So anyways, what happened to my finger this time? Was it building a fence? Perhaps it got shut in a car door? A freak pruning accident? Nay Nay. The blame lays with the Zildjan company. Zildjan is one of the top producers of cymbals, drums sticks, and other percussion equipement. And since your going there, no, I did not drop a cymbal on my finger, but I did use their brand of "Dip Sticks." These are drum sticks that are dipped with a special adhesive that helps you hold on to your sticks. The theory is, you don't have to hold them so tight that your hands get tired as quick. As that might be true, which the music gets really fast and intense, the combination of sweat and the adhesive tend to rip your hands up. I learned this the hard way.
As you know, I'm now a member of The Retreads, a local cover band. As anyone in my position knows, when something like this happens, you suffer from G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). So while shopping for a cowbell/tamborine I thought I should try a new kind of drumstick before getting then in bulk. Musician's friend was more than happy to help me choose some sticks at a low cost, I just didn't realize the effects it would have....
So at our last rehearsal we go through three songs and I'm thinking I like these things, so I ask JD, who is also a drummer, if he ever used these. His reply, "Yeah, they tore my hands all up". I suddenly start to worry. So the next song is a little ditty called "Whip It". Those of you alive in the 80's know this song, and probably don't realize how fast it is...with a 16beat rhythm constantly through the whole song. During those 2 minutes 40 seconds, these sticks decided to form a blister on my pointer finger, then pop the blister, and then remove any skin that decided to not hang around, as well as create a raw feeling on my thumb. No, I won't post a picture.
Needless to say, I won't be using those sticks for any "fast" songs and my search for my stick of choice will continue...as my poor finger heals. No one ever said that Rock & Roll was easy.
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I sell dipstix....bacon, bacon horseradish, garlic garlic, dill, red pepper - just add mayo and sour cream. Send me your address and I'll give you some....they wont hurt your fingers except when you scoop too deeply into the bowl and get it on your sore blister finger! As an aside: Jeff's friends made a memorial video for him and somehow worked in WHIP IT for one of the songs LOLOL...(HAve fun - you are a great drummer!!!)
ReplyDeletekaren cadle