Anyone know what kind of gear/model late drummer Derrick Plourde used on his kit?

[TxGroove]

I should mention for this bit that Slug is an entirely separate brand from DW. You can buy their gear here

May you link that particular DW beater with the flat/slug head or a photo? I have 2 Slugs from them, the white JazzPro model, very punchy.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

I have 2 Slugs from them, the white JazzPro model, very punchy.

I have two black Slugs, both with the half ounce weight collar. From what my friend recalls, Derrick used the green one like this.

 

[TxGroove]

From what my friend recalls, Derrick used the green one

I read the Black is for heavier situations which would make sense if you play louder music... can you go fast with it? The White beater is more light so you can feather the beater but also, play fast and get a good punch from the head. It's my favorite pedal beater.
Thanks for the photo. Do you know how long this Slug company's been around and if this is the same beater he used?

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

I read the Black is for heavier situations which would make sense if you play louder music... can you go fast with it?
Do you know how long this Slug company's been around?

You can absolutely go fast with it, just depends on what feels right for your feet. I could play Lagwagon and NOFX songs for days on mine.
Slug has been around since the mid 90’s, the Power Head beaters have been out since March 1995. I’d like to think Derrick got his between then and when Hoss came out in November.

 

[TxGroove]

Slug has been around since the mid 90’s, the Power Head beaters have been out since March 1995.

Thanks for the information, really cool to know. I've always thought SlugDrums came out in recent years, but that's because I've only known about them for like a year now.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

Thanks for the information, really cool to know. I've always thought SlugDrums came out in recent years, but that's because I've only known about them for like a year now.

Absoutely. They're a very small company, you can check their complete catalog here. They make a lot of great gear. What kind of setup do you have currently?

 

[TxGroove]

What kind of setup do you have currently?

Thanks, I'll do that now. Currently, i'm playing on a Vintage 70's Slingerland kit, with 14", 16", 18" and 20" cymbals and a Tama rolling glide 1st gen. Iron Cobra (Single pedal) also have a IC double pedal 2nd gen. I generally use but I need to replace the beater holder since mines snapped.

I'll try to put up some pics of my setup soon for a more accurate description.

I'm trying to one day hopefully build the same kit setup Derrick had on the Trashed era with the white Ludwig kit, and accessories, miscellaneous, ect. as a future project, if I get the time and money to do so. That's sorta why I started this forum, and I've appreciated all the help I've gotten so far!

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

Thanks, I'll do that now. Currently, i'm playing on a Vintage 70's Slingerland kit, with 14", 16", 18" and 20" cymbals and a Tama rolling glide 1st gen. Iron Cobra (Single pedal) also have a IC double pedal 2nd gen. I generally use but I need to replace the beater holder since mines snapped.

Sounds awesome! My kit is a 10”, 12”, 16” tom setup but I just use the 12” rack tom right now. I have a DW 5000 Accelerator double with the two Slug Beaters with the half ounce weight collar, but just use the single pedal right now (gotta keep those double strokes in check!) I used an Iron Cobra with a DW beater for the longest time but when I moved I had a long layoff of drumming and when I got back on the kit it felt way too smooth. I tried the DW and it felt better. Putting the Slug beater on has made it the perfect setup (thanks Derrick)!

I’m looking at getting a Tama Granstar set from the 80’s as my next kit. A lot of drummers from that scene used power size toms to get their sound. Derrick of course, also Jordan Burns (Strung Out/Pulley) and Sean Sellers (Good Riddance) to name a few.

 

[TxGroove]

Sounds awesome! My kit is a 10”, 12”, 16” tom setup

I forgot to mention my tom sizes, which are 12", 13, and 16 x 16, floor tom, rack toms are both 9" in length and I use a 22 x 18 bass drum with a 14 x 6 snare drum, and of course my 14 x 10 sparkling blue marching snare, but need to replace the heads and the snares.
I use to play on a DW 3000 but i found it to be to heavy even when I loosened tension, so i sold it and got the IC. I like DW and still wanna get the 9000 pedal ever since I've heard good things about. just a bit out of my budget right now. Nice, I bet the 5000 acc. is just as smooth as the 9000 pedal. Yeah seriously, it seemed like almost all of them had larger sized shells to credit their drumming, especially the Fat Wrecks and Epitape scene. They don't make them like they use to. When do you plan on getting the Tama Granstar set?

