No pressure then ;)

[keep it simple]

http://www.londondrumshow.com/index.php/news

4 weeks until press appraisal & review, & we're seriously behind time. Everything invested in this, so it's time to start really crapping myself. Dean & I are both on volume 11, & there is no volume 12. This is a tough ride, very tough.

[aydee]

Break a leg, Andy!



....

[BacteriumFendYoke]

Good luck, Andy. Incidentally if I can be of any help in any way, I'm more than happy to.

[Numberless]

You guys will do great!

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by BacteriumFendYoke

Good luck, Andy. Incidentally if I can be of any help in any way, I'm more than happy to.

A spare £25K, an anodising plant that can turn aluminium processing around in 3 days, & a roll form tap that can high speed plunge 30mm M5 into T6 would be a great help Duncan, lol :):):)

Seriously, thanks for the support guys. I'm just putting it out there that our backs are seriously against the wall. The drums are sounding absolutely fabulous, but as always, it's the small challenges that stack up. We're meant to be putting 3 full kits in for review, but we'll be lucky to achieve 1 :( It'll all be good by showtime, it has to be!

[PQleyR]

Originally Posted by BacteriumFendYoke

Good luck, Andy. Incidentally if I can be of any help in any way, I'm more than happy to.

Ditto! Hopefully I can make this one, last year was fun!

[BacteriumFendYoke]

Sure! I'll get in touch with my investment banker friend that owns a metalworking plant...

Last year was a lot of fun. I hope that everything gets sorted your end quickly and simply. You'll pull it around, I have no doubt of that.

[keep it simple]

Ben, Dunc', would be great to see you again at the show. We've built a completely new stand (USA = booth) for this, & arranged Michelle Drees to perform at the launch, + filming, + press, +++ Again, no pressure eh!

[Mad About Drums]

I have the utmost faith in you and the new Guru line Andy... break a leg!

From my side, I'm super excited to met you all guys :))

[NC68]

"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" - Seneca

Yes, a "motivational poster" quote but true nonetheless. Sounds like this is a significant shot at taking it to the next level. You didn't get to this point not knowing what you are doing. Remember who you are and how you got to this point and then go out there and kill it.

[dmacc]

Awesome.... You'll do amazingly well...

Looking forward to the magazine followup as well. There's a local store that sells that mag here. It'll be the first time I've picked up a drum magazine in years.

[thunderstruck]

I'm confident you, and your great products, you will do amazing and overcome any stumbling block.

[MaryO]

You'll be great! And remember...have some fun while you're at it. :)

[DrumEatDrum]

Good luck.

*cue Billy Joel music*

*runs*

[keep it simple]

Again guys, thanks for the encouragement & words of advice. It helps a lot, especially as I got quite a slap in the face last night (not drum/drumming related). It seems like my mountain just got bigger, but my legs a whole lot shorter.

[Nodiggie]

Best of luck to you Andy, givem' hell!

[8Mile]

Andy, you'll work it all out. You'll be going crazy up until the time arrives, but you'll get 'er done.

Originally Posted by keep it simple

I got quite a slap in the face last night (not drum/drumming related).

Ah, yes. Been there myself. Remember, you don't need permission to compliment them, but you need permission to touch them!

[HMNY]

Good luck Sir, am looking forward to learning more about these drums and the construction.

Have you sorted the US distribution yet?

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by HMNY

Have you sorted the US distribution yet?

Thanks guys, I appreciate the support.

Straight answer = no. I'm going to wait & see what comes out of the woodwork, so to speak :) I think distribution might be the wrong route for us. Instead, I'd prefer to deal directly with specialist professional dealers who have an environment & attitude we can live with. I'm concerned about over generous margins inflating our prices too, so that's another area of concentration for us.

Originally Posted by 8Mile

Ah, yes. Been there myself. Remember, you don't need permission to compliment them, but you need permission to touch them!

Hahaha, if only that was the reason. The slap in the face I referred to wasn't a physical one. Super rare for me, but I'm actually in the shittiest mood possible today :(

[HMNY]

"Super rare for me, but I'm actually in the shittiest mood possible today :( "

How about a couple of dreadful jokes to take your mind off things?:

Whats brown and sticky?







A stick







What's orange and sounds like a parrot?




A carrot






I'll get my coat.........

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by HMNY

"Super rare for me, but I'm actually in the shittiest mood possible today :( "

How about a couple of dreadful jokes to take your mind off things?:

Whats brown and sticky?







A stick







What's orange and sounds like a parrot?




A carrot






I'll get my coat.........

Yuk yuk yuk, chortle (Duncan will get the Beano reference)

[BacteriumFendYoke]

Originally Posted by keep it simple

Yuk yuk yuk, chortle (Duncan will get the Beano reference)

I get the Beano reference alright!

Andy, I know the feeling about bad moods. Can't say that I understand or know what you're going through with it but you have my support, if indeed you want or need it!

[bigiainw]

You'll get there Andy. Pressure is just what makes you work harder and longer and if your other products are anything to go by, this one will be a surefire winner. And when it's all over, all the shit will have been worthwhile!

I'm rooting for you!

And to cheer you up...

FROM ROLLS-ROYCE STAFF MAGAZINE

Sometimes it DOES take a Rocket Scientist!! (true story)..

Scientists at Rolls Royce built a gun specifically to launch dead chickens at the windshields of airliners and military jets all travelling at maximum velocity.

The idea is to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields.

American engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the Windshields of their new high speed trains.

Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the American engineers.

When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer's back-rest in two and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin like an arrow shot from a bow..

The horrified Yanks sent Rolls Royce the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the British scientists for suggestions.

