Drumming, Drum Making and Its Unexpected Perils

The Blogger: with his anthrax free pdp kit

People close to me know that I am a drummer. Over the weekend I plowed through the book Born to Drum, by Tony Barrell. The book is an entertaining read and explores modern drumming through the perspectives of various rock and jazz drumming greats.

A known peril of drumming, covered in the book, are repetitive strain injuries. Less well know is the risk from drum making, particularly, when using animal hides for the drum 'skin'. Animal hides may contain anthrax spores. Although the incidence is low, this is no theoretical risk, as highlighted by this 2007 MMWR report of cutaneous anthrax in a Connecticut drum maker who used imported West African goat hides.

I practice safe drumming! My pdp kit is animal hide free.

Back to the beats.