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

I bet the 5000 acc. is just as smooth as the 9000 pedal. Yeah seriously, it seemed like almost all of them had larger sized shells to credit their drumming, especially the Fat Wrecks and Epitaph scene. They don't make them like they use to. When do you plan on getting the Tama Granstar set?

The 5000 is for sure smooth, with the Slug beaters striking the perfect balance since they’re a hair lighter than the stock DW beaters. Yeah, Sean Sellers used a power sized Pearl kit in the early days, Jordan Burns used a Ludwig power sized set on the first few Strung Out records before joining Mapex in 1998. Hopefully I can get the Granstars soon, I’m not in a good financial place to get a set currently.

 

[TxGroove]

Hopefully I can get the Granstars soon, I’m not in a good financial place to get a set currently.

Some of the coolest drums you'll see imo. Same, I think I'll have to start off Shell by Shell so i don't brake the bank, if I wanna see it through. It is ah hassle but hey, i like a good drum kit.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

A new discovery I recently made with the help of this image:


Given we have the white Ludwig set, this is around 1992. Note the first generation Tama Lever Glide hi hat stand, the shape of the footboard and the toe stop are dead giveaways.
He also played with his sticks flipped around in those early days, plus the ride cymbal sat lower before he raised it up in '94'-'95.
Another bit I picked up was his playing technique employed a lot of french grip along with occasionally playing the hi hats or the ride bell with the kick drum hits (a Bomer specialty) as opposed to playing straight eighths.
Regarding the setlist in the picture , the songs I can pick out are: Beer Goggles (cut off at the top), Bury The Hatchet, Stop Whining, Child Inside (written as Child Inside All of Us), Noble End, Mr. Coffee, Bad Moon Rising, Of Mind And Matter, Parents Guide To Living.

 

[TxGroove]

A new discovery I recently made with the help of this image:
View attachment 88177

Given we have the white Ludwig set, this is around 1992. Note the first generation Tama Lever Glide hi hat stand, the shape of the footboard and the toe stop are dead giveaways.

Sorry for the late reply, I don't get notified on here, but I will check the forum every other day for new post.
All you're theories on this image add up from what I can see. Now that you mention the hi-hat stand in this photo, that's definitely the same design as the Tama Lever Glide foot-plate, also, it's the same shape as the G1 Iron Cobra pedal, this makes sense, so i'm positive you're right. You can also tell it's the Tama Lever Glide, if you notice the leg on the middle of the stand, this particular stand had three legs.
It's also cool you noticed his technique with the backwards sticks and from the playlist, this for sure the early days

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

It's also cool you noticed his technique with the backwards sticks and from the playlist, this for sure the early days

Yeah, I'm always watching videos from the playlist you made of Derrick's performances. I was watching The Atari's Anywhere But Here record release show video from '97 and the other night took note of how hard he hit his drums on every single song. He also played with an incredible amount of stick control as well which is even beyond me the combination of those two factors.

Another suggestion for your YouTube playlist:

An interview with Joey from around 2009 talking about who Derrick was, his personality and just a really enlightening listen.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

Gray Drum Kit perhaps Ludwig (80's or 90's) (1995 Hoss Tour).

Maroon/Brown/Burnt Orange Drum Kit Ludwig Keystone Modulars Model (RKL Era; Early 2000's).

After doing some more research and conclusion making, I do not believe there was a ever a gray drum set to Derrick's name. My reasoning is he had the brown Ludwig's with Lagwagon in 1995 and continued to use them with The Ataris in 1997, and with RKL in the 2000's. With that timeline, I firmly believe the brown kit was the Hoss tour kit.

