Okay, welcome to the bookmap platform details webinar. This is Bruce at bookmap risk disclaimer trading equities in futures involves substantial risk of loss It's not suitable for all investors past performance is not indicative of future results for more information. Go to bookmap comm There's a free 14-day trial period It gives you access to the platform for 14 days And as well as access to advanced order flow webinars that does start in about half hour And all of our other educational resources. There's an educational course and there are several other videos You can reach out to us at support at bookmap comm with any problems or questions that you have And let me show you Where you can find bookmap? Okay, so anyway, this is our website up here Just click on explore and there's an intro video here So just like a minute long. So I would recommend if you're new to bookmap Watch this just get a feel for what it is There's all the different benefits we can go through here. We're just going to scroll down and Yep, here's a You know about bookmap you can click here to sign up for the free webinars This is the platform webinar that you're in right now And then more of the benefits here And as it continue down you can connect bookmap also to us equities through NASDAQ total view It's an excellent data feed for these reasons over here And then we'll continue down here You will need a data provider. Okay, bookmap is not a data provider. We are we are a trading platform just like Ninja trader or You know e-trade or e-signal or trade station Etc. All right. Now we do connect to the API in Ninja trader as well as TT X-Trader Pro As well as the interactive brokers traders workstation Okay, so you can also connect into the API of some of these platforms Other other connections here just directly through the data provider just like any other platform. Okay Here's the 14-day trial period Okay, there's bookmap basic and that's the only version there really is of bookmap all the rest are based on that They're just different features. Okay, so for example, you can see the difference here between bookmap basic and advanced Are these? well, one is the one-click trading trading directly from the bookmap chart and we have a Cache here of proprietary indicators that look specifically at some of the large players in the Market like using large lot tracker as well as our iceberg detector And then we're looking for order book and balances and volume and balances as well as how they relate to other markets with a correlation tracker Okay, Quants, you can reach out to us here for your own Needs at connecting to your own data proprietary indicators, etc. All right Okay, that's bookmap that you can follow us here on Twitter. Okay at bookmap underscore pro You can also subscribe to our YouTube page and you'll find several videos here And just to get started I would recommend watching some of the intro videos that you see here then maybe take a look at some of the Features and components just the basics get it get an understanding what bookmap is and what it offers And then there's these video snippets here. Okay, this is what we cover in more in the advanced Analysis webinars that come with the free trial. Okay, so These these concepts these this phenomena that we see in the order flow we cover in detail So you you get a firm understanding of what it is You're looking at in bookmap and the advantages It gives you and then in these in these webinars we look for the Or we anticipate the the future future price movement based on a lot of these concepts in the phenomena here Abdul, thanks for the spelling For for quants there I'll get to that Let's see the Okay, well that'll give you a good basis understanding what bookmap is There's some professional traders here as well And if you want a sneak peek into some of the live advanced order flow webinars There are some recordings here that were back in August. Okay all right Okay, well, let's take a look at some of the markets and I was gonna look at maybe oil wasn't sure maybe Nasdaq maybe oil Let's take a look here. What's oil look like in bookmap here because some interesting stuff in oil But we're at all-time highs yet again in Nasdaq, so let's just jump over to Nasdaq that might be a little more interesting I mean we see some this phenomenon is just it's just fantastic to see in bookmap and how it relates to liquidity and You know where the market comes to and trades so Good good examples there let's jump back to this Nasdaq and what do we see here? Okay. All right. Yeah, we'll stick with the Nasdaq. Okay. Well, let's Zoom in a little bit All right now for those of you who are new here to bookmap now. This is a very unique display of the market and It's really nothing new It's actually it looks like it's really advanced etc. That there's a lot going on here It's actually really simple stuff And there are three things being displayed on this chart. Okay, and I'm going to we have a Subpanel indicator here that showing the cumulative volume Delta and there's all sorts of studies for these as well but I'm going to close that window up and We're just going to look at the I also have some other You know, you can see the iceberg indicator here with these numbers I'm going to actually shut that off as well. So we won't look at any of the indicators so The basics of bookmap what we're looking at here. It's really pretty simple. It's just looking at historical best bid and offer and Then these dots that you see here are the trades that took place on the historical best bid and offer and then what you see in this Grayscale heat map. It's just it's the auction. Okay, where they're lining up to bid and offer Okay, now this is the historical view of it and that that's really the the distinction here All right, so to further explain We're going to start off with a candlestick chart and I'm going to take off all of these layers of information And we're going to make it pretty simple here. Okay, and let's zoom out a bit. Okay so This is a five-minute candlestick chart all right now is open, high, low close of a five-minute period and And And that's that's all the data that you're getting here. Okay candlestick. I mean to give it some credit You know it you can start to read some of the pressure in here by looking at some of the candlestick patterns, etc with that open high low close however Open high low close of a five-minute period There is so much more going on here that can lead to a lot of insight of what's going on in the marketplace. All right, so there's a lot of opaqueness in this candlestick chart and we're making important financial decisions based on very limited Data in the in a candlestick chart. So how does book map solve that issue? All right, so let's just turn on historical best bid and offer and we're already going to see something Interesting and that is micro structure within these five-minute periods Okay, so how did how did price react? There's little structures in here and we want to understand These structures I can already see one right here for example I'm going to click on the move tool hover over this area and zoom in really quickly with my center mouse wheel Okay, so, you know, we see kind of a double bottom pattern here within this candlestick that you just see is a lot of wicks here in a very small Body a lot happened in here that we have no clue looking at this candlestick chart. Okay, so What we're going to see or what we do see in the micro structure Is this double bottom pattern here and then we see the break of it right above here? Okay, so we're going to we're going to probably see once we turn on the volume exactly where that volume traded and How we broke this structure here and we actually came back down and tested not where we broke