Sticky Wicket. 1920's British Dance Band Drumming and Drum Kit

Drum sets of the 1920's were quite basic, comprising mostly of a snare drum, bass drum, cowbells, woodblocks and china tom tom. The cymbals were often a rim mounted clanger and/or lowboy hats plus a small cymbal for crashes and choke effects. The drums were also often the centre piece of the new 'Jass' or 'Jazz' outfits and the Brtitish Dance Bands consequently some of the drummers became a little more flamboyant in their style of playing than they had previously. Consequently in this video I have a lot of fun slightly emulating the playing of those early kit players .
This kit is a lovely little Premier Popular set from around 1928 which has a charming cat painting on the bass drum with the band's name painted around it, The KIT - KAT DANCE BAND. It was was possibly used by Mr Len Lees who was the drummer with 'Arthur Rosebury & his Kit Kat Dance Band', which was making records between 1928 & 1932. Thet may also have played at the Kit Cat Club in London at some point.
I hope you enjoy this little excursion into 1920's drumming and don't forget to like and subscribe. Thank you, Sticks.

[@mrpotatoheadracing]

Really, the fact that that snare shell can actuate those snare wires is a testament. And the kick sounds great. I'd like to hear some fresh heads and metal snare wires, but my heart loves the originality...

[@nobodycares85]

I'll be honest, I don't know which part I'm here for more than the other: on one hand we have a beautiful old drum kit from another ira and, on the other hand, I can't help but smile when I see the happy expression of that classic drummer, he just always looks so happy to be there and he's got such a kind face.

[@rammsteinrulz16]

It's not every day you get to time travel 😊

[@computer_toucher]

I agree. Snare deserves new heads though. It would have had it when it was lightly used back then

[@oddprimemusic]

That snare sounds like rain on an old tin roof.. Fantastic.

[@engleharddinglefester4285]

I'm glad that bass drum is being played and not in a museum. What a great bit of nostalgia that is.

[@78rpmblog]

If it is a drumkit once belonged to the drummer of Arthur Roseberry's kit kat dance band, I'm glad to say that I own a lovely 78 rpm record (Bluegrass / Virginia) where this drumkit is being played. Thanks for sharing.

[@mrmaestro04]

This one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mouQdmeknM-Bqtksi=sJeJOcEW-HcU5IyQ

[@78rpmblog]

@@mrmaestro04 yep

[@JoeLucero-r5l]

The early "kits" were based off of the old "One-man-band" setups, which is why they had few drums and cymbals, but had cowbells and temple blocks.

[@whatsALthisthen]

Made to be played! This is the perfect way to showcase these instruments. As other commenters have pointed out, I’m so glad to see these being brought to life through performance as opposed to sitting behind glass somewhere.

[@sidmcmillan926]

this kool kat got style 😎 clothes AND musicianship both 👌

[@amphionification]

I love these pieces of history.

[@gsmith207]

This was awesome! My Gramp taught me how to play along with the groove. This nailed it! I still hit the cans at 57 because of him. Thanks for this

[@Hawiianlion67]

Sticky is back, oh hell yeah

[@DSteinman]

Sticky I could watch you play all day man!

[@minime5380]

He loves his drum playing too, looks so happy 😀

[@2002drumsonly]

Great performance and superb showmanship! The syncopation was wild.

[@oldgoat381]

In the full demo I found myself humming Limehouse Blues, I love this kit

[@josephmassell9922]

Amazing sound's from the 1920 drum kit.

[@OzarkMountainKing]

I play Premier kits. I've had the same one for every gig for 30 years. I also have a 60's eta Gretsch kit and a 50's era Slingerland kit. I just like the sound of older drums. On the other hand, all of my cymbals are Paiste Signature. Aside from one Ziljian 20" ride I was given by my father who bought it new in 1962, all my cymbals are modern.

[@robertbruner7429]

The playing here certainly dispels the notion the 1920s drummers were any less talented than today's, but rather a different approach to rhythm as unique to its time as is the modern drumming is of today, on equipment that many modern drummers would feel lost on.

[@PeterSokol-bl5vz]

Pull the other one….they were not……everything this guy is playing modern drummers hit today….modern percussionists….are you 2 years old and your cognitive thinking is not developed yet.

[@nuArk-eq9mq]

❤❤❤😂❤❤

[@akeyasa2228]

@@PeterSokol-bl5vzu mad

[@PeterSokol-bl5vz]

@@akeyasa2228 trying forming complete sentences using the English language…it can be a beautiful language to communicate with if you are not ignorant in its use.

[@waltysalamander]

@@PeterSokol-bl5vzThus speaks the person who could not stop misusing the ellipsis, forgot to correctly punctuate the final sentence of his first reply, and forgot to capitalize the first letter of this reply.

