Todd Sucherman here!

Todd, just wanted to say thanks for signing my DVD and throwing me a stick in AC at the borgata! It was a good show. Did you have any idea that Samantha Brown from travel channel was going to be there? Haha That was great! You seem like you're enjoying the tour. I noticed how you've been really throwing some really cool twists into the older songs you guys play every night. Its great how you play these songs almost every night and i can tell that you don't really get bored because you're constantly keeping things fresh with some different fills and odd time thrown in. I'm going to try to get you a clinic out here at a sam ash near me outside of philly. Jason Bitner was just here, Carl Palmer and Danny Carey were here recently too. How would i go about contacting your management about that kind of thing? You guys look pretty booked up all year, but it would be great if you could fit in a clinic out here in philly.

Joe from Philly
 
Hey "Philly Joe",

Thanks, man. I'm glad you enjoyed the show in AC. Yeah, we knew Samantha would be there and had a beverage with her before we went on for the last bit of he evening. Anyway, the clinic thing works best when the shop/dealer contacts either (in my case) Pearl or Sabian. They in turn contact me and we work out the date and details. If the shop is into it, well, it usually works out just fine. Haven't been to Philly for a clinic so I would be in to that indeed.

Thanks again for the kind words and hope to see you again soon--

Cheers from somewhere in NY,
Todd
 
Hey Todd,

My name's Jamie, don't know if you'll remember me... I spoke to you on myspace a couple of years back. I was at the last gig you did in Glasgow with Deep Purple. I was one of the guys bowing to you haha and you came and gave me and my mate a stick :D

Anyways, how you doing? Got any plans for coming back to the uk any time soon?

Managed to get myself in a picture with Lawrence and Ricky haha! You can see the stick you gave me too :D
STYX2.jpg
 
Hi Todd !!

Could you explain a bit the fill you do in Tears of Joy, when the music stops and you blaze with a fill finishing on the R and L foot.. and singles strokes I think...

I have tried to get it going but I find it very hard...

Cheers Danny..
 
Looking forward to your show tonight at DTE, Styx has become a better band since you joined it's tragic what happen to the original drummer but you are a blessing for sure.

Break a leg,
Bonzolead
 
Hey Jamie--

I remember you! Sadly no plans to head to the UK. I'm hoping maybe next year. Hope all's well with you, man.


Danny---

If you are talking about the "Methods and Mechanics" dvd version, I think the lick in question is a 10 note figure. 8 with the hands, 2 in the feet but ends with 3 in the feet with crash at the end of the figure. The lick is over 2 bars of 13 with the snare accents like a 7 over 26....I guess! Hope that helps.

Bonzo--

Hope you enjoy the show tonight!

Cheers from Detroit,
Todd
 
Yes Todd!! your guess is correct,
thank you so much for your reply (It´s all clear now) ...
good luck on the show...

Cheers
Danny Penalver
 
Hey Jamie--

I remember you! Sadly no plans to head to the UK. I'm hoping maybe next year. Hope all's well with you, man.

Ok hopefully I can catch you again at some point then :D everything's going pretty well at the moment, just in the last 2 weeks of my drum degree! Just gotta finish writing up my dissertation then I'll be done completely!

Hope everything is going great with you and the band!!!

Jamie
 
Hey Todd,
Great job with the Modern Drummer Festival. I just got the dvd set. That stinks about the dropped stick/knocked over computer! When the stick dropped and then you picked up the hot rod I was like "Oh man! I know that feeling!" Your performance was awesome regardless. The dropping of the stick just showed your ability to get out of a tight spot. Plus you seemed to actually interact more with the audience before and after songs, which I thought was pretty cool. Did the computer work after that?
-Stan
 
Hey Todd

How are you?
I'll make it quick: Here' s my situation. I've exclusivly been practicing on my x-pad and foot-pedal contraption I built myself. I live in a dorm of sorts and there has never been a place to go for my drumset. So all I've been doing the past four years is RRLL, RLRL, then Methods and Mechanics came along ...you know the drill.
Now I get the feeling I lose touch with my drumset and I start lacking ideas around the kit, you know. I was wondering if I should consider spending some money on my actual drumset..for better shells (e.g.) and thus inspiration ...or should I think about getting an e-drum set so that I would be able to actually "play" more often. I don't know.

