What Are Drummers Like?

I've spent quite a bit of time trying to put down a book called 'Born To Drum' by Tony Barrell – and have found that difficult.

Barrell set out to discover what makes a drummer and what makes drummers tick. And he's done a pretty good job, packing in lots of interviews and anecdotes, all pointers to why we might do it.

Are we mad? Addictive? Obsessive? Extrovert? Introvert? He investigates all this and more. And he is particularly good when looking at the history of drumming, the travails of recording sessions and the physical toll taken by a life behind the kit.

My only complaint is that he tends throughout to refer to drummers bashing, whacking and smashing... when most of us have far too much respect for our kit to do that to it, and when most of us know that you get the best sound from drums and cymbals by playing them with at least a little finesse.

If you're a drummer reading 'Born To Drum', you'll find yourself nodding and smiling. If you're a non-drummer, it could be a revelation...