After years of heavy playing, older drummers feel toll on health

The drum set hasn't been around all that long. And amplified music that requires the drummer to hit loud backbeats for a few hours at a time is even newer. The oldest arena rock stars are now in their 70s. There was no high-volume rock & roll before that. So we're just now learning what kinds of technical concerns drummers need to address to maintain longevity playing like that.

It's been sobering - but understandable - to see my favourite player, Neil Peart, 'retire' from the game.

For anyone who saw him performing at his peak in the 1980s, when he was in his late 20s-early 30s, he was a hard-hitting, non-stop, whirlwind of a player.

Now he's in his mid-60s, that kind of all-action physical performance for three hours night after night would be simply impossible - for him or anyone.

For myself as a humble bar band drummer who's passed the 50 mark, I can 'feel' it when I've done a hard-hitting gig - even though I've got hopefully decent technique. Sore hands, especially, these days. Then there's all the gear "humping" on top.

Today my band plays from time to time. 20-25 years ago when I would play at least three nights a week, I never "felt" a thing.

I never wanted to work that hard where I'm at capacity. I like the whole headroom concept. I go for overall creamy smoothness over the drummy stuff, so I feel I could go on like I am until the very end. Drumming is slowly getting more effortless the longer I do it. Except for solos, they are the bane of my existence lol.

I wouldn't want to be Lars, having to do all those drum parts that were a helluva lot easier when he was young, and had all that youthful energy. Also when all the success was new, you tend to want to perpetuate that, drumming to failure lol.

larryace said:

I never wanted to work that hard where I'm at capacity. I like the whole headroom concept. I go for overall creamy smoothness over the drummy stuff, so I feel I could go on like I am until the very end. Drumming is slowly getting more effortless the longer I do it. Except for solos, they are the bane of my existence lol.

I wouldn't want to be Lars, having to do all those drum parts that were a helluva lot easier when he was young, and had all that youthful energy. Also when all the success was new, you tend to want to perpetuate that, drumming to failure lol.

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That's how I feel about it. As the Buddhists say, "The law of least effort"....more good things happen that way. Drumming should not only look effortless when it's being properly executed, it should BE almost effortless. Because as Human Beings, we're always trying to "force the issue"...one winds up getting in one's own way!

"Ever since we lost our innocence, we've been desperately trying to get it back" LOL!

I wonder how Tommy Aldridge is doing at the age of 66?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_F6UeuL9yw

The key word here is Heavy.

I would not be surprised for any sledge hammer drummers to feel the toll later in life.

However, for the players who approach it as a musical instrument, there can be zero toll after a lifetime of play. Nothing but positive benefits.

Frank said:

The key word here is Heavy.

I would not be surprised for any sledge hammer drummers to feel the toll later in life.

However, for the players who approach it as a musical instrument, there can be zero toll after a lifetime of play. Nothing but positive benefits.

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I agree, but the two guys specifically mentioned in the article, Phil Collins and Neil Peart, while somewhat heavy hitters were hardly bashers.

It's probably a good idea for ALL of us to think carefully and look closely at our own technique and ergonomics to make sure we aren't heading down a similar road. It's an easy trap to assume WE aren't hitting too hard and aren't doing any damage just because we don't have any acute symptoms right now.

Wow - I no longer feel alone now after reading Weckl's predicament. I suffer from the exact same thing, but I don't think it was caused by having my ride cymbal up high. The numb hands started to happen to me almost 20 years ago and I'd just deal with it. Now, my chiropractor is really working with me, as well as an acupuncturist, to help free-up these pinched nerves in my neck area, and it's really been helping. It's surprising what simple neck stretches and head rolling can do when you haven't really done them before.

I do recall an interview Peter Erskine gave when he complained about the posture issues of having cymbals high up and just about vertical (remember he played that way when he was the Jaco Pastorius big band), and he immediately went back to having things at a comfortable level. Nudge Chancellor still plays this way so it would be interesting to see if he suffers from the same thing.

iwearnohats said:

I wonder how Tommy Aldridge is doing at the age of 66?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_F6UeuL9yw

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He's barely aged in 30 years.

Frank said:

The key word here is Heavy.

I would not be surprised for any sledge hammer drummers to feel the toll later in life.

However, for the players who approach it as a musical instrument, there can be zero toll after a lifetime of play. Nothing but positive benefits.

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So you think Weckl is a sledge hammer drummer?

The article doesn't really go into why Lars at 52, is comparing himself with guys 20+ years older though. I don't know anyone, drummer or otherwise, with the same spring in his step that he had at 20.....and I sure as hell doubt there are many that are as physically sprightly at 70 as they were 20 odd years prior either.

But perhaps more telling, is why it doesn't even mention his two closest contemporaries. Both Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante started around the same time as Lars. Both have spent decades playing similar styles of music. And neither seem to have any issues getting through their set lists due to the ache in their bones.

I'm sure they all feel a shade more weary than they did years ago. That's a given. But by the same measure, I don't see the breakdown of ability to be attributed to anything more than age. And you don't have to be a drummer to feel the effects of that. We all eventually succumb it.....with or without sticks in our hands.

Drumming is a git for your back. If you don't sit right and play heavy, you will have issues.

On a recommendation from Mr Tomas Haake, I bought one of these - https://www.amazon.com/The-Pressure-Positive-Company-B2/dp/B0010B8CGM

and I haven't had any issues since.

