stevie nicks’ jimmy pAXSON, UP CLOSE WITH DANNY SERAPHINE & STUDIO MASTER JR ROBINSON MAGAZINE The Official PublicaTiOn Of Drum WOrkshOP • 8.0 ABE LABORIEL JR. INTHROUGH THE OUTDOOR HOW HE LANDED ALL THE INSIDE GIGS PLUS DW ARTISTS HIT EUROPE, Q&A WITH THE DRUMMERS OF NASHVILLE, DW’s laTEST GEAR AND MORE! NOWHEARTHIS EDGE 8.0 16 Introducing the DW Collector’s Series Super Solid, a completely new look at solid shell drums. Why is Super Solid so dramatically different? The answer is a groundbreaking Molecular Compression Process that produces the most dense solid maple shell ever created. And this is truly a one-piece shell, no glued reinforcement hoops or plies. We endured years of research and development and expense to do only one thing, bring you our best sounding solid shell drum ever. 12 24 06 22 IN EVERY ISSUE 06 Time Machine: JR Robinson 10 Up Close: Danny Seraphine ARTIST FEATURES 11 Road Tips with Drum Tech - Robbo 22 Road Stories: DW Artists hit Europe 12 Drummers of Nashville 24 Artist Feature: Jimmy Paxson Featuring Billy Mason, Travis McNabb and Cactus Moser 26 DW Drum Clinic with Denny Seiwell 16 Abe Laboriel Jr 28 New Artists A Legacy Endured. Family, Schooling & the beginning of a legend. PRODUCT NEWS 02 Exo-X Project 04 PDP Update ©2009 Drum Workshop, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2009 Drum Workshop, 08 8000 Series Pedals & Hardware 14 SSC Technology 20 3Drumsticks EDGE Magazine is a publication of Drum Workshop, Inc. ©2009 Drum Workshop, Inc. All Rights Reserved. #PRCAEDGE-V8.0 For promotional use only. NOT FOR SALE. Here’s my were very comfy way down low (my trying to get this snare to do something review of the guess is it’s the X-shell causing this). radical by experimenting with different Eco-X DW The Eco-X 12x14 easily tunes lower than heads, die cast hoops, crazy-different drum kit. I my Jazz Series 16x16 that I played at the Purecussion snares and what-not, but have the first MD Fest 08! the snare drum always complied and “Eco-X kit” sounded musical. Again, the tuning DW ever After feeling like Ringo in the 1970s for range is sick. Right now I have mine constructed. an hour or so, I did my thing and started tuned up super high, like a side snare ECO-X PROJECT It is the very randomly moving the pitches around. or reggae snare. It will do anything you Billy Ward first prototype I’ve never had toms that are so easy to ask it to do. Drummer-TesTeD, Drummer-aPPrOveD. that John tune to where you get a good sound no BY BILLY WARD Good made matter what. Helen Keller could tune OK, they are flexible, so what do they and, like most all of his experiments, it these things and I’m not kidding! If sound like? I think there might have went directly into the showcase room at you see a kit in a drum shop, tune the been some truth to those who once said the factory to be played with ensuing bottom head evenly – simply “ballpark” there was a “DW sound”, but now we opinions to be gathered. John Good and it. There’s no need to be fussy. Then have many very good brands of drum I discussed this kit by telephone before it tune the top head anywhere. Get crazy! heads and many drummers look for was ever made. JG desperately wanted Check out what happens with raising or more musical options in a drum than to make a kit that was more affordable, lowering just one or two lugs! It’s really just “loud and proud.” Anyone with yet with absolutely no sacrifices in incredible! I had well-known NYC half an ear can distinguish the sound terms of quality and tone. When he drum tech (credits include S. Gadd and of DW’s Jazz Series from the various realized it could also be “green” (better Collector’s Series, and now with the for our environment) his enthusiasm bamboo/birch combination of the went ballistic! JG desperately Eco-X drums, there is clearly another wanted to make a kit sound available. These Eco-Xs offer The Eco-X experiment began with that was more great tuning flexibility. The bass drum my snare drum and its finish is also affordable, yet with is pure gold. Period. The snare is so experimental - “blue jean” stain and absolutely no flexible, I intend to take it into any it really looks cool - like blue jeans! So sacrifices in terms of unknown rooms (such as at a night club they made the bass drum and toms in quality and