I haven't posted for ages and so I thought I would share with you everything that has been happening in the Rich Millin world of drums and also what I have planned for the first part of 2012...
Firstly, thanks to everyone for reading and participating in the Drumazine! It's a small venture where I get to speak to lots of drummers about their lives and get an insight into who they are and what they do, all for my own personal and completely selfish wish to gain more knowledge about what it means to be a drummer...
I don't know about you (even if you're not a drummer), but I suffer from serious self doubt.
I am always questioning what I do and how good (or not) I am at it. I never know if I'm right or wrong. I never think I'm good enough and I always think that everyone else is much better than me. Maybe because they are more disciplined? Or maybe because they are naturally better? Or is it because I am lazy? And why did I never get that massive world tour or that lucky break or session which would have propelled me onto the world scene of top drummers...??? Obviously it's because I am not good enough...
Having said that, what would I do if I did succeed in my ultimate career dreams?! I might be too nervous or get it wrong or maybe, maybe... Ahhhh! I don't know!
Anyway, that was the whole point in Drumazine. I really wanted to interview other drummers, some who have made it and some who haven't and some who are teachers, some who just play for fun and some who are struggling just like me to find out if I am alone in my thoughts. They fact I am sharing these interviews with the drumming world is just something I thought would be fun. Turns out I was right! Drumazine has had well over 1,500 hits in a month! It's ace! I love the feedback I am getting and the positive response, not only from readers but also from the interviewees themselves! Amazing stuff! So again, thanks to everyone :-)
The other things I have been doing include lots of eating and drinking and being lazy over Christmas and New Year visiting family and friends. It was lovely. Although, coming from a fairly sleepy little town in mid-west UK, I really wasn't prepared for the war-zone in Berlin on New Years Eve! Seriously, there must have been about €1,000,000.00 spent on fireworks! It was like being in Berlin circa 1943! Explosions everywhere! The guy on the balcony next door was sat there happily firing his fireworks at the apartment in the building opposite! The guy opposite, instead of getting pissed off or calling the police, simply went up onto the roof of his building with a big stock-pile of ammunition and started firing back!
Ridiculous!
Before that, (I seem to be working backwards chronologically from now to my last post for some reason?!), I was in the UK for a ridiculous amount of drinking and some absolutely unforgettable gigs with The Dacoits and BabyTrain. It turns out that The Dacoits can pull off a 20 song, 90 minute set no problem and BabyTrain can play a somewhat flawless gig without even having 1 practice in 5 months!
I miss my UK bands...
I am, however, keeping very busy in Berlin with other musical projects... Mr David Marx has been here lots to rehearse for a gig this Thursday 12th January at The Ufer Cafe in Berlin. I am extremely excited about my first Berlin gig, so if you are in the city and can make it down , please do... :-)
Also, (and this is the scariest thing for me to plan for in 2012), I have been asked to run a Master Class at The Academy of Music and Sound in Swindon in March for the end of term Master Class week.
Me! A Master Class! HA - Awesome!
Anyway, I have a lot of preparation to do for this. I am hopefully going to be touring this Class around all of the Academies in the UK and while I am in the UK (around 20th March until 10th April) I will be offering 1-1 lessons (limited time obviously!) and also will be running some other drum workshops for anyone wishing to attend. The workshops will be based around careers in music, new technology in music and for drummers who wish to know more about:
a) careers in teaching
&
b) drum specific and playing workshops looking at time itself - (time signatures etc...)
So, let me know if you are interested in attending a workshop or if you would like a tailor-made 1-1 lesson. (Swindon only).
Finally, whist in the UK in March/April, I am happy to announce a mini tour for System Of A Clown! (It really is a mini tour, so far two dates!) 7th April sees us at The Furnace in Swindon and the 8th April we will be at The Louisiana in Bristol.
For more information visit the Facebook group here.
I think that's all for now...
bis später.
:-)
(Oh, and I had a haircut)
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