Rolls Royce responded with a one-line memo:

"Defrost the chicken."

[harryconway]

Andy, I'm sure you have the work ethic to pull this off. Full speed ahead.

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by harryconway

Andy, I'm sure you have the work ethic to pull this off. Full speed ahead.

Thanks Ian & Harry (great joke Ian, lol).

As for pulling it off Harry, I may have the ethic, but durability might be an issue, especially after this last weekend's gigs. Check out the picture I just added to my Comfortably Numb playing thread. I look like a man dug up! :(

[keep it simple]

Well, just as it couldn't get any worse, we've been let down by couriers who've completely screwed up our plans for the week. Things where already crazy tight, now we're into impossible territory & counting. Isn't it always the case that when you can least afford for things to go wrong, they always do, & you find years of work in the hands of some pillock who can't get a simple despatch right. Wonderful :(

[tamadrm]

These are three quotes from one of my heros and a great American President,Teddy Roosevelt.The man was known to settle diplomatic differences(with mutual concent of course) with boxing gloves,in a ring in the basement of the Whitehouse,rather than young soldiers from both sides to be killed..His "can do" attitude has always been an inspration to me.I hope it helps you and Dean.

"Believe you can,and your half way there"

"The big jobs go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow the small ones"

"Far better is to dare mighty triumps,to win glorious triumps,even those checkered by failure than to rank with those poor souls who neither enjoy nor suffer much,because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat"

I think that about says it all,give em' hell.Best of luck,cheers.:)

Steve B

[longgun]

Originally Posted by keep it simple

Well, just as it couldn't get any worse, we've been let down by couriers who've completely screwed up our plans for the week. Things where already crazy tight, now we're into impossible territory & counting. Isn't it always the case that when you can least afford for things to go wrong, they always do, & you find years of work in the hands of some pillock who can't get a simple despatch right. Wonderful :(

...Murphy's Law sucks....not sure if that's how they say it in England.......As my Grandpa used to say, nothing good ever comes easy.

I dont know you KIS, but from what I've seen, you have some beautiful, unique and great sounding drums....I'm sure you'll reap the benefits of your hard work.

Good Luck

[keep it simple]

Thank you both for your kind words & encouragement :)

Nice quotes Steve, & yes, fortune favours the brave. It would have been so easy to come out with a range of funky sizes & finishes, a few hardware upgrades, some unique looking lugs, then wrap the whole deal up in marketing statements designed to big up pseudo advantages. That's easy, that's safe, that's pretty much the norm. But no, instead we chose to redefine the very basic construction principals of a drum from the ground up, & prove it every step of the way. I guess we're now feeling the pain of that decision. Nothing worthwhile comes easy eh!

[bigiainw]

... And when you start hearing that Drummer X, that you really rate, although he endorses Tam-emier-wig is using one of your Origin kits in the studio, it'll all seem a million miles away... ;0)

[Davo-London]

I'll be at the London Drum show so can i have a personal session on the new drums?

Davo ; )

[BacteriumFendYoke]

Andy, my car is at your disposal if you need help logistically! It's not quite the size of your car and the trailer but if there's anything that I can do, I'd be happy to get you out of the rut.

[Midnite Zephyr]

Originally Posted by keep it simple

Well, just as it couldn't get any worse, we've been let down by couriers who've completely screwed up our plans for the week. Things where already crazy tight, now we're into impossible territory & counting. Isn't it always the case that when you can least afford for things to go wrong, they always do, & you find years of work in the hands of some pillock who can't get a simple despatch right. Wonderful :(

Damn the torpedoes! Git 'er dun.

I know where I'm going if I ever make it to the UK. The Guru shop. Always an interesting post when you give us a glimpse of the ins and outs over there. Good luck!

[mikeyhanson]

Hope you get everything you need to be ready for the expo. Deadlines are maddening sometimes!

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by bigiainw

... And when you start hearing that Drummer X, that you really rate, although he endorses Tam-emier-wig is using one of your Origin kits in the studio, it'll all seem a million miles away... ;0)

Yes Ian, the difficulties fade into memory when the good stuff starts to happen, let's just hope it does :) So much invested in this. Not just money, & not even time, but heart & soul, so I get pretty wound up when stuff goes wrong for the most stupid of reasons :(

Originally Posted by mikeyhanson

Hope you get everything you need to be ready for the expo. Deadlines are maddening sometimes!

Deadlines, I don't have an issue with. It's promised of a certain service then being let down that irks :( We'll make the show, that's not an issue, it's the drum press reviews that are at risk, & they're a fundamental part of us getting the word out there, especially as we have almost zero advertising budget. All that said, reviewers may hate what we've created, & that really would screw me into knots. You never know, our new stuff may just be the opposite of what the reviewer likes personally. That's always a big risk.

Originally Posted by Midnite Zephyr

Damn the torpedoes! Git 'er dun.

I know where I'm going if I ever make it to the UK. The Guru shop. Always an interesting post when you give us a glimpse of the ins and outs over there. Good luck!

Glad to offer a peek into what we do. It's not always glitz & glamour :)

Originally Posted by BacteriumFendYoke

Andy, my car is at your disposal if you need help logistically! It's not quite the size of your car and the trailer but if there's anything that I can do, I'd be happy to get you out of the rut.

Thanks Duncan. Logistics we're fine for, but I'm most grateful for your offer & thoughtfulness :)

Originally Posted by Davo-London

I'll be at the London Drum show so can i have a personal session on the new drums?

Davo ; )

Love to Dave. As you know, trying anything in the time allotted for playing isn't exactly an ideal appraisal environment. Maybe you can hang back for a few minutes at the end of one day, then we can pinch a private session whilst being chased by security :)