Van Halen Drum Tech (Texas Country Reporter)

John Douglas is not only a super talented drummer, but a talented artist as well. He has worked with some of the finest musicians both on stage and in the art studio, creating custom painted drums.
John Douglas
Magnolia, TX
/ texascountry. .
Follow us on Twitter: / tcrbob
Texas Country Reporter
#1536
2-05-2017

[@benjaminvasquez5826]

This guy has the best job ever, travel around the world, with awesome bands, and doing his art... he is living the dream.

[@single55]

And plays drums well enough for Billy to call him and say, put on your rock clothes. You're gonna rock for real.

[@kaiulrich6185]

Little do you know about life as a tekkie on the road. It is far away from living a dream.

[@keithm9337]

But he isn't making any money. These bands don't pay guys like this very much. The Van Halen guitar tech had a guitar he got from EVH up for auction not too long ago. He said he needed the money. The stars make millions, but it doesn't trickle down yo guys like this.

[@jbarb4954]

He also filled in for Joey Kramer for a tour. This guy is living the dream.

[@mauricobian]

This was posted 4 months ago and he said "that stack of drums is for the next tour" 😭 RIP EVH

[@wyattearp1210]

May Eddie Van Halen Rest in Peace, God must be in need of a great guitarist. Eddie will live long in our hearts and love of good Rock & Roll music..

[@jesusmylordsaviorking3726]

maybe Eddie will write and play a song in Heaven called Running with Jesus Christ!

[@Swanlord05]

God don't need no guitarist But we wish the best for EVH John 5:28,29....

[@ramencurry6672]

Jesus on lead vocals, Eddie on guitar, Mary on bass and Satan on the drums.

[@turtleneckferret]

God doesn't need anyone

[@CynBH]

I hate this year so much 😔 Farewell Eddie. Your musical gift to the world will rock on. 💕🎸

[@cameraman655]

CynB Yeah, 2020 has been a nightmare, maybe Eddie is the lucky one, he no longer has to deal with this crappy year.

[@CynBH]

@@cameraman655 A friend of mine died 2 months ago. She loved 80s rock. My only hope is that now she gets that private concert she always dreamed about. 💕

[@josearriola3087]

Sad

[@acgillespie]

yep 500 years from now his guitar will be squealing..

[@josearriola3087]

Eddie Van Halen was a Mozart's of heavy metal Hard Rock guitar players

[@filsolano5465]

As a drummer my self, I think of my self as a better drum tech than as a drummer. This dude has one of the best jobs in the world. 🍻 cheers

[@jamesbarrick3403]

Drum techs do not get any pussy

[@filsolano5465]

@@jamesbarrick3403 I get my fair share of that regardless

[@stevericardo_drummer]

Totally agree

[@thedrumman2019]

Probably because us casual drummers spend a decent amount of time maintaining our own drums and hardware just as much as we play so we kinda do the job of a drum tech for ourselves (if that makes sense)

[@glengamble526]

He has a better job now…he’s drumming for Aerosmith on this tour.

[@richarddonegan4666]

Alex was my number one influence since the late 70's.....

[@josephrobichaud5198]

Thanks for taking the time to give these back stage gods there long over due credit!

[@turtleneckferret]

It's their not there and to call them gods is a far stretch

[@madmax8949]

He's the epitome of the saying, "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life."

[@zeketrick]

I have actually had dreams of setting that drumkit up! How awesome. I used to draw Alex's kits back in junior high school in the early 80's. RIP Edward! Peace to Alex and Wolf 😑

[@tttarms1970]

Alex early tour drums for sale....only 250,000 lol

[@zeketrick]

@@tttarms1970 holy smokes! I saw the white set in Cleveland at the Rock and roll hall of Fame , with the octobons and Flammable spelled out on the bass drum. Pretty kool kit ! 1970 was my birth year 😁

[@Chickboom34]

Good on ya' Joe. Appreciate a man who is able to put it all together doing something he loves. Inspirational.

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

That is a jaw dropping LUDWIG kit! Looks so classy!

[@mickdelahunty5026]

So cool really enjoyed watching this you people are blessed as are the stars to have you lookin after them 😊

[@alydude2011]

I met JD on all 3 Sammy Hagar cruises as well as when he was the drummer for KIK TRACEE. Awesome guy. Coincidentally after the cruise Johnny went on tour with VH . They happened to be playing in Providence RI that night and I happened to be in the city during the day at a body jewelry store. While I was waiting to be helped I was looking out the window and I spotted a black REMO hoodie go by ( being a full time drummer and drum teacher it stuck out like a saw thumb. I looked a little closer and it was Johnny , I yelled JD!, he turned around and started walking towards me and I said , hey , last time I saw you we were in the the middle of Cabo San Lucas Mexico ocean. My wife was even talking to Johnny about the Audix D series microphones on the elevator of the cruise ship. . Long in short he remembered me and invited me to hang behind Alex Van Halen’s kit during the concert , my favorite drummer , if you can believe it, I had a stupid gig to play and being a professional stayed committed to the gig and turned down a once in a lifetime experience! Can’t ever begin to tell you how bad i regret that decision, I quit my band a week later. God bless you Johnny and Van Halen!

