From many of us, drum heroes are people that we respect, drummers that inspire us to become better players.
For Julie Edwards, her first drum hero meant a whole lot more to her than that.
The Deap Vally drummer explains: "My dad was always a table-top drummer at dinner, my brother too and then I had this weird phase of my life where I became unhealthily obsessed with Keith Moon. I had never even thought about playing drums but I became obsessed with Keith Moon for a year and a half. I learned every detail about his life and I could only think in reference to him. I could literally not have a thought that wasn't about Keith Moon, everything related back to him.
"He was cute and he was tragic. I must have been in a place in my life where I really needed something to focus on. It could have been anything but it was Keith Moon."
Despite this obsession, Julie admits that her playing is a world away from that of her hero.
"I play kind of open like he did but I'm a very laid-back drummer and he was very frenetic and he could play faster fills than anyone before or since. For me, someone I hold in high esteem for his timekeeping, his creativity, his heaviness, his flourish is John Bonham. Bonham is everything. he wasn't about tightness at all - tight was not even a word - pocket, creativity, interpretation, telling a story, he was just such a creative drummer. yet, at the same time he had the most instinctive taste ever."
“They all said he was crazy. The whole industry said he's going off the deep end. Who would even buy a guitar or a piano over the internet? And he just stuck to his guns. For him everything was doable": See behind the scenes as Thomann turns 70
Roland’s SPD-SX Pro electronic drum pad is an industry standard for hybrid drumming, and you can save $200 on one: but only if you’re quick!
