Home of the Squatch

Gigs ahoy!

2008-04-22T12:14:00.004+10:00

Well kids its been a whuile but the gigs are pilin up and some are lookin like winners!

Here they are:

April 27th - Winburndale Winery - EQD with Aaron Hopper

May 4th - Wellbieng Festival @ Canada Bay (See press release) - Billy T and the V8's
"Press Release"
"The OCB are proud to present Billy T and the V'8s
Taking a middayish set at the up and coming?Wellbeing Festival on may the 4th?
http://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/whats_on/2008_wellness_week.html
brought to you by the Canada Bay Council
A new project for some old dogs...
Boogie ...easy on the shred and with a hint of?Rockabilly for the sake of it
Fast, funny, punk ?boogie... f*%k yeah
With hits like "Gettin off at Redfern" and "Aint Gunna Fit" you'll boogie and dance like you've always wanted to.
But being a "Blues Band" you got to have at least one slow blues number... so here it is for your enjoyment.
Tombstone Blues By Billy T & The V8's"

There are also some developments in the Pipeline from the recent EQD performance as part of the 2MCE Live Week - "Sounds Live" project. ( hoping to have some audio for y'all soon.)

Will be back soon with more info.

Ebbo

New Year! New Jams! New Ideas!

2008-01-18T14:59:00.000+11:00

Howdy all!

Welcome to 2008!

Hope your NY was a good one with plenty of merriment!

OK, down to business.

There are 9 new tracks loaded on to the site for the latest in EQ & D rehearsal. This was our second rehearse with the sax player and we are all really happy with the results.

We are at it again this Sunday and I dare say we should be gigging in a few weeks but I will keep you posted.

The "Squatch" has been a little quiet this year as I'm pulling the house apart and painting etc.

Its nearly done and should be super when its done.

In studio news, not much to report other than a recent two day session with the infamous Billy T. Man was a fairly successful outing with a great deal learnt from the experience. We are to go again in the near future and I hope to have some examples of the work from that session soon.

We'll leave that in the hands of BTM.

I'm off to RATM next Tuesday and am absolutely bursting to see them again. Also Big Day Out is 3 days later and they are on again so that's twice in 1 week! Cant wait!

No exercise this round as i have a tip instead:

"a new year brings a fresh set of opportunities, go back to the beginning of your training such as single and double stroke rolls and start all over again. Don't move on until you have nailed the basics. Do that and your drumming by the end of the year will have improved out of sight."

See you in a few weeks for a de-brief of RATM and the first exercise for '08.

Until then,

The end and the beginning!

2007-12-10T11:57:00.000+11:00

So we reach the end of Mo-vember and the beginning of the silly season.

That's right Xmas is coming. Here's hoping you lot have been reasonably good and ya get something half decent for Xmas.

Homebake was Saturday just past and not a bad day all in all. Line up was a bit soft but Rage Against the Machine is in Jan and is gonna be sweet!

Hope y'all have a safe one over the next 5 weeks or so...

Here the new exercise:

Reverse Paradiddles

RRLR LLRL RRLR LLRL

Now while doing those quarters on ya feet once you are cool with that your kick needs to do Latin style action.

As Below:

RRLR LLRL RRLR LLRL

K K K K K K K K

Let me know how ya go or if ya have any questions.

We'll talk before the year is out!

Peace

New Uploads!

2007-10-30T10:48:00.000+11:00

Howdy all!

Rehearsal goes well with the addition of our newest member to EQ.
Now EQ & D!
The sax has arrived and has really kicked the bass man in into another gear.

You can get the latest action from the eq rehearsal download sections.

Also, its not long until the River Dreaming Festival begins. It's on the 10th of November down near the river in Bathurst. (Google search for the webpage.)

The exercise this week is five stroke rolls back to back. Like so:

RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

Accent the first note of every five. It's good hand to hand stuff Right the left then right then left etc.
If you look closely its on the 1st, the 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th then the 5th group is silent.

The Kids hate it but it works really well across toms and feet.

If anyone is recording these please feel free to post and let me hear the results....

Stay outta trouble you bastards!

Singles and doubles. Gettin the mingles....

2007-09-20T16:11:00.000+10:00

G'day Kids!!!
Been a while eh.
First things first.....

Steely Dan were unbelievable!

Now,

Exercise of the week is as follows:

Do singles with your hands.

i.e.

RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

Then with your feet, do doubles.

i.e.

RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL

This is a really good co-ord type exercise. Even for non drummers.
Make sure that each note lines up exact and as always keep it clean.

Having some scanning issues so will post the pic of the exercise later.

Stay cool.

Obit...

2007-08-29T12:32:00.000+10:00

Sadly its black arm bands all round this week since the death of one of the greats. Max Roach died last week and despite the fact he hadn't played in a while due to alzhiemers and illness it is still a great loss.

The best thing to do is to use his example and strive forward and try new things.

Rehearsal goes well and we expect to be able to announce our first gig in the coming weeks.

Check the EQ rehearsal area of this page to get an idea of some of the stuff we are working on. Only short snippets but well worth a listen.

Expect the spam as it will be think and plentiful. A few unannounced shows to test our gear and then onto it.

No exercises this week. I know some of you are still battling last weeks. Work harder bastards!!!! If you haven't tried it it is now in the archives section along with other helpful hints, grooves and blathering.

Stay Cool.

RIP Max.

Diddles, diddles and more didlle-diddles!

2007-08-14T16:28:00.000+10:00

Ok kids,

Here's the skinny.....

Last nights lesson turned up a sensational exercise that is one of those

super duper make your independence kick ass type of jobs.

