Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Lunchbox Kit

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

All Simmons pads provide the classic hexagonal shape (exceptions: The Colman Saunders “Head Kit” and the prototype bat- and heart-shaped kits). Really all? Almost… there is one particular kit which was named the “lunchbox kit”. Seb Shelton, former drummer of Dexy’s Midnight Runners was working for the British magazine “Sounds” when he met Dave Simmons in his garden shed where Dave assembled the very first Musicaid kits back in early 1981/late 1980. He got SDSV #0004 with a set of the solid wood pads. Some time later he complained that there were 4 people necessary to move the heavy bassdrum on and off stage. So Dave Simmons took some parts and assembled a set of pads which were … quadrangular! The backside shells are ordinary plastic boxes, painted black and screwed to the wooden surface. Technically these pads are just the same as the wooden pads: speakers as trigger, the pearl tom mounts, even the aluminium profile rims have been simply rapped around this construction. Really no beauties but at least light and portable. Apart from one single TV show this kit has never been used and was about to be thrown away many many times in the past (so was the brain!). However I am lucky to have saved those pads from the electronic waste. Although Dave Simmons gainsays that it was him who did those pads I have no doubt  about the truth of Seb’s story. All parts, the style of assembling… yes, it’s a Simmons :
A nice opportunity for a one-day trip to London and … St. Albans…

 

 

Some impressions from the journey:

3:20a.m. not a nice time to wake up

6:30a.m. somewhere in Belgium


me


7:45 boarding Eurotunnel


England – no wonder…


9:00 the fog has gone. I am a bit early. A nice opportunity to visit…


… [url=’http://blog.simmonsmuseum.com/?p=291′]St. Albans[/url] vorbeifahren :-)))))))


9:20 mission accomplished


The employee’s pub – still standing


Abbey Mill: The womb of the SDSV


10:30: London. Seb Shelton and his SDSV #0004 (bought by someone else but still not delivered)


…my Lunchbox Pads


12:00 On my way back home. The compulsary picture of a doubledecker bus

Good night…

modular drum synth by Analog Solutions

Friday, April 5th, 2013

OK, the sound is more (vintage) Roland rather than Simmons and not the variety of parameters, still the look is close to the SDSV and it is worth to check the demos. I like the fact that also Clap or Conga modules are availabe. Would have been possible for SDSV as well  (an SDSV frame for percussionists… nice vision…). I wonder if those modules would fit into an SDSV frame (with minor modifications, obviously)

 

 

 

Simmons “muscle drumming”

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

A freaky video that I found on Gavin Harrison’s Facebook wall

muscle drumming

Simmons Racing

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Thanks to Steve Watts who directed me to this long time forgotten topic… The driver of the Mitsubishi is Andy McLennan. The driver of the VW Golf (the last two pictures) is Charlie Morgan.

(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1) ANDY McLENNAN BEGAN HIS INVOLVEMENT IN MOTORSPORT AS A MECHANIC IN THE BRABHAM FORMULA 1 RACING TEAM. AS A DRIVER, HE HAS BEEN CLASSIC SALOON CAR CHAMPION & HELD THE BRITISH RECORD FOR 24HOUR ENDURANCE DRIVING IN A PRODUCTION SALOON CAR. IN THE MID 80’s ANDY WAS CLASS B CHAMPION IN THE MONROE PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP’S.

ANDY’S STARION WAS SPONSORED BY SIMMONS SYNTHESISERS, THE  MANUFACTURER THAT MADE THE WORLDS FIRST ELECTRONIC DRUM KIT. SIMMONS USERS INCLUDED CULTURE CLUB, THE POLICE, GENESIS, THE THOMPSON TWINS & MANY OTHERS.

