How Many "Oldsters" Are On This Site?

[gdmoore28]

Seems I see a number of folks here who seem to be in the "Boomer" generation. I'm certainly there. Born in 1953, so that makes me . . . um . . . 61 years old. (I told one of my grandsons that the only thing good about growing older is that the cops pay you no attention anymore! And neither do the women)

So, how many older guys post here? Care to post your age and how many years you've been drumming? (I've been pounding the skins seriously since 1964 after seeing Ringo on Ed Sullivan. How many times have you heard that story?)

What was your first drumset? (I initially had a Kent snare drum. We were farmers and one of our employees made me a bass drum from a 30 gallon oil drum, and a cymbal from a disc from an old disc harrow. Great ping! After pestering my dad for a year or so he finally bought me a new WMP Apollo drum set from a pawn shop.)

GeeDeeEmm

[js218]

1957, been playing drums since 1965 first set was a 4 piece gold sparkle Kent.

[Rotarded]

1962, drumming since 1974. First set 1976 Ludwig Pro Beat in Sky Blue Pearl

[slinglander]

'47...drumming since '72-'86, then since 2008 starting with Rogers 360, blue oyster wrap, 1 up 1 down, 20" kick.

[rickthedrummer]

Born in 1946. Started playing in 1956.

1st set. 2 sticks and a log. (Actually a set of Kents)

[dangermoney]

Born 1961, started playing 1974.

First set: 5 piece, blue sparkle Sears Silvertone; moved up to a Ludwig Quadra Plus Outfit in white marine pearl with 14 x 6.5 Ludwig Super Sensitive snare in 1978.

[hippychip]

Born 1965, playing guitar since 1977 or 1978, played in a few bands, and took a 20+ year break to raise a family---started playing again around 2009---first drumset November 2011---I am currently writing/rehearsing with my new band, sharing guitar/bass/drum duties with 2 other "oldsters", and having a blast!

[joecut]

Another "Boomer" here. Born in 1953. Yeah, the Beatles on Ed Sullivan did it for me. Been playing ever since. I recall that my first "gig' was for my sixth grade class in 1965, along with some buddies. We played Herman's Hermits' "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am." Snappy tune.
First kit was a red sparkle MIJ set that I accumulated piece by piece. First a snare and a small cymbal. Then a bass and a tom, club dates.. Then a Zildjian 20" ride (still have it). Then two 14x14 floor toms. Sold that set in 1971 when I bought Ludwigs. Still have the Ludwigs, kinda wish I still had the red sparkle kit, too. Ah, memories.
Happy New Year to all.

[tamashane]

Born in 1961. Started banging on any thing around shortly after. Got serious in 1972. Having more fun now.

[drummerMD]

Another Boomer born 1953. Drumming since 1966 or somewhere around there.

[atomcorr2]

born in 55... 59 years old ,, and this is my 50th year playing drums ...

[gdmoore28]

Born 1961, started playing 1974.

First set: 5 piece, blue sparkle Sears Silvertone; moved up to a Ludwig Quadra Plus Outfit in white marine pearl with 14 x 6.5 Ludwig Super Sensitive snare in 1978.

Hey, this is quite fun, guys. I just KNEW that some of the remarks posted here indicated a number of folks that were about my age. I'm sure we all have a lot in common.

Dangermoney,
That was quite a jump in quality and quantity you achieved in going from the Silvertones to a Quadraplus kit. And in WMP, too! I think we all lusted after a Quadraplus or an Octaplus kit, didn't we? I can remember spending literally HOURS every day just staring at pictures in the Ludwig full-line catalogs that my music store owner gave me. I literally wore those catalogs out just dreaming about being behind a Big Beat kit. Could you tell the story of how you found the big Ludwig kit?

It took me until 1975 to buy my first professional set. It came from a catalog merchant down in Miami, but I can't remember their name. I still have the original receipt somewhere. Anyway, I bought a 4-piece kit of Ludwigs in WMP. I bought a 5.5 x 14 Supraphonic snare, 12" mounted tom, 16 x 16 floor tom, 14 x 22 bass drum, and new Zildjian cymbals, all "A" : 20" medium ride; 18" thin crash; and 14" New Beat hi hats. All hardware was the then-new Atlas series. I kept that kit for a long, long time. I'm trying to find some pictures to post.

It would be really cool if, along with the other info I've asked for, we could all share photos of us back in those really early days of playing drums. I'll start looking for mine, too.

Thanks for responding, guys. Let's keep it going. It's neat getting to know everybody.