from of this structure We actually get a little deeper pullback and Get right into the probably the the point of control of this little structural area Okay, so for those of you looking at volume profile are going to understand a book map in in its context of volume rather quickly okay So let's turn on the volume and let's see what's going on. Okay, so Looking at the dots here, we're looking at aggressive classification of volume so a green dot is equal to Market buys someone hit the market buy button. Okay, they took liquidity off of the best offer And red dot is a market sell and that we consider it the aggressor So let's zoom into this little area right here and let me show you what I mean Okay, so Now as I zoom in we get we get a really good picture of what really occurred here how this market actually traded and actually Where it bid where was the bid and the offer so historical best bid is the The green line historical best offer is the red and then you can see if we zoom in just a little bit more here We can see these green dots here on the on the best offer. Okay, that's the market buy Okay, if you want to know exactly what traded here We can hover over and we can see that we get the date the time What was on the ask here and the liquidity in the book? Historically and then the volume that traded at this price level. Okay, so this was for a volume of six Okay, this dot here is for a volume of two. This bigger dot is for a volume of nineteen Okay, let's zoom into this little area here because I want to show you how bookmap actually records all of this data Okay, now we can see Very clearly what really occurred here, right? Well this that volume that one big dot that we saw of nineteen is actually several smaller trades as we can see Okay, this is how these markets trade algorithmically and there's no question that this this is an algo Okay, that's executing on the best offer and how do I know that? We'll just look at the the mechanical Trading activity here.  It's all spaced out equally Again here again and again, right? So we can start to comprehend exactly how these markets trade and we're looking at You know microsecond level here We can continue to zoom in if you really want to see it And we can look at nanosecond level. Okay, just look at the timeline down here And you can see we're looking at billions of seconds now. Okay, it's pretty remarkable to Be able to see that but we don't trade off of those levels. So what good is this? Well, first off what good it is is to understand the algorithmic activity and how these markets actually trade Secondly is in these flurries of activity is is really what is part of the key here but Secondly though as we zoom back out and we're Basically constricting that timeline. It's not expanding anymore. It's contracting Okay, so we're just going to take all of this trade activity and it's going to be As we continue to zoom out and note how it's visually just visually aggregated Okay, and to give us the overall volume of 19 Okay, and a bigger dot. So we know that a volume of 19 here traded rather quickly Okay, so all the market data is every single event is there It's just that that and you can you can view it and access it But we also give you the overall delta and shape of that volume by the size of the dot The color of the dot and we know exactly where it traded as well Okay, now as I continue to zoom out Note how we display that volume here and this is that little area. We were just looking at okay note how The we give you the overall Okay, so if I hover over that that big dot that is now a pie display It's showing both buying and selling within this very small time frame Okay, and it give you we give you the overall delta. So we know about three quarters of this is aggressive buying Okay for a for volume of a hundred and eight right, so this is Giving a lot of insight here And it's even more insight than you would get through a footprint chart Okay footprint chart gives you the aggressor it shows you where it's trading. Okay, and it gives you the the number Okay, we're we're showing it to you visually here, but the distinction is That footprint chart is going to aggregate that data back and forth Okay, it's going to be similar to your five-minute candlestick chart or maybe it's a bar rotation Okay, but whatever it is there's all sorts of data here within this micro structure That gives you the insight to really what's going on here Okay, and that's what we're that's what I was talking about earlier. Okay, so this little double bottom here All right. Well, we can see the aggressive selling We can see how it pulled the market down and we actually breached it down here But it's right here. Okay, where the buyer stepped in and they sweep the order book Up to break the high up here. Okay, and this is actually something really indicative We see in a trend all the time is look at how much volume is trading up in some of these areas here Okay, it's trending upwards and in fact again in micro structure Okay, and this isn't so micro structure We're looking at two minutes of data between each vertical dotted line here But we're still getting a really good understanding of break out of an area Okay over this little this little micro structural range a retest of it here and the market again It you seen less volume trading at the lower High here and or the I'm sorry the higher low and then and then we rotate back up into trade into Areas where it can trade okay because the majority of the traders are interested at a higher price level And we get price discovery to the upside Okay, so all sorts of details you're really going to understand how these markets trade and Strategies to look for exactly this. This is something we cover during the live webinars Hey looking for a return back to where we broke from and Continuation and price discovery to the upside All right now that was broken down here But we see it resume yet again same structure or same idea here We break the structure and look where we come back and retest Okay, so actually the kind of interested in that retest we retested if I zoom in just a little bit more retested Usually we see it retest here right to where we broke from And find the aggressor You know lifting the offer here go back a little bit further here All right goes back a little bit further But and then you can see the aggressor on the sell side here They're going to be trapped as price moves back up and they're going to cover up in these areas up here And takes a little while, but we do get up into that area and again resume the trend as you can see Okay, all of that kind of detail now. It's not difficult to understand It's just How the market trades it's how the market trades to new higher levels time and acceptance and breaking of structural areas sweeping of the limit order book Etc. And this will give you a lot of insight To the behavior of price and when we start to look for Can't that continuation of the trend? Okay, so that's just looking at those very specific areas Some nice stuff to see there in this in this candlestick chart that is completely lacking of that information That's over here and then yeah, we we've seen the continuation here to the upside now the understanding of volume is key and It's a big part of the order flow and market market condition, however, there is a completely other side to it as well and Usually we access that through the limit order book. Okay, the current market behavior or picture of that Of the current market and that's in the dome Okay, over here in the columns this COB column. This is the current order book this here is the dome Okay, it's similar to your depth of market that you see in in your dome And what are we looking for in a dome? Okay, we're looking for where traders are lined up to trade Okay, we want to understand that it's important. I Look at the number of traders down here at 62 37.  