ANDY HAD MANY IMPRESSIVE RESULTS INCLUDING SEVERAL OUTRIGHT VICTORY’S IN THE ROUNDS OF THE 84 85 UNIROYAL PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS IS TODAY’S EQUILEVLENT OF THE BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP. ANDY HAD MANY BATTLES WITH COLIN BLOWER BUT THEY REGULARLY CAME 1ST & SECOND OVERALL BEATING CARS AS CAPABLE AS 3 LITER OPEL MONZA GSE, ESCORT RS TURBO, TOYOTA SUPRA, ASTRA GTE. ROVER 3500 SDI


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

 


Source: Charlie Morgan ( drummer for Elton John & Kate Bush and a few others!)

 


Source: Charlie Morgan ( drummer for Elton John & Kate Bush and a few others!)

 

SDS7 Cymbal Pads

Saturday, February 11th, 2012

When I saw an “SDS7 cymbal pad” on Ebay last year, I thought it’s a fake. I haven’t seen any advertisement where a pad like this had been mentioned. But they really existed for a short period of time. Finally I found a brochure published by Simmons Group Center. One of the last mysteries is cleared up….

And this is what Glynn Thomas, former CEO of Simmons Group Center, USA, responded:

“…it was good to see that ad we produced for Modern Drummer magazine and featured our own version of a Simmons Cymbal. Sadly, Dave Simmons didn’t like us producing our own version of a Cymbal and vetoed it. So only a few prototypes were actually made, and then quietly dropped. The “rack” was our idea ( actually Dave Levine designed it with the cooperation of Ultimate Systems ) and was very very successful for Simmons Group Centre…”

SDS64 – Hard Rockin’ Software

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

SDS “what”? Sometimes I stumble over a Simmons gadget which I had forgotten in the meantime. Still these accessories are worth to mention. This time I found the SDS64 which I have actually never seen or even tried before. It’s a sequencer software for … Commodore 64.

Simmons has drummed up a great way for electronic drum players to expand their drumming.
Together with our new SDS64 Drum Sequencing Software, your Commodore home computer and any Simmons drum controller, you can pre-programm patterns to create an even more electrifying sound. SDS64 software allows you to program over 250 different drum patterns which can be adjusted for any tempo and time signature that you choose. By connecting a series of patterns you can form sequences that can be combined to form songs. Patterns, sequences and songs can be stored for easy reference and future performance. Available in disk or cassette, Simmons SDS64 software also features multi-color graphics and comes complete with interface cable and user’s manual. When you consider what SDS64 software can do for your drumming, a list price of $94 is hard to beat.

How come my father did not believe me when I told him a Commodore 64 would help me doing my homework… ?

BTW: Have you noticed that the advertising slogan (“The first name in electronic drums”) is the same that Guitar Center uses to promote their ************ ? (censored…)

Germany’s first Electronic Drummer Meeting

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

Review of Germany’s first meeting for Electronic Drums 27th November, 2010

During a huge drum event earlier this year I philosophised with two buddies about the question, why there is no anual event exclusively for electronic drummers at least in Germany. We considered that there are a lot of questions but only a few answers as the whole market is dominated by just a very few products providing more or less obsolete technology. We raved about the idea to organize a meeting where the visitors exhibit as well, self-crafted and vintage kits preferred. We checked the demand for an event like this by launching a discussion on drummerforum.de. We were rather surprised about the great and positive feedback. With a very restrictive budget but nevertheless enthusiasm and motivation we sucessfully found a local location.
With „Final Virus“, a great German Rock act featuring Sibi Siebert on a hybrid Simmons SDSV kit, Oli Rubow and Robert Huettl with his „Drumallover“ trigger suit we were lucky enough to find fitting live acts.

People from the whole nation came to present their constructions: A welded full metal kit, a kit wrapped with Zebra skin, the brand new Drumi5 Mk II, Simmons SDX, Drum-Tec Pro and many more. Some sets were Software based using Superior or Addictive Drums, some were triggering standard V-Drum or DTX modules. Everybody was invited to test and compare every solution. And every exhibitor was helpful to explain every detail of his instrument.

