Hello, Goodbye...2013 expectations, 2012 memories...

Mad About Drums

Mad About Drums

Pollyanna's Agent
Another year, another hopes, another project... and getting forever older, but not necessarily wiser :)

The past year, full of fresh memories and events, emotions and laughs, sad and joyful moments... and we were a year younger, but not necessarily wiser :)

So what highlights from 2012 and what expectations for 2013 have you got?

Here's mine...

2012

- Pollyanna's 10 000 posts (although she never reached it)
- Bo Eder's forever changing of drumkits, just got a Luddies from Harry a few days ago :)
- The 2 minutes Solo Challenge thread, a single place were everyone shared some drumming :)
- Bermuda becomes a moderator, and does a very good job.
- Putting our house for sale (which is still not sold yet!!!)
- My Daughter leaving home after 18 years, going to the UK to study.
- Being invited to the LSD and finally meeting Andy
- Meeting Dean, Alex, Duncan, Dave, David, Ben and the wonderful Michele at the LDS
- Receiving a 21" Amedia ride as a gift from Alex at the LDS :)
- Made more friends here on DW, long may it continue :)
- My Dad's and many Dad's member passing, but we have memories to hang on to.
- Last but not least, Larryace becomes "Uncle Larry"
- Bernhard, he's THE man, without him, we're not here.

2013

- Yet another country move, lots of hassle, not playing for months, finding a new job...
- Hopefully buy a "cappucino" from Andy (finances permitted)
- Going to the LDS in October...
- ... and meet Andy, Dean, Duncan again, but also Larry and hopefully Grea too, maybe Michele too.
- Form/seek a band in the "new" country, likely to be in the UK, but Switzerland is also on the agenda...
- To lurk as much as possible on this forum...
- Last but not least, keep on drumming, and hopefully getting better in the meantime :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone :)


Your turn...
 
Please pardon in advance - totally effin pissed after some Saturnalia cheers with fam / friends. Not my fault - my nephew peer pressured the "last straw" glass of red!

2012 has been the the year of upheaval for me - dead family members, retirement, sickness, existential notions, renovations, legal stuff, health retreat ...

I think you covered the DW events well, Henri, at least as far as my memory goes. In truth Polly's up to 11.8k posts. Talk about No Life Nigella. Uncle Larry becomes elder statesman after his 40bpm epiphany. It's not hard to do ... all you need is the patience of Job :)

2013 - hopefully travel to meet a few of you in the flesh ... if I get my shit together (big if but stranger things have happened).
 
Ok, having to chime in after a reminiscing Henri & a pissed up Grea = big ask :)

My 2012 highlights;

The first time we assembled & played a production Origin series kit.
LDS - meeting Henri & David for the first time.
LDS - meeting all the other forum dudes, including Derek.
LDS - the whole gig vibe, & especially hearing reactions to our stuff.
Several band gigs I can think of, including the ones when things went tits up.
Our first Origin orders coming in.
The Guru sessions - the whole weekend. What a great bunch of people.
Getting to know Michele.

My 2013 goals;

Get our name out there.
Complete the release of our new Artisan series snares early spring.
Launch our new Artisan series drum kits with some very special steam bent shells.
Find some time to practice.
Hope to meet Larry & Grea at LDS.
Stay alive.
Support my children's aspirations.
Be a better husband.
 
It's been a typically good 2012, with touring, recordings, a healthy amount of local gigs, and time with my family (wife and dogs, that is...) Also did some long-overdue remodeling on the house.

I expect 2013 will be mostly the same. I already have local gigs booked through the end of June, tour dates starting in April with more in May/June, July/Aug, and fall, more work on the new album and other sessions, and my wife and I have a little getaway planned in January.

So, some ol' same ol', but I do love my life!

Bermuda
 
Anon La Ply said:
Please pardon in advance - totally effin pissed after some Saturnalia cheers with fam / friends. Not my fault - my nephew peer pressured the "last straw" glass of red!
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear this Grea, I hope you're OK now :)

Saturnalia? Did you had a discussion about Mapex Saturn? It would explain a lot ;-))

Anon La Ply said:
2012 has been the the year of upheaval for me - dead family members, retirement, sickness, existential notions, renovations, legal stuff, health retreat ...
Click to expand...

Indeed Grea, you went through a lot this year, let's hope 2013 brings much happiness to you, and hopefully I'll give you a hug when you're travelling down the world (Yep, the world is upside down on the map), but you're on the right side now, a good healthy house and a healthy dose of... health :)

keep it simple said:
Stay alive...
Click to expand...

Lol, ...but how so true Andy, take it easy :)

bermuda said:
So, some ol' same ol', but I do love my life!
Click to expand...

