Most influential drummer in terms of gear?

http://www.gel.ulaval.ca/~baribeau/DW.JPG

When I saw this pic on the ?bad hair topic?, I remembered how much Dave influenced drummers in their gear choices. In the ~1987-1993 period, I?ve seen COUNTLESS guys playing cherry wood recording customs with a brass piccolo!!

So I was wondering who do you guys think is the most influential player of all time in terms of gear?

Dave sure influenced, but Ludwig guys like Buddy, Ringo or Bonzo probably also helped sell zillions of Ludwig kits. Also, before I started playing, I remember to have seen lots of huge ?? la Neil? Tama kits.

My first guess would be the Ringo Ludwig kit... [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

Also, which player (if any) influenced your kit choice at some time?

DW indeed does look mighty relaxed in that pic...[I'm sure that is what PP was ref'g to [img]wink.gif[/img] ]...

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As to influencial kits........I always at the time dug Peart's kit and Bozzio's. But I was playing a Gretsch kit set like Jeff.
To me, back in the late 70's early 80's looking in MD and all the drum catalogs that were available for the time were so kewl, I would waste more time in school and at night looking and drawing at how I would build my kit.

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RW, now you are scarin' me...because what you said was exactly my scenario [img]eek.gif[/img] ...it's like that old ep of the orig Star Trek w the parallel universe thing...ooooWWOOOoooooo... [img]wink.gif[/img]
...& I still have my 1st set of Gretsch's [built to Harvey Mason's specs] - the 2nd kit i ever owned. [My 1st kit was a no-name piece a' schedd...& for $500; someone made a 200% profit off of my almost 18-yr-old, green a**]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 14, 2004 04:45 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

LOL

Omar with weather report turned me onto yamaha 9000 RC,(his lovely blue kit), and then seeing weckl's kit later on, I just had to go and buy one. To this day, I'm also one of the yammy brass piccolo and cherrywood kit clones. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Randy and Fuse are scaring ME now; that is exactly what I did in high school. And guess what? I play a Gretschs too.(fade in Twilight Zone) [img]eek.gif[/img]

For jazz you gotta go with Elvin and Tony playing 18/12/14 Gretschs and K Istanbuls. That sound is so copied in the jazz world they should almost be treated as one instrument. Not to mention the amount of gear that comes out every year that tries to replicate that sound, Zildjian Constantinoples, Sabian Manhattens, Istanbul brand off-shoots, Tama Starclassic, any company offering small BDs, thin maple shells w/ die cast hoops etc.

For rock-Neil Peart and Bonham. Nuff' said.

In addition to the cherry RCs and the brass piccolo, I would add 8" and 10" toms on the bass drum as an influential Weckl sound. I liked that 8" sound he had on Bill Connors "Step It", Michel Camilo "Suntan", "Why Not", and CC "Electric Band". You instantly knew it was him when you heard that "doonk" sound. Then everyone had that setup for a long time.

Dave Weckl was innovative with his tom hanging to his left, second Hi-Hat next to his ride (although he was not the first one to do that), etc. He was also involved in the creation of the K Custom ride, alongside Vinnie. There is something Dave did at the time that no other did as well as he, meaning, to promote himself. I may be wrong but, I see the arrival of Weckl as a turning point in the drumming industry. Once again, he was NOT the first one to do it but I find that he pushed the promotion of drumming to another level with all his videos, CD and stuff. In that sense, he lead the way. It's not for everyone, but hey, he did it and he did it well. Business in itself can become the Art's worst enemy, but if it is kept in check and balance it can be useful.

Now looking back, I find Dave Weckl had a great business flare early on. Upon his arrival on the scene with CCEB, it didn't take too long for Zildjian and Yamaha to organise a major Clinic Tour in North America. I was there and they had free Zildjian Dave Weckl Tour T-Shirts for everyone, a big promotion was taking place. I feel t'was Dave who was pushing behind the scene (correct me if I am wrong) and Yamaha, Zildjian went with it. I guess the right people was there at the right time on all sides.

Just a thought... Off topic a bit?? Sure... But not too much... [img]wink.gif[/img]

Was weckl also the first drummer to have all that rack of sound gear next to him going back to the C.C. electric band days?

No, that was the thing in the 80's. Triggering your acoustic drums was so big back then, I had a huge rack myself while working with different acts. He chose to do it and incorporate it into the fusion scene.

I wish I never posted that pic with Dave and that...black T-shirt! He looks so...smooth [img]eek.gif[/img]

He looks smooth? OK, Pocket, your scaring me. [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]
As to influencial kits........I always at the time dug Pearts kit and Bozzio. But I was playing a Gretsch kit set like Jeff.
To me, back in the late 70's early 80's looking in MD and all the drum catalogs that were available for the time were so kewl, I would waste more time in school and at night looking and drawing at how I would build my kit.