Me and The Tunguska Event.

[TopCat]

Hi,

My first thread in the 'Your Playing' forum, eep. Anyway, the band i'm with at the moment, got finished recording a demo last week. The band contacted me via forming-bands.co.uk, and we met up. After an audition, they decided i was man for the job.

This recording was my third time of having played with them, ever. Their previous drummer left them, not approving of the new direction. So i had no drums to work with, and had to write them from memory of the guitar parts etc. Yeah, so for that reason they sound a bit samey and there are plenty of inconsistencies and mistakes. I'm typically from a funk playing background, so this kind of high energy, dark/edgy rock/whatever was something reasonably new to me. Hope you like it.

http://www.myspace.com/thetunguskaeventofficial

Cheers

*edit - I recorded with my gretsch, Chad smith sig + and 16" AAX Stage, 17" AAXplosion, 14" AAX Stage hats and 20" AAX Stage ride.

[russcat]

Tasteful drumming...I like.

[brittc89]

Good stuff. Sounds Queens of the Stone Age-ish.

[TopCat]

Thanks alot, yeah QOTSA was one of their main influences.

[TopCat]

Bump..because i'm lame...

Just interested if anyone would like to share their opinions

[TitanSound]

Very cool stuff mate. I like the song lose. It has elements of The Strokes and I like your 16th note pattern on the hats. Snare sounds cool too!

[TopCat]

Very cool stuff mate. I like the song lose. It has elements of The Strokes and I like your 16th note pattern on the hats. Snare sounds cool too!Thanks alot, but i'm afraid to say, lose is one of those songs we eventually plan to push out of the set. We consider it the 'mainstream' one, for lack of better word. No offence intended of course.

[funked_up]

Tom,

Good drumming. Not too little, and not too much! I like your singer, he can sing lol. You guys do remind me of QOTSA, which is a good thing.

Simple yet effective,

Keep up the good work,

Tim

[TopCat]

Tom,

Good drumming. Not too little, and not too much! I like your singer, he can sing lol. You guys do remind me of QOTSA, which is a good thing.

Simple yet effective,

Keep up the good work,

Tim
Thank you very much! We've another recording session planned for the end of the summer/year/something.

[Stu_Strib]

Your drums sound really good! They drum sound alone makes the rest of the band sound great.

[TopCat]

Your drums sound really good! They drum sound alone makes the rest of the band sound great.
Thanks alot stu. I was chuffed with the way it came out.

[mattsmith]

You sound really good. You have a big full sound and do alot for the band.

[TopCat]

You sound really good. You have a big full sound and do alot for the band.
Thanks alot matt, really appreciate it. Love your videos also.

[Bonhamfan]

Thanks alot, but i'm afraid to say, lose is one of those songs we eventually plan to push out of the set. We consider it the 'mainstream' one, for lack of better word. No offence intended of course.

I find it kind of pointless to "cut a song loose" after you already made it. I personally liked the song lose. Had catching lyrics, tasteful guitar and drumming, the bassest has a really nice tone. Keep it up topcat, good to hear.

Again do not cut a song loose, you have already created it, the chorus is catchy, got me singing to it, "Always, were always, were always expected to LOSE!" The way it is sung is catchy.

[TopCat]

I find it kind of pointless to "cut a song loose" after you already made it. I personally liked the song lose. Had catching lyrics, tasteful guitar and drumming, the bassest has a really nice tone. Keep it up topcat, good to hear.

Again do not cut a song loose, you have already created it, the chorus is catchy, got me singing to it, "Always, were always, were always expected to LOSE!" The way it is sung is catchy.
Well it's not pointless, in the set, it sticks out like a sore thumb. The rest of the band used to be an 80's-ish rock band, and Lose is possibly the closest thing to that. Don't get me wrong, it's a great song, but it just doesn't fit with the rest of our stuff, which I think is loads better, and much more focused in the direction we want.

