|
|
BiographyName: Kevin Reed
Styles/Influences: My band plays Classic Rock, Rock, and Prog Rock. I also freelance in Christian Rock Projects. History: I played my first paid gig in a bar at age 13, much to my mother's dismay! I studied about four years under drummer, Tom Fries, at the Koch School of Music branch of the Cleveland Music School Settlement. For the next nine years my brother (keyboards) and I played classic rock in various weekend bands. Then, a week after my 22nd birthday, during Spring Break from college, a co-worker 30 feet away toppled a tree on me. I suffered massive brain and spinal injuries, and I was life-flighted to a level-one trauma hospital. However, since I was so badly hurt, the neurosurgeon aborted the brain surgery after 8 1/2 hours and told the family I was going to die. Never much into obeying authority figures, another eight hours of surgery was performed a few days later - but it did little to change the surgeon's dismal prognosis. One-and-one-half pounds of my brain had been removed and I remained in a coma for 75 days. Family was told that I would remain in a "persistent vegetative state." But I did awake - to the amazement of the trauma team. But I was totally paralyzed on the right side, lost 50% of my vision in both eyes in addition to seeing double, I couldn't breathe, swallow, think, talk or hear much, and could not even remember my name. But I did remember rhythms to songs. I tapped them out with my left hand on the plastic brace that encased my spine when my old band tapes were played. I'll spare you the details about the other near-death experiences and surgeries during the next five years. The good news is that my mom had music therapy lined up from the beginning. My band mates came over to jam also, although for the first couple of years I could only use one hand and one foot. Overall, I have spent 10 years and over 2500 rehabilitation sessions on an outpatient basis trying to reclaim my life. But I always felt that things would get better - and they did. I still have severe disabilities, but not enough to keep me from drumming. I regained much of the motion in my right arm, and can now use my right leg to play the high hat. I may not be able to play double bass drum - yet - but I am working on that too! I have visual, hearing, and other physical deficits. I relearned the alphabet and can read and write a bit now, but my mom helps me with long things like this. My band is now taking a few months off to regroup since our singer left. But we were playing clubs and fests every other weekend. I designed a drum called the "Trash Kat" that is patent pending. We are just starting to market it on our ThunderEcho Drums web site.
I also wrote a percussion ensemble suite that was performed with the percussion students at the College of Wooster a couple of years ago. The suite is a musical interpretation of brain injury recovery and the four movements are: Injury, Coma, Rehabilitation and Celebration of Life. We studio recorded a CD of the "Odyssey" with the students and the Kevin Reed Band and it received a bit of publicity here in Northeast Ohio. MediaAudio #1 (mp3)
Audio #2 (mp3)
Audio #3 (mp3)
Audio #4(mp3)
Audio #1 & #2 available on the Kevin Reed Band's CD "Odyssey" Gear
Drums: Yellow Custom Covered Shells (except where noted)
Cymbals: Zildjian (except where noted)
Hardware & Misc:
I use Pearl hardware and modified DW pedals (See Picture). The one major thing that was in my favor for hope of any kind of physical recovery was my total ambidexterity. So I now frequently change my drum kit right-to-left or left-to-right in order to strengthen my body. Nor have I lost my ability to switch playing from right handed to left handed in the middle of a lick. Sometimes I even set up two high hats - one on each side - so I can change off. I also practice with my cymbals set too high so I have to stretch. My muscles tighten with fatigue so long practices help me condition for gigs. Heads:
Sticks: I prefer oversized length and grip and use Vater & Regal Tip drumsticks. |
)
)
)
