Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance

Subject: Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:46 pm

WHEN Stuart Napier gets behind his drum kit, picks up his sticks and begins to play, he is no longer a mild-mannered IT project manager from Sydney's south-west. For the four or five minutes it takes to play It's A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) or Mustang Sally, he is The Beat.

"There's a feeling of exhilaration," said the 50-year-old who practises at his Hinchinbrook home for at least an hour every night. "When it all comes together you have a feeling of power and command. I keep it all together … I'm like the engine of a car."

Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance Stuart_Napier_wideweb__470x310,0

Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance Stuart_Napier_wideweb__470x310,0

In fact, Napier could easily have bought a small car with the money - "at least $20,000" - he's spent on drums and accessories since rediscovering his teenage passion three years ago. And he's not alone.

Sales of drum kits have almost doubled in the past 10 years and hordes of cashed-up, born-again drummers like Napier are helping drive the boom-tish boom. A new Harley-Davidson or a Porsche used to be the status symbol of choice for men of a certain age. But for an increasing number of boomers the symbol is a cymbal - preferably one made by Turkish craftsmen - attached to a lacquered drum kit made of the finest maple.

The number of drum kits imported into Australia jumped from 8297 in 1998 to 15,917 last year, according to figures compiled by the Australian Music Association. Imports of cymbals peaked at 70,254 last year and sales are up 139 per cent compared with 10 years ago.

The president of the association, Ian Harvey, said baby boomers have the money and time to rediscover the passions of their youth and in the late 1960s and early '70s playing drums or electric guitar was a rite of passage. The reformation of iconic bands such as Led Zeppelin has only fuelled the generation's rhythmic urges.

"Most of them have no illusions about their skill, but use music as a social connector," said Harvey.

Napier would agree, up to a point. He rehearses with a group of friends every Monday night and while his band doesn't expect to trouble the pop charts any time soon, "we do good".

Napier gave up drumming at 22 when travel and work got in the way. His rekindled passion has prompted him to buy three drum kits, 10 snare drums and 20 cymbals in three years. It's more than just a hobby or unfinished business. Playing a backbeat takes him back to his youth when "every pub had a band with 300 people listening".

"Nowadays, music is all about image," he said. "Back then, it was blokes wearing flannelette shirts - it was all about the music."

LNK

Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance

Boomers drive the boom-tish renaissance

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