Okay, and it shows that About half of this liquidity is one individual actor with 80 contracts probably a little bit less maybe around 70 anyway So we understand that the market can trade down here. All right, so There's sellers. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There's buyers down here and the sellers Well, maybe if we have some weakness in the in the market here They'll come down and and and they know that they can trade here because there's there's buyers waiting down here at these areas Okay, there are lots of different ways to read this order book, but The problem here is well once this and these these numbers change all the time as you can see Okay, when these numbers change That data is gone. We have no clue. What what what happened there? Okay, so a lot of traders that trade off of the dome Well, they're looking for just scalping a few ticks here or there may be a few points, but To get an understanding of what's going on in that limit order book can be rather tedious by looking at the dome Okay, you're gonna have to remember all of these areas and what it was like around this area If they pulled when price came down to it if they added in where they aggressive You know trying to front-run these guys. What about on the offer? Where are they? There's a lot of information to understand where book map solves that issue is in the heat map Okay, and let's turn off these candles. Okay, and we'll turn on our indicators as well Okay, and this now gives us a picture of what's going on. Okay, so So for example Pretty high liquidity. There's a lot of people here on the bid Okay, we didn't know that beforehand right because we just had the current the current dome And we knew that there was high liquidity here Well, we can see that there's a lot of buyers They're lining up ahead actually of some of these areas and they're actually it looks to me like well We can zoom into these areas to really understand it But they're starting to provide liquidity here and they're starting to absorb on the buy side Okay, now we're getting understanding of where traders are lined up and if they are transacting at these areas Okay, and it looks like the aggressive buyers now are starting to step in because we see that these sellers are being Are starting to be absorbed. There's you know down here at this 38 level for sure Okay, so and we can see that the market is now reacting to it Okay, we know that there's buyers here now we can start to target where it's in my trade on the offer And well here they are up at 44 now. How are we doing that in book map? Well in this window here You can see best bid and offer. Okay. This is the current market. Okay, and this is the last traded volume here Okay, there's this white and this white number as well as the number here that is the aggregate Before it flips to the to the next next price level. Anyway We take the liquidity the numbers here. Okay, and we'll paint it in the heat map So that area down here at 37. Well, they pulled a lot of that liquidity We saw I don't know 150 contracts here or 160. Well now it's only 65 Okay, so they pulled it then they're probably adding it up here at higher levels but We and now have have a pretty good understanding of Where they're lined up to deal? All right, so Where this gets interesting though is not in this current window here. It's to the left of this vertical white line All right. That's the historical view. Okay, so record the current book and then project it onto the chart historically Okay, so for example, let's zoom in here and we can see that these traders here Okay, that were on the on the bid 157 163 contracts as we roll over this area. Well, we came here into this area here and they pulled now We're down to 66 Okay, let's use this tool now Okay, where do they pull to well look look when they pulled here at this level at 37 They added up here at 40 probably the same actor. Okay, so now we're starting to understand not only the Liquidity at these levels but starting to target and understand where they pulled their liquidity to okay Some really nice insight here. All right, so This is what you book map allows you to do because we can record that historical limit order book All of that would be completely lost if you were trying to read that here in the dome It would be rather difficult All right, so anyway, that's how a book map solves that issue and as we zoom out We can get a really big understanding of this this limit order book historically. Okay now we'll have to play around with the heat map and Let's bring up some of the or play around with some of the settings here and here we go Okay, so look at the liquidity here. We traded into it. It was absorbed. Okay, and we went it It was like a false breakout here. We traded back into the range but then the then the buyers the aggressive buyers stepped in again and And we trade through these areas of high liquidity and then they're on the bid here Flipping on the other side now Okay, that that picture that we saw one of those examples of Sweeping of the book and a return back to where we came from over in this area here Well, here's a bigger picture view of that same phenomena We broke out of this range here around 35 36 and now they're here on the on the bid Wanting to buy at this higher price level Okay, so you can see here that this is not just a tool for scalping It can you it can be used extremely effectively for scalping, but it can also be used on higher time frames Okay, so for example if you were even trading off of a weekly chart and you saw today's movement and you're bullish and you're looking for Higher prices for the rest of the week and you're looking for a position trade. Well, you could start to you know Follow along when place some of your limit orders in some of these areas of high liquidity Looking to get filled and then looking for a continuation to the upside Okay, and or if you're just trading You know day trading you can still look for entries in these areas here and You know look for the the aggressor. Okay, so are they going to? Continue to lift the offer here and maybe come back up in some of these areas here All right anyway lots of different ways to read and understand This very transparent view of the market the volume The microstructure with the historical best bid and offer and then where they're bidding in the book All right All right guys. Well, let's let's call it a day if you guys are interested in Further education of this this is where you can find it Give it a 14-day trial period and you'll get access to to book map You will need your own data provider but then You also have access to the advanced order flow webinars that starts in just a couple minutes as well as our book map educational course and other videos all right, so Yep, give it a try. You really've got nothing to lose And and then see for yourself if this is something that works for you. Okay. All right guys Thanks for coming and we'll catch up with you tomorrow


