pjk47 wrote:Anyone know what cymbals Tony used? I think he said that the quality of the cymbals is as important as the drums themselves. For those of us who were around during his heyday I reckon we are all very lucky - a true legend.
I think that I read somewhere, probably in ''The Shadows'' by Themselves, that Tony stated that it was more important to have good cymbals, as good as you could afford, because drums at least you could tune. I would totally agree with this comment. He had I believe Avedis Zildjian cymbals, and at that time I would have thought that they were pretty rare in England. Certainly very expensive. At that time I think Zyn and Super Zyn were the quality cymbals that were available most readily.
My first Drum Tutor book, which I got in about 1962 was written by Jack Parnell, had an advert on the back for Ajax drums with Zyn cymbals as played by him and used for the ‘Command Performance’.
We have read about Brian Bennett's various drums from his white Olympic bass drum and snare drum, but what did Tony start with. How did he get the white Ajax drums with realy good cymbals, as above? Who paid for them I wonder? Were they on H.P. or I wonder if The Shadows had a fund by then to buy better instruments. The same goes for the champagne sparkle Gretch kit that I first saw in the film The Young Ones. I wonder what the story is behind that set.