On the rack

Without a doubt, the 'Porcaro Rack' is the most significant breakthrough in drum-suspension since the Consolette tom holder! To qualify this statement, I have to say that certain other developments have had a direct bearing on its invention; Memrilok and Uni-lok to name but a few. It appears that all these ideas have culminated in 'The Rack'.

The concept has been born out of an idea by an Englishman called Shep Lonsdale, who's Jeff Porcaro's drum-technician. (Shep is a drummer too like most drum-tech's and used to play with a band called Charlie.) He got together with Paul Jamison, and exalted drum-tech' who renovates and sells drums in LA, and the system evolved from there. To my recollection the Pearl 'Rack' is not the first of the genre, I'm sure Max Weinberg used one a few years back with Springsteen — but it's certainly the first to be commercially available.

So, what on earth is this Porcaro Rack?

Actually it's a four-legged, free-standing frame-work, which surrounds the set on three sides and will support virtually anything the player wishes to attach to it. The frame is constructed from 3" box-section aluminium tubing which is ⅛" thick. It's basically three inverted 'U' frames, linked by the two common legs. The link/joints are articulated and thus the side pieces which extend backwards to left and right of the drummer may be angled wherever you wish. The front of the frame stretches across the face of the set and several toms may be mounted here using Pearl's normal 'pipe-type', adjustable knuckle-joint holder. Now, these pipes locate into clamps which are locked by large bolts and wing-nuts into the desired position. These clamps are made from 'U' shaped steel plates, turned sideways to slip around the square tube and have the usual Pearl adjustable jaw receiver blocks joined to them. These are the units normally joined to the tom shell, which have an internal hole that will accept N" diameter pipes.

So, we can mount the top sections of cymbal stands, boom or straight, cow bell holders and even a snare stand. There's another clamp which the company make which is adjustable to accept almost any diameter pipe and so is ideal for mounting microphones via goose-necks or what-have-you. It will also retain the top section of a hi hat should you wish to mount one on your bass drum side. Yet another clamp your will allow you to clamp [an] ordinary hi hat to the 'Rack' if you need to further stabilise it. Pearl actually do mike holders and with judicious use of their two, and three-way 'X' type adaptors, I'm sure any position is possible including the bass drum.

So, the advantages of using the frame is that the drummer doesn't have tripod bases sticking out all over the shop, nor does he have mike stands or leads everywhere. It's very easy for the PA people to make up a snake of all the leads when everything goes in exactly the same place each time. Also it is very easy to pull the bass drum out of the set if, god forbid, you go through its head; this is because nothing is attached to it. If you use floor toms they fit very neatly into, or under the rack and you can place three or four cymbals on that same side with only their diameters to constrict them; not their bases. In this event, though, it's wise to use the top sections of boom stands for optimum placement.

The photo in the Pearl catalogue depicts Mr Porcaro's set with three mounted toms-floor tom, bass and snare drum — hi hat, cow bell, seven cymbals and mike to suit. However, I know these numbers can be improved on and he could have a couple more cymbals at least, a static hi hat, clap trap and a couple of Simmons pads.

This rack measures 53" wide, by 46½" deep, by 27" high and is ideal for a single bass drum set. Pearl make their rack for double basses too and it's a foot longer. The whole rack complete with clamps in place folds up compactly and will then fit easily into a case which, I understand Pearl make.

It would appear that the wheel has come full circle and that those rack systems of the twenties and thirties which supported cuban toms, temple blocks and choke cymbals have been resurrected to support Powertoms, electronic drums and microphones. The Porcaro rack is perfect for mounting a whole Simmons set including the bass pad. Needless to say, this piece of equipment is aimed at the professional, and priced accordingly at £355. Nevertheless, it's a great invention. BH

The buck stops here

It's a sad fact, that whereas once a classic recording like House Of The Rising Sun could be made in 20 minutes, nowadays a band might spend days in the studio and anything from 200 to several thousand pounds simply recording demo-tapes. But as if this were not enough, on the East Coast of the USA a further impediment is now facing young bands, where in order to establish credibility among the A&R departments of record companies, it has become common practice to involve professional lawyers in the business of 'shopping' demo-tapes.

I spoke to New York lawyer Victor Horovitz, who explained to me that if a band intended to proceed in this way they would first of all have to pay their lawyer a retainer amounting to anything upwards of $300. Apart from officially engaging the lawyer, this sum would buy perhaps three hours of his time in advance. In return for this the lawyer does what once the manager, or the members of a band would do; that is, simply take the tape to the record companies, with his professional status and reputation supposedly ensuring a personal appointment and a fair hearing for the tape. Bearing in mind that the matter will hardly take less than three hours to be brought to any kind of conclusion, the band are going to be faced with further costs which could easily amount to thousands of dollars.

However, that's not all. A former client of Mr Horovitz is Steve Monahan, a bass player from Boston, whose band Adventure Set are currently having to pursue a deal in this way. Steve pointed out that "...if they're successful shopping your tape, they will expect to represent the band on the terms of the deal and in further negotiations... and then if they're on the ball, which is why you hired them in the first place, they will want points."

'Points' refers to the allocation system of royalties, meaning that as a part of the negotiations on your behalf, your lawyer also negotiates to receive a percentage of royalties for an initial period.

Faced with these circumstances, the young musician, upon finding success, might well progress from the question, "When am I going to make a living?" to the question, "How the hell am I going to make a living?" or perhaps more logically, "When can I give up my day job as a company executive?" RW

Bond is Back

It seems that my Nov' 84 review of the Bond 'Electraglide' was premature in its opening statement; "after what seems like a very long wait the Bond guitar is with us at last!" Well it wasn't then but it is now — I hope! I saw an actual production model in the last week of '84 so it should be in the shops by now.

Certainly the production Bond is an impressive looking beast differing only slightly from the pre-production model I previously reviewed. The unbalanced feel of the guitar has been rectified, although in the quick test I gave it I still felt it to be slightly neck heavy but obviously it's not enough to bother anyone particularly. The finish has also been changed (apparently) to give it a 'warmer' feel to the touch and possibly also increase the speed of the neck.

Unfortunately a change which I do not welcome is in the area of the price. When I reviewed the guitar — actually in Aug '84 to catch the Nov publication — the approximate price including case was £500. In the space of four months the price has risen to its (presumably) accurate retail price of £583.77 with chrome fittings and £612.73 with trem and chrome fittings excluding case. You may also be interested to know that when a prototype Bond guitar was first ever shown it was priced at approximately £400. In under a year then, we have seen a price rise of 50%. I have to be honest and say that if I'd have reviewed the guitar with its present price my conclusions would have been different concerning value for money. It is a trend I've noticed happening a lot — products are reviewed prior to availability with an approximate retail price then when they have received a good press 'good value for money' etc — the product appears a few months later, more expensive, but in the public's eye still a good product.

On the other hand, of course, Bond are having a good go at setting up what will be the largest mass
production of guitars ever attempted in the UK with proposed figures of 200-400 guitars (or should I say units) per day leaving the Inverness factory by March. Well, I certainly hope Bond can achieve this kind of production but I also hope that they don't fall into the trap of so many other British products — too expensive and unreliable. DB

Footnote

After an overwhelming response to last month's interview with singing tutor, Tona de Brett, we discovered that the contact address had been left off the feature. To re(ad)dress the balance: Tona de Brett can be contacted at (Contact Details). Lessons cost £15 per hour (although poverty might help negotiations) and her tape of vocal exercises, including instruction booklet, costs £4 and is available from the same address.

The typesetter took his beating like a man.