Welcome to the drum history podcast. I am your host Bart van der Zee and today I'm joined by Ron Weinstein who is the originator of tuxedo gig bags Ron welcome to the show. Thanks. Thanks for having me Bart Yes, we've been talking for a while This is that that seems to be a theme on the show recently where I'm kind of getting a lot of people such as yourself Where we've been talking for about a year almost in September. It'll be a year and we're finally making it happen and I want to say really quickly. Thank you to Greg Chatter and I'm sorry about butchering your last name Who sent me a nice message and copy and pasted basically a very cool story that Ron told on the Slingerland sets and snare drums Facebook group and that prompted this whole thing and Now here we are today to kind of really dig deeper into the origins of Tuxedo bag so all that being said Ron, why don't you just go back to the beginning and How did all this start? well, the the tuxedo start happened around 1981 I was living in Las Vegas and I had the usual gripe a lot of guys had with Symbol bags where They would rip out symbol edges eventually would always eat through the bottom of a symbol bag and at that time I knew this girl that sold industrial fabrics she was a representative and Like she sold the Nomex to Simpsons racing for those fireproof suits. Oh, yeah, and she says there's a new fabric out and Brand new and it was called Cordura by Dupont that she represented And they had a second version called Antron Cordura, which made it a very smooth and shiny finish and not the Stubbly finished like our most cordura is today that you see So I said wow now that stuff is really strong It's it was waterproof coated on one side and you couldn't rip it at all Hmm, and I said this could really work out. There are things I'd like to design a little bag that I think I could use Said okay, so I said here's what I want to do we got some of this fabric and I said well a lot of times the handles the straps always rip out and nog a hide and Canvas also because they're they die out So we got at that time also was brand new was like nylon seatbelt webbing Nobody was really using it for luggage and all that stuff and the plastic buckles that look like Seatbelt buckles, you know that you see on all luggage today that lock into each other sure nobody was using those So I said well, let's let me design something we you know and We we made it also so the straps once you had the handle on the on the symbol bag The straps were also sewn straight down from where they touched the handle and went around the bottom of the bag up to the other side Hmm, I said well this is gonna hold all the weight you could possibly imagine. Yeah, cuz symbols are heavy I mean when you have a bag full of symbols It can weigh. I mean, I feel like it's like 20 could be 20 30 pounds. Exactly. Yeah, yeah So I said well this would never rip out and the sharp edge of the symbol You know normally would rip out the bottom to not only with this cradle the symbols We also Before we sewed the two halves of the symbol bag together We ran that seat belt webbing all around between the two halves So the edge of the symbol would rest on that nylon webbing also. Hmm. So this was really like a solid bag And I said well, you know, this is this is really cool We had one made by someone that she sold the fabric to was a industrial sewing company And they made me a sample of the bag and I tried it out and I said wow, this is gonna work and did a few refinements size-wise and you know and aligning we put the Laminated some foam to an inside nylon lining. So all that gets pressed together and then you sew the bag So at that time I said well, what if I use this stuff for a stick bag also Okay, so we made a pretty normal stick bag but with the nylon handle and But the unique thing I had another idea I said one thing I don't like about these stick bags When you go to strap it on to your floor tom-tom, you know, there's those straps that come out the side Yep, and there are always they were elastic with an s-hook Exactly and you put the s-hook through the the lug, you know And I that could scratch the drum but also depending on how much weight you had it in the stick bag It would move up and down. I said well, here's just let's take this thinner Let's take this seatbelt webbing and attach velcro on The end with a piece of velcro where it attached and then sew that to the bag And that way a wouldn't stretch and be you you could loop it through the lug and Attach it to itself and you couldn't scratch anything. So we did that.  It's then it's ruining your your drum finish It's it's like a rash. I mean, it's kind of like if you don't protect your bass drum hoop with a bass drum pedal It's it's it's ruined. Well, so I want to obviously move forward here But before we move forward, let's let me ask you the question too. You mentioned that There was some predecessors like you said Naga hide correct. What what was the I know We know it's stick bags that kind of scratch your drum But what were people using before this before we go forward like what was as far as? Symbol bags and all that kind of stuff. What were you improving upon at that point?  Hmm And that's all they had and they really didn't have any padding and then you just covered your bag and other than that a Fiber cases. Gotcha Yeah, yeah, which would be like You know, the which which are not I mean it even today It's more heavy-duty. I mean those the fiber kind of like those are like more hard road cases clearly, right? Like those are for yeah, it's a little different than just putting your drum in a bag I mean that's a case right the fiber cases were kind of thin, you know, it was made out of whatever they used It wasn't plastic, you know It was some kind of fiber and you usually I remember years when I first got one you had to like spray You had a shellacum because if they were out in the rain Forget it. They were no good. Yeah, you know, so that's that's what people used on the road They'd used fiber cases. Yeah, and that that happened for a long time I actually kind of funny side note story and then we'll carry on from there but I was so I was going to the University of Cincinnati here that the The music school there for for audio engineering and stuff And so I was I was doing a lot with music up the street from my house There was a bar that had a big parking lot and we would you know go to the bar and hang out and stuff But one day I was kind of going down the hill to my house and I looked over and I went There's an entire set of those like fiber kind of old vintagey drum cases sitting in the parking lot And I was like In no way I'm not the kind of guy where I'm like, oh, that's mine I'm taking it, but I think I I was like, okay. Whoa. I think I went home and like Four or five hours later I because I figured maybe a band was playing there and they left them and you know They would they would come back for them Um But I kind of thought later if it was like, you know half the day like later then Okay, they're not coming back.  I picked them up I was looking at them I was kind of I did look if there was like a name or something and I wanted to see if I could return them but They uh They were nice. It was it was bass drum. It was two toms. It was a snare. It was, you know, the floor tom case but all of the The straps The wraps were rotted out They were they like it was like they had just been like snapped and there was and they were they were frayed But the the kicker that was not good was they were um Uh They were sewn and connected to the case. So there was no real replacing them You'd have to use like a bungee or something but It just even that technology then which they seemed like they were from I mean at that point this was 2010 or 2012 or something So they must have they were actually probably probably riveted to the case. They were riveted to the case So I'm assuming they were from the 90s or from the 80s or something They were just someone's dads who they gave them to them and then they played with them They were shot. They were like not fixable But I kept them for years and moved them from studio to studio like us drummers do when we just moved I I recently repaired some fiber cases for that same reason really or not. Yeah, what I did Real quick. I I I had a couple of Like my a bass drum fiber case where the straps, you know, were ripped off. Okay. So what I did I took out the rivets And I went down to the uh to a thrift store And I bought a couple for one dollar each. I bought a couple of belts Black belts. Yeah, I cut the belt to the size I wanted punch some holes in it And and and drilled a couple holes and put in some new rivets I fixed it probably looks nicer too than the old kind of nylani, uh, like Uh, that's that's funny because you're the tuxedo guy, you know, I've got a black belt for your tuxedo Yeah, because originally they were black leather straps leather. Okay. Yeah Yeah, and I fixed them man Well, you gotta, you know, it's better than throwing stuff away I think I ended up selling the cases that I found like years later I ended up selling them to someone who fixed them. I think for like 75 bucks or 50 bucks, which um Not bad, but all right. Anyway back on the timeline here.  