What got you started playing drums?

Music- Less Than Jake, Circa Survive, Emery, The Early November, Finch
Drummer- I don't really look at drummers so much but the band they play in and how they fit in.
Style- Punk, Pop-Punk, Jazz, Rock, Alt Rock
Inspirations- My Family and Friends
 
I had taken both guitar and piano lessons when I was younger, and got bored quickly.
When I was 11 or so, we had to chose instruments for band class at school. I picked the trumpet (I have no idea why) and slaved away playing that for three years.
I like rock music, especially anything involving Dave Grohl, so it was really frustrating to me that I couldn't play any songs that I like. So I quit trumpet, and started taking drum lessons.
 
I started playing an old firewood cook stove, in a small North Ontario village when I was 10...A lot of neat sounds came off it.
 
Started a band with my guitar teacher, but after 3 drummers quit the band I figured "how hard can it be? I can count till 4!" and switched to drums myself. I managed pretty well, so I quit guitar lessons and started taking drumming lessons.
 
Music: Hard rock
Drummer: Dave Grohl
Person: My brother; he's grade 8 in the U.K
Style: Usually hard rock, but when I do improv it can become a load of different things
Inspirations: Wanting to be more awesome than other drummers
 
Music: Christian Contemporary and Alternative Rock
Drummer: Buddy Rich
Person: My Youth Pastor.
Style: Usually Christian Contemporary, but sometimes I'll put my iPhone on shuffle, so I'll play whatever comes on.
Inspirations: That moment when you have those Viv Firth 7A's in your hand, That moment when you put your headphones in, That moment when the world is listening to you, Yeah, That's where my inspiration comes from.

I'm mediocre, I've been playing for around a year. I have a Pearl Export, I have a 22" Sabian Ride, two 16" Sabian Crashes, and 14" Hi-Hats.
 
Always had sticks around. Before that it was wooden spoons.

Grade school - mom took me to a house party her boyfriend was throwing. There was a cover band there, "Tundra". This had to be 1970 or so. I was 9 or 10. The drummer saw me standing, watching him play a black oyster 4pc Ludwig (sound familiar?).... he had the hang ten bare feet stenciled to the top of the white coated floor tom head. On their break, he called me over and let me sit behind the kit. Everyone marveled at the cute kid with the long hair who could play the drums. I just mimicked what he did. The band came back, I sat in for half of their return tune.

Jr High School - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting... knocked me out. Learned that tune on the pillows, then on boxes, then on buckets.

High School. The first time I head Bad Company's "Can't get enough of your love" - the drums just moved me in that tune, and I went out and put a deposit on a used Tama 5pc Imperial Star. Paid on it for months and months. Took it home 10 months after graduation - April 29, 1979 (still have the receipts). Johnny Thompson Music in Monterey Park, CA.

Have played every week, and mostly every day since.


-K
 
Why Drums? Barry Brandt (Angel) & Peter Criss(KISS).

While I was in the 5th grade KISS ALIVE II came out and I used to set up suitcases and beat on those like a drum kit. I could get a decent Bass and tom sound but no snare.

I was 23 before I had my first set of drums. They were a Pearl Export Pro 6 piece kit. I worked as a Law enforcement officer during that time. It wasn't long before i sold them. About 10 years later I had the opportunity to jam with some neighbors. They had a drum set but no drummer. I volunteered to help out until they found someone, but I ended up being a good fit I guess. We gigged out every weekend for 11 months straight. In that 11 months all of my gig money went into equipment. Now I play in a Classic rock cover band that is actually pretty awesome.
 
What got me into drum world? Having a drumkit in my house, without anyone playing.
The drumkit once belongs to a cousin, but he left Portugal and so, abandoning a old and beaten up drumkit.

I love music, so I bought a pair of drum stiks and beggining to try.

Music-Beatles, Kinks, White Stripes, Mojo Nixon, Rolling Stones, BRMC,Velvet Undergound
Drummer-Ringo, Meg White, Moe Tucker, Ringo, Mike Avory...
Person- Ringo and Meg White
Style- Rock n roll, Country, Folk, Cowpunk (yeah!!!)
Inspirations- Beatles (not only their music, but even the history behind the band).
 
Got to thinking about this question last night... The strong interest was in the 70's hearing ELP. The real turning point in my life was when I saw Genesis live in concert in 1983. The musicality of Chester Thompson & Phil Collins cemented it in my mind for good.
 
I'd have to say my initial realization took place in my 1st or 2nd grade era when I would listen to Classic Rock in the car with my pops
 
Bonzo and Grohl, obviously picked up other inspiration along the way. But those two made drumming what is it for me. About being at the front of the stage while sitting at the back.
 
Believe it or not, a video game. I started playing Rock Band when I was 9 years old after our family bought it as a birthday present for my brother, and five years later, here I am playing drums for real! Starting at an early age really helped me develop my chops and technique. Drumming on my legs in classes I didnt really like helped as well haha.
 
I got sick of being a dime a dozen guitarist who has to compete with all these other guitarist trying out for bands. Being a drummer really narrows the field!
 
When I was about 2 weeks old and started to crie my father took me and listened to old DEEP PURPLE vinyls with me. Then I stopped crying and listened to the songs...
He's a big PURPLE fan... After a few years he told me some stories about DEEP PURPLE and what he've seen on their concerts and so on. He always told me about the drummer, Ian Paice. When I was 11 years old I went to my daddy and said "Hey, dad. I wanna do this, too! I want to be a drummer!" and then I started to play in a music school. And the story still rolls on ;)
 
When my dad bought his first set since 93', he let me play it, and I did not want to get off I was six at the time. I got my first set at seven, and I have played just about everyday since!
 
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