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Mark Arnold is a very well respected drum technician, drum builder and drum collector in Nashville TN. His resume reads like a who’s who of A-list drummers that will make your head spin. When I contacted Mark about possibly using some of his drums for this session, he told me about his “Buddy kit” – a replica he built of the Slingerland* drum set that Buddy Rich was playing in the ’70s. This is a one-of-a kind instrument built by a master craftsman…so recording this didn’t take much convincing at all.

Built from fiberglass shells, this kit had the same size set up and configuration of the set Buddy was playing throughout the ’70s during a time in his career where he had added many pop and rock “standards” to his live big band performances. The fiberglass shell, combined with the larger sizes gives the kit a lot of natural volume. Fiberglass resonates considerably – it has a natural sustain to it that wooden shells generally do not have. When coupled with that big room in Studio A, what you get is a very big, clear sounding instrument. There is a natural enhanced attack present in the sound of these drums as a result of the shell composition, which adds to the overall clarity of sound.This is essential for cutting through dense mixes while maintaining a full, natural drum sound.

The limited but successful existence of the original Camco* drum company is the stuff of drum legend. Suffice to say, their impact on the seventies music scene can’t be overstated. Given the vibe and sound we were trying to capture with this recording, we knew we had have an original Camco* instrument as part of the session.

Simply put, these drums drip with versatility. They would be at home in almost any musical style or genre. Their legendary six ply, rock-maple shell construction gives them a crisp balance and warm tone that makes them a desirable component of an good rhythm track. Both engineers and drummers love them for their seemingly “ease of sound” – and they’re as much a delight to record as they are to play. Their versatility leaves you a lot of option in the mix. In an effort to really provide options with this legendary kit, we also recorded a version of the instrument with tea towels on the drums as well, giving you that famous “dry” seventies sound heard on so many pop and rock hits of the era.