You're using all this very modern Uh, for the time material that no one else was using so you're kind of like ahead of the curve I love that that you're you're looking at something and you see it and go hey man, that could be That I could use that for you know us drummers and and it could change the game. So Uh, what happened from there? From there, I showed them to to my mentor and advisor Louis Belson Louis to me is the all-time Saint of drums. Yes, and We were very close from the time I was 16 years old and I'll go back to that. Yeah story later. Sure. I showed him to Louis He dug him. He said well, what we got to do what was coming up then Was the the NAM show in Los Angeles? And all the music merchants would be there. That's where everybody goes So we said, uh, let's go to the NAM show So Louis and I went there And I and I had the one cymbal bag and one stick bag and we We showed them to a guy that Louis had known for years Chuck Molinari Chuck was Bob Yeager's partner Bob Bob Yeager and Chuck own the pro drum shop in Hollywood. Yeah Now Chuck had left pro drum shop and opened up his own company called spectra sound percussion Where he made wind chimes and a lot of percussion products So we went to Chuck's booth and of course Who was there, you know besides Chuck? I remember, uh, there were some drummers there Because Louis knows everybody we're all talking and looking they they dug the bag Well, Chuck turned to me and says, uh, you know, can you are you making these? And I said, yeah, well Yeah, I could he says, let me have a hundred of each first order. Yeah, I said I turned to Louis, right? I said I think I'm in business I mean, I knew nothing about this, you know And that was the start chuck and he asked could he have the Uh exclusive for the first year distributorship Or first six months or a year I said, yeah, sure I don't know anybody else So I then went had a you know Bought the fabric and went to one of the contract sewers in LA And uh, and I was living in Vegas at the time by then and uh Uh, we made up those bags and I shipped them to to chuck And people he started getting some interest people liked them So the next nam show that came up Uh I think it was I don't know whose decision it was my decision or louis or whatever that I would get my own booth Because now by this time I had also made Bags for the drums too same fabric Same almost the same construction the nylon straps and uh on the edge instead of just Sewing the edges together we used a plastic welting inside, you know, it looks like a black strip that goes around the outside You've seen on better products Yeah And on the inside instead of the where the two pieces meet we put what's called a binding tape over that So everything was covered everything was strong And when I did I got my own booth a little 10 by 10 booth at the next nam show And I got a lot of interest And what what I would do to show how strong it was Um, I would have like a six by six inch square of that Antron nylon Cordura, yeah And I slid it with a scissor about two inches and I would give the piece to somebody I'd say here He says try to tear it. Well from once it started it won't tear. Wow You know, you could slit it with a scissor Sure, but but from there would you grab the two halves? You can't tear it any further. It's rip stop nylon. Wow So I said this is I said and I at the time original I said and I'm the way these straps are sewing on I'm guaranteeing this bag for life. Well, everybody told me don't do that.  Wow Wow, man, that's a bold statement. But I mean really When you're when things are in the back of a van or on a bus and getting thrown around and you know Maybe your drums fall over and they get hit by something. It's nice to know that you're um, You know, you're putting your very very valuable and a lot of times rare drums, you know out in the world In a cheap case. It doesn't make sense. So it Seems like there was a need in the market for this and you filled it Um, and let me ask this so so technically you were covering and putting the tape on the inside and all this stuff to avoid there being any kind of like Sharp ish edges like the zipper or anything touching the drum, correct The zipper was totally had flaps. Yeah over it and the the What's where it was sewn, you know, you have ragged edges We put that binding tape over it and that way, you know, it couldn't shred and come apart Everything was was covered. That's great. Were you called tuxedo bags at that point or had that had you had that name yet? Yes, at I at that point, uh, the logo it said tuxedo uh gig bags And we had a little bowtie under the logo. Yeah, and and also to make the bed I always wanted it to look good and and work well But I knew a lot of times appearance is a lot instead of just having a little Paper label or something, you know, I actually got a an embroidered patch Made with the logo sewn onto each bag Yeah, I mean it's attention to detail which it's I don't know it all kind of works tuxedo Attention to detail very sharp and clean kind of not not sharp literally because you wouldn't have that it'd be covered Right, you know, and I my slogan at that time was formal wear for your axe Oh Very nice It's true tuxedo part and I almost think I don't know just the the connection to louis belson Everyone thinks of a very well-dressed man who's a gentleman and you know, it just all it just all fits together Um Yeah, I mean there's There's nothing like him.  I put that picture on a hang tag On each bag and each item. Yeah, and uh, and louis signature was across the picture and My on top of that tag it said caught holding the bag louis belson I mean if I remember correctly, you said louis was not charging you louis your mentor and buddy and was just happy to do it, right? Absolutely. I was so naive You know when I when this thing started and you know and louis and I showed it and we took a picture and I said Can I can put it on the tag? He said yeah, sure whatever I I really I was so naive that you know people like that have these big contracts You know with drum companies and cymbal companies all that stuff You know louis just said yeah, let's do it Wow Did not realize I mean you obviously probably would have been successful and quality is key and people would have seen that but man He really he bumped you up Oh having his picture on on the on hanging on each bag. Yeah, it doesn't get much bigger than that Especially in those days nowadays, you know, I mean he's been gone for quite some time So it might not you know, people might say who's this guy, but I feel like at that point I mean he was still you know a king Still as obviously but well, it's pretty amazing to me and you know, you being a drummer and knowing history I mean I I run into somebody today Like even my wife we were on the golf course my wife ran into somebody a couple weeks ago And somehow drums came up and and it's oh, yeah, right my my kid plays drums, you know, this