What are your stories of when people found out you are drummer?

WaitForItDrummer

Senior Member
So I'm at work today at a customer site and these women are having a chat before a meeting about their hobbies: knitting, embroidery, freehand or otherwise and cross stitching... Then they turn to me ask: 'What do you do in your free time, do you sew?' And I quietly say 'I'm a drummer in a rock band', which is followed by stunned silence and a few gasps of 'oh'...

Wonder if I should have gone with gardening...?
Nah! :)

So what are your stories of when people found out you are drummer?

Wonder if guys get gasps, too?
 
usually people are just impressed with the ability to play a musical instrument. SO, for me, the general reaction is something along the lines of impressed and interested.

Girls dig it too. :D
 
When guys find out, they usually do a double take... Then look a bit bewildered...

My first drum instructor was like 'you don't look like a drummer' when he first saw me (I thought that was a little bit funny...)
 
I would say the most common response is something along the lines of "Isn't Neil Peart the most awesome drummer ever!?"

Why does every non-drummer, or non-musician really, think all drummers idolize Neil Peart?

Is is okay to simply be a casual fan of Rush? :)
 
I think I'm one of the most unlikely-looking (I've been described as a "cashmere and pearls drummer"), but I'm struggling to remember the last time anybody seemed surprised when they found out. Maybe I just exude that much natural rhythm!
 
I'm sure everyone already knows. I have Animal tattooed on my hand and bang on everything everywhere I go.
 
People always seem to then tell me about a friend or relative who is always happens to be the most talented drummer ever.
 
1) Oh, did you hear *insert old drummer joke as if I've never heard that one before*

or

2) My friend/relative is a drummer, they are super talents/amazing.

Of course, living in Los Angeles, sometime #2 turns out to actually be true. lol
 
Most of the time? Doesn't impress them in the least.

I think it's funny that they asked you if you sew.

Doesn't everybody?

Lol.
 
When guys find out, they usually do a double take... Then look a bit bewildered...

My first drum instructor was like 'you don't look like a drummer' when he first saw me (I thought that was a little bit funny...)

Should have said to him "I may not look like a drummer,but I sound like a drummer",looks can be decieving
 
" Oh really? Have you ever played any shows?"

"Ive always wanted to play an instrument."

"What kind of drums do you have?"

And almost invariably after I say Drum Workshop. "Huh?"
 
I was talking to this guy (longtime drummer) and and his (30-something) daughter and when she realizes I'm also a drummer... she kind of stops, looks at me and says, with a good does of snark,

"Really, you don't look like a drummer."

I didn't know what to say.
 
I tell them I play the drums, bass, guitar and sing but my speciality is in composition.

Then they ask what kind of composition and I have to tell them 'noise' and they never know what that constitutes. I usually don't even bother trying to explain...

That always gets a chuckle from me afterwards...
 
People always seem to then tell me about a friend or relative who is always happens to be the most talented drummer ever.

Yes, that's a common one - and it's almost always a male friend of relative. From memory, only once did I hear someone say they had a female friend or relative that played.

Another common reply is "I always wanted to play the drums", which is understandable enough - what sane person wouldn't ever want to play drums?

I used to get surprise and people would say they would have thought I was a keyboard player (probably my glasses making me look nerdy), but since retiring I'm a tad more unkempt so I don't seem to get that response any more. Drummers = feral lol
 
Most of the time? Doesn't impress them in the least.

That would be my answer as well.
To take things a step further, I've had guests come into my unit who have waltzed in, commented on the decor, amount of space (or lack thereof), etc, and completely fail to notice the dirty great drumkit sitting in the middle of the room!
 
Boss #1 after she found out I played drums in a rock band: " Wow, do you have tattoos and stuff?"

Boss #2: "You look more like a bass player." Excellent observation since my original instrument is bass!
 
A girl I worked with once asked me, and after I told her just said "So?" Still kinda bitter about it. Her hobby was partying and getting drunk whenever possible then didn't work hard.

Now I have a friend at university who I told and she totally used to play drums too, and it's awesome. I'm trying to get her back into it.
 
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