Gallery

(from left to right) Billy, Tim Smith (bassist and producer of Chris Shinn), Miles, Jim Beard (keyboard extraordinaire) and Jon Herrington (both Jim and jon currently playing with Steely Dan. photo by Bill Evans - taken in the late 80s when the Bill Evans Supergroup was opening up for Miles.

Some big chunks of Taos drums in Billy's studio.

Derek Roddy and Billy, at the 2008 MD Festival

(Left to right) Jim Beard (kybd), Bruce Gaitsch (gtr), John Patitucci (bass) and Billy. Shot when recording Bruce Gaitsch's album, titled "Apashia".

This is another photo by Marcus Demuth at the sound check of MD Fest '00. Marcus is a fine human.

This is a pic of The Woodland Hills Drum Club circa '89 or so (many members missing from photo). Pictured L to R: Mark Craney, Barry Schneider, Myron Grumbacher, Gregg Bissonette, Doane Perry, and yours truly.

Ace Frehley and I walking into a venue during Frehley's Comet Tour '86. Niiiiice pants.

Me ten years ago thinking about three over two. I grew up fast...

These are Mark Craney's drums that I've borrowed for a Bill Champlin album titled "He Started To Sing" - maybe recorded sometime around '94? Great drum sizes. 16x20, 8x12 and 13x15. I used that kit on the entire album - just changed snares at times. Change the snare and the whole picture of the kit changes.

I'm playing with my... uh oh.

On tour with Chris Whitley in '91. 18x22 kick, 9x12, 13x16 and 14x20" toms. yeah, 20". A Custom RIMS job. I wanted a lot of space (distance as well as pitch) between the toms so I wouldn't do any fusion fills in Chris' music.

This one's kinda embarrassing. '86. Shooting the first Frehley's Comet video in San Francisco. Photo is probably by Ebet Roberts. I bought the second ddrum kit in America (I'm told). The first was bought by the late, great Larrie London.

MD Fest '00. Nice lookin' Zebrawood kit - still my current favorites. Someone sent me this (and another) photo, but I don't remember his name. Step up and let us know who you are!

These are Taos drums, made like real old American Indian drums - difficult to bring to the wedding gig; that floor tom must weigh at least fifty pounds! I played these on the Patitucci duet on my Two Hands Clapping album with Vic Firth Shaker mallets and a tambourine on the hihat.

Performing at the MD Fest '00. Doh, I finally got the right headphones on... and I'm starting to play!

This is The George Russell and Living Time Orchestra. For personnel and more info go to www.georgerussell.com These guys are bad mo-fo's.

Jazz genius George Russell, me and Alice Russell in Paris.'96

This is photo of me during the "Andersonville" (TNT film) recordings. The Grands Casa (big house in spanish) bass drum is, I believe, a 32 incher. Also I played the 16" diameter replica Civil War drum and that Egyptian Tambourine a lot. Lots of closed (sweet) rolls in this soundtrack - the first cue was a two and a half minute closed roll on the little Egyptian Tambourine with a fish skin head. Very fragile and hard to do, but it sounded like a drum way off in the distance. Totally cool, but we couldn't punch in and it took a couple of takes to get my head games out and to be able to play the damned thing. Lesson learned.

During a Marc Jordan video shoot in '89. I played Pearl drums from '86 to '88 - and then didn't endorse any drums until a couple of years later when I met John Good.

Sound checking at the MD Fest. Photo is by Marcus Demuth.

My beautiful wife, Maura, took this shot of me at home one morning.

This is from my days with The Ramones...NOT!!
(man, do i ever wish, though!)

Photo by Ed Freeman. LA '92

Photo by Paul LaRaia.
Brusheys are fun!

This is from a "Rocket Of Love" video by The Knack - '91
Photo - Charisma Records.

More from The Knack video shoot. I had hair then.

Photo by Charisma Records.
This is The Knack from the video, "Rocket Of Love". In '90-91 I recorded with The Knack and Don Was produced. The album was titled "Serious Fun". My lawyer said that I'd be a millionaire by next Christmas and the record was released. "Rocket Of Love" was a top ten hit in AOR radio and then...

(continued from previous)...and then, the record label went OUT OF BUSINESS three weeks after the album was released and it was all over. Welcome to the music business (again). Have a nice day :-)

Photo by DW.
I'm a poser.

DW photo.
"Really... it was this big!"

well, I ate this apple...and grew really HUGE!
Photo by Paul LaRaia.

Photo by Paul LaRaia again.
Great little drums by DW. Shirt by Shanghai Tang. Beep Beep.

'88, from a Mark Jordan rehearsal (i think). I recorded his album, "Cow" on RCA back then. Apparently, I was into the X-hat thing even back then!

yeah... forgive me. I once looked like this. This is from the days of Rick Springfield - '88. What's that Bowie song?... Oh yeah. "Fashion"

Billy and John Gardner - Dixie Chicks drummer and great guy!

Joan Osborne band with the Dixie Chicks.

Playing our show (opening for the Chicks).

Hold on to your hat with this one!

This was our gift to the Chicks after our last show. It reflects a similar pose that they did for Entertainment Weekly (where they posed naked...).