First play the below pattern as written with singles

Once you have got a decent feel apply the sticking below.

RR LL

RLRR LRLL

RLRLRR LRLRLL

RLRLRLRR LRLRLRLL

RLRLRR LRLRLL

RLRR LRLL

RR LL

R L

This is a really good one so keep going until its really fast and clean.

Good Luck!

Splendour

2007-08-08T11:37:00.000+10:00

Well fans....

Splendour in the Grass was a total cracker!

First two day festival but a real winner.

Saw some great stuff and saw some absolute shite!

Definite highlight was Airbourne.

http://www.airbournerock.com/

Massive effort. Many thanks to the girls and the Seary's!

The drive back was a struggle and first day back yesterday a real struggle. But back on deck today.

Should have a new exercise for you by the end of the week.

Enjoy attached pics!

BTW :Check out the stacks for Airbourne!!!

Beat of the week!

2007-07-31T12:49:00.000+10:00

Oki stokey!

We have scanned our first groove and its lookin good.

Below is the pattern:

Six notes on snare then six notes on hi-hat. Latin feel on the right foot. Make sure your 1/4 notes on the left foot (top line) are solid and relaxed. Aint no point otherwise cause you dont get the opening of the hats, and as we all know............left foot is where its at.
Good Luck! Its a bangin' groove.

Also please note that there are new upload sections for more groups. there is one for EQ which is over an hour long!!!

Also a recent Stavebud track that Jaf and I did has been added.

Keep on Rockin!

Working in Sixes!

2007-07-23T11:40:00.000+10:00

Hey kids.

The exercise from last weeks lessons that was most useful is below. Its great it goes both ways (right and left) and once you are up to a reasonable pace it is really effective across toms or in transition from snare to toms even to hi-hat.

RLRLRL RRLLRR LRLRLR LLRRLL

So as you can see it is broken into 4 groups of 6.

It is most effective when played over 1/4 notes on the left foot.Its also a very effective roll.

Be sure to make every note count (especially in the doubles!!!), make it completely even and really solid.

Try it and let me know how ya go. GOOD LUCK!

More to come soon.

Get back to work!

Tracks Available!!!

2007-07-06T12:13:00.002+10:00

Howdy!

Thanks to the lovely folk at http://www.fileden.com/ I have been able to upload some Squatch tracks to the blog and also I've added one track that has already been remixed by the OCB.

Many thanks to the OCB for his constant assisstance and advice and remixes!.

Hope you enjoy the tracks and feel free to post opinions.

(Its the olny way I'll know what you think....!)

Anyone who wants a ciopy of the album need only email me at ebborocks@hotmail.com to get a free copy.

That is all.

Drumming 1 - Basics

2007-06-28T12:37:00.000+10:00

Ok. I figured we would start with basics so we can all spend a little while getting our heads round getting used to the patterns that will be discussed in this part of the blog.

Hands or sticks are fine at this stage but you should be looking to do it with sticks eventually and pretty quickly too.

Please play the following patterns as much as possible:

RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL

RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL

RRRR LLLL RRRR LLLL

RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL

RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR

LLLL LLLL LLLL LLLL

RLRL RLRR LRLR LRLL

RLRR LLLL RLRR LLLL

Ok. Thats a start. Happy to field questions.

Get working you lazy pigs!!

The coldest of cold

2007-06-26T12:52:00.000+10:00

Man! How cold is it??!!

Those of you that aren't here in BX won't know what I'm talking about.
Those that are....stay indoors.

So here's the deal once a week I will post drumming execrcises or patterns on this site as well as
other news and pics etc.

I WILL NOT ARCHIVE THE EXERCISES.

If you wanna use em or steal em or whatever you will need to save and print once a week.
They will be free but if you miss a week and wish to catch up you will need to email.

Stay tuned

That is all.

Dirty Thirty

2007-06-15T09:43:00.000+10:00

Well kids! It had to happen.

I turned 30!

Had a great bash at home and those that attended had a blast. Plenty of food and ye old boozeroony a few fires and a healthy dose of rock.!

Jazzin this weekend and considering turning said site into a teaching resource for all you wanna be drummers out there. Undecided so far. need to buy a scanner.....

Rock on fuckers!

SunnO)) & Boris

2007-05-07T11:51:00.000+10:00

Well well!
Went with Morgs to Sunn & Boris last night. Thats gotta be the loudest thing you will ever see. Boris were great( see website : http://homepage1.nifty.com/boris/top.html ). Superbly rockin and very heavy.

Sunn were unbelievably loud and needed drums, I believe morgs called it "drone rock". It beat me man. I have never walked on a gig unless it was really bad. This wasn;t bad it was just EXTREME! The gong and raw volume.... my whole body, my chest cavity were shakin.
( see website : http://www.southernlord.com/index2.php ). I believe thats my limit. It was soooooooooooo LOUD and Soooooooon Slow. Its massive. nah, its bigger than that...check www.stonerrock.com for free MP3's if your keen.

Get some boris whilst you're there

I highly recommend that anyone go to see Boris if ya get a chance.!

no word on the squatch at this time. Tracks have been mailed to brisvegas for some attention and also to sydney metro.

More soon.

Squatch.

Welcome to the squatch!

2007-04-28T14:59:00.000+10:00

Welcome one and all!
This blog is a place for all to see what goes on here in Central West NSW, and to get aqcauinted with the rock produced by me.

There will be gig listings, songs, pics and blurbs on the very latest goings on.

Stay tuned!

It's only gonna get better!

Ebbo