Carlock moves to Grestch

[Mark P]

NOT one drummer is payed to play a brand of drum, not one drum company pay there endorsee, the only thing
that they sometime promise, is a number of clinic every years, this is were they got ''payed'', by doing clinic,
and free gear when your are on the '' 5 stars'' roster. anything else is Bull.....

Yea, this is not true at all. Otherwise everyone would play Gretsch. I know several drummers being paid. I do know first hand that Weckl and Gadd are on the Yamaha japan payroll. If you think about it, it makes sense. Both of them played Gretsch before they had endorsements. Why wouldn't they still play Gretsch? Yamaha pays. I know that DDrum of all companies pays their top endorsers. I even heard there was financial incentive for Peter Erskine to sign with DW. A handful of top guns do get paid to play a product. Very few, but it does happen. The guys that play Gretsch do so because they love Gretsch. A testament to that sound. If you were a drum maker and Dave Weckl wanted a small salary in addition to gear to play your product, it would be a wise investment. They sell drums.

Well, if it is true that Weckl is on some kind of payroll, then that's completely understandable.
He is a total master of sound and knows gear inside out. I am lead to believe that he had a massive role in the development of the Phoenix series, in which case, being 'on staff' would be a wise move from both parties.

Peter lives only a few miles away from the DW factory in California and loved the Jazz Series when it was released. It wasn't a case of just changing for no reason, or for remuneration. A new product that was directed at players like Peter was developed and he liked it.

I can't speak for Ddrum, but I am sure that there are companies out there that do pay artists for joining their roster.

You seem to be a big Grestch fan. I don't blame you, they're lovely too...

MP

[erskoman]

I do not know of one drummer who is being paid by any drum company to play their drums. (Historically, Buddy might have had some deals going on, but he wound up playing on an old Slingerland Radio King kit in the end because he loved the way they played and sounded.)

As far as my own switch from Yamaha to DW, there was no financial incentive involved — indeed, I took a loss on 2 signature products that were in the Yamaha catalog or pipeline at the time of the move (which was a bit impulsive on my part, but was based primarily on the fact that DW listened while Yamaha had stopped listening ... to what? My plea for them to make a flat or flush-based cymbal stand! ... and then one thing led to another once I visited the DW factory and played on what would become the Jazz Series kit).

Drum companies DO help sponsor clinic and workshop (and education-related) events & performances, and a consortium of companies will usually work together ... in my case, my clinics are co-sponsored by DW, Zildjian, Evans, Vic Firth, and companies like Samson/Zoom, Alfred Publishing, et al ...) (for the record: Yamaha used to pay more for clinic support!)

If Keith had a reason for switching, it was most-assuredly related to his wanting to play on Gretsch Drums, as well as their willingness and ability to look after him in the travel support department (supplying kits at venues across the country or around the world) as well as clinic support arena (whether music store clinics, or PASIC appearances, etc). And if any drummer is receiving some sort of stipend (usually from a cymbal company) these monies act as an advance or guarantee against a set number of clinic appearances on behalf of that company for a coming year, etc.

The well-known drummers are no different from all of you: they have a passion for a drum or a sound or a legacy or a mythology or maybe they're attracted by something within or without the company and its drums, but it's not for cash. It might be a promise of marketing (often the case: "we'll put your name up in lights, sonny" or "we'll get you in the Modern Drummer polls" or the like) and advertising or a signature product (which DOES generate revenue for all concerned), however — that is the extent of it. Otherwise, it's the drum (or the hardware) that speaks! And just about every drummer I know is always on the prowl for that holy grail of a snare drum or ride cymbal, or 12" tom, or whatever ...

Some of you may choose not to believe this and insist that Drummer A or Drummer B must be paid to play a particular brand of drums, but trust me: it ain't so.

Peter Erskine

[Juan Expósito]

Thanks SO MUCH for that Peter.

[janne jansson]

Thanks Mr Erskine!
Knowledge killed speculation on this thread

[JohnDrum]

Well said Peter, and thank you for chiming in: your words carry a lot of weight.

John

[Kendrum]

Thanks Peter straight news from someone in the know! Drummer Cafe is reporting that Carlock also switched to Vic Firth.

[Rodge]

Vic Firth = Joe Testa !!!

[Steve Holmes]

Honestly so many guys have such an inconsistent sound that I'm not even sure it matters when they switch from a listener stand point. Even Vinnie sounds different from recording to recording. The only guy that has his own sound that he maintains at every appearance is Weck (Carter comes to mind, but he's not a session guy playing an array of gear).
However folks start associating a drummer with a name mostly due to the front BD head, even if they sound different from appearance to appearance. It's odd.

[DSOP]

Simon Phillips gets a very consistent sound too. Both Simon and Weckl play a big part in engineering their sound at gigs and in the studio. Sound engineers obviously play as big a part as the gear when it comes to the sound out front.

[Lucas Ives]

^^^ This. For most gigs, especially with "soundman du jour," Dave sends stereo drums -- only -- to front of house.