Isn't it all what matters Jon? :)
 
Great thread, will report back when I have a suitable post. Anybody have any objection to me bringing Sticks with me to the LDS next year? Grea's coming???? goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody goody!
 
I had set a goal of re-learning all the rudiments I had forgotten, but that never happened.

Positives:
Went to screening of a movie that original music I wrote appeared in. That was just kind of bizarre, as I never thought of myself as the type of person who wrote a movie score, but I did it. And while the film when direct to disc, and I think sold a few thousand copies, compared to the albums I've been on that sold maybe a few hundred copies, I'm blown away.

Went to the M.I. Reunion, met a ton of musicians, and fulfilled the dream of playing "Crazy Train" in an impromptu unrehearsed performance with people I had never met. Cheesy as that dream may be, I got that off my list.

10 years ago a band inquired about me maybe joining them, and I really wanted to, but due to various circumstances, it never happened. But I'm still friends with them, a big fan, and every time I see them, I sort of kick myself for not making it happen. They also have a song called "Perfect" which was in the sound track to my wedding, but for whatever reason, they had long since dropped it from their live set. Last July, their drummer Tom (who sometimes posts here are Four on the Floor Tom) called me and said we was double booked, and could I go down to the club and do sound check with the band in his place. Since I was going to the show anyway, and am still friends with the band, sure, no problem. I more or less know the material anyway as a fan, so it was a cinch to learn the 3 or songs for sound check. Then at sound check, it was decided the band would pull out "Perfect" and I got to play it with them. So while it was just sound check and not the actual gig, still, it was nice to finally play with the band I've always thought about playing with, to play with some friends I've known forever, and better yet, got to play a song that means a lot to me that had otherwise been retired.


On the negative:
Due to the economy, I was forced to accept an increase in hours at work to make ends meet, which leaves me little time to work on music musical projects.

Thus, I've still never finished all my original songs I had hoped to have done this year.

This old pinched nerve injury in my neck has come back to haunt me big time. It didn't like me turning 42 one bit, and has decided it is now immune to chiropractors, laser treatments, and other such things. It's thrown off my recording and forced me to abandon much live playing for the time being. I finally realized I couldn't just keep playing through it and hoping for the best, but time away from the kit to properly heal was the only thing that would improve things. Sucks, but what can ya do.

My drumming may be in the dumps, but life gave me a wonderful wife and two awesome kids as a consolation prize, and now a side job writing music scores for low budget movies.
 
Highlights for 2012

- Got my foot on the first rung of the ladder live-session-wise; hired for a total by total of 6 bands this year, compared to 1 last year.

- Got my first sit-in on a tune for a local Rockabilly/Rhythm Blues/Rock n' Roll etc band that I've been dying to play with for nearly a year now.

- Toured Belgium with my now sadly defunct band in February; you guys have a truley beautiful country filled with wonderful people...Flemish AND Waloon and I loved every minute of it.

- Got hired to play two festivals early May in Belgium: Aralunaires in Arlon, Inc'Rock BW in Incourt and did a little busking in Luxembourg City with a truley gifted songwriter by the name of Adam Burnage.

- Had a number of eureka moments with drumming and have expanded my vocabulary nicely.

- Got to watch my nephews grow up some more, the elest of the two;Kyle, is now 13! Time flies! They've both taken an interest in drums, which of course I'm very please about.

- Spent some wonderful time with family and friends whom I love with every ounce of my sould and have more treasured memories.

2013:

- GET A GIRLFRIEND!!! Still waiting on meeting the right person, maybe this year? Who knows? Haha!

- Spend more time with family and friends.

- Two recording sessions booked for February, one full-album and a number of tracks on another, both of which will be my first professional recording sessions. Very excited.

- Headline gig with my new band at one of Lincoln's biggest venues.

- Finally get my solo album finished, well...the composition at least.

- Get through the terrible mid-stage hair so I can at last have something that resembles flowing locks again.

- Keep growing my tash and beard...not much effort involved, just let nature take its course.

- Learn how to pour water from my kettle so it doesn't end up pissing water all down itself, it has been almost a year and it still happens. Every time!


Hmm better rap this up,

Wishing everyone a fantastic Christmas :)

Kev
 
2012 - started pretty well, but went downhill in a hurry. My dad passed in May and then I was diagnosed with a low probability of survival form of cancer in June. For the next 5 months I was in the fight of my life. Chemotherapy, radiation and major surgery followed.

2013 - ALIVE! I'm still recovering from surgery, but have been given a clean bill of health. I can't wait to return to playing in one band, and possibly a second band later in 2013. I also return to work next week.
 
