Desert Drummer

Rock stars always seem to find a way to make headlines and these days the use of backing tracks seems to be the big topic. From the use of  backing tracks  behind the band performing live to vocalists lip-syncing their parts to instrumentalists miming their parts onstage. For fans spending hundreds and in some cases, thousands of dollars for tickets alone, this is big deal. So, for whatever reason that a band is either filling in the sound or dare I say, deceiving their audience, we are entitled to an explanation.     Backing Tracks  I have performed with backing tracks several times in multiple bands. In each case it was out of necessity. From the use of sequencers to determined musicians who filled in the space due to missing band members, it was certainly a use what you have approach. Either way, I respected the determination of those in such projects. In each case, the audience didn't seem to care because the backing tracks featured specific instrume...

I am blessed to say that 2023 was one of my best years as a musician and as a performer. There were certainly challenges and struggles but the end results were more than worth it. Here is a review of the year and I am happy to say that it features a lot of new opportunities as well as memories of working with some amazing people.    My drums at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, CA A Great Start  The year started with me working in the world of musical theater. I was invited back to Arts Express Theater to perform in the production Always Patsy Cline. I was thrilled to return just a few months after my first performance with this company and it was such a thrill to work with some of the actors and musicians that I had worked with before while also getting a chance to meet and work with more talented artists. The production was amazing and the audience at each show were really into it.  A little more than a month later I was at the Cabaret Theater with the Arizona Thea...

It didn't hit me the night I saw the final KISS show in Glendale, AZ. In a lot of ways it should have because I was there with my best friend Rudy Moreno, who is no longer with us as we lost him to COVID-19, and my son, who saw KISS for the first and last time that night. At the end of the night I stared for a moment at the Thank you Glendale  displayed from the stage and smiled as I had just seen the greatest rock and roll show that I had ever seen in my life. And mind you, I had seen KISS several times before that night as well as many other great rock bands.  It started to hit me about a month before the last show at Madison Square Garden. I have no recollection of a time in my life when KISS was not only around but a touring group. So the thought of knowing that they will no longer be coming to my hometown for another great show hit me hard. No one puts on a better show than KISS and what many detractors also fail to see is that members of the KISS Army are amazed each yea...

It started with a text message from an old bandmate.... Rose Briones, who was the fiddle player in the Tony Corrales Band dropped me a line to see if I would be interested in playing drums for a musical theater production that she was going to take part in. I gave it a quick thought and agreed to do it as I thought it would be a nice change from the club scene. That's when I also realized how long it had been since I had been in a musical. That would be my sophomore year of high school when I played drums for Godspell. It was actually a lot of fun because my parents loved the music so I heard it quite a bit growing up. I did like the songs so I looked forward to the opportunity.   That took me back to some pleasant memories. Once the actors were ready they brought the musicians in and we began rehearsing the play. It was a lot of work and was a big success because we worked as a team. Aside from that I also got to know a number of students that I didn't know that well and gr...