[@fitzgerald69]

Being a drum tech was one of my dream jobs. Man this was cool.

[@kellybogues]

Mighty groovy TCR segment. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@MrJayglass07]

Gotta love the people behind the scenes. Great art work, when a man does what he loves it’s not work it’s a passion. 🤘

[@disseminationnetwork]

Great segment, so cool to see the behind the scenes! Thanks!

[@evancranford7299]

I'm a modern age kid and I love 80s hair metal and 80s rock music so much and my mom told me this in the car couple hours ago it's just like hit me like a punch and it's stomach I just couldn't stand him passing away. I loved his music he was a rock legend a very very talented guitarist God bless the Van Halen family R.I.P Van Halen

[@petersmith1104]

How could someone dislike this?

[@jnorriect]

They got passed over for the job

[@petersensalas8643]

Wow....thanks for making these guys sound awesome out der......ur work all around is amazing.

[@DustinPlatt]

Imagine being a guitar tech for one of the best guitarists of all time. Imagine what could go wrong.

[@sparrovski]

You have the best job in the world. Touching all that lovely gear.

[@TomDrums]

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing! Alex is one of my favorite drummers.

[@texasgina]

Growing up in Huntington Beach California most of my life, I had a neighbor Trudy in 1978 who dated Eddie Van Halen once or twice. And I remember her telling me about this new group named Van Halen I went out and I bought the record and I was hooked

[@SaulHOU]

Wow! that is cool!!

[@acgillespie]

I grew up in Buena park and watched them play in garages in 1972-73.. Met them at Mattie lou Maxwell park and was Invited to watch them and party

[@madmax8949]

I love the name Trudy and the song of the same by Charlie Daniels. "Call up Trudy on the telephone, send a letter in the mail tell her I'm hung up here in Dallas and they won't let me out of this jail"!

[@cuddzilla]

What an absolutely amazing story!

[@SaulHOU]

RIP - Your Unique RiFFs will Never be Duplicated - I was privileged to see you in concert - Rock On!

[@turtleneckferret]

It's spelled riffs

[@SaulHOU]

@@turtleneckferret Fat-Fingered the KYB :-)

[@edwardhenry3158]

Man the roadies the backstage hands and John never get the recognition they deserve they are the hands and clockwork that makes everything go this was a great video because I want to work as a roadie for Rossington collins our job was 24 seven and I’m just guesstimating it was more than that we never got enough rest but that was back in the day when we had stuff to keep us going LOL God bless you John you are truly talented and gifted and well respected

[@keepontruckinoutlawlife1248]

DUDE IS A LEGEND IN THIS INDUSTRY HANDS DOWN!!!!

[@hansverhoeckx6647]

Beautiful what a marvelous job! Love it

[@doc559]

Thanks for sharing 🏆🏆🏆🤗🙏🙏🙏 There is before Eddie and after Eddie--true revolutionist RIP King Eddie 🛐

[@wc319]

Very Very cool !! Glad I watched this! What an awesome life!! and Job

[@gstevens6948]

One little jewel at a time with a freaking toothpick on that floor Tom… craftsmanship at its absolute finest. Plus he’s a player also, wow.

[@lordspam2721]

I was finally gonna see ZZ Top for the first time at the South Carolina State fair when the bass player broke his hip. Was bummed for him and that show. I never go to shows but they were on my bucket list. Congrats on living your dream!

[@parrotheadstx]

Excellent piece TCR. Excellent!!

[@artiem7436]

Very excellent piece

[@lorettahookano6139]

What a frickin amazing artist in every aspect !

[@davidleeroth784]

Nice .just found your channel. I am in Tomball a little down the road from Magnolia! Subscribed right then when I saw Texas and VH my fave band.

[@onetimepeace]

Man l love seeing stacked speakers,I just love audio.

[@Livemusic1800]

That's awesome. !!! Love his job.

[@flashy5150]

Amazing guy, very talented, I love the paintings too.

[@Roc-Righteous]

look up.kik tracee no rules.and watch him play the drums in that video. He designed that one too.

[@invisiblewithlibertyandjus8458]

No one has a snare sound like Alex van Halen. The most unique sound of any drummer alive today. If you played 2 seconds of 100 different artists and told me to pick out van Halen, I could do it just by the sound of the snare drum.

[@boofert.washington2499]

I'm like that with Vinnie Paul. It's the snare.

[@waterislife5109]

Wow, this guy is a genius. Great talent. Long live the King of Guitar 🎸 Eddie Van Halen 🎸 #VanHalenforever 🤘

[@fhhfgj]

What a cool guy. Well done sir, you nailed it!

[@ruggedrickrude1946]

good segment and nice art work to him

[@anthonymelki1005]

This is amazing

[@messemphanger]

Man what a cool job to have!

[@larrybrown7273]

One the best techs in the business period

[@Wolfgang19675150]

Totally awesome!!

