Alakabone said:wow this is really cool, i love your playing when u came to montreal drumfest a few years ago.
Audun_D said:Hello Mr. Ward! I've seen recently that you are doing some clinics in England. I was just wondering if you are planning to visit Norway? I really want to go to one of your clinics, but I cant affort a plane ticket to England... I really hope you come to Bergen, Norway!!
Best regards, Audun!
billy ward said:I would love to visit Norway again. It's been about fifteen years since I've been to Norway - I was playing with Chris Whitley and we played a show in Oslo along with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. I must confess though, right now, there isn't much happeneing to get me there. If you have a DW dealer, you could try to bother them into having me come for a clinic! In a way, this is how it actually happens. The demand has to happen first! Either way, thanks for the kindness.
I am finally home in New York City again after the Mike Dolbear UK clinic tour and about two weeks in Ireland (on Holiday!). I will be doing a clinic tour in the US this summer and will post the cities and dates as soon as I have them.
Best wishes to you all!
Billy
billy ward said:Well, jeez, I'm just one out of our family of drummers. Thanks for such a great welcome!
Bernhard - I hope you know how much fun it was to meet you at Musikmesse- and inspiring as well (esp. to hear about your drum kit and it's date of manufacture). And yes - I think i will see you again next year - plus hopefully do some clinics in Europe!
I purposely spend time on the internet - not only with my site but visiting all the other drummer sites.
I remember going to Yugoslavia in '86 (when it WAS Yugoslavia) and playing at a music festival with saxaphonist Bill Evans SuperGroup. I moved to LA and Dennis replaced me... bummer
(he IS pretty good though, huh? )
Some of the drummers there had never even seen a picture of Buddy Rich - let alone heard many drummers in person! Yet they were asking me about Buddy and others...
I remember giving all my sticks and extras away to drummers who were playing taped together stickes that I would've thrown out ages ago. My point is - the internet has provided us all with information and the world is changing. Sometimes I am afraid of where we are going in our wacky world - but I KNOW I can always count on ourselves, (us drummers) to get along and grow together. I think it's up to us how we use the internet - but it is a potentially wonderful thing! Bernhard has given us the biggest and best and fastest conduit around! Thanks Mr. B!
So here we go!... Let's share more info. I am happy to give my 2 cents-answer to any question. Feel free to dish away. If I have strayed away - come over to my site and reel me in! You know, answering questions (or teaching) only firms up one's self-beliefs! So I gain from this as well. And with that - I'll say - THANKS!
CASP3Rdrummer said:wow . you remember my country . im from yugoslavia ! welcome !
billy ward said:Casp3 - wow. Words cannot express what I feel for what you have and are going through.
I hope you and your family are safe and OK! How are you? Where are you?
and drumbig - thanks. Columbus is the first gig of the tour - so it will be special. I also absolutely LOVE Jim Rupp and the cats there at Columbus pro percussion -
Great store - great staff... gonna be a fun hit!!!
CASP3Rdrummer said:thank you for your worrying . i was borned in 1991 and i was very small when the war began . when nato bombarded us in 1998 we left and now we live in greece since then .
you know whats funny . my old drum teacher here in greece was in yugoslavia on the music festival that you played and he remembered it .
billy ward said:This is page seven on my Drummerworld thread as I type... and I'm in Nashville about to do clinic number seven tonight (out of 14 total) from my US clinic tour. Wish you all were here!!!! we'd have a nice time.
thanks
B