Latest Drum Transcription!

The latest drum transcription I've made available is "All These Things I've Done" by The Killers! It features Ronnie Vannucci's trademark tom work and cool accents. Be sure to check back regularly for more transcriptions!

All These Things I've Done

Spaun Drum Endorsement

I have some fantastic news to report! I am now an official Spaun Drums endorser! I couldn't be happier with the fantastic, 100% custom drums they make. They are the best sounding and looking drums I've ever played! To work with a company that is dedicated to making such amazing instruments is a dream come true for me. The folks behind the company are like family.

I am so proud to now be a member of the Spaun Family!

Here is the official press announcement:

Spaun Drums Welcomes Rob Ferrell

Be sure to check out what they have to offer here:

Spaun Drums

March Update-Better Late Than Never!

Just realized I hadn't posted an update for March. I've been absolutely overwhelmed with the new house renovations. The work is progressing but as everyone says, it has taken more time and money than originally anticipated. We hope to start moving in within the next two weeks. Most of the major work is nearing completion. Next to the death of my parents, this has been one of the most stressful events of my life. I know in the end that we will be very happy. We are trying to keep our eyes on the prize!

Party Jones is still going strong with in my opinion the best lineup ever. We've been having a blast playing together and adding new material almost every week. If you haven't seen us recently (or at all!), try coming out to a show. You won't be disappointed!

Hopefully the April update will have news of moving into the new place with some pics of the new teaching studio!

Off Topic: Contractors Suck

Normally I try to maintain a positive attitude about things although it can be difficult at times. I wanted to go off topic and talk about the renovations my wife and I are having done on our new house. We closed escrow on 11/4/10 and still haven't moved in due to the large number of renovations we decided to undertake. This is what leads me the subject of this blog post: Contractors really do suck.

As a musician, I consider myself a craftsman. I spent years honing my craft to reach a level of expertise where I can actually make a living with it. As far as live performance is concerned, I rely on other craftsman (instrumentalists/vocalists) to help create a finished product much like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, dry wallers, painters, tile/grout guys and all the other craftsman work together to complete a project. Everyone must do their job well in order for the finished product to be successful.

My concern lies with the reputation that contractors have: they suck; they sub-contract out to the lowest bidder, they cut corners, they lie, they're craftsmanship is less than desirable, they're uneducated and the list goes on. As a drummer I get stereotyped as well: they're flaky, they're womanizers, they're not really musicians, they're loud, etc... I take pride in what I do and how I do it. I rely on word-of-mouth advertising for the bulk of my business. I enjoy shattering people's image of what a drummer is. So why can't I find a contractor in my area who has this same work ethic?

Every aspect of our renovation has been met with disappointment. Dry wallers, painters, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, project managers, granite fabricators, tile/grout guys and appliance installers have all delivered sub par work. Google "contractors suck" and see how many blog posts and bulletin board discussions show up! It's mind boggling. It's no wonder contractors have such a bad rap. There are shows on HGTV like Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection that show the magnitude of what I'm addressing. It's a real problem and it isn't being addressed. EVERY person I've spoken with on this subject has had at least one negative thing to say. That vast majority of people I spoke with had several things things to say and they did so with salty language!

It's too bad this industry can't be renovated as it surely needs to be.