How long have you been playing on a Slingerland drum kit?

I’ve been playing slingerland now for just under seven years. I had owned a Nashville made kit for 6 years that was in raven blue with a 22" bass drum and 10",12" and 15" toms. I went with a friend to a shop who was going to buy it and played it for him and fell and love with it and I bought it instead of him, I was a bit cheeky really!

Why is Slingerland so special to you, describe its sound and tone?

There is definitely something in the way these drums are made that just makes it easy, dynamics are more pronounced and they sound fat from the lightest touch, the tone is always there. These drums always sound great, outdoor, indoor and any kind of room I never have a problem everything is just in that sweet spot for me where everything is warm, resonant, dynamic but most importantly characterful, and that’s where we all find our own sound.

What is your earliest memory of playing Slingerland?

I know it’s cheesy but I just felt I’d found an instrument that was going to challenge me to be a better player and inspire me because of its own greatness. Everything I wanted was there in its construction, the sound was there, the look, the style the potential for me to grow with it and I was utterly convinced from that point I would be playing slingerland drums for a long time.

Do you use Slingerland drums to record as well as play live?

That’s a most definite yes I can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t want to use them in the studio as well as live, the sound comes up real quick and ive experimented enough with these drums to know a change of head or a tweak of tuning well create a whole new sonic spectrum for me to play with, they are always consistent, some drums have sweet tuning spots,slingerland drums ARE a sweet tuning spot!!

What Slingerland kit do you currently own/play?

I recently received a studioking kit with a 24" bass drum that has to be heard to be believed. a lot of bass drums can have fatness but this has character like you wouldn’t believe, and I got a 12" tom in the jazz size so its 12" x 8" and a 15" x 12" hanging tom.ive sat this 15" at the side of most 16" x 16" toms and it is so much bigger in every aspect other than its physical size, and these drums are in black marine pearl which is just beautiful with the right amount of attitude.

Which drummer first inspired you to play?

Hearing Phil Collins got me started but hearing Jeff Porcaro really showed the way in what I wanted to bring to a musical situation which then led me to all the great groove and song guys, Steve Jordan, Steve Gadd, Abe Laboriel jnr, Matt Chamberlain, Questlove, Bernard Purdie, Jim Keltner.honestly the list just goes on if the drummer brought something to the table that had character then my ears were burning.

What are you up to at the moment- A chance to plug?

I’m currently working with a real great young singer songwriter called Ian Parker who has a great blues heritage to his playing but brings a real contempory edge to his songs with a real strong emotional commitment he is real joy to play for musically and work with as a person, check him out www.ianparkermusic.com for song clips and tours.ive also been producing/drumming some artists and bands recently which has been really cool getting to be there at the moment the song develops into something special and then capturing it.

www.myspace.com/wayneproctormusic

Back to All Slingerland Feature Stories