Thanks for taking the time out to listen, and to be fair 'Lose' won't be pushed out for a long time yet.

[Johnny from the block]

sexy!
I especially like Dry Tongue
indeed some queens' influences:p and that's great
a bit more alternative then stoner tough, so nice combination

perhaps you're right about 'Lose', it does sound mainstream, but is that a bad thing?
Maybe it will cause your breakthrough:p
Never bad to have a catchy song i guess...

Love your snare sound to, what heads do you use?

Grtz

[intooder]

Dry Tongue is probably my favorite, especially the intro arrangement. I'll agree that Lose definitely has an 80s sound to it, even though I like your playing in it. Overall, good work!

[TopCat]

sexy!
I especially like Dry Tongue
indeed some queens' influences:p and that's great
a bit more alternative then stoner tough, so nice combination

perhaps you're right about 'Lose', it does sound mainstream, but is that a bad thing?
Maybe it will cause your breakthrough:p
Never bad to have a catchy song i guess...

Love your snare sound to, what heads do you use?

Grtz
Thanks alot..and welcome to the forum, heh. I used Remo Ambassador Coated batter, and Remo ambassador clear snare side. It's fair to say those are less stoner rock, but some of are others certainly are, look out for the next recording.

[TopCat]

Dry Tongue is probably my favorite, especially the intro arrangement. I'll agree that Lose definitely has an 80s sound to it, even though I like your playing in it. Overall, good work!
Sorry I missed you there! Thank you very much for the comment.

[nicholasizzum]

thats pretty cool man. that is deffentlly the style i like, alot

[TopCat]

thats pretty cool man. that is deffentlly the style i like, alot
Thanks bud. We just played a great gig at a big place, well, not that big, but one of the main venues in the capital. My Pearl SRX's kick miced is absolutely blinding.

[Ksquared]

Wow I must say really nice drumming u definitely know what you are doing! And your band is certainly good enough to tour Europe I've been to many festivals in Germany and I must say your Band has a chance! I hope you get the right promotion and find a good manager! If you need a director for your music video or a tour manager for Germany just let me know!

Good Luck and take care!

Ksquared

[Johnny from the block]

Thanks alot..and welcome to the forum, heh. I used Remo Ambassador Coated batter, and Remo ambassador clear snare side. It's fair to say those are less stoner rock, but some of are others certainly are, look out for the next recording.

your welcome, and indeed i just registered on the forum.
I haven't been drumming for a very long time (in fact i even got my first kit in octobre 2005) so you don't have to take me serious about everything i say, but i know what i like, and i like your music.
i do hope getting some useful tips here, and i'm pretty sure i'm at the right place 'cause this forum is huge!

*edit: let me know if you guys are ever coming to Belgium ;) You bet I'll be there...*
*another edit:p: and actually a question: I use a gretsch too, you probably heared of the Blackhawk, it's a basic kit really, but the sound is ok. Good enough to start with anyway. But now i would like create a bit more stoner sound (as i adore the queens and kyuss) but not too much either because i want to be able to play a nice and heavy piece of metal once in a while, and perhaps some of the 70ies rock as well.
A while i go i considered buying the gretsch catalina rock (i love the large bassdrum and de 2 floortoms) and dave grohl played with a kit of the same sizes (i don't know wich brand) when he toured with the queens for 'songs for the deaf'. But i will have to spend all my money i'm about to earn (vacationwork) on the kit and then i'll have to buy some lesser hardware and cymbals because they're not included...
So i was thinking, maybe you (or anyone else reading this message and wants to help) can give me some advice of how i can upgrade my Blackhawk to a kit of more value:p

some details:
- Remo Powerstroke head on the bassdrum (way better sound then the original Gretsch heads)
- 2 Toms: gretsch heads, they sound ok
- Don't really like the sound ofmy flourtom with the loosened gretsch head
- my snare is completely ruined: i don't have the knowledge to let it sound the right way and the heads are to be replaced too.
- the Gibraltar hardware and Sabian B8 (Not the pro series:p!) Hi-hat, ride and medium crash were included. (they sound a lot better then the usual paistes that are included in other kits but i'm not really pleased either.

[TopCat]

Wow I must say really nice drumming u definitely know what you are doing! And your band is certainly good enough to tour Europe I've been to many festivals in Germany and I must say your Band has a chance! I hope you get the right promotion and find a good manager! If you need a director for your music video or a tour manager for Germany just let me know!

Good Luck and take care!

Ksquared
Wow, thank you very much! We just got absolutely slated on UKbands.net though, oh well.. i dont agree with what the reviewer said - seemed to be making some very lazy comparisions and examples. But then again, I would too if I had to listen to crappy demo's all day long.

It's a bit contradictory though, his review says we weren't too hot. But he gave us 7.3/10..crazy

[TopCat]

your welcome, and indeed i just registered on the forum.
I haven't been drumming for a very long time (in fact i even got my first kit in octobre 2005) so you don't have to take me serious about everything i say, but i know what i like, and i like your music.
i do hope getting some useful tips here, and i'm pretty sure i'm at the right place 'cause this forum is huge!

*edit: let me know if you guys are ever coming to Belgium ;) You bet I'll be there...*
*another edit:p: and actually a question: I use a gretsch too, you probably heared of the Blackhawk, it's a basic kit really, but the sound is ok. Good enough to start with anyway. But now i would like create a bit more stoner sound (as i adore the queens and kyuss) but not too much either because i want to be able to play a nice and heavy piece of metal once in a while, and perhaps some of the 70ies rock as well.
A while i go i considered buying the gretsch catalina rock (i love the large bassdrum and de 2 floortoms) and dave grohl played with a kit of the same sizes (i don't know wich brand) when he toured with the queens for 'songs for the deaf'. But i will have to spend all my money i'm about to earn (vacationwork) on the kit and then i'll have to buy some lesser hardware and cymbals because they're not included...
So i was thinking, maybe you (or anyone else reading this message and wants to help) can give me some advice of how i can upgrade my Blackhawk to a kit of more value:p

some details:
- Remo Powerstroke head on the bassdrum (way better sound then the original Gretsch heads)
- 2 Toms: gretsch heads, they sound ok
- Don't really like the sound ofmy flourtom with the loosened gretsch head
- my snare is completely ruined: i don't have the knowledge to let it sound the right way and the heads are to be replaced too.
- the Gibraltar hardware and Sabian B8 (Not the pro series:p!) Hi-hat, ride and medium crash were included. (they sound a lot better then the usual paistes that are included in other kits but i'm not really pleased either.

First of all, thanks alot.

In regards to your Gretsch, I think the best thing you can do is first of all get some new heads. If you listen to most of the stoner stuff from the nineties, the drums very 'flat' sounding. To get a similar sound you'd be better off going for Remo Pinstripes or Evans Hydraulics. However, if you want something that's slightly more resonant, you could go for Evans G2's - which i think are more versatile when it comes to different genres. Also, depending on how much money you want to spend on heads, you can either buy just the batter side or reso side too. In which case you would need to buy Clear Evans G1's or Clear Ambassadors (basically, any single ply) for them.

As for the bassdrum, I would suggest the Evan's Emad or possibly Aquarian Superkick II (SKII) for the batter - I've not played the aquarian but I've heard great things. I know that with the evans, you've got much more versatility, and very little need for extra muffling with the removable muffle ring that's attached to the head.