guy says Oh, and uh, my wife says did do you know who louis belson is? And this kid he didn't know who louis was yeah, you know, I mean The shame if if if we had youtube tv Years and years ago where you could pull everybody up and learn something and see these people They don't know louis used to have a line all the time You have to know to to know where you're going. You have to know where you came from Yeah Very very true. You studied those people. Yeah Yep. Yep. I mean that's I I've had that where I'll post, you know these drum videos and stuff and and I get some guys and girls who comment very Frequently, it'll be like, uh, man. I didn't know people could play like that back then It'll be like a buddy rich video You have a lot to uh To learn it's not all this. I mean the people have been Absolute monster drummers and and and and double bass didn't always exist It had to come first from you know from someone from louis from louis exactly with the big four times the originator of Double bass drums. Yeah. Yeah Okay, and we'll we'll talk more about louis But so I think we left off on the bags with you were at the booth You had people cutting and tearing and they couldn't do it and and all this stuff.  I would never ask louis for a dime And I'm sure he would have helped me any way I wanted And uh, it's just just the way I was I was gonna I was gonna do it And uh, it it worked. I got a lot of attention at that nam show And people were coming over and studying the bags I I had, uh, it might have been my the next nam show I had these uh Japanese guys come over They came to my booth like three or four times and they stood there and they would talk to each other in Japanese And they were holding the bags and looking at them and you know, all this stuff and and I said man, these guys are just gonna rip me off Well, it turns out the on sunday the last day of the nam show They came to my booth And gave me their card. They were tama drums. Wow neat And they asked me if I would make that exact same bag for them in a different color Geez, that's big. I said, yeah, that was big.  They didn't really stay with me because I figured they could copy it in japan You know, I was yeah at that point, but they they gave me a substantial order um A big music company in hong kong I think tom lee is the biggest music Stories chain they ordered from me Australia ordered from me germany all of a sudden people were ordering from me and Man i'm i'm in business. Yeah, you're actually uh I mean It's it's so it's so cool. I mean you hear about that.  It's like an idea that that really blows up So with the tama stuff what Year was that happening because I mean if it's you know 80s 90s That's really when when the japanese drums were were were just blowing up in general I'd say tama was probably 83 okay Yeah, 82 or 83 interesting that's uh And you were right there at the right time with with those brands coming in and uh Yeah, simon phillips and all these guys that maybe I'm not sure when he actually came to tama, but um, it's they really took the market so Like you said though People can you were first to market with this which is obviously very important, but I'm assuming people did start to sort of encroach on your uh, you know idea a little bit Some knockoffs did come out shortly after my first NAMM show appearance um A guy named fred bedo beado made beado bags And it was actually a much cheaper version than mine And also my bags compared to what was out there even in his were the most expensive I wasn't cheap because I used the best materials Yeah, you know, I even got tags from dupont to hang on each and each piece You know said dupont cordura, you know, I wasn't hiding anything, you know, this is it So fred fred knocked me off a little bit and he got some Business because you know in the music industry these store owners They care about price more than anything Yeah, they really do sure, you know how cheap can you give it to me for And and the bag fred was and and yet even at the shows when I would talk to fred, you know I never had any animosity toward any of these people.  That's yours. Cool and Stuff like that and then with louis. I also went to rimo Now, you know the odd shape of roto toms. Yeah. Well, I designed and made up some bags to hold the roto toms And that really they liked it, but they really didn't go anywhere because they didn't want to get into bags And then also uh with zildjian, you know, uh arman led, you know, because of louis You know, I had entries to everybody. Yeah, and and I got to be friendly with you know with rimo and loyden mccosland at rimo and uh arman zildjian who was a great guy and lenny demesio who did all the you know the zildjian artist relations things And for and picked out all the everybody symbols You know, like if louis needed symbols he calls zildjian and and lenny demesio would pick him out or you know and ship them to you Whether it was louis buddy any of those guys, but like obviously you yourself are a likeable nice guy and That connection and mentorship basically led to your friendship with louis, which louis really great relationship and friendship and being a nice guy with these companies led to your ability to um have these connections and have that trust so it just kind of comes back to like Good business and being nice to people and uh and and and down to human relationships Um because without that you wouldn't have gotten anywhere louis wouldn't want to be around you You know what I mean like it's it's absolutely It's pretty powerful stuff. You know, there's three things that I point to in all the years of my relationship with louis You know, maybe I'll throw them in here early and we'll get back to some of the other stuff, but one of them was uh louis being Best man at my wedding And then uh When when he was pretty old like in his 2004 maybe he did a concert of sacred music He premiered up in northern california and uh my wife and I flew up there and surprised him and At the end you know when you introduce people and you thank the orchestra and all that stuff He introduces me in the audience as someone who's been with him over 40 years and you know, I mean that like I was crying, you know, I mean you can't beat that and that's even that's on youtube if anybody wants to look it up It's called louis intro of ron and charma. You know, that's awesome. And then I was asked I was paul bear and his futile And that's three milestones For me. Yeah, clearly He was a great friend to you obviously And I mean Just the business thing. So so you know rewinding a little bit here. So so you were like um, I guess personally I should ask Was this this was your job like your nine to five job was tuxedo bags because You were a full at that point business. Okay, so before that though I'm assuming, you know, you had other jobs and stuff going on. What what was your like trade, you know, that you would be I mean, I'm a drummer drummer, you know originally um, and then when I got to vegas i got to vegas i was working i got there Wayne newton brought me there. Oh cool. And there was a uh He had a management company this is 19 Seven 1971 I met him Wayne was a guest Louis had known wane because he appeared in his show at the time but 1970 Wayne was a guest on the pearl bailey show on abc tv pearl being louis wife. Yes, and I at that point I had left new york, uh I finished at berkeley and went out there and I was working as louis assistant on the pearl bailey show and Wayne was a guest and I could meet him and they had a he had a management company at the time for different acts And they were putting a like in those days. They had what's called show bands, you know And you'd go around the country playing all the holiday ends or amada ends, you know In vegas and they they called me see if I wanted to play in one of those bands And I said, yeah, I'll do it. So I joined that band then I moved to vegas a couple years later and uh Then I eventually I stopped playing I said I got tired of the row. I got a little beat up mentally on the road and Uh, I had this 1973.  