As the only drummer to play with the Grateful Dead throughout the band’s long strange trip, Bill Kreutzmann is uniquely qualified to retell the band’s history. So it couldn’t be more appropriate that he has signed a publishing deal with St. Martins Press to release his memoirs.
The book – scheduled for release in 2015 – will focus on the 66-year-old drummer’s long relationship with the late Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, although you can also expect plenty of anecdotes about such other ’60s icons as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Allman Brothers, according to Contact Music.
No kidding. While the ridiculously dexterous drummer was punishing his kit with Testament at The Metal Fest in Santiago, Chile a couple weeks ago, someone nicked Hoglan’s gig bag. Inside was a typical selection of drum-istic items, including Alesis DM5 modules, triggers, a stick bag, in-ear monitors, and leg weights. But the thing that really ticked off the drummer was the sudden disappearance of his boots.
“The same boots I’ve played and recorded in for almost the last decade,” he explained in a statement. “Sentimentality aside, they don't make these boots anymore, as the company who makes them, Boodaz, went out of business around the time I got them.”
So Hoglan has decided to reach out directly to the robber. “You would have me as friend for life if you would find a way to have them returned to me.” Anyone with information should contact Hoglan through his manager, Rob Shallcross, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Records are meant to be broken, and if everything pans out, an enormous group of drummers will shatter a world record on May 18. That’s when an all-star lineup of drummers plans to join more than 7,000 sixth- and seventh-graders as well as thousands of other enthusiastic participants on the field of the College of the Canyons’ Cougar Stadium in Valencia, California to attempt the largest drum circle on record.
Organized by Beat The Odds – a drum circle-based activity launched at UCLA that seeks to maximize creative expression while building social and emotional skills – the event is the culmination of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center K-12 Arts Education Outreach Program’s year-long music education program.
Joining the group will be a veritable who’s-who of ringers, including Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead), John Densmore (The Doors), Remo Belli (founder of Remo Inc.), Gorden Campbell (Jessica Simpson and George Duke), Teddy Campbell (American Idol and The Tonight Show Band), Eric “E-Panda” Hernandez (Bruno Mars and Taio Cruz), and Mike Phillips (Janelle Monáe).
Do you want to be part of this historic opportunity? Click here.
D’Arcus Curry, Angieszka Matusczak and Karmi Santiago Chosen As Winners
Of Hit Like A Girl 2012 — A Contest for Female Drummers.
Published May 1, 2012
The sponsors and supporters of “Hit Like A Girl 2012”—along with a panel of celebrity drummer judges that includes the legendary Sheila E, Jess Bowen (The Summer Set), Susie Ibarra (Mundo Niños), Dawn Richardson (4 Non-Blondes), Kimberly Thompson, and Hannah Ford (Bellevue Suite)—are proud to announce the winners of the first ever drumming contest for girls and women.
“With so many great players to choose from, picking the top three drummers was nearly impossible; let alone choosing the top one,” comments Sheila E. “This year all the women and girls who participated really raised the bar. However, we felt that D’Arcus’ incredible drumming skills, musicianship, passion and dedication made her the best of the best.”
D’Arcus “dbaby” Curry
Named Hit Like A Girl 2012’s Grand Prize winner, D’Arcus “dbaby” Curry (USA), will receive a complete drumset package featuring Crush drums, TRX cymbals, Vater drumsticks, Evans drumheads, SKB cases and an assortment of books and DVDs from Alfred Music valued at more than $6,000.
Listen in on D’Arcus’s reaction:
Angieszka “AgaDrummer” Matusczak
Angieszka “AgaDrummer” Matusczak (Poland) was selected as the Second Place winner and will receive prizes from TRX, Vater, Evans, SKB and Alfred worth $2,500.
Listen in on Angieszka’s reaction:
Karmi Santiago
Third Place winner, Karmi Santiago (Philippines), will receive $1,500 worth of drumming gear from TRX, Vater, Evans, SKB and Alfred, as well.
All three of the top drummers will also be featured on hitlikeagirl2012.com, in upcoming issues of DRUM! and Tom Tom magazines and online at DrumChannel.com and Enter Music Network affiliates DRUMmagazine.com, DrummerCafe.com, DrummerConnection.com, OnlineDrummer.com and SickDrummerMagazine.com.
In its inaugural year, Hit Like A Girl 2012 received hundreds of video entries from female drummers as young as 8 and as old as 55 based in 30 countries around the world. Online the program generated more than 300,000 votes, millions of page views and as many as 12,000 visitors to its website per day; climbing to an Alexa ranking as high as 165,000. By bringing many of today’s most popular drum brands together with the industry’s leading print and electronic media, Hit Like A Girl 2012 celebrated the impact of women drummers’ contributions to contemporary music while supporting their continuing growth and increasing relevance within the worldwide drumming community.
Hit Like A Girl 2012 thanks the judges, sponsors, supporters and voters, and congratulates this year’s winners along with all the girls and women who participated, including a special shout-out to the other Hit Like A Girl 2012 finalists: Lindsey Ward, Nikke Blout, Illari Arbe, Arianna Fanning, Janitra Priyanka, Monica Del Valle, Lauryl Brisson, Taryn Lee Young, Mandy Tieman, Jess DeVries, Adrian Johanssen and Drashti Thakkar.
To view contest info and participant videos, or for a complete list of sponsors and supporters, go to www.hitlikeagirl2012.com and www.facebook.com/hitlikeagirl2012. Sign-up on the Hit Like A Girl mailing list to receive news about Hit Like A Girl 2013.
