NAMM 2018
This past January, I got to experience NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) for the first time. I expected it to be overwhelming and I mentally prepared for it, but I was no match for what I was about to witness. I even got NAMMthrax (specifically-strep) when I got home.
I think every single company I've ever heard of was there and hundreds more. It was amazing to be able to walk up to every company and really explore their products, especially the newer, more boutiquey companies. I do have to say (and this was confirmed by someone who has been there for the past 10 yrs or so) that it was really, really, really loud in the exhibit halls. This person said it was the loudest NAMM he ever attended. Even though they have decibel meter police monitoring the companies (they shut some down for not complying) it was too much sound to really be able to hear cymbals and drums that well, especially if you were serious about buying their product.
I was especially interested in some of the newer/non-"big name" companies, like Soultone Cymbals (more about them in a future blog), Zion Cymbals, Dream Cymbals, Dixon Drums, RBH Drums, Dunnett Drums, A+F Drums, Urbann Boards (drums shoes! I purchased...), and of course the older, popular companies like Drum Workshop, Pearl, Tama, Ludwig, Gretsch, Yamaha, Sonor, Zildjian, Paiste, Sabian, and the not as popular but equally as incredible-Byzantine, Agope, Istanbul, and more I can't think of right now.
I even had a good look at a lot of cool basses and guitars as a lot of musicians I wanted to check out were demoing their companies' stuff. All the highlights of those interactions are in the pictures below. One particular highlight was meeting the most recorded drummer, J.R. Robinson, and having an actual conversation with him for over an hour. We nerded out on drum stuff, talked about both our backgrounds, and of course I asked him plenty of questions. He was incredibly humble, really listened, and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. Probably the most iconic person I met was Geoff Emerick, engineer with the Beatles. Just wow!
We started the trip with a visit to Guitar Center in Hollywood, including the Rock Walk out front, Professional Drum Shop-probably the most popular and/or visited drum shop in the country, then tried In and Out Burger-NOT IMPRESSED! Then, we drove to Anaheim to check into the hotel which was located directly in front of Disneyland, then back into LA (I drove!) to see Animals As Leaders. It was a nice surprise to see that Virgil Donati was going to open the show! Another great surprise was the fruity pebble krispie bars...it was a difficult night considering some of us were up for over 24 hrs at that point. And NAMM began the next morning bright and early!
Enjoy!
VIDEOS