As for your snare, you'll need new heads for that too, probably or at least just a new batter head - there are several options here, i would personally go with a single ply head, like a Remo coated ambassador or Evans Coated G1.
I know it looks like a long read but check out http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/ and look at the different tunings and the steps you should take. Here's a direct link to the snare tuning page - http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id4.html

(oh, and i know it sounds like im preaching Remo and Evans, but it's only because i have little experience of other brands. Although, i am looking to re-skin my gretsch with Aquarians)

Personally - i'd keep your current kit. You can make the crappiest of drums sound alright if not brilliant with good tuning and good heads. What I think you should spend your money on is better cymbals - buying top of the line cymbals early on, if you're serious about drumming, it's a good idea, because they'll last you forever. You might also want to look at buying new hardware - while it seems expensive, good hardware will last you a lifetime. Trust me, i wish i had just bought good stuff in the beginning so i wouldnt have to shell out 30 quid each year for a stand that just died on me.
Anyway, good luck with upgrades!

[Johnny from the block]

thanks A Lot for the info man! I certainly going to check the links you posted there.
Would it be enough if i just replaced the batter heads of the toms too? Or would that be as well as not replacing anything?
By the way, you don't have to answer all these questions if you don't want to.:p
But about the cymbals - I know i might better check out the page that is made for this but even if the answers to my questions are on it, by the time i found them... anyway i might as well post them here - about the cymbals: i'm looking for a cymbal that can be used as a crash and a ride at the same time (depending on the way you hit it). If this is a good choice considering the music I play, could you gimme some advice?
And I always wanted to have a little splash too. It sounds sweet to give accents, doesn't it. Any other advice is welcome as well, now i'm still going spent a few minutes looking for answers in the other section;)

[TopCat]

thanks A Lot for the info man! I certainly going to check the links you posted there.
Would it be enough if i just replaced the batter heads of the toms too? Or would that be as well as not replacing anything?
By the way, you don't have to answer all these questions if you don't want to.:p
But about the cymbals - I know i might better check out the page that is made for this but even if the answers to my questions are on it, by the time i found them... anyway i might as well post them here - about the cymbals: i'm looking for a cymbal that can be used as a crash and a ride at the same time (depending on the way you hit it). If this is a good choice considering the music I play, could you gimme some advice?
And I always wanted to have a little splash too. It sounds sweet to give accents, doesn't it. Any other advice is welcome as well, now i'm still going spent a few minutes looking for answers in the other section;)
Crash/ride cymbals dude - every brand makes em.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/home/navigation?q=crash+ride
http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/products.php?c=Cymbals&t=Crash+Ride+Cymbals

Yeah, just the batter heads would be alright for now - make sure you check out the 'sticks and heads' subforum and ofcourse the Cymbals subforum. All your answers can be found there and here - http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/ - Glad to be of help, although i'm sure some other members would disagree with me on some of what i've said.

[Johnny from the block]

yeah i knew that :p but i was wondering if you could give me some advice concerning that too. I'm probably pushing it, so I will just check out the cymbals-subforum again. It's just that not too many of the dudes giving advice, love - or have excperience with - the stonersound and in the mean while realise that were not all working and earning big money:p...
never mind if you don't wanna, thx for the stuff u already told me!

Greetz from behind the weeds,
Johnny from the Block

[TopCat]

yeah i knew that :p but i was wondering if you could give me some advice concerning that too. I'm probably pushing it, so I will just check out the cymbals-subforum again. It's just that not too many of the dudes giving advice, love - or have excperience with - the stonersound and in the mean while realise that were not all working and earning big money:p...
never mind if you don't wanna, thx for the stuff u already told me!

Greetz from behind the weeds,
Johnny from the Block
Ohhh sorry, yeah, well, i find some rides that are crashable are generally better than crash rides. I saw QOTSA a few weeks ago, and Joey C was using a 22 or 24" Paiste 2oo2 ride. That sounded awesome. But tbh, i use a Sabian 20" AAX stage ride, which has an insane amount of wash, but is quite controllable, so it does the the job fine - my only complaint would be the bell, doesnt cut enough for me. the AAX is not that expensive either. But instead of clogging up this thread, just PM me dude.