I go hey Yeah, I'll do that. You know, and uh, he and in those days To get anything in vegas it was all juice who you know, you know And he puts me in as a as a 21 dealer and for you know it after 25 years, I did everything from Break-in dealer to casino manager. Wow, I ran the opera in in strip casinos Cool, so I had a great career there too, but didn't stop playing You know, I played once in a while and practiced and you know My relationship with louis was still solid all those years and uh And that's that was my most of my time in vegas This episode is brought to you by nicky moon custom symbols Nicky moon custom symbols are premium quality boutique symbols handmade in the usa Nick marguerite owner and craftsman is a classically trained professional independent symbol smith with over 10 years experience Who has traveled all over the world studying with masters and working in symbol factories to perfect his craft Nicky moon offers a wide range of fully customizable series and models to choose from including sentinel dirty angel shop stainless steel and the critically acclaimed one series Nicky moon also provides full service symbol modification and repair services Any old symbol can be sent in reworked and reimagined into something completely new and different the possibilities are endless Get in touch at nickymoon.com and all drum history podcast listeners can get 10 off their next order by using coupon code drum history pod that's drum history pod Go to nickymoon.com n i c k y moon dot com to learn more and follow on instagram at nicky moon underscore symbols All right now getting back on to tuxedo bags. All right, so you were starting to get ripped off. You said, uh, Beato, which i've always called it beat oh Begs. Yeah, i didn't know if it was beat oh i called it beat oh too, but i think He's a spag. I think he calls it he calls it beat oh when he has his name because that's his last name Sure, sure There's so many names where people's toma tamma piste pasty beat oh beato All right, so then What happened from there, you know, you're kind of I think you said mid 80s Let's say you're you're getting kind of ripped off a little bit, but you're going strong You're working with rimo. You're working with zilgen Take it from there Yeah, well, okay. I made a bag for zilgen and I like the bag but zilgen was really growing Uh commercially at that point even though everybody loved zilgen, you know, all sudden they went they got a you know a president And you know all of a sudden they were it wasn't just arm and running the company anymore You know, it was always corporate suits So then they came out with the zilgen bag And it was it was different than mine, but they didn't You know that didn't go anywhere, but you know, but I did show them the bag and I stayed Very friendly with zilgen Uh Through the years after that even just you know as friends. There was a there was a time in 1979 Louis slingelin drums had the louis belson national drum contest for best drummer 18 I think 18 and under which louis had won when he was everything the gene krupa contest Yeah, well, they put together the louis belson national drum contest when he went with slingelin then in 79 so and I remember we were the the finals were in vegas and We're at this reception And I'm standing i'm talking with uh with armond and lenny. Do you know lenny demisio who we is, you know No, um, I feel like the name has probably come up, but I not off the top of my head. No He also has a book out called tales from the cymbal. He died just a couple years ago Tales from the cymbal bag all his stories with people and you know He he was the artist rep and everything for I don't know 30 40 years was ill to check that out Well, he's the guy and uh, and there's actually a picture in there of me with louis and wane In that book, but so we're standing around talking and armond says to me. Have you seen these new? I think they were the quick beats the the hi-hats with the holes in the bottom cymbal Yeah, I think quick beats. I think new beats. No no hole Okay, so so armond says have you seen these these quick beats? I go no, I haven't seen him yet He says yeah, look he says they got these holes in the bottom. They're really nice He says, what are you playing these days? And I said well, I'm using a 20 inch, you know ping ride and an 18 inch medium ride and And a 16 crash and everything he says. Yeah, okay. That's that sounds good Two or three days later. There was a package at my door a whole set of cymbals from armond zildjian Wow, I mean, how do you beat those guys? Oh, that's those old school guys. Yeah I'm just amazing. That is just so cool. I mean a set of cymbals Now then whenever is expensive Mm-hmm. So that's a that's a that's a nice little perk for But you're an industry guy at that point, you know, I mean you're at that point, right? Yeah, but I was still playing he says you're still playing. I go, yeah once in a while He says, what are you playing and I told him the sizes and that's what he sent me Good memory too, you know Yeah, I mean that's Armond was great and even even over at Remo when I would hang out with Lloyd McCausland Who was the guy that ran all the production and stuff that Remo, you know, he made sure You know, I I told him what drums I had. Oh, I got a box of all of drumheads from Remo, you know Which louis louis mr. Remo. I mean as far as I know from doing previous episodes I mean he was like a stockholder with Remo. I mean he he Yes, all about it. He's one of that. He was listed. I have his business card as vice president But that was because you know when Remo started louis actually Probably funded him to start Remo. Mm-hmm. Man Louis has his you know His his legacy kind of spread all around the place. Um, which is great. So Absolutely. All right. Well, keep going from there. Well at that point I'm in business now about four years And I'm just trudging along and I went back to the For more advice to the small business administration And they said well at this point, you know, I said I got I need more marketing and and advertising and promotion And they said well, you need Like $250,000 from marketing you got to take out ads You know, you got to reach all these people and I said, well, I I can't get that, you know, I don't have in this net. So I figured well, I'm about to sell what I have And get out of the biz so at the different nam shows though, I I had met and talked to uh urwin berg from umes and berg and They they made road cases You know and they made they were the Biggest company that made fiber cases for 50 because they had already been in business 50 years Uh Irwin berg's father willy berg started the company over 50 years And they made, you know, trumpet mutes called stone mutes. They're white with that red I think that's umes and berg mutes. Wow, cool. And that's where they started And then they got into fiber cases and and band equipment and stuff So they're in business 50 years and I got friendly with irwin.  We just you know laugh it up and It was it was funny That he liked my bags, but didn't know Didn't really want to know what to do with it. Well, I was home. I think it was around It was in october maybe 84 And I get a phone call like at seven in the morning And it was irwin berg And he says, you know, hey, what are you doing? I said nothing. I'm just trudging along and in my head I heard it was going to go out of business at the end of the year He says are you interested in any kind of You know Me buying your your product I go, well, yeah talk to me, you know, what he got in mind And again, I didn't really know for much and for you know, what he says, let me get a contract going and me I was going to go. Okay. You want to give me something? Fine.   