Endorsemants & Memberships:

VIC FIRTH STICKS & MALLETS

E-PAD PRACTICE PADS

PAISTE CYMBALS & SOUNDS

REMO DRUMS & HEADS

The Recording Academy

American Federation of Musicians

Movie Recordings and/or Appearances:

The Mighty Kong (WarnerBros.) 98
Gone Fishin' (Touchstone) 96
Sugar Time (HBO) 95
Dangerous Minds (Hollywood) 94
Hocus Pocus (Touchstone) 93
Born Yesterday (Hollywood) 93
Angie (Hollywood) 93
What's Love Got to Do With It (Hollywood) 93
The Body Guard (Warner Bros.) 92
Chaplin (Carolco) 92
Mobsters (Paramount) 91
Rocketteer (Touchstone) 91
The Marrying Man (Hollywood) 91
Dick Tracy (Touchstone) 90
The Making of Me (Disney) 90
Rock & Roll Mom (Disney) 89
Future Survival (Maranatha) 79

ON VIC FIRTH STICKS:
In the mid-seventies my drum teacher, Murray Spivack, told to me to "go out and get a decent pair of sticks." After much deliberation I purchased a pair of maple sticks with the name Vic Firth branded near the butt. I took every lesson with those sticks and still use them for practice. I have had a Vic Firth product in my stick bag ever since!

ON PAISTE CYMBALS:
I went to Jeff Hamilton for a lesson and asked if he could give me any tips. He looked at the way I was playing the ride cymbal and quipped, "The sound is supposed to be wood on metal." He was right, I was simply attacking my cymbals and became discontented with the sound and more concerned hammering out rhythm. Shortly after, I mentioned to keyboard player and singer Ellis Hall that I was looking for a set of cymbals that sounded like the cymbals I listened to in the old days. Ellis told me that I should give a listen to the Paiste Traditional Line. It's been love ever since. My regular setup is: 13" medium light hi hat, 20" medium light ride, 15" and 17" thin crash, and an 11" splash.

ON REMO DRUMS:
I have been using REMO equipment since I started playing (43 years ago). When Remo began making drums, I began playing them, and with Remo's progressive research and development, the quality of their equipment has soared into a world class product. All of my opinions about Remo would not mean a thing if the sound of the equipment was not approved by the musicians and engineers with whom I work. For example: during a recent session an engineer came out of the booth to congratulate me on the first bass drum he had recorded without having to boost any lower frequencies. Today, I use a 14X20 bass, 8X12 & 14X14 toms, and a 3X13 snare. They are the Master Edge series with world percussion lugs. My setup includes a 7" mambo bell, 18X16 surdo, 1X6 tamborim, and a 1X10 pre-tuned pandeiro.

Great musicians & what they taught me: