Is the forum dying?

[palacki808]

Posts seem to have been few and far between. Hopefully everone is playing alot of gigs, otherwise it seems like the forum is dying off. Which is a shame because there aren't many other places on the net with nearly as much info as this site.

-Joe

[fw]

So, I bought some silver sparkle covering for one of my drums and figured I could get the recommended 3M Fastbond 30NF contact cement anywhere. It turns out, I can't. Any leads, or should I just order it from Precision Drum and pay the shipping? They claim any solvent based cement will eventually warp, shrink, or crack the plastic, and that the 3M brand is water-based, harmless to the finish, odor-free, easy to use, and in all other ways, amazing.

Thanks!

FW

[Dinkus]

I don't know if it's dying, there have been alot of questions answered for people here, maybe and hopefully they are checking out the old questions for their answers. There maybe a little activity but that's better than tons of activity about the same old questions. At least when a post comes up it generally is new and we generally get great info from the answers. I'm sure there will be more info passed around as this still is the best Cocktail Drum Forum.

Dinkus

[ricky]

I dont think its dying,it has been a great way to share info and get to know more about the oddities of the cocktail drum....keep it up. I have been busy in south florida dealing with all that hurricane nonsense,what a mess ,anyway keep the news and info coming!

[Bruce (the K)]

I usually check the forum every couple of days but it has been slower lately, with fewer new posts, so I haven't been checking as often. Still, I think it's great that it's available. I've learned most everything I know about cocktail drums (and much of what I know about drumming in general) from the Lounge and this forum.

As for me, I'm just struggling to find gigs for my little neighborhood trio, so I can turn more people on to the beauty and versatility of cocktail drums. It's been 4 years now but I still get a real kick out of seeing the looks of amazement, wonder, amusement, and delight on the faces of those who have never seen a cocktail drum in action before (especially the drummers). My bandmates cringe when someone comes up and asks about my set because they know it's gonna set me off about cocktail drums and they've had to listen to it so many times before. Still, they haven't replaced me yet!

[jmettam]

Dying? Nonsense!

Well, of course I'm going to say that! : > )

What I have always noticed over the years is there can be a strong ebb and flow with posting. Actually the past year or so I was amazed at how active the board got!

There were a lot of projects going on with all of you, from mods to all out ground-up construction. So, it's not so surprising to me that there has been a lull. I know that I have not been as active because I have been away several time and working like crazy trying to make ends meet. But it always makes me happy when I check in and see that everyone is still busy dreaming up new cocktail ideas.

Someone asked about micro-kits recently and I had been thinking about expanding the site a bit to include this general notion "The Cocktail Drum (& micro kit) Lounge". I think most everyone here plays both regular kit and cocktail kit and has probably experimented with all sorts of setups. The great thing is how many people 'get it' when it comes to treating the cocktail drum as an instrument unto itself. So adding another forum on micro kits might be redundant, but might work. For myself I have a 16" Floor Tom / Bass Drum conversion and even a 12x15 marching snare/bass drum and all sorts of mounted drums for toms. I am alays trying to fit the most into the smallest space while keeping it sounding top notch.

Another fantasy that I have had for some time is having 'convention' of some sort (at a club in NYC perhaps). It would likely be small but potent! Perhaps in the future.

As always, thank you everyone for making this site what it is (and will continue to be!)

Cheers,

John

[Bruce (the K)]

I love the idea of a convention! My family and I may be visiting New York over the winter holidays (sometime between December 18 and January 10). I'd love to drag my cocktail drum along and bring it to Cocktail DrumCon I or Cocktail Drum Expo 04 or whatever we want to call it. If we could find a club, hotel, or restaurant with meeting space for 20 or 30 cocktail drummers to set up their kits and have a "drum circle," I bet we could get some "human interest angle" coverage from the New York Times Sunday Magazine or, if somebody calls the cops, one of the tabloids, at least. ;^) I wonder if any of the old cocktail drum companies have a New York City connection we could play up. (My Peace cocktail drum model is called the Manhattan and I would think in their heyday that the original cocktail drums were plentiful in NYC.)

If this year at the holidays is a little too soon to make it happen, I still think it's a great idea. I envision it as sort of like a classic car show, with vintage cocktail drums, newer models, and, if a few of us bring along the rest of our bands, some musical demonstrations.

What do the rest of you folks think?

[Dave]

I'm in for the convention if it's held somewhere in the Northeast...New York City is fine...Dave

[mangorockfish]

Would love to come back to NYC. Was there a couple of years ago. Quite the bomb for a guy from Little Rock, Arkansas. Would love to attend a Cocktail Drum Convention. Just got my custom cocktail kit Wednesday and am "fine tuning" it. Man, trying to get everything adjusted just right and then try to play standing up. Well, in 24 hours, I'll be on stage with it with my band doing our first "unplugged" gig. How "gutsy" is that? Had it four days and playing a gig. I always say, "No guts, no glory". Wish me luck.
This is really a great forum, so let's start posting more and give it a shot in the arm.
Mangorockfish