[@Vegan_Kebab_In_My_Hand]

Wow this drummer is fascinating!

[@JoeL-zb1yd]

Outstanding performance! Wonderful rhythm and sound!

[@JoelEverettComposer]

Absolutely joyful! Thanks for sharing! (...and informative)

[@minime5380]

Love this, great kit and character 👍

[@minime5380]

This is the influence of the mad drummer came from for sure

[@stefstef.7064]

Awesome 🎉 and 100% Natural, a great pleasure !!! Big Up to you 👏👏

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

Nice kit! The Kitty is very cute :3

[@vasilismouskouris]

Fantastic!!! Thanks for the great demonstration and passion!

[@K.Dwizzle]

I had a china tom when I was a kid, from grandpa. Didn’t know what it was called till now!

[@innovati]

Brilliant history lesson, music lesson, and performance

[@MacPakinga]

Awesomely cool alright ❤ nice thankyou 👍🤘 from new Zealand 🌏

[@Baneumann66]

So fun! Thank you!

[@ToddChaddingtonEsq]

this is super cool man thanks for posting

[@starfox1340]

That was great thank you!

[@Thorum13]

Great show! Thanks!

[@johnnyxmusic]

Love the direct pedal!

[@jarrahdrum]

I think you should have your own musical town, thank you

[@martinleicht5911]

Vell done !! 💥✌😎

[@howardsternssmicrophone9332]

You could definitely do a rim shot on that joint! That, I can tell you!

[@andrewmccormack4295]

Great old time kit and I love the suspended cymbal, whenever possible I would have mine suspended off my boom stands instead of the normal way as, in my opinion, they sounded better.

[@flashguroden]

I wanna hear someone do blast beats on this kit

[@JoeLucero-r5l]

He seems to be rather well schooled in the rudiments of drumming.

[@vancegordon5648]

Nice brush work!

[@PinoBatMusicDrums158]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@adrianpoesiat]

Reminds me of that song Honeypie on the Beatle’s White album

[@darrenfarrell-bn2cb]

A bit Boardwalk empire well done The snare was called a side drum in those days.

[@howardsternssmicrophone9332]

You definitely got to use traditional grip whilst playing on one of these kits! That, I can tell you!

[@auto_5]

Are we sure Flea isn’t his son?

[@buddabirne4661]

There's so much more sound to it with those calf skins.

[@briane.paulson]

🎉

[@frederickbaugher8361]

If a drummer doesn’t have killer chops, he is going to be exposed rather quickly on a minimalist kit like that.

[@RastaSaiyaman]

Heck, the prime example would be Ringo Starr, his kit was so tiny but just hear what he did with it. I'm pretty sure that if you'd put a drummer like Terry Bozzio behind a 1920's kit, he'd still be able to produce something amazing. It's not the drum kit, but the person playing it who makes all the difference.

[@frederickbaugher8361]

@@RastaSaiyaman not only did Ringo play a minimalist kit with the Beatles, he was a lefty playing a right handed kit! I don’t remember the whole story, but Ringo‘s grandmother made him play right handed because she Believed lefties were wicked. I’m sure someone can tell the story better than I.

[@bobgreen8142]

Ringo, like Charlie Watts and others played on what is essentially the standard jazzer's kit of bass, snare, hanging and floor toms plus hi-hat and two cymbals, which is about all you need. I liked Charlie's approach which was "keep in time and keep out of the way".

[@weronikazalewska2098]

He told that story mostky as a joke I think. Most left han!ded drummers learn right or open handed because when you start out you usually share drum kits when playing on bills with other bands (except for cymbals)

[@derickal7850]

Ouuuuahhhhh

[@yungpm]

Tryna see a blast beat on this

[@aragorn767]

Lol is that the snare they used on St. Anger?

[@bobgreen8142]

I love older-sounding bass drums which you feel as much as hear, like the heartbeat of the tune. I don't like the current trend of bass drum sound and production, which seems to be all click or snap and relatively little tone, plus it's always way too high in the mix.

[@mohddalibinzali1165]

me too

[@razgriz380]

True, but music styles change so the tunings change with them. Each are a product of their generation even if it may not be to our personal taste.

[@outerrealmrecords529]

Cool video, Is that the best sound you can get from the snare? It sounds to me like it's not tuned properly - is that the style of the time?

[@mohddalibinzali1165]

This is how drum should have to be. The sound must boom boom boom not beeb beeb beeb😅.

[@A_mnesiak]

7:08 bro didnt even hit the woodblock

[@Огородник-р]

А кто там за барабаном? Да там самый счастливый человек в мире!!!😊 Привет из Москвы!