So here we are again… i adjusted the Alesis kit a little bit, and it definitely sounds better, but i need to work on adjusting the sound for each drum and cymbal individually… One day at a time.

Speaking of time… it has certainly passed quickly, since the 40th anniversary shows back in December. It was the first concert i had been to in a while, and the first since the accident. i am definitely grateful for the experience, and it didn’t complete, but helped to expand my journey since everything happened.

For this edition of ‘Metallica Fridays’ (which is actually a few hours late, but always on time) i thought a lot about my experience at the 40th, but i also thought a lot about Lars. i think it’s pretty easy to make fun of him and say he’s a bad drummer, but his style is unmistakable. And while i can never be him (nor should we want to be anyone else), given that he has been a major inspiration for me in this journey; i cannot deny that a few things rubbed off on me in terms of how i play- anyone who knows his style can probably tell. You listen to someone enough, those things happen.

We will begin this edition with a song we’ve posted before (my favorite Metallica song of all time)- except this time it’s on the Alesis. Playing on a more ‘traditional’ set (whether acoustic or electronic) is going to be much different than playing on drum pads, even if you set those up similarly to match a traditional set. Of course i messed up a couple times (and hit the rim somewhere in there), but i don’t think this version of ‘Blackened’ is bad. My favorite thing about it is that you can clearly see my gray hair. And i am a major fan of gray hair.

‘The Memory Remains’ is the type of song i wish i could write. it’s just that good. Load and ReLoad (and St. Anger) will someday get the respect they deserve. It’s the type of song, when you see it live, that’s pretty special too, to see everyone in the crowd singing along.

For some reason, once again, i lost part of the video. Such is life… It was the first instance of me utilizing the choke on the crash cymbal while playing this thing.

This one’s dedicated to Jesse.

Another song done at the 40th was the WONDERFUL surprise, ‘The Shortest Straw’. When i heard those opening notes, i lost it. …And Justice For All is my 2nd favorite Metallica album. People want them to repeat this album, but besides finding inspiration in it with albums like Death Magnetic, Justice can never be repeated. Nor should it. Not one of their albums sound alike, and that is a good thing.

This was the first day i played the song (as opposed to the many times i’ve played ‘Blackened’). The timing throughout this song (for a basic drummer like me) is not easy, i had to peek over a couple of times to see where i was at. i mean, when they’ve done the intro live even Lars has to keep time- and at one point they skipped the intro altogether.

There’s a few times i messed up or lost my place, and got right back in. But that’s life, right?

Dang, this band is so good.