It stemmed back to last tour when Haze (the gaffer, for want of a better expression) asked me if I was interested in coming back for this tour. The brief chat was assumed to be regarding to sound again, like the several tours previous. But he surprised me when he said, "what about drums?" Still, being the fuckwitt I am, I still didn't catch on. So I replied, "What about them?" When it did sink in, the convo was left at, "let's have a chat before the tour ends and we'll discuss it further" we didn't.
I heard through the grapevine that Sean, the previous drummer, took a panto back in the summer so I knew he wasn't going to return. So shortly after that my email inbox chimed that sound we all love so much, and this time it wasn't for a penis extension or a Russian bride.
"StevooooOOOOO! Would you like to do the tour? Sean appears to have taken a Panto so I can offer you drums. Or if you prefer sound, then that's cool too. I'd like you back whatever!"
Over the next few months negotiations swayed back and forth, his people talked to my people, we did lunch, we had meetings, el-Vino did flow and came to arrangement that suited both parties. So back on drums I am!
A welcome return band-wise is that of DA Angelow on guitar. Not happy with just the one Angelow in the band, we've picked up his brother Matt on bass. Professor is still keeping his piano stool warm from the last few years on keys. Another addition (we are undecided it's to the band or not yet) is that of Zoe on vocals. Professor found her via an Internet campaign for "someone stupi... I mean, ambitious enough to squeeze into a bottle, dress up in kit, get covered in blood, sing a bit, on stage... WANTED!"
DA having just plugged in his guitar and to his surprise, doesn't sound like arse.
Fast forward past the recording of Hellrasier at DA's Pitch Black Studios, the initial rehearsals in Swansea, to today day 2 in Wookey Hole. Day one was basically unloading and setting up the band stand, unloading the pa and generally saying "sup bitches" to those we'd not seen in 7 months since the end of the last tour.
So day one commenced at 10:00. I hate mornings, I'd like them better if they started later.
the stage, with a few bits set up. A kick drum no less, still so far away from being a drum kit that a douche like me could play
Wookey hole theatre with no fucker in it... Init?
So let's talk about how I'm not just on drums, but I am in part, responsible for sound too.
The deal I came to with Haze is that I'd double on sound (as it's a two man job) for an extra few quid per week. On the last tour, the bassist was this person. It entailed the running of cables, lifting of cabs and just being on hand if I needed help doing something sound related.
Now I am that guy. But as the new sound engineer has only worked with analogue desks and the desk on this tour being a digital (one I'm very familiar with having used it while touring with The Osmonds recently) it was basically just natural that I'd step up to the plate. This was a major help as it's a completely new rig so getting it up and running as fast as it can is imperative so that rehearsing can take place.
But to make things easier for him, I've got the iPad controlling the desk so I can sit on the drums and make changes to monitor mixes without having to shout up to the sound man to turn X down in Z monitor, so to speak. Now, they can turn to me and say, "turn X down in Z monitor" leaving the Soundman to concentrate on front of house. So... I've taken the tour on drums and I'm still being fucking hassled about monitors mixes. Jesus!
Ah, who am I kidding, I fucking love it.
The personnel for this tour is almost the same as the last, minus 3 1/4 of the band and one hairy fucker from Mexico. God Bless you Jesus Aceves, where ever your hairy ass my be.
Most of the day was spent setting up the whole PA, plugging up instruments, microphones, making a shit load of XLR to mono jack cables (for drum triggers) and ironing out other aspects of pa related shit.
Oh, and setting up a drum kit. As I am the drummer.
DA and Matt arrived at 3:30 and missed all the fun.
After sound checking Hellraiser, tweaking monitors, we were off.
We ran the first few tunes with actual acts doing their actual act, realised that we have no clue and so a lot more work music-wise is required. And stopped at 8:30 for the night.
One of the decisions I've made drum-wise is to trigger drum sample from acoustic drums instead of the usual mic-mixer arrangement of the past tours.
Ddrum DRT triggers
The Benefits.
Drums take two channels on a desk (4 with two cymbal mics) instead of 8 or 9.
I can have the biggest sounding drums even when the actual drums don't even sound as good a kipper being smacked across the face of a fat kid eating a pizza.... On a Thursday.
A kit can be changed to suit the song. For example, a rock ballad can have a huge kick and snare with loads of reverb on toms. A faster, more funkier song can have tight kick and snappy snare with dry toms with just a dial up.
Cons.
What you play is not necessarily what you hear. Setting up trigger dynamics can be royal pain in the arse. Settings (per drum) like trigger type, gain, threshold, cross-talk and velocity curve can have you starring at the module for hours on end wondering "WTF?!" Much like how most pensioners stare at the average remote control or microwave oven.
And ever after painstakingly setting this up to optimum, it will never track everything what you okay exactly.
So why bother. Because I learned a long time ago that what you actually play is secondary to how you sound.
It's also has something to do with not having enough channels for a full kit.
So why not just use electronic drum pads (as they can be set to track a lot better then triggering from drums)?
Because most people don't think electric pads look cool and my kit wouldn't looking more sexier if it has tits and a minge.
More to follow tomorrow.
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Location:Wookey Hole
