I think you should name them [. . .] what better way than to prevent a fellow member from wasting their money and time on a business that is a joke?
The picture of the knackered snare was from Islington Arts Factory and the rest were from Survival Studios in Acton [both North London]. The pictures were taken within the last couple of years but I doubt either has improved much. There were a string of overpriced crap-houses that I used back then - especially in places like Denmark Street [Central-ish London] - but I haven't got pictures of those.
I have to bring my own snare, hi-hat stand, all my cymbals, and pedals. Many times there are lugs missing from some of the drums. Sometimes the bass drum is stuffed so much with foam that I have to really pound on the bass beater to be heard. They just open the doors and let us use the equipment for a while. I do not think the singers, guitar players have as much problems with their PA or Amps in these places.
This is pretty much the case for me now: I have taken to bringing snare, cymbals, and
all my hardware (including throne) to any given rehearsal room: all they need to do is provide a bass drum and I can cope without toms [although as you can see from the pictures, sometimes a working bass drum was asking too much]. I'd love to say it's the downtrodden drummer that's gets the raw deal out of everyone but usually the amps, mics, cables etc in these places are hopeless as well. What's more, the staff they get to look after these places invariably don't know anything about the equipment or that there's anything wrong with it when it's broken.
Once I turned up to a rehearsal and there was a gaping hole in the bass drum batter head. Seeing as the resonant head had already been "ported" with what must have been a rusty bread knife I went to the desk to ask for a replacement. The fact that I had to explain to the member of staff there what a drum head is and what it is for did not bode well.
The studio I used was Greenbank studio in Luton [. . .] I guess one of the worst things about damaged gear is that it was probably caused by another drummer!
That's interesting - I've used them before, but like Mark_S I used my own kit so I can't vouch for the state of the drums. He is right about it being one of the better places generally, though. It just seems the standard nationwide [or perhaps worldwide] just ain't that great anymore.
I think your point about "another drummer" is the saddest one; although it's clearly the responsibility of the venues to maintain the standard of equipment they are charging for, I am appalled at what some people can actually do to a kit. The most common [unchecked] abuse I see is on bass drum batter heads. So many times I have seen a situation where the player has shoved his boot so hard up against the chain of the pedal that it has gouged a dent - and eventually a hole - in the head. Now I was a clueless beginner once, like all of us, but I have
never done anything that stupid - even to a rented kit. I guess, like a lot of things, some people just figure it's someone else's problem.
and you wouldn't have to pay for your knees
