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Thread: JohnnyG is coming over today...

  1. #1

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    Default JohnnyG is coming over today...

    Got the kits ready to go in anticipation of JohnnyG and his son (a bass player) arriving today for a BBQ and some jamming. They're driving from city of Chico which is a 4 hour round trip . I feel very honored that he's willing to drive such a long way to meet me and my family and look forward to a great time. Let the fun begin!




  2. #2

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    Let the Drumaton begin

  3. #3

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    I never realized how many kits you have!! I wish I could set all of mine up like that!!!


    So jealous he's close enough to make the trip! I would also!

  4. #4

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    Yeah he sure does have a lot of kits and he got rid of 3 in the last year or so. Still takes a lot of energy to set up all those kits and I don't so I stick to my one and only MCX lol.

  5. #5

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    I'm so stoked. Been wanting to plan something like this for a while but life has a way of getting in the way, if you know what I mean.
    When you, Rich, posted of your health concerns and your dilemma regarding surgery etc, I knew it was time to approach you and see if it was possible. I remembered your huge garage from precious posts so naturally meeting there made the most sense.
    So, to you other posters, I went ahead and asked Rich if he would like to host my son and any other N'ern CA players we could get involved. Quick check in with his other half, and badda bing!
    Pretty much invited myself over, and he said OK. Pics and maybe even some video will follow eventually.
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  6. #6

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    Aye JohnyG you can't meet a more kinder man than Rich he is one of a kind. I would love to meet him too but I live too far away. Anyway enjoy yourself at Rich and like you said pics of your visit would be great to see.
    Last edited by Pearl MCX Man; 06-19-2016 at 05:29 AM.

  7. #7

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    I guess I'll have to really sell up the beautiful water and beaches to attract anyone here. A dinky 4-piece set of Gretsch ain't gonna do it!

    LOL

    all the best...

  8. #8

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    Rich,

    I appreciate the invitation (from the other thread), but realized it's an almost 9 hour drive when I looked you up on MapQuest! Wow! However, all that means is you guys have to do a great job of recording (audio AND video) of your drumming' and bassin' today! I hope you all have a fantastic time!
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    [/URL]
    Show off. Have a great time.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Let the Drumaton
    How true of a statement this was!

    Quote Originally Posted by SpazApproved View Post
    I never realized how many kits you have!! I wish I could set all of mine up like that!!!


    So jealous he's close enough to make the trip! I would also!
    Spaz, I wish you and many others here, especially our friends in Canada such as Gilles could make such a journey. If I ever won the lottery, I'd like to visit each and every member here because it's such a cool place to hang out.

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Yeah he sure does have a lot of kits and he got rid of 3 in the last year or so. Still takes a lot of energy to set up all those kits and I don't so I stick to my one and only MCX lol.
    Gilles, anytime you need a drum tech, I'll come visit you up in Canada where you and your family share such a wonderful, beautiful and lush surroundings. The pictures of your property is like a living postcard. Lucky you to enjoy it at such a young age but I know you worked as a mason to make it happen. Now, that's speaks for itself!

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny G View Post
    I'm so stoked. Been wanting to plan something like this for a while but life has a way of getting in the way, if you know what I mean.
    When you, Rich, posted of your health concerns and your dilemma regarding surgery etc, I knew it was time to approach you and see if it was possible. I remembered your huge garage from precious posts so naturally meeting there made the most sense.
    So, to you other posters, I went ahead and asked Rich if he would like to host my son and any other N'ern CA players we could get involved. Quick check in with his other half, and badda bing!
    Pretty much invited myself over, and he said OK. Pics and maybe even some video will follow eventually.
    JohnnyG, I'm so glad you reached out. Pics and thoughts to come.

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Aye JohnyG you can't meet a more kinder man than Rich he is one of a kind. I would love to meet him too but I live too far away. Anyway enjoy yourself at Rich and like you said pics of your visit would be great to see.
    Gilles your a very kind man. Thank you for those touching and thoughtful words. Means so much!

    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    I guess I'll have to really sell up the beautiful water and beaches to attract anyone here. A dinky 4-piece set of Gretsch ain't gonna do it!

    LOL

    all the best...
    kay-gee, I grew up on an island which is considered the "Bahamas" of Japan, Okinawa, and I miss the ocean so much. Living in a drought stricken area for nearly 10 years, I feel like a fish out of water. I think of you often when you speak of the gigs you and your fellow musicians play by the beach or waterfront. One day....maybe just one day.