[@Roc-Righteous]

John Douglas played for Kik Tracee, look up "No rules" on youtube. He has a nice drum set there too he was playing. No rules is one of my fav albums, he's a damn good drummer too.

[@bigal1863]

I worked with John Douglas in a music store back in the day. He played for XOX then. Real down to earth fellow.

[@TonyRomearound]

You sir have the greatest job in the world

[@pepecameo7549]

Truly impressed

[@SilentKnight43]

Only thing wrong with this video is it's only 6:17 long. Could've watched a few more hours. What a life...the things this fella' has seen 'n done. Hella talented artist. Love the shot of him standin' next to Eddie in the early days with his artwork. Oh, the stories he could tell...

[@slashfromtx2845]

Maaan!! Dreams do come true!!! 🤘😝🤘

[@dwayneaguiar1148]

You have a great job..🥁😎🥁.

[@bendertheoffenderbending9370]

damn!!! what an awesome dude!!!

[@josephprice3808]

I remember that guitar of Joe Perry's wife on Guitar Hero. That's wild that he created that. Amazing that he ended up playing with ZZ Top. I remember a similar incident when James Hetfield was burned at a show. Their guitar tech filled in for a few shows while Hetfield healed and sang.

[@johngold1849]

Incredible! I couldnt imagine knowing that I have AVH's kit, sitting right next to Joey Kramer's, thats insane. Honestly, if I was playing on Al's kit and they told me to get off, the show would be late! hehe.. What a job..

[@hthtomcat3]

Luvd this.music.art passion.and a calling.

[@MNDrummer]

I wish I would have pursued music more when I was younger. I would of loved to be in a touring band or even a studio drummer. Whenever going to concerts my friends would say that if something happens to the drummer I should run to the stage! I've played in many bands, done some studio work and had a good time with music in my life. I just wish I would of pursued it as a career and see how far I could have gone. Lesson for the younger generation, follow you dreams when you are young. The worst you can do is fail and then start again. It gets harder and harder to do these things as you get older, have families, and have responsibilities.

[@albertosotelo9969]

This guy is awesome!

[@tipplers3417]

Blessed man

[@michaellandrumguitar]

awesome great info

[@anotherstart1]

A really great story. God bless 🙏

[@ReneAlexisPenalozaMunoz]

A very talented man indeed.

[@ritchienegrea5779]

No dought he’s shining those drums like I shine up my w 900 a model that’s a semi. Haa. His proud of what his doing and damn good one

[@peecmkr45]

One word.... Awesome.

[@joepipe1010]

I hope these guys will continue to make the VH show..

[@JBRSTTDB]

Wow, what a talented and lucky guy!

[@williamboyle8918]

Cool video, cool guy.

[@mimsoundstudios8759]

Awesome!

[@rodrigoguzmanleroy4915]

he´s an artist..blessed

[@jimmyfreeman9133]

Getting ready for the big gig...

[@harveyterry6418]

Awesome job, I'm jealous.

[@josephschmidt4157]

The guy is incredible!

[@opendstudio7141]

That was an interesting life story. Doing what you love v.s. starvation is a pretty stark motivation. 😀

[@tomlehr861]

His snare drum and cymbal sound great

[@augustdrums1247]

I want this guys job!!!

[@wndowpayne]

3:40 holy shit the patience that would take

[@johnniedelonghi473]

Good job The Dude!!! 🤘🤘🤘🇨🇭

[@stephenord3403]

Ludwigs, the best, still got my 67 super classic and I fxxxxxg love them

[@BonaldoGomes]

Sou bonaldo gomes do canal do KZbin bonaldo gomes e tenho 61 anos sou um deficiente físico das pernas mas adoro o que é muito bom. Parabéns pelo excelente vídeo.

[@ricoforce4478]

Cool dude!!

[@LuisRomero-uq1zw]

Congratulation for your documental me Edward van halen forever salutes 👏🎤🎶🎸😎

[@ediebluntzer5185]

how apropos that this would be uploaded on the same day Eddie passed away. God bless

[@nayazhitsofficial6611]

nice job..🙏

[@FloydUpgrades]

Well Done JD!

[@antoniodelarosa8850]

Great experiences!!!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@ralphbenites1312]

What a cool job 🥁🔧🔨🪛

[@HotCarTrack]

Very cool.

[@VP737]

timely

[@THEJOEDAVISBAND]

cool video

[@pearlguy6351]

Best job ever

[@moncorp1]

good lord. Could there be anything more mind numbing than putting those rhinestones on?

[@SilentKnight43]

I was impressed he just randomly set them in place without a pattern laid out. Just knew what he was goin' for in his head. Serious art talent.

[@MikeBerbano]

How many of those stones fell off enroute while on tour?

[@yellowsun7808]

RIP Eddie Van Halen 🖤🎸😥

[@andrewthorpe7882]

What type of paint do you use on the drums and on to what surface

[@markdemell3717]

Tres cool.

[@Deadleg]

Really talented guy.

[@timmbos]

Congrats. You've "lived" your life. I'm a slave to the grind unfortunately. Very jealous but happy for you.

[@Lakk6Metal]

[@ca_ged]

Great story!