Keny Arkana - Gens Presses - Drum cover

Frhetoric - Bending Spoons - live drums

Stoked to be playing drums for amazing UK based Danish political hiphop artist Frhetoric here's a sneak preview of me practicing for our upcoming show this Friday in Epsom.

Fired up Fridays! Event listing below

https://www.facebook.com/events/741190899241344/

Drumming - hip hop beats with the Roland SPDS

Photos from the First Timers Drum Workshop

On Sunday I facilitated a Free Drum Workshop at the Shacklewell Arms in East London for the 'First Timers' project: 

 http://firsttimersldn.tumblr.com/

About 15 people came down & we had a blast running through the basics of drumming, including grip, stick control, technique, reading, counting, rudiments, basic beats, playing with a bassist, & more! Everyone got a free booklet handout with all the topics covered to take home and practice. 

Paradiddles with fire sticks!

Die Antwoord - Fatty Boom Boom - Drum Cover

Benefits of drum lessons

“The drum is a musical instrument with great power and presence that gives the ‘pulse’ or backbone to the music it is incorporated with.”


1. DRUMMING IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Physical activity

A well as being one of the more fun instruments, drums are also one of the most energetic & physically demanding. A recent study (1) with Clem Burke, the veteran Blondie drummer, revealed that 90 minutes of drumming could raise his heart rate to 190 beats a minute, and one hour in concert could burn between 400 and 600 calories. Comparable to top athletes! This obviously applies more liberally to more intensive rock drumming, but you’ll still be working out a little even just on a practice pad for half an hour. Besides, your body isn’t the only thing that can get a workout…

Stress relief

There is NO better stress-relieving instrument than the drums - If you need to vent, what better way than to hit something? In fact, a friend told me that in one of the London offices he worked in, they had introduced an electronic drum kit so that stressed office workers could go and drum away some frustration! It’s not only the action of smashing the skins that can help relieve stress, listening to the rhythms you create can be meditative which helps to reduce anxiety and tension (2, 3).

Brain Power

Improved IQ scores can now officially be added to the growing list of benefits from playing drums! Drumming activates both sides of the brain and can help the mind achieve hemispheric coordination, a situation where both halves of the brain are active and brain waves are synchronized.  A recent study shows that playing the drums or other percussion instruments actually improves IQ scores of children. While previous studies have hinted that musical training improves a child's literacy and math skills, this is the first time that a study has shown that one's intelligence level can be improved by drumming (4).

Another recent study demonstrated that the synchronous brain activities induced by drumming can be beneficial for ADHD, alleviating anxiety & (as mentioned before) stress relief (5).



2. DRUMS ARE FUN

Any time I have left the room at any band practice - the guitarist, singer or bass player ALWAYS take the opportunity to jump behind the drums & have a go. Everyone secretly wants to be a drummer - and that’s because drums are a super fun instrument to play! (6) Drumming is a very physical way of musical expression, and creating rhythm is a very primitive and gratifying experience.



3. BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE

Drum lessons can be a great way to gain confidence and build self-esteem. As you slowly learn to coordinate every limb independently & gain better stick control, you will find yourself becoming more disciplined within your practice routine - which will then have a positive impact on your everyday life.
In a band situation, the rest of the band relies on the drummer for setting the pace & keeping the rhythm section together, so you quickly learn to be confident & in control.


Get started today! Check out some free lessons & song transcriptions or book a drum lesson online at http://www.zelfiredrums.com


References

1. http://www.newser.com/story/33099/athletes-got-nothin-on-rock-n-roll-drummers.html
2. http://www.ubdrumcircles.com/article_silentdrum.html 
3. http://healing.answers.com/physical-health/healing-effects-of-drum-sounds
4. http://www.musicexplorium.com/DrummingSmarter.php
5  http://www.trunity.net/drumbus/topics/view/20432/
6. https://www.facebook.com/IWishICouldPlayTheDrums

First Timers FREE drum workshop - 22/09/13 - Shacklewell Arms

Just to let everyone know that I will be facilitating a free drum workshop for beginners, hosted on the 22nd of September at the Shacklewell Arms in East London.

Bryony Benyon is the organiser & has arranged for a drum kit to be available at the venue, along with a shedload of drum sticks & practice pads so everyone can get involved!