    Quote Originally Posted by cabasner View Post
    Rich,

    I appreciate the invitation (from the other thread), but realized it's an almost 9 hour drive when I looked you up on MapQuest! Wow! However, all that means is you guys have to do a great job of recording (audio AND video) of your drumming' and bassin' today! I hope you all have a fantastic time!
    Thanks Curt, I wish I could come to you for a visit and see for myself that beautiful DW in that gorgeous cherry finish! We had you and many here in our thoughts during much of the day!

    Quote Originally Posted by inthpktplayer View Post
    Show off. Have a great time.
    hahaha! Wait a sec. You have a very nice selection of kits too plus all of the space age high tech replacement human body parts you design engineer. Now that's pretty hard to top.

  11. #11

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    It was a wonderful day indeed! Johnny and his son Santino, "Tino" for short, arrived safely and the fun started as soon as they hit the garage.



    First order of business was to set up the Sleishman pedals. I clearly remember the thread John started when they first arrived from Australia and the great lengths at which it took to finally get them in his hands.



    The engineering and machining was just superb.



    And of course, the kit John chose to use was the DW.


  12. #12

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    continued...

    My impressions on Sleishman pedals were that they are an amazing piece of engineering. The ergonomic design aimed at improving the inherent flaws (i.e. latent slave pedal, slop in U-joint shaft connections) in current offerings are virtually eliminated. In my humble opinion, the Sleishman pedal recreates the closest thing to playing a double bass kit.



    It came with a very sturdy case.






    Second kit that John chose to play was the Pork Pie 24" kick in Dark Cherry. The shells are 6 ply birch /mahogany and he used my DW5002 pedals.

    Last edited by late8; 06-20-2016 at 09:35 AM.

  13. #13

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    continued...

    John decided to invert the 24" Paiste Mega Power Ride to get it lower without sacrificing the stability of the stand. It was something I had never considered doing to such a heavy cymbal but it worked like a charm.




  14. #14

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    continued...

    After munching on some baby back BBQ ribs, John brought out his snare collection.



    It was a made up of custom and stock snares he had collected throughout the years that were either modified from rack toms (ie. 16" concert tom converted into a 16" snare, 12" Rogers tom converted into a snare), or custom wrapped.



    Every snare had a interesting and unique story and I'm glad he took the trouble of bring them down.


  15. #15

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    I'm so glad one of us was taking pictures. I got exactly three shots right before I left. Typical me.
    Rich, his wife Ginger, and his son Zach are a very cute family. Snacks and then dinner were all awesome. What's a gathering with out good food?
    The DW's are not just more beautiful in person, but they have a rich clarity of tone that surprised me given the small sizes of the toms. The 12 and 14 were really fat. The kick sounded really good too, but...
    That Pork Pie 24" bass drum is awesome!! Only the second 24" I've ever played. Playing through those Zeppelin tunes on that kit with my son playing bass was freaking amazing. He had a great time, too.
    The double kick Pearls are sooo fun. The Ludwig spiral acrylic concert toms sound so much better than I imagined.
    Which brings me to those Zickos! I am an acryllic shell lover now. What tone! (Especially from the matching 14" mounted toms. The different pitches were distinct and fat.) What projection! The 18" floor was really heavy. I went to move it a bit with one hand and was like, "whoa!" I can't imagine what the kick weighs.
    So many snares and cymbals to talk about, and we didn't even get to play the Premiers or the vintage Luddys! I see a return trip in our future.
    Next time I'll bring the Sonors for a visit, too.
    I strongly recommend this type of a day for all you guys. Highly therapeutic to be immersed in drums and music and a new friendship for an entire day.
    Proudly playing:
    Doc Sweeney Drums
    A bunch of snares
    A bunch of cymbals

    Off-Set double pedals

    I think I love to play the drums simply because you get to hit 'em!!!

  16. #16

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    Looked like a great time!
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  17. #17

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    continued...

    The friendship JohnnyG and I struck up was all due to this special place called DrumChat. Here, you can ask any question or bring up a topic that has been discussed at nauseam and you'll be treated with respect and given the dignity drummers deserve. "The drummer is the backbone of every band" cliche has been around forever it seems, but it's true. I heard the solid playing of JohnnyG in person and it reiterated that old cliche.

    Playing together with JohnnyG and Tino was a treat. We played "Fire" by Hendrix. Johnny was on the DW and I was next to him on the Gretsch USA Custom and at times, we were together, at other times during the song, we each expressed our own phrasing but we nailed the ending. I'll always remember that moment.



    My wife Ginger BBQ'd 4 amazing racks of baby backs but due to her busy day, she was unable to come out to the garage for a jam but nonetheless we had a wonderful visit and look forward to another visit some time soon. She's the one responsible for such a wonderful collection of drums and cymbals because without her support, none of my dreams including my marriage to her would of ever come true.

