I’m incredibly fortunate to have developed a friendship with Todd Sucherman of Styx, whose combination of blazing chops, fluid motion, and sheer musicality make him one of the finest drummers on the planet. An avid snare drum collector and wood aficionado, Todd is also a warm and generous human being, and we have worked together on a number of projects. So, when he called looking for something purple and cool with 10 lugs, I really wanted it to be a museum piece. We decided to pair Purpleheart with something else spectacular, but it took almost a year of ‘waiting for the muse’ to finalize this design.
I hadn’t worked with Pink Ivory wood before, and had never even heard of Curly Pink Ivory until I came across an auction for several small but beautifully figured blocks. I snapped these up and made good use of the few cubic inches we had available. This drum also include some challenging details like the black and pink stripes which go completely through the shell and hoops. I carved the Pink Ivory and Ebony handle to a sleek and curvaceous profile, and built the hoop topsides out of Indian Rosewood for its durability and sheer sexiness.
Todd reports that ‘Pinky’ has the bright and ringy voice characteristic of Purpleheart, and that it has taken up residence in the renowned Drum Room among the many other fantastic instruments there. Listen for this one on the new Taylor Mills record coming out this Fall.
If you are not familiar with Todd’s playing you need to do yourself a favor and check out his amazing new hi def DVD called ‘Methods & Mechanics’ at www.toddsucherman.com .
Purpleheart and Curly Pink Ivory with Rosewood Hoops
