"A Rock & Roll Fantasy.."

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  • Speedbag
    Author of the Speed Bag Bible, founder of speedbagcentral.com

    • Feb 2006
    • 7109

    "A Rock & Roll Fantasy.."

    The Iconic Rock Band, Foreigner, was playing Houston Texas on Saturday April 4. And it just so happens that the Drummer on this tour is one Brian "spinsmashpop" Tichy, who happens to dabble a bit in speed baggery. as I Live less than 200 miles away, I went to Houston to see the show and maybe do a little back stage training. Here is how it turned out (with a few pictures).

    Every Great Rock Concert starts out in the equipment truck. This isn’t any ordinary equipment truck, it is a super modified speed bag lovers version, which will probably become standard in the Rock & Roll industry in a few years.

    Then you go in and do the drum check, just to be sure the set up and sound is right when the house starts jumping.

    Then you go out and spend 3 or 4 hours in the Truck, working on the Speed Bag.

    Then you go in and do the show, (He plays, you watch). This concert was played on a "circle in the round" stage. The Band was cookin', The joint was jumpin' and the Rock & Roll gods were pleased.

    The whole day was awesome. I had a really great time, BT is an incredible drummer, no slouch on the speed bag with some equally great chops from around the bag (he showed me some original speed bag rhythms I hadn't thought of for cadence punching...) and a really cool person. I'd say he is "Bagged To The Bone". (I've been saving that one...)

    Here is the 2009 Foreigner Tour Dates ( yes Europe also). If you're anywhere close, You gotta go see the man play!

    (* I'm going to Addison, Tx. May 9. Maybe get some more time in the "truck" that afternoon. It's a 10:30 pm show on the bud light main stage.).

    Directions to Addison, Tx (suburb north of Dallas Texas)
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Speedbag; 04-05-2009, 11:41 PM.
    Speed Bag

    Put a little Rhythm in YOUR workout!
    *attendee: Every SB gathering so far!
    The Quest Continues...
    Hoping for another Gathering...


    sigpic

    The Art of the Bag
  • Biff
    Speed Bag Wizard

    • Feb 2008
    • 1190

    #2
    Looks like you have a fanbagstic time, Alan. Great write up and pictures. One question, what does BT have on top of his platform? It looks like a mini fridge.

    Comment

    • Speedbag
      Author of the Speed Bag Bible, founder of speedbagcentral.com

      • Feb 2006
      • 7109

      #3
      Originally posted by Biff View Post
      Looks like you have a fanbagstic time, Alan. Great write up and pictures. One question, what does BT have on top of his platform? It looks like a mini fridge.
      Actually, I don't know. I didn't look inside that cardboard box. It must have been pretty heavy because the board hits pretty solid. It's got a little vibration cause the truck wall is flimsy. That white bag is a Fighting Sports 8x5.

      It hits very much like the Title 8x5 Yellow.
      Speed Bag

      Put a little Rhythm in YOUR workout!
      *attendee: Every SB gathering so far!
      The Quest Continues...
      Hoping for another Gathering...


      sigpic

      The Art of the Bag

      Comment

      • spinsmashpop
        Speed Bag Wizard

        • Nov 2008
        • 1081

        #4
        Originally posted by Biff View Post
        Looks like you have a fanbagstic time, Alan. Great write up and pictures. One question, what does BT have on top of his platform? It looks like a mini fridge.
        Originally posted by Speedbag View Post
        Actually, I don't know. I didn't look inside that cardboard box. It must have been pretty heavy because the board hits pretty solid. It's got a little vibration cause the truck wall is flimsy. That white bag is a Fighting Sports 8x5.

        It hits very much like the Title 8x5 Yellow.
        The box on top is a box of gaffer tape. It is mostly filled and pretty heavy so it does the trick. But adding to the solidarity of the platform are the white ties you can see wrapped around the platform to the inside poles of the truck. The final 2 in the middle made it so much more secure! I gotta thank our driver Ed and my drum tech John Pell for making this happen!
        We were going to have it connected daily to the outside of a wardrobe case via a couple 2 x 4's attached to the outside of said case. But this is much better. It is private, and inside the truck, I ain't bothering anyone!
        Anyhow, it was awesome to finally meet Alan. We chatted over coffee at the hotel restaurant first. Then I checked out early and we headed to the gig. We checked out my drums and then went to the "Speed Bag Truck".
        I don't have time right now, but I will post the video footage I have of Alan smoking the bag up! I've got footage of him doing some seqences even he hasn't taped himself! Some "3 Punch Monty" stuff, some nonstop improv that leaves most of us eating his bag dust! And some serious Speed Bag King technique I never saw him focus on in the past. That would be Alan weaving in and out of different rhythmic groupings all at the same quarter note pace. This is not easy and he is the only person I know of that can do this. I am getting there thanks to my drumming background, but my vocabulary is considerably less than Alan's.
        It was a ton of fun to hang out and bag with the master, the king! Very inspiring! And he is a great guy. I'm glad he had fun checking out the behind the scenes vibe of a rock show.
        I will post the footage soon.
        And yeah, that 8x5 Fighting Sports bag is killer! I have 10 bags and I think I found a new favorite!
        And yes, we will do it again as I am back down in Addison TX with Foreigner in a month. Looking forward to it Alan!
        BAG ON!
        Last edited by spinsmashpop; 04-07-2009, 01:06 PM.

        Comment

        • Tim
          Administrator and Founder of SpeedBagForum.com


          • Jan 2006
          • 3428

          #5
          Sounds like an awesome time, thanks for sharing !!!

          Comment

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