tone. or studio that I’ve never played before) the same blue jean finish. The only When he realized it because it will adapt to anything. The problem was the toms and bass drum toms sound unique. While, typically for came out in PURPLE, not blue! End could also be DW, they get along with each other very of the Blue jean color experiment! “green” (better for well, they offer uniqueness in tone and Since receiving this kit, I’ve seen the our environment) sustain. They really speak quickly and two beautiful natural finishes that his enthusiasm went sustain incredibly. In fact, the 12X14 the production models come in. I’m ballistic! floor tom sustained so long I ended up partially jealous that I don’t have one of leaving my stick bag slung over the side those beautiful factory finishes, but my to cut the sustain a bit, which is nice, little “ugly ducklings” sound so good, I because I enjoy having such easy access can’t let them go! S. Jordan) Artie Smith witnessing this to my stick bag. There is a bit less honk at my studio (he couldn’t sit back and or lower midrange frequencies in these Out of the box, the bass drum is sick. listen. He grabbed a drum key and went toms, which along with the incredible Un-freaking real-super bottom. JG at it!). The tuning range on these toms sustain makes these drums my first says they ALL have this quality and is astounding. Also, even though they choice if I ever get a gig with Elton John, he doesn’t really know why. Well, it is are x-shell (and therefore you would Bob Seger or Tom Petty. I’ve already the best 18x22” bass drum I have ever think they want to be low) these guys purchased gig bags for these drums heard. I normally abhor the DW pillow, LIKE being tuned really high, perhaps and intend to use them on local gigs but as is - this drum is perfect. I have not Peter Erskine high (go as high here in New York City. The fact that not touched the heads or the tuning as possible and then go higher), but these drums cost less than the rest of since it came out of the box. Normally high. This is the first time I have ever DWs lineup should be considered John I immediately put my Evans heads on fantasized about taking a drum key and Good’s present to each of us. After you my new drums, and someday I will as lowering the floor tom four steps with get yours and fall in love, send him a this batter head will inevitably get tired, the turn of one or two lugs in between thank you note. I did. but why try to improve on “perfect”? I SONGS on a stage! have to try to remember to bother John about making some Eco-X woofers! The snare drum took a while for me to enjoy and accept, not because it wasn’t Next out of my box-o-new-toys were the good, because it was so flexible. Just toms. They came out of the box tuned like the toms, this snare drum will do really low. Like “Come Together” by anything you ask of it. Of course, it the Beatles really low. There’s a nice feels as perfect in terms of edges and “pop” on the stick sound – nice attack. hardware as the other Eco-Xs, with all I played them as is for a while and then the hardware being the same as on the I put the Evans heads on and the toms other DW kits. I spent quite some time [eDGe 8.0] 3 INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW PDP M5 SERIES AN ALL-MAPLE, ALL-LACQUER, FEATURE-PACKED 5-Piece kiT DesiGneD fOr every sTyle Of music. Nothing sounds quite like maple. It offers drummers attack, resonance, warmth and plenty of projection and volume. That’s why many of the most sought after professional players choose maple when it comes to touring and recording. It just sounds good. Pacific Drums and Percussion’s David Leon explains, “Traditionally, maple kits are associated with a high-end price. Drummers would have to shell out big bucks to get the benefits of boutique-quality all-maple shells. From the beginning, our mission with PDP was to offer drummers an exceptional value, by bringing quality drum kits to the masses. Why should drummers with smaller budgets have to suffer by playing junky kits that were designed by massive overseas factories? We feel like the new M5 kit is the perfect balance of quality and value.” M5 sets come in five stunning burst and fade lacquer finishes in F.A.S.T. sized 8x10, 9x12, 12x14 toms, matching 5x14” snare and 18x22” bass drum.