    Last edited by late8; 06-19-2016 at 12:33 PM.

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny G View Post
    I'm so glad one of us was taking pictures. I got exactly three shots right before I left. Typical me.
    Rich, his wife Ginger, and his son Zach are a very cute family. Snacks and then dinner were all awesome. What's a gathering with out good food?
    The DW's are not just more beautiful in person, but they have a rich clarity of tone that surprised me given the small sizes of the toms. The 12 and 14 were really fat. The kick sounded really good too, but...
    That Pork Pie 24" bass drum is awesome!! Only the second 24" I've ever played. Playing through those Zeppelin tunes on that kit with my son playing bass was freaking amazing. He had a great time, too.
    The double kick Pearls are sooo fun. The Ludwig spiral acrylic concert toms sound so much better than I imagined.
    Which brings me to those Zickos! I am an acryllic shell lover now. What tone! (Especially from the matching 14" mounted toms. The different pitches were distinct and fat.) What projection! The 18" floor was really heavy. I went to move it a bit with one hand and was like, "whoa!" I can't imagine what the kick weighs.
    So many snares and cymbals to talk about, and we didn't even get to play the Premiers or the vintage Luddys! I see a return trip in our future.
    Next time I'll bring the Sonors for a visit, too.
    I strongly recommend this type of a day for all you guys. Highly therapeutic to be immersed in drums and music and a new friendship for an entire day.
    John, thanks again for the great time. The crock pot full of tasty baked beans were delicious but the homemade ice cream you made was a out of this world. As much as I enjoyed talking drums, I enjoyed getting to know you and Tino and the picture you "painted" of your life and what it took to become a RN is fascinating. I hold the people in the healthcare profession in high esteem and I can't tell you how many times I wish I could go back and thank each and every one of them in person for the care they provided for me and my family. Look forward to our next visit and hopefully our little get together will catch on?

    Your relationship with your son Tino is special. I could tell from the minute you stepped out of the van, you guys have a special bond. Although I haven't met his two siblings, the drummer, bass player relationship is cemented in stone by the father and son bond you share.

    As I mentioned my son Zach plays sax and guitar. I hope one day, he'll make it out to the garage to jam with his old man. Right now, it's MindCraft video games and the swim team that's cool too right? I never put pressure on him to become something that I want him to do. It's all about giving the kid the tools and allowing him to make his choices to try to succeed.

    Quote Originally Posted by FlyByNight View Post
    Looked like a great time!
    Thanks Mike! I wish we had more of our Canadian brotherhood show up but maybe one day we'll have a DrumChat "reunion" somewhere central.

  19. #19

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    What an awesome story.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  20. #20

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    Very cool! Looks like you all had a great time!

  21. #21

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    Rich and John, thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts (and the pictures) from yesterday's jam!

    It really looked like a great time was had by all, you all got to mess around with each other's cool drum stuff, and probably best of all, you got to be real friends! I can't think of anything that is as great as making connections between people who have common interests, and care about the same things. The world would be a far, far better place if we all could do things like this routinely, getting to know those who might be a great friend for life. This is how you do that...connect and learn about each other. I'm so glad it worked out for you guys, and that you had a wonderful day! And if we can thank the drums for that...so much the better!!
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

  22. #22

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    That is so cool man. I mean you guys look like you clicked together pretty good. John and his son Tino look like great guys to jam with. Rich I noticed your did not have John in a neck choke lol. Man you had me drooling with the baked beans and back ribs hmmm!! and all those beautiful drums. I mean we drummers dream of being able to sit behind so many kits just to get the feel of different manufactures and configuration. You guys are lucky to be able to have that one day together that will be in your minds for the rest of your lives and look to doing it again in the future. Thanks for sharing your pics and stories. Going by the pick of you and John looks like you had a hair raising experience lol. Rich your wife looks like a very nice lady and I think she spoils you lol. Too bad Zach was not around to jam with you guys. Anyway take care guys.
    Gilles
    Last edited by Pearl MCX Man; 06-19-2016 at 02:17 PM.

  23. #23

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    There's a post making the rounds on Facebook that says,"Thanks to being a musician, I've met some of the best people in my life" (or something along those lines). Truer words were never spoken.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  24. #24

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    I'd love to make a trip like that and hang out with Rich.

    The main problem, 2,700 miles. I'm actually closer to the equator.

  25. #25

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    Rich - I would have been over this weekend if circumstances would have been different.

    As you already know, my father-in-law passed away 8 weeks ago and my mother-in-law passed away last week. With all the family in town for the services we held, I was unable to get away.

    It would have been a blast getting together with you and Johnny and I'm sorry I had to miss it. Looks like you guys had an awesome time!!
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

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