GeeDeeEmm

[xsabers]

Another 1961 here. Started in the school band in 71. Also started on a MIJ red sparkle. Upgraded to a Pearl 4 piece in a white oyster style wrap. Added a Ludwig set in Oyster Black Pearl with an 18" floor tom. Promptly had the virgin bass drum drilled for a tom mount and set the two kits up together. To this day, I don't know what happened to either kit. I was a moron..

[cabasner]

Born in '58...but drumming for less than 2 years.

[Bish]

1956. What's drumming?

[alvanko]

Born 1957
Started drumming on boxes in the late 60's. My dad bought me my first kit around 1971, it was a 1957 Slingerland kit. 20", 12", 14", and wood 14" snare. Started "playing" with a band about 1972 and played with a band through about 1985. Gave up the band thing. Got married 1994 and gave up drumming, put them in the attic. Started back up playing for fun, for myself about 4 years ago.
My dream of playing for a living are long gone.

[inthpktplayer]

Born in '58. Started playing drums in '67. First kit was a Ludwig. Here is a pic of a rehearsal of my first band in 1971:



Here are a couple circa 1978:





This one is on Bourbon St in New Orleans in 1985:



Time sure does fly by.

[PopsOldSkins]

I guess we could call this.
" The Old Gas Thread"

Me. 1951.. Took off 43 years from drumming, back at it five years ago.

[dangermoney]

Dangermoney,
That was quite a jump in quality and quantity you achieved in going from the Silvertones to a Quadraplus kit. And in WMP, too! I think we all lusted after a Quadraplus or an Octaplus kit, didn't we? I can remember spending literally HOURS every day just staring at pictures in the Ludwig full-line catalogs that my music store owner gave me. I literally wore those catalogs out just dreaming about being behind a Big Beat kit. Could you tell the story of how you found the big Ludwig kit?

In the late 70's I was playing in bands and had many drum idols. Here is a picture of my Silvertone kit with some additional drums that I acquired. I wrapped everything in white wrap that I got from the hardware store. Thinking back on it, it was a little cheesy but I didn't have much money to work with back in those days.



I loved watching Buddy Rich play on TV and I drooled over Peter Criss' Kiss drumset with all the concert toms. The drums had to be Ludwig and I too drooled over the Ludwig catalog advertisements.

After realizing that I was serious about playing, my parents gave me a choice and offered to let me use the money that they had saved up for me to go to college on a drum set if I wanted to. So I took them up on it and purchased an entire professional kit from a local music store that included the works: Ludwig Quadra Plus Outfit which included 22 x 14 bass drum, 13, 14, and 15 mounted concert toms, 16 x 16 floor tom, 18 x 18 floor tom, 14 x 6.5 super sensitive snare; Zildjian A cymbals, 16", 17" and 18" crashes; 22" medium ride; 14" new beat hats; Atlas hardware; Ludwig fiber cases. Here is an early pic of me on this kit.



Thinking back, it was a good decision because I eventually put myself through college playing regular gigs on that same drum kit although I had scaled it back some, converted the concert toms to double headed toms, and refinished the kit in natural mahogany stain ...

In the late 80's I purchased an '88 Ludwig Super Classic double bass drum kit in natural maple. I played that kit throughout the 90's although I dropped the double kick and went back to a single pedal.



I have been playing a 4 piece Ludwig Classic Maple kit finished in natural maple since 2003 ...

[Ricardo]

GeeDeeEmm :

We could be twins.
Born 1953.............first set 1964...........DuCo Slingerland.
I also upgraded to Ludwig Quadraplus in 1973.
Then, during music school, upgraded again to Gretsch USA in 1977.........currently gigging with that same kit............never played better.
Went temporarily insane and played a Yammy e-kit for 10 years from 1988 until 1998 (actually it sounded tremendous the way we had it rigged).

[xsabers]

Wow, some of you guys are really old... Lol

[kay-gee]

1957

First set was a toy set. Blown away by the Beatles and Herman's Hermits.

all the best...

[crispycritters]

Born 1957. I started about 18 months ago.

My first set is the one I'm currently using - a used Pearl Forum in 12,13,16,22 with 14 snare.

[gdmoore28]

Wow, some of you guys are really old... Lol

We need a new smilie -- a yellow head walking on a cane!

GeeDeeEmm

[Dodeska]

Born in 1962, started playing biscuit tins with knitting needles (much to my Mum's horror) in '72.
Bought a kit in '78 to play in a punk band, but gave it up in '80 when I started my Nursing career & moved into hospital residences. Didn't play again due to family & other stuff.
Started drumming again in 2011.