and plays jazz guitar (with some Brazilian) in Monterey. When he visits Manila, we have him play The Shadows!

We seem to have several lead guitarists in Manila, and if I ever dropped out, I would be very easy to replace. An expressive rhythm guitarist, willing to study how Bruce played a piece, is harder to find. But the most rare, in my experience, is a good "old-style" drummer. Especially one who knows all the early Shadows pieces by heart.

It's great you are all going strong, too.

All the best.

Andy

[Paul Creasey]

Hello again, Andy,

If my (failing) memory serves, we have at least one other ex-Drum & Bugle Bandsman in our midst, too.

Dave Robinson, renowned guitarist of this parish (also, no slouch as a Drummer, either!) was in the Royal Marine Cadets (they always DID have the best looking uniform!) when "nobbut a lad". Knowing Dave, he'll be along in a minute to put the record straight if I've got it wrong!!

Seriously, though, it just shows how significant (sometimes sadly maligned) Drum & Bugle Bands were in getting some of us into this music "game", eh?

Regards
Paul

[tomtomdavehull]

I too began in a drum and Bugle Band with the St. John Ambulance Brigade. I was 11 and was given a bugle to blow. Being an Asthma sufferer I was unable to blow the bugle so exchanged it for a drum. Worked my way up to being lead drummer and it has opened all sorts of doors for me. TV, and Recording studios, playing on a passenger ferry from Hull to Gothenburg (Sweden), Big Band drumming, Clubland & Cabaret drumming plus my interest in Shadows drumming. my first kit was made up of a variety of pieces which had been left in a pub. four years later I progressed to buying a black pearl 'Premier' kit for £150. 1 hanging tom, 1, floor tom, snare and bass, Hi Hat and 2 cymbals. I played the kit from 1963 until 2005 when I purchased a double hanging tom kit for a lot more money. Thank goodness for the drum and bugle bands.

tomtomDave Harrison (HULL) now in Devon.

[Paul Creasey]

Hello Dave,

Good to hear from you! We should form some sort of "Ex Drum & Bugle Band Players" Club, eh?

Hoping that you and Carol are well, and that the "now in Devon" comment is only a temporary visit.

Best regards
Paul

[abstamaria]

Gold hardware was specified for Anna's PBass to match those on my "Hank Marvin" Strat, but the drum kit immediately available when we needed one just happened to come with gold fittings. I thought it was a too showy at the time, but am now happy the instruments match. The drums are DW, though. They should have been pearlized white Premieres?

Andy

[Steve Parish]

Gold hardware was specified for Anna's PBass to match those on my "Hank Marvin" Strat, but the drum kit immediately available when we needed one just happened to come with gold fittings. I thought it was a too showy at the time, but am now happy the instruments match. The drums are DW, though. They should have been pearlized white Premieres?

Andy

Hi Andy...
As long as the kit sounds good, and more importantly as long as the drummer playing them is good... it doesn't matter what make they are!

From a young (but steadily ageing!) Shads fan and drummer,
Steve