For those of you who’ve seen Iron Man 2 and believe, like me, that everything in the movies and on the Internet is real, then you know that it’s possible through technology to fit a super high-tech body suit weapon into a case the size of a Samsonite. You know…like the cases that international gangsters use to hold millions of dollars when they’re purchasing Chinese-made computer chips that navigate nuclear warheads

By now you’re thinking, “What is this nimrod getting at, and how does it pertain to drummers”? A. You are correct, I am a nimrod. B. Well, let me tell you. I need someone to invent a drumset that pops out of a case like that. Boom, and there goes a ’66 oyster-finish Ludwig with cymbals and some hardware that doesn’t break. Why am I thinking about this?  Because I had a blast at CMJ this year, but dammit it’s hard on drummers—especially singing ones like me.

Of the six shows we played where they claimed “back line” was provided, the kit always had some piece of it that was falling down or broken or that didn’t work altogether. Wah wah, boo hoo, right? That’s not the point here. The point is, I know a lot of you drummers out there are really smart dudes/ladies and you need to invent me the Iron Man drumset suitcase thingy. While you’re at it, install some Super Soakers with whiskey in ’em and some toilet paper and, I dunno, maybe a flamethrower. Also, I want it to sound like it was recorded to 2-inch tape at ToeRag Studios, even when I play it live. Advertisement

In the meantime, here’s my advice to all first-time CMJ or SXSW drummers. At the very least, bring to each show your trusted throne, cymbals, and a kick pedal. The backline is going to suck, unless the show is sponsored by some big company and they sprang for a good drumkit.

I’ve read some of the other blogs here on moderndrummer.com, and a lot of them are about technique or tuning or whatevs. You can email me at Aaron@howlies.com if you really want to talk about that stuff, but I’ll probably just ask you what your dinner plans are and we’ll probably talk about that or maybe my favorite fonts or maybe that we have an EP out called Stunned that I’m very proud of. Generally my best advice is, Hit ’em hard, play like you mean it, and eat lots of spicy food.

If no one invents that thing by the next time I do CMJ , I’m buying those DW stands that collapse real small. This is possibly the best way to lug a bunch of hardware through throngs of people in packed CMJ shows. Scroll down and check out the little roll-y case they come in! www.dwdrums.com/hardware/6000/hardware.asp Advertisement

Okay, thanks for reading, and thanks for your inventi-ness! : )

For more with Aaron Wood and the Howlies, go to myspace.com/howlies or facebook.com/howlies.