|
|
BiographyName: Randal 'Ranman' Bates
Styles/Influences: Oh, dear..Where do I begin? Dukes of Dixiland, The Beatles, Led Zeplin, Pink Floyd, Little Feat, Alice In Chains, and Trans Siberan Orchestra, to name just a few. And, of course, Def Leppard (duh!) :p History: Music has been a family influence all my life. My father was a Dixieland (New Orleans Jazz) drummer and, without a doubt, a major influence in my style. Around my 10th year on Earth (1969-ish) my father 'loaned' me his 5-piece Pearl kit to learn on... and I've been a drummer ever since. This was a very interesting kit in that (a) the cymbals were a mixed-bag of off-brand platters (20" ride, 12" crash, 12" high-hat) and (b) the shells - made and purchased in Japan in the late 50`s - were "off-sized" such that standard production drum heads simply did not fit. My father and I had to purchase sheets of animal skin, soak them in water for several hours, and manually mount them onto wooden hoops for drum heads. They had an incredibly warm sound, but were quite temperamental to weather conditions and oh-so easily broken. A few months before my 14th birthday tragedy struck the family. In just a few seconds I was forced to say goodbye to my father, oldest brother ... and my left arm. Yet the love for the instrument lived on and I'd begun to devise a style of playing even before leaving the hospital! As I fell into high school I also found myself behind a new kit; a 5-piece Ludwig wrapped in black vinyl (product named: Black Panthers). These were "blue and olive" badged shells which served me quite nicely through the years. The cymbal array for this kit was all Zildjian: 12" and 18" crashes, 18" flat ride and 14" hi-hats. By the early 80`s I'd also added a double bass pedal to this kit. Electronic drumming was still on the horizon, however, so I didn't use foot switches and extra gadgets to make up for the missing stick - I just developed a style that I hoped would make it difficult for the audience to tell that the stick was missing. During high school and college in Pensacola, Florida I drummed away in several rock bands and, yes, even a country band. This helped to hone my skills as well as contribute toward meeting the expenses of a college education. It was also in college that I was introduced to the concept of "Salvation" and East Brent Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. That church did not have a progressive "Praise Band", but the over-all personality of the congregation, and that of the Pastor in particular, gave way to the understanding that music with a "groove" isn't necessarily "evil". I began listening to Kansas more closely, as well as Petra and a few other "Progressive Christian Rock" bands. This, too, would help shape my style as a musician and as a person. In 1983, armed with an A.A. in Computer Science and an A.S. in Advertising and Design, I set off to the Nation's Capitol to pursue a career as a software engineer. As I worked toward establishing my career I also worked toward equipping a small recording studio. At the peak I'd amassed a rack of keyboards, a Tascam "Studio 8" eight track reel-to-reel recording deck + console, a guitar, a bass, and an assortment of outboard gear. By trial and error I'd learned to pluck out simple bass lines using "hammer-ons" and "pull-offs". I also tuned my guitar to an open `G` chord and played some nasty power chords and simple riffs. In 1987 I was hired to play keyboards in some sessions with a Christian trio. During one of the breaks I stole a moment to slip into the drum booth for a little workout and the engineer piped in a few of the tracks from that day for me to jam on. It wasn't until nearly a year later when I received a copy of the product that I realized the engineer had tape rolling while I was in the booth. The liner notes listed "drums" as part of my contribution and, sure enough, two of the tracks included my efforts. Sadly, I've long since misplaced that recording but the memories persist. The 90`s found me (and my little family) visiting a non-denominational church in Northern Virginia; Fairfax Covenant Church. This was my first true opportunity to see a weekly "Praise Band" in action - and I loved it! Imagine rocking out full-bore IN the church rather than in-spite of the church! The 90`s also found me married with children, debts, and very little studio time. As a result everything trickled out the door. Eventually in 1997 even the Ludwigs had to go as I was living alone in an apartment, facing divorce and the need for quick Christmas cash. Ah, but 1999 rushed in a new love - The wonderful Mrs. Ranman, 2001 saw us married and 2002 delivered a bouncing baby Roland VCustom kit! It is that kit, the techniques I am developing for playing it and experimentation with creating "home-brew" triggers and gadgets for it that form the basis of my current musical direction. In addition I am helping to form the genesis of a Praise Band in my local church. Ah! Drumming for an audience again! :) MediaVideo #1 (wmv)
Audio #1 (mp3)
Audio #2 (mp3)
Audio #3 (mp3)
Gear
Drums: Roland VCustom
Cymbals: Hart Dynamics Cymbal Triggers
Hardware & Misc:
I also use a custom built 19" outboard equipment rack which is built into the drum rack. The Mapex P950 & Roland PD7 pad are played with an LP Gajate mount. Additionally, I also use an Aphex Impulse TMC. Sticks: Vic Firth 5A Nylon Tip, Zildjian 5A & Silver Fox 5A. The Silver Fox sticks are a special style designed by C. Jude for use with electronic pads.
|
)
)
)
)