[Danny-T]

jow johnny from the block I think your ride you are using now is ausume now you only need to buy some amplifiers for your bass drum and your sound will be perfect :p and if you are buying some new gear i would take the gretch with 28" bassdrum here or his sound is really ausome than the only thing you need is some amplifiers for your tombs and flor and you are ready to blow the croud away with your fantastic drum skills peace and keep practicing :p

[Johnny from the block]

Thx;) It's a 26" actually, and as I told you in the other topic, I'm probably going for the 24" kick.
Indead the ride is a bit loud for the muffled bassdrum, but with some good PA that can be fixed.

But to stay on topic: If you want to tell me something like that, just pm, or post it in a thread I started, I don't mind... But perhaps topcat will find little relation with his tunguska event in your post^^

anyway thx

[Mapex589]

Hey TopCat that recording sounds great man!! Really enjoyed your playing on the tunes as well. I wish you and the band a very successful 2007!!

[jazzsnob]

I'm just pissed off now because I just finished doing some drum tracks, and I have a ride that's similar to the one you're using, but I didn't use it because I thought I needed something a bit pingier than usual and now I'm kicking myself. Excellent playing man. I'm hope no one takes offense to this, but it is beautiful to hear someone playing something original, deliberate and rockin' as opposed to a bunch of dave weckl playalongs and wannabe thomas lang stuff.


This is some SERIOUSLY MUSICAL DRUMMING. Great work brother.

[Almuric]

So... You had an audition, one practice session, then BAM... Right into a studio and laid down this stuff?!! #%&*ing INCREDIBLE!!! Band sounds great! Cool music. And YOU sound like you've been with them for years. Frickin-A!

[TopCat]

Hey TopCat that recording sounds great man!! Really enjoyed your playing on the tunes as well. I wish you and the band a very successful 2007!! I'm glad you think so, really appreciate it.

I'm just pissed off now because I just finished doing some drum tracks, and I have a ride that's similar to the one you're using, but I didn't use it because I thought I needed something a bit pingier than usual and now I'm kicking myself. Excellent playing man. I'm hope no one takes offense to this, but it is beautiful to hear someone playing something original, deliberate and rockin' as opposed to a bunch of dave weckl playalongs and wannabe thomas lang stuff.


This is some SERIOUSLY MUSICAL DRUMMING. Great work brother.Wow, How can I thank you enough? I'm glad you enjoy that we're (trying) to do something different, we're not trying to change anything, but to quote Brent hinds 'Its just our tiny drop of water in the bucket for music'. Ya know? Thanks for the kind words bout my playing..this is my first 'proper' band as it were and studio experience, so i really appreciate your comments.

So... You had an audition, one practice session, then BAM... Right into a studio and laid down this stuff?!! #%&*ing INCREDIBLE!!! Band sounds great! Cool music. And YOU sound like you've been with them for years. Frickin-A!I have a confession, this thread only refers to the tracks Dry Tongue, So What is New and lose (which no longer exists :) ). Those were the tracks recorded when I was literally thrown into the studio after meeting the guys once. Bees, Aphonia, Teaching of the Taut were recorded after about 6 months in the band and we put out a second ep '..and you call that a relapse' (See here http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19834)
The drumming is considerably different, there's definately an air of confidence about the second recordings, which there was a lack of on the original i think.

It's great you like the sound and thanks for saying such nice things. Great rogers btw ;)

[indiadrummer]

HEY!!!! holy hell
I have heard of you guys!! i dont know where but someone was telling me about you!!! I dont know why.....Anyway..
Even though I dont like rock much that was a good song. Seems like a good jam song :)

[TopCat]

HEY!!!! holy hell
I have heard of you guys!! i dont know where but someone was telling me about you!!! I dont know why.....Anyway..
Even though I dont like rock much that was a good song. Seems like a good jam song :)
Really? hah! brilliant. Glad you like the stuff, even though you're not much of a rock fan.