 

[TxGroove]

After doing some more research and conclusion making, I do not believe there was a ever a gray drum set to Derrick's name.

I've always thought I've seen a gray kit but never new what video that was and I haven't noticed a gray kit ever again in any of the Lagwagon videos with Derrick. I conclude it was a glare of bad lighting, giving the illusion. Now as for the power and the fusion at which Derrick possessed behind the kit was beyond my own comprehension myself. I've never heard anything like it on the drums since first hearing Lagwagon for the first time and it's actually made me a better drummer behind the kit. It's just sham nobody even really knows his name or, who he actually was. Not that he even wanted the attention, but it's rare if you can even see him playing drums, nonetheless his face in any of the live videos, which I respect if that's what he wanted.

For the interview video, course I will. If it has anything to do with Derrick, ill add it. Thanks for the heads up. p.s. I'm taking notes, so if anything you catch such as; hardware, or technique let me know, little goes along way!

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

I've never heard anything like it on the drums since first hearing Lagwagon for the first time and it's actually made me a better drummer behind the kit. It's just shame nobody even really knows his name or, who he actually was. Not that he even wanted the attention, but it's rare if you can even see him playing drums, nonetheless his face in any of the live videos, which I respect if that's what he wanted.

For the interview video, course I will. If it has anything to do with Derrick, ill add it. Thanks for the heads up. p.s. I'm taking notes, so if anything you catch such as; hardware, or technique let me know, little goes along way!

There really was no drummer like him. A combination of Bomer power and foot speed and Neil Peart level stick work.

I wholly agree watching him play in all the bands he did (Lagwagon, The Ataris, RKL) made me the drummer I am/strive to be. I was working on Bite My Tongue from "Anywhere But Here" today and it's crazy how the drums don't line up precisely with the rest of the song but still matched perfectly. He was a genius at that.

I'll definitely keep adding information about him & his gear as I find it! I also might start searching for listings of the gear he used if anyone else is interested in actually acquiring the things he used.

He was one of the unsung heroes of that scene, a lot of the musicians in those bands fall into that category because the level of talent was unparalleled. On the same hand, I'm sure if you asked anyone who was around in the California scene at the same time as him they would remember.

His departure from Lagwagon in 1996 almost ended the band because Joey didn't want to play with a different drummer. I don't blame him in the slightest. It just shows how much of an impact he made in the punk rock world.

Another easter egg most people don't know about that's at the end of Acrophobe by Bad Astronaut. After the last song, if you listen long enough, there's recordings of Derrick leaving messages on his friend's answering machine.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

I forgot to add this from before. Back in the 90's until the early 2000's, Derrick used to veer his ride off way to the right and upward on a cymbal boom. Here's a grab from the RKL Skaters Point opening from 2000. You can also see this setup at The Ataris "Anywhere But Here" record release show from 1997 and Trashed era Lagwagon videos.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

Some new updates regarding the kit models. After some more searches, I've discovered that Derrick's brown kit was a Ludwig Classic Maple set. Here's a black kit I found recently. The double bass drum spurs, keystone badges, and triangular tom mounts match to a science:

I can also now confirm comparing this image side by side with the brown kit what his shell sizes were for that one (still working on the white set). The rack tom was a 10x13, the floor tom was a suspended 13x15. I compared the spacing of the lugs on other Ludwig sets to his many times and those sizes matched up. The kick drum I'm still unsure about. The official name for the finish was standard mahogany.

Another bit that was up for debate was what snare was used at the RKL Skater's Point show in 2000. After watching the end where Derrick is tearing down, he used the maple Pearl Free Floater, not the Rocket Shell.

 

[Q-Ball Drummer]

New photo I recently found of the white set:



Things to note:
- The Zildjian A Medium Thin Crash on the right
- Coated Remo Drumheads (most likely Emperors)
- The standard Ludwig badge on the rack tom