I still have problems in my coccyx due to other muscoskeletal problems, but my back seems to be OK at the moment, or at least manageable.

I also find that using big fat clubs (2B) helps to minimise the impact on your body as well

I think a lot of this has to do with the evolution of rock drumming.

The pioneers had no techniques to learn, all self taught and learnt everything as they went along. No internet no youtube. Plus p.a's were not as powerful so to be loud you had to hit hard.

There was also a social side to it as well, and we're all invincible at 18.

Only as they got older did they think about technique the main examples being Neil Peart/Alex Van Halen. Their playing improved vastly as a result.

Charlie Watts is a Jazz man in a rock band. You have to have good technique to be a jazz player, plus he's never been a heavy hitter which would explain why he's still going strong.

Bobby Elliot from the Hollies is another guy from that era that is still going strong same as Brian Bennett both very underrated drummers. Not forgetting Mr Paice!

Now that I'm approaching 60, I feel fine while I'm playing, but I really feel it the next day. The knees and ankles give me fits and the middle knuckle on my right hand. I suppose that's arthritis setting in. I have found that I do better now with thicker sticks (2B) than I used to (5A). I tend to drop more with the thinner sticks and the thicker ones help out with the volume.

However, for the players who approach it as a musical instrument, there can be zero toll after a lifetime of play. Nothing but positive benefits.

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One of my best buds played in the Marine Corps Band for years; hardly a metal bashing gig; but he had to retire due to repetitive stress in shoulder. I think good genetics have led to some of these guy's longevity. I met a guy in Chicago a few years ago that was still playing dixieland jazz and swing into his 90s.

DrumEatDrum said:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts...drummers-feel-toll-on-health/article33175055/



Click to read the whole article.

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To be accurate, McCartneys old drummer is still actively playing, just not with him I saw Ringo live in June, he played a two hour set, on the drums for much of it, and looked/sounded great.

I'm 53, and starting to notice leg cramping a lot more lately. I know quite a few working drummers in my area that are in my age bracket (or older) and they're still playing actively, so I have hope. Fortunately the speakers these days are smaller and easier to handle than the old days of bass-bins and big stacks and such...

BruceW said:

Fortunately the speakers these days are smaller and easier to handle than the old days of bass-bins and big stacks and such...

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Yeah, we used to lug around a bunch of these things and a huge old Peavey powered mixer way back when...



Similar to this, but I think 12 channels...It was a monster!

DrumEatDrum said:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts...drummers-feel-toll-on-health/article33175055/



Click to read the whole article.

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I read that and the other article in this thread with Weckl in it.

It's funny because I saw Weckl's dvd way back and totally took his advice on positioning the drums as comfortable as possible, kinda like driving your car.

The one mistake I made for the past 7 years was having my ride too low and flat although close to me (one tom over the bass drum) and having a 16" crash over the bass drum like Peart, that I ride on a lot when playing metal/hard rock. Those two mistakes messed up my right shoulder because I was "reaching" for both. Once my chiro was able to fix my rotary and shoulder issues, I looked at a vid of me playing, saw my mistake and positioned the ride where my elbow would still be at my side while playing, same goes for aux hihat, and moved my 16" crash to the right of my ride, over the aux hat so that same rule applies - no reaching up or out. (see pic below)

Since then I have had no injuries or pain and I play every day. band rehearsals are 3 hours straight twice every week, and I'm not suffering. Well, not yet anyway I exercise regularly, low fat, high fiber diet, plenty of stretching.

I can proudly say that I break a pair of sticks at every rehearsal and I'm still doing 140-170 BPM double kick metal beats/chops at full bore (16-32th notes every day for 30 min. practice routine) and I will be 50 in 3 months. I mostly play hard rock, funk rock and some metal. I'll keep it going as long as I can.

mikel said:

...... A heavy weight on one shoulder is not good for posture. ......

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I know this was about bass-guitars, but this is why we drummers should all use backpacks rather than messengers, briefcases, or shoulder bags for daily carry. Just a slight body tilt can cause problems.

Pocket-full-of-gold said:

But perhaps more telling, is why it doesn't even mention his two closest contemporaries. Both Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante started around the same time as Lars. Both have spent decades playing similar styles of music. And neither seem to have any issues getting through their set lists due to the ache in their bones.

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Benante has been having carpal tunnel issues for the past few years. He has missed several tours. Jon Dette, Jason Bittner, have been subbing for him. However,when he is playing he sounds better than ever.

Just a word to the wise .......You'll find 60 is alot different than 50. I gig a couple times a month and thankfully not back to back. I can still pretty much play anything I want, just not as often. Time waits for no one. Some of the "fountain of youth" suggestions in here are quite amusing.

Jimi Rashidi said:

Just a word to the wise .......You'll find 60 is alot different than 50. I gig a couple times a month and thankfully not back to back. I can still pretty much play anything I want, just not as often. Time waits for no one. Some of the "fountain of youth" suggestions in here are quite amusing.

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No, there is no "fountain of youth"...but the things I do work for me, I don't know if anyone else would go that far, but I'm going to drum until I die, not sit around and "veg" like my Father did. I'm here to drum and also to enjoy the "pleasures of the flesh"....LOL! and I intend to do it to the fullest.


"Live fast, die young, and leave a good looking corpse" -(I think that quote was attributed to James Dean, but I'm not sure!)