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BiographyName: Jeff Sanders
Styles/Influences: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zepplin, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC,Van Halen, Heart, Kansas, Judas Priest, The Police, Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull, ZZ Top, Todd Rundgren, Santana, Alan Parsons, Dixie Dregs, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Toto, Tommy Aldridge, The Tubes, Stevie Ray Vaughn, King Crimson, Steely Dan, Jean Luc Ponty, Bob Marley, Sade, Al Di Meola, Dream Theater, Middle-Eastern Music, and tons more! History: Back around when I was 7 years old, I'd go watch my Uncle Doug's band doing Creedence tunes in my Grandma's garage. After Ma saw my interest she coaxed Pa into buying me a set. It was a Sears 5-piece blue sparkle set and I was in heaven. I took lessons off and on for a year, learned new licks from records, and later I learned from what I could see when attending concerts. There were some kid bands that I was in but it was nothing serious until high school, then I joined "Ash". We played lots of desert keg parties etc.., then got jobs playing in local clubs while we were under age. We won a Milano music under 18 years old battle of the bands we entered up in Mesa. We played the club scene for a few years until we got pretty burned out and broke up. I did country gigs to keep money flowing for a few years before I traveled to Taipei, Taiwan where I played some assorted gigs there for over 2 years. On August 6, 1992 I had a motorcycle accident and broke my neck after hitting a brick wall head first; goodbye mobility. I spent a month trying to get back to my parents house in the states. When I returned my Ma and Pa began taking care of me. I tried going back to school but after a few semesters I began to fail. Also, my father died, Ma was devastated and I became depressed. My kids came to live with my mother and I did as well after another family tragedy. After this I did nothing for a very long time. In time, after being around my kids, I began to feel happy again and started doing more. Soon I decided to build something I could play drums on. My friend and I tried mounting triggers on assorted things to get consistent playability but my designs were all cheesy. Right about then is when I discovered the Roland HPD-15. I ordered one and couldn't have imagined it could be so playable for me. Thank God :) I'll do my best to describe how I play the HPD-15: The pad is positioned right over my lap (if I reach for stuff I tend to fall over in my wheelchair lol). I bring my hands down on it like a karate chop. I strategically assigned pads adjacently that I knew needed to sound simultaneously, (eg. crash cymbal, snare and bass drum), so that I could get two or more sounds with one hand slam. If you can imagine making a fist, then having someone duct tape a few inches of foam padding around each hand, no fingers, no wrists, just two big numb meat bats. When I strike the pad, I've no tactile sensation to tell me I made contact. My pad sensitivity is maxed to compensate and pick up my weak strokes. My dynamics are a shame until I tame that beast. What I do is merely a drop in the bucket compared to what some others could with my gear, I bet. I do miss playing my big pretty acoustic sets and the fancy stick tricks that went along with being behind the big kit, but I'll take what works for me now and do the best with it. I'ts quite an adjustment to try to recreate with two limbs the sounds of four limbs, but I'm not complaining, I feel blessed that I have the functions that I do. My next project is to setup a studio and begin recording. Keep on jammin'! MediaAudio #2 added 05-18-06 Video #1 (wmv)
Download the sequence hereAudio #1 (mp3)
Audio #2 (mp3)
Download full song hereGear
Drums: Roland HPD-15 Handsonic
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