The drumZine 'BuRnOuT eDiTiOn'
WELCOME BACK
Hey Friends! It’s been a while since the last zine and I wanted to touch on that real quick, and then get to the drum stuff y’all love so much.
I worked myself into a pretty intense burnout over the past few months. It’s something that I struggle with, and I’m sure some of you are familiar with it as well. It got to the point where I wasn’t enjoying the work I was doing, but I kept pushing because I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do. “Just work harder! Nothing worth having comes easy!” I’m the kind of person who works intensely on the things that I enjoy, and I pour every last ounce of myself into the projects I care about. As much as I find joy in those moments of commitment, they can also wear me down until I have nothing left and I’m just going through the motions, lacking the most important element of the process: fun. So, as I’m writing this, it’s been about 3 weeks since I’ve practiced drums (those of you who are close to me know that this is a long time). I had this idea in my head that I had to give everything I had in order for the work to beget something of value. And that idea is just not true. I’m more than just a drummer, and I look forward to expanding my pallet as each day passes. I began quarantine in a similar phase of burnout, but that time it was caused by not having anything to work towards and a lack of motivation. I seem to have tipped the scales all the way in the other direction, to the point where everything I was doing was related to drums and I had no time for anything else. I’m sharing this with you because I know that I’m not special. I’m not the only person who experiences this and I hope that by sharing my story, I can help you when you find yourself burnt out by something you love. You’re not alone, and I would love to hear about your experiences with burnout, if you are comfortable sharing them.
I’m looking forward to finding a system that works for me, and sharing my progress with all of you. I have lots of ideas for the future. I want to do them all justice by being present and focused on each of them individually. So, keep an eye out for me. I’m not going anywhere.
In conjunction with your regularly scheduled drum programming, I’d love to use this zine as a public forum for sharing stories you might have that relate to any aspect of the creative process. If you have something that you’d like to share, even if it’s just a one-sentence piece of advice, please email me using the link below. I would love to hear your stories, thought processes, or comments (let me know if you’d like to remain anonymous).
Now, time to hit the nail right on the head.
The transcription for this week is…you guessed it: The drum solo to “Burnout” by: Green Day. Why not the whole song? *See Above* This transcription is how I would play it. I’m not sure that Tre Cool would play as many bass drum notes, but the Keith Moon in me can’t help it…
UPCOMING SHOWS
Saturday 2/20 at 9pm
LÜRE via bandNada
You can now purchase live sets of your favorite local bands on The Footlight’s Vimeo channel. Help support local music Venues!
Our Wicked Lady needs your help!
As one of the staple venues in Brooklyn, we need to keep this place running. You can donate to their GoFundMe here. You can buy some of their sick merch here. You can sign the petition to keep them alive (do it, it’s free) here.
CODA
I hope you found value in this issue of the drumZine. I’m looking forward to sharing more about our collective journeys as drummers/musicians/creatives. Again, I’d love to hear some of your stories/comments. If you have anything to share, or comment on, send an email to thedrumzine@gmail.com. I’ll catch you all again soon!