It’s a pity that no manufacturer dared to join the party. After the success of the initial electronic drum meeting and the coverage of Germany’s leading drummer magazines „Sticks“ and Drums&Percussion“ it is rather unlike that Roland, Yamaha & co. Can afford to ignore the next issue…

Oli Rubow exploring the Simmons/Musicaid SDS3

 

Sibi Siebert, former Simmons staff, performing on his hybrid kit

 

Oli during his Workshop with lot’s of analog effect devices

 

Robert Huettl introducing his trigger suit

 

Sibi’s kit from behind

 

Drum-Tec Pro Sapeli kit

 

SDSV kit retrofitted with mesh heads

 

Software based DIY kit featuring Addictive Drums

 

DIY kit – glass/glitter wrapped with standard foil from the DIY superstore

 

Simmons SDX – #19 of only 250 built

 

Drum-Tec Diablo

 

Wronka custom kit – made of welded light metal (see wronka-drums.de)

 

Exploring the possibilities of DIY

 

Jobeky Stealth kit with Toontrack Superior Drummer

 

Handy DIY kit with Roland TD-6

 

DIY Zebra Skin – needs to be groomed instead of polished

 

2box Drumit5 MkII

SDSV – making people smile :-)

Saturday, December 4th, 2010

one week after our successful electronic drum meeting I followed the kind invitation of Marcel Vogelmann (at least Germany’s craziest collector of Ludwig gear and good buddy of Bill Ludwig II) and exhibited a fully loaded SDSV at Württemberger Trommeltage. Everybody was invited to check the sounds and the feel of this dinosaur. The reactions where absolutely positive but also different: While the young guys (less then 15 years) asked where this “coolpiece of gear can be ordered”, there daddies got nostalgic feelings.

Some could not believe that they got the opportunity to play a Simmons for the first time (and probably for the last). Even the staff of the local music store raved about that vintage kit. When I tried to find a fitting stand for the cymbal pad, all the employees of the drum departement came to marvel about that strange thing 🙂
The SDSV: Never to old to inspire…

Howard Jones? THE Howard Jones? (part II)

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

Yes, I followed Howard Jones’ invitation to join his show at Indigo2 in London. During this special concert he was supposed to play all 24 (!) songs of his first two albums “Humans Lib” and “Dream Into Action”. Some of these songs he had even never played before. Saturday night my wife and me went to the O2 arena and really: 2 V.I.P. tickets had been deposed at the box office. With these V.I.P. passes we were previleged to listen to a moderated sound check where Howard explained his gear, basically a Jupiter 8 and a Roland G8. He apologized that his Juno 60 disintegrated over the years. He even explained the story of the Simmons pads from “his friend Wolfgang from Germany” :-))))))

I met Steve Watts in the audience, a former Simmons employee. We had some amicable email conversation before and I recognized him from his Simmons jacket. It is absolutely fantastic when nice online relationships become “real persons”.

The concert itself was superb. Howard was accompanied by Jonathan Atkinson on drums (Roland TD-20 plus the two Simmons pads) and Robbie Bronnimann who controlled Howard’s vocal effects, master of the midi environment and Ableton. The sound was the best I have heard for a long long time. The venue was ideal, the sound programming, synths, TD-20, FX, everything was programmed with love and passion. Not to forget the songs which still worked after almost 3 decades. The show was rounded off by a multi media LCD show which run syncronous to the music. A very special experience.

After the concert we had access to the after show party for the meet and greet, but on the one hand we were tired and strung out by two and a half hours of standing, on the other hand about 150 hungry fans were waiting for a picture with the main artist so rather I preferred to wait for another occasion instead of an unpersonal handshake in passing.

500 guestbook entries

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Thank you for 500 guestbook posts on simmonsmuseum.com (SPAM of course not included), mostly nice feedback, some support requests, some suggestions, … The first entry was posted on July 10th, 2005 which is quite a lot of time. Statistically about 100 entries per year or one entry every 3-4 days. That proves the interest in this topic and keeps me motivated to continue.
Thanks again!
Wolfgang