There’s no question: I love the virginal sheen and lacquered aroma of brand new drums. But older drums tend to emit more character… to carry human history in their wood… and to absorb and reflect all of the spiritual and kinetic energy inflicted upon them via their guardian’s innumerable hours of sweat and toil. It’s impossible to extract that kind of mojo out of fresh new drums from the factory (although beating character into them can certainly be a joyous process over time!).
Meet the Alpha Kit. This beautiful monstrosity has been my primary practice room/solo project drum set for more years than I can recall. It’s essentially a hybrid merging of instruments unique to my personal journey, so the collective “vibration” of this kit is palpable. Sitting in the middle of all those drums and cymbals is like being suspended in a vortex of cultural totems and sacred nostalgia. You can feel where these drums and cymbals have traversed, and you can’t help but wonder: If these drums could talk, what stories would they tell?
A big chunk of the kit is my original Radial Bridge drum set that Steven Volpp and the Peavey gang built for me back in ’99. I started with those drums, then once I began to develop the alphabet drumming concept—where I play certain words and phrases in rhythm—the set began to expand into its present 360 degree design. I can face forward or backwards as it’s essentially two giant kits melded together.
Because I’m more of an accumulator than a collector, I had amassed a wide variety of drums and cymbals in storage near my practice room. And as my vision for this kit expanded through the years, each new piece was brought in as somewhat of a functional placeholder for what would surely, one day, be some mammoth new custom-built drum kit, sparkly and pristine, with its perfect maple shells and glistening brass and chrome. After all, this was just the 1.0 Frankenstein version of the Alpha Kit, right?
But then, somewhere along the way, after countless hours of playing this kit and listening to its glorious tones reverberate around the woodshed, something unexpected happened: the “Frankenstein” nature of the kit became its own unique thing—its own twisted choir of percussion voices—and it simply sounded like no other set of drums I’ve ever heard. In other words, the unorthodox configurations and unconventional drum and cymbal groupings created their own original, collective sound. And I knew I would have to record this exact set-up, just as it is.
So now, I’m in the middle of cracking the code on how/where/when to finally finish drum tracks for a long-awaited new solo record: a “soundtrack” for my last book, The Boy Is Gonna Rock. I’m reluctant to throw any more projected release dates around because I’m the ultimate “boy who cried wolf” with missing deadlines. BUT—know that this new record, which has already been underway with Brett Garsed on guitar and Carl “The Fox” Carter on bass, is top of mind, every day.
In the meantime, you can enjoy a one-minute walk-around video tour of the Alpha Kit… all 40 drums, 30 cymbals and 10 foot pedals of it.
More details soon….
Visit Bobby’s website here: www.bobbyrock.com
ABOUT BOBBY:
Bobby Rock is a world-renowned drummer, the author of nine books, a recognized health-and-fitness specialist, and a devout vegan.
A native Californian, Bobby grew up in Houston, before studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. As an accomplished performer and studio drummer, he has worked with a diverse roster of artists, including ex-Kiss guitarist’s Vinnie Vincent Invasion, funk-rock pioneers Rare Earth, the multi-platinum Nelson and Slaughter, Alcatrazz (featuring Graham Bonnet), Gary Hoey, Nitro, Hardline, Monster Circus (featuring Dee Snider), The Stu Hamm Band, guitarists Brett Garsed, T.J. Helmerich, Neil Zaza, Bob Kulick, Bruce Kulick, Michael Angelo Batio, funk bass phenoms Bill “The Buddha” Dickens and Carl Carter, and and all-star rockers Scrap Metal. He is currently touring and recording with rock icon, Lita Ford.
Additionally, Bobby has released three records as a solo artist, two top-selling drum books and videos (including his critically acclaimed masterwork, The Zen of Drumming) and is recognized as one of the premier performers and educators in the industry, having done over 900 drumming workshops and exhibitions worldwide, and twice won Drum magazine’s Clinician of the Year award.
Bobby’s latest book, The Boy Is Gonna Rock: A Drummer’s Journey From Houston to Hollywood in Search of Hair Metal Heaven, is an Amazon best-seller and focuses on the early days of his career.
Bobby resides in Los Angeles (when not on the road!).