Maybe you can help me out here, Todd.

Cheers
Andreas from Bavaria





P.S. Good luck in Paso Robles
 
Danny---

Glad you worked it out.

Jamie---

Congrats on the degree!

Stan--

Thanks for the kind words on the MD dvd. It really was a great time, a great experience, and none of us are exempt to strange things happening during a performance. What can you do? The show must go on. Thanks for the compliment on the interaction. I wanted to have some "clinic" elements rather than just non stop playing, or a "performance" as it were. And yes, the computer works perfectly as I write now on the same one. Macs rule. No question!

Andreas---

That's a hard question. While it's great to have quality instruments to inspire, it might be more important to have a place you can actually play a real kit no matter the quality. You can still develop your touch on a mid level kit. Good cymbals are important--especially the ride cymbal. Bottom line is to play whatever you can whenever you can! It's up to your time and your budget. Again, it's a hard predicament and I wish you luck!

Cheers-
Todd
 
I was watching your video today and really enjoyed the part where you talk about the high hat, Ringo and Vinnie, and how they use certain motions to create a nice sound in the high hat. It was great that you really made a point for how Ringo's technique created a subtle and distinct sound and feel. Ringo is often quoted as saying he had the moves, the head swinging and what not. But you really showed how some of those moves were not innocuous and created some classic rock and roll feels. Great stuff ! !
 
Delta--

Thanks, man. I'm glad you dug that "more subtle" part of the dvd. Paying attention to volume, strokes and overall movement on that hats really does have an effect on the feel. I appreciate your feedback!

By the way--for anyone interested---I played with Spinal Tap on the Jimmy Fallon Show tonight. It's on Youtube already:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY8HZy-fUYg

Playing with the Tap on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart tomorrow (7/28).

Cheers from NYC-
Todd
 
Great performance last night on the Jimmy Fallon show! I had seen Spinal Tap on Conan a few weeks earlier with Greg Bissonette on drums (also very good), so it was a pleasant surprise when they started last night and you were back there. Awesome drumming.

Todd,

I don't think we have spoke before but I had wanted to comment
on something. I have not viewed your dvd but have seen clips and
I will say that I am impressed with the production and engineering.

That DVD may be the best looking drum DVD I have. My favorite shots are where he is playing his jazz kit outside. I don't know where that was, but it looks like a beautiful place to live.
 
That DVD may be the best looking drum DVD I have. My favorite shots are where he is playing his jazz kit outside. I don't know where that was, but it looks like a beautiful place to live.[/QUOTE]

I would not doubt that one bit, really looks
and sounds great.
 
Hey Todd,
Awesome job with Spinal Tap! I didn't even know you were with them. It would be pretty sweet to jam out on Big Bottom with them! haha

-Stan
 
Todd--Nice job on the Colbert Report, too. I did a double-take when I noticed that was you behind the kit. You were much better than "Stumpy" Pepys!
 
Hi Matt,

Thanks for the kind words on the Tap/Fallon show. I had just an amazing time with these brilliant genius gentlemen. Wonderful guys---and they can really play! I just laughed so much everyday, it was such a pleasure. Thanks again for tuning in and for the kind words.

Leadfoot---

I don't think it was in the budget to have me killed. Thankfully.......

Chongzilla---

Never got to play Big Bottoms with those guys! Only Stonehenge, Back from The Dead, Sex Farm and Gimmie Some Money. Great stuff though. Thanks, dude.

Shoedaddy--

Stumpy's shoes are hard to fill..........

Thanks for the kind words, guys. They do mean a lot and they are truly appreciated!

Cheers from Newark airport during a massive lightening/rain delay,
Todd
 
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I didn't know that you played with Spinal Tap until I saw the episode of The Daily Show when they played (at first all I saw was the Pearl set and the hands and I thought it was you). That is pretty damn cool.

Did you get to talk with Jon Stewart much?
 
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