Malcolm Hamerston
My name is Malcolm Hamerston, I am 55 and live in Berkshire in the UK, and I play the drums. Rather than just being ‘the time-keeper’, I like to make the drums a more integral part of the composition, without being obtrusive. There are too many favourites players to list here. I think my first major influence was Rick Marotta in the 80's, as he played NOTHING, but it was where he placed the beat...way behind where it should be. Obviously over the years there have been hundreds that I have admired from Carl Palmer to Weckyl. I tend to lean towards the players who 'hear and interpret' a song, rather than just playing it. Two of my particular favourites are Phil Collins’ interpretation of Woman in Chains by Tears for Fears, and everything Carlos Vega did especially with James Taylor, so first of all some pics of the man who changed my outlook on the role of the drums in music.
I first saw him by chance when I went to a Boz Scaggs gig in Sydney in the early 80's, hoping that Porcaro might be in the chair, but it was Vega, and I remember being impressed with his ease of playing. It wasn't till he started working with James Taylor that I really sat up and listened, I'm a huge admirer of Taylor, and I think his material is always ripe for inventive and clever (under) playing. Following on from Kunkel and Marotta, Vega took Taylors material and re-invented it, marking it indelibly with his unique style. One of the finer aspects of his playing was his ability to play just about any style....with grace and ease. Watch him with Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin , just click above to go to a video of his solo on 'Oasis'....wonderful stuff. I'm not keen on drum solos, but here is a great example of 'speed isn't everything', but absolute control is. I started hunting him out and buying whatever music I could find him on..(and there was plenty..). He seemed to fit Taylors music perfectly, so, obviously whenever JT came to Sydney..(not often..) I would be there, and I became an enormous admirer of JT myself, but no-one has since filled Taylors drumchair chair like he did. When he died in 1997 I felt I had lost a close friend and mentor..and indeed, I had.
My Gear
This my Yamaha kit, to boost the 'bottom end' I use a Peavey Mk3 bass amp with two Peavey 'Hy Sys' wedges. I became fed up with tuning up and getting a great sound, only until the band started, then the 'timbre' of the kit was lost in the volume. So the HK's boost my BD (a Tandy PZM mic inside), and 14'' Tom (Shure 58).
This is my Ludwig Black Beauty that I bought in Sydney in 1996. I think at the time there were only 3 in Australia ......cost me plenty too..!!!.