Anon La Ply said:
What a hard and scary year, INOG! Chemo is an awful thing. Hoping that the cancer stays away now. Best of luck with it all.
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+1 too, inneedofgrace, you have all my sympathy for your Dad's passing, really sorry to hear about your cancer too, this awful disease took my Dad last month too, I'm pleased to hear you've been given a clean bill of health, as Grea said "Hoping that the cancer stays away now"...

A very special Merry Christmas to you indeed, and a very healthy New year :)
 
It's Christmas and I can't sleep. At least there is a Yule Log fire on a TV channel where we can listen to Christmas music and pretend to sit by a cozy fire all morning.

2012 memories? Most of my life I try to forget about. I got a stable job finally, I got into a good band, my good friends got married, and I've played more drums this year than I can remember playing in a long time.

I don't really invest myself into this website on a personal level. I've told a few stories. You're all great people though, and I haven't come across a better group of people to enjoy hanging out with online - virtually, in a sense. You know what I mean. I'm not really going to out of my way to meet anybody here, no offense, but whatever happens happens. Like Bermuda had a clinic back in April that I missed because I didn't have the gas $$.

Anyway, for 2013, I hope to play a few gigs in this awesome band I'm in. We just have to keep it together. I plan to keep progressing as a drummer and smooth out the little hiccups here and there in my groove. I'm working on keeping the flow going strong at any volume, keeping it interesting with simple and intricate beats and fills woven together into a seemless rhythmic energy, and developing my technique better by strengthening up the left hand and foot as well as reading and practicing more.
 
Not even sure if I should post anything after reading.... Wow - all my crap is trivial....
inneedofgrace said:
2012 - started pretty well, but went downhill in a hurry. My dad passed in May and then I was diagnosed with a low probability of survival form of cancer in June. For the next 5 months I was in the fight of my life. Chemotherapy, radiation and major surgery followed.
2013 - ALIVE! I'm still recovering from surgery, but have been given a clean bill of health. I can't wait to return to playing in one band, and possibly a second band later in 2013. I also return to work next week.
Click to expand...


2012
- Completed the 18 month process of turning over 98% of all the drums and cymbals I owned and played for 25+ years. If I die with what I have now, I’m more than content, though a Guru snare somewhere along the lines wouldn’t hurt.

- Experienced job loss after 20 years in same company and became a full time at home dad. Being a full-time at home dad is much harder than it seems.

- Got more practice time in than originally anticipated due to job loss

- Band did some live performances. Enough of those to make it just tolerable as I no longer care to do so.

- Dealt with some unanticipated house repairs which I hope I’ll never need to do again as long as I live in this place.

- Posted a few clips on Drummerworld which I never thought I’d do.

- Got terribly sick the week before Christmas and I can still barely keep my head up as of this post. Hope it all goes away soon now that I’m on meds.

2013
- Daughter will be old enough to be in school all day which means I’m going to get myself employed again. May sound crazy but I do love to be gainfully employed.

- Find a second band to play with.

- Keep up current regular practice schedule.

- Deal with whatever is thrown at me rationally.

- Perhaps post some more clips on DW
 
...

Big life changes in 2012. New line of work. I think if one lives longer than 50, one should have at least one other career. Played a lot of drums this year, lots of gigs.. different kinds of music, which was nice.
The madness of incessant travel abated somewhat, which was a big relief. .. oh, ya, I lost my dad too, this year.

2013 is one year closer to me sending both my boys to college which I think is the end of all parental resposibility after which I want to retire to a Indonesian island, and spend the rest of my days in a sarong and a long flowing beard, while being cared for by 2 nubile skimpily dressed maidens who's only job would be to feed me grapes whenever I wish.

inneedofgrace said:
2012 2013 - ALIVE!
Click to expand...

Play on, friend.


...
 
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2012 started with me playing (and singing!) in a blues band, which fizzled out at the beginning of June.

2013 will start with me playing and singing in a different band (praise and worship jam band).

May all of you have great 2013.
 
Mixed

Lost my dog, and good friend, Ben in February. I trust dogs more than I trust most people in this world...having him put to sleep devastated me for weeks (despite it being the right thing to do...his body had given up). Even walking our other three dogs today I shed a tear walking past his favourite walking spot.

I joined the band I'm in and rejuvinated my friendship with my former best-friend who I'd lost contact with thanks to a controlling ex-wife. Now it's like we've never spent 15 years apart. We play in this band like we're 15 year olds.

Sadly it looks like the year's ended on a bit of a low as our singer let us down badly on Saturday and it seems we'll have to decline performing at a very big gig (for us) on the 30th. A real shame.

However, the singer has been the weakest link and I fully expect to get a better singer in 2013 and move the band on from there.
 
I see some of the challenges others have faced and I have nothing to complain about by comparison. 2012 generally sucked for me so I'm happy to welcome the new year, but I must admit it was my busiest year playing out in a long time.

INOG, best to you, my man.
 
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