The workshop will run for approximately 3 hours & I'll be answering all your drum related enquires, as well as showing fundamental hand technique, giving out some stick control exercises that we can all run through together, getting some newbies on the drum kit for their first go, AND breaking down some of the basic concepts, beats & fills within rock, punk & heavy music.

I'll also be talking about why it's never too late to start playing drums! (article related to this topic will be online soon) how drumming is good for you, and how to get started.

Anyone who attends the workshop will be eligible to get a super sweet deal on some one on one lessons at my studio in North London.

Get more details & sign up for the event right here:

https://firsttimersdrumworkshop.eventbrite.co.uk/

Spaces are nearly all gone so act fast... also please feel free to pass these details on to any friends who you think might be interested.

Some of my favourite hard hitting & punk rock drummers who happen to be female.

So here is my list of female drummers who will kick your ass - I'm sure after you've watched all the videos you will agree with me.

  Feel like I've missed someone out? Tough! This is my list not yours... but please do free to add other worthy contenders in the comment box below.

Yael – My Ruin, The Love Project, Ugly Kid Joe + more.

I first saw Yael when I was 15 years old playing with My Ruin. She blew me away with her power, precision and positive attitude, and she is definitely up there with one of my main influences as a drummer. She did an amazing musical adventure called ‘The Love Project’ (check it out on Youtube) & she is currently drumming for Ugly Kid Joe. Some rad overhead footage of Yael smashing it below!

Patty Schemel! Hole!

I learnt ALL the hole songs on drums when I started out! Patty is not only a great drummer; she also deserves a medal for being in a band with Courtney love for so long. Ugh. Check out the documentary ‘Hit So Hard’ that features a whole bunch of footage Patty filmed herself when she was on tour with Hole. It’s great to see but also pretty heart wrenching.

I managed to find a great video of Patty playing with the rest of the Hole members but WITHOUT Courtney. Heh. Check it out:

Julie Edwards - Deap Vally

Julie's drumming is incredibly unique - she has this loose but groovy openhanded approach. 

Apparently at one point during her life, she was literally obsessed with Keith Moon. Every thought she had revolved around him. Funnily enough though, she rates John Bonham as a higher influence!

SHE'S COOL, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S ALL OVER THE SHOP! I also once saw her play a whole song with a snapped in half drumstick coz she was so in the zone. Check out the head banging!

Janet Weiss - The Furies, Sleater Kinney, Wild Flag + more

Janet Weiss – famous for not ONE rad band but TWO. The incredible Sleater Kinney, & now the amazing Wild Flag. Here’s Wild Flag live on Letterman

Tobi Vail - Bikini Kill

“Tobi Vail describes herself as a feminist thinker/writer/critic and a cultural worker. She tries to make change happen through cultural work via bands, fanzines, songs, essays, documentation of feminism, community building (Ladyfest, feminist book clubs, going to protests, boycotting anti-birth control pharmacies, supporting women’s health clinics, writing letters to the editor of my local newspaper, blogging).” All that, and she’s also the badass punk drummer from influential feminist band Bikini Kill 

You can download the transcription to Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill on my site: 

www.zelfiredrums.com

Dee Plakas - L7

Lets not kid ourselves here, ALL of L7 are badass. They make badass music & have badass attitudes. Just watch the video for Christ sakes

Hannah Billie - The Gossip 

I bet you have danced to this girls drumming at LEAST once on a drunken night out.

Veronica Bellino - Jeff Beck 

Some absolutely RIDICULOUS lightening fast fills on this video (no double pedal!!)

Cindy Blackman - Lenny Kravitz + a bunch of jazz stuff

Originally trained as a jazz player, she got a break into the mainstream in 1993 when Lenny Kravitz asked her to play for his band. Jazz or rock - she kills it. Check out this solo!

Lorena Cachito - Window Pane + Those 3

You may not well have heard of her (yet), but Lorena Cachito is a whirlwind of ferocious energy behind the drums!  Lorena first started out in Spain with her band Window Pane (who actually have a new album coming out soon) & then, moving to London to pursue drumming further, she joined up with prog rock band ‘Those Three’. Lorena is super passionate about the drums & really shines through in her playing – plus she can sing and play heavy as hell.

Evelyn Glennie

Ok, she’s technically a percussionist but whatever, just watch her on this Ted talk on how to truly listen... and feel truly inspired.

ALSO ALSO ALSO - Stef MacKichan 

No longer in Mares of Thrace, but she is a rad drummer & they are a sick band!