Yeah, and and that was it. He Come january the next namsho.  I'm getting rid of it You honestly don't sound like you sound like you're like, I had a great time I had a good experience and I was kind of done with it. Did you have any what were your emotions like with that? My emotions were I wasn't like I was done with it I really loved it like you said that was my baby But then I said to myself Well, here's the situation humans and bergs has been in business over 50 years You know, they don't have to sell to distributors. They sell direct to every music store. They sell direct to every school system You know band risers band to quit all that stuff band stands I said who better to take this where it can go. I couldn't take it to the ultimate and they could And so it was like a naturally I was proud that that they did it and I was able to get out of it without losing a dime You know and it was just fun and at the time I go to that next nam show and with urwin and His son was there Mike Berg. Yeah Who runs it now? Mike was like 15 or 16 And we just teased him unmercifully, you know, Mike and he's a great kid and he's running the whole shebang now Irwin is pretty much retired And what he's done with it now I mean those cases he puts out You know the hide hard cases. Yeah, they're really cool. They're great and all the colors and at the time Even urwin what he did To get tuxedo produced. He was he still used a solar in the united states My solar in california actually and then he set up his own sewing factory In east chicago indiana where hemsenberg is And then it got so big where he set up and still has his own Bad company they make the bed in china directly And that's his he's not having somebody in china make it. He set up his own sewing operation in china. Wow And as far as soft bags are concerned and they've made other types now They got the tuxedo.  And I mean if they were kind of known and are known as the hard cases then why not include the most high quality Soft bag under the umbrella. So I think you you obviously chose the right, you know Yeah, it was a natural extension for them. Yeah Yeah, that's great. I mean and and it's sounds like you had a great time and like like you said you had fun You I'm sure could support yourself Uh with yeah as a job selling these cases and boom you're in the industry and uh And all that stuff. So so where does it stand? Today, obviously so so hemsenberg is still making them. Oh, yeah, they still make tuxedo If you look at on their website or the catalog they still show it, you know They like I said, they make a couple other lesser Quality bags, but pretty much sewn close to it. But the fabric and stuff is a little different. They have different price points for different music stories now And uh, or even a few months ago called me up, you know, just out of the blue. Hey, how you doing, you know If I see something that mike posts on his facebook page, I you know, I always say so.  That's great. You know, and it was great I like that you also were like going to like the small business association and asking for help and doing this stuff Because I think sometimes people forget that like there are resources Um that are there to help you and and obviously they said you need a ton of money Um and that kind of led to this but but just you know You can be just a guy just a drummer. Um, you know, who's not a You didn't go to business school for this stuff and get like an nba. So Right. Um, it's pretty cool that any any anyone can do it, but it's it's obviously a lot of hard work. Um All you have to do is know one of the most famous drummers in the world who will open that Yeah, that's it. That's the only That's the only thing you need. Um, but all right. So on that note, let's rewind. How did you meet louis belson when you were 16? I mean, how did your relationship with him happen? well, uh Being a drummer from the time I was Like say say 13 I had a snare drum and a hi-hat in the cymbal When I turned 16 the day I turned 16 um My oldest brother Co-signed a little Note for me at the local music store in upstate new york where i'm from And I got a rogerset because my favorite drummer Just listening and watching was louis belson and he played rogers then And I got a rogers set And then at that point and I could and I got a job and the music store let me pay 25 dollars A month till it was paid off in those days drum set was, you know, 300 dollars for rogerset So I did that and I was playing so now I was 16 a little later that I was in may a little later october I get my issue of downbeat magazine in the mail And on the cover was a picture of louis belson. It says louis belson back with duke And I I just wow, that's great. And I look in my low in the new york newspaper Couple within a few days or so and I see coming to Basin street east famous nightclub in new york city Duke ellington in his orchestra Well, I figured well, that's man louis back with duke I'm going I lived about an hour north of new york city at the time and At that point I said, well, I want to go see louis belson So my father took me we drove into the city to basin street to see louis belson and There there was We got a seat in those days, you know nightclubs Yeah, he had a stage and there was just like long tables that came emanated from the stage But we sat right in the front right in the middle in front of louis drums And I'm waiting I can't wait to see louis belson And I see there's a swinging door towards the rear of basin street Where the musicians are starting to come out and there's no curtain at this club in basin street The musicians are coming out and putting their horns on the stage So I said I said I'm going to go through that door. See what happens I walk through that door and I literally Bump in physically bump into louis belson and duke ellington. Oh boy They were talking and I started stammering.  Yeah, you know And you know, and then I turned to him. I said mr. Ellen. Could you have louis do a drum solo?  I mean I talked to louis and then we got a typical Club camera girl in those days came back And took a picture of me and louis Not with duke though. I wish I would have had that in there But it was just me and louis and I'm holding the sticks. He's holding the brushes, you know, and We got that picture taken now. I go back out to the club. I sit there and here comes now that the show starts the the opening act was a very very young nobody knew jone rivers and After then ellington plays and then melton may was coming out the same But so i'm watching ellington and i'm i'm flipping out because louis right in front of me and you know You've seen videos of louis personality always smiling and looking at people.  He and i am and all that stuff and you know when i want to see him He gives me This is louis belson. Oh, I showed him a picture of me on my roger set a little polaroid and he signed the back of that for me Wow, and then he he gives me his Home address and phone number in southern california Wow, who does that? Yeah, really? You know So That was my entree to louis I would keep I would write him Occasionally I would call I had I was I had huge fear to call him Because sometimes pearl bailey would answer the phone and she would frighten me to death You know and but uh, but he stayed and he always responded to me if I wrote him something And then he told me he was coming to new york I can't remember if that time he was coming with harry james band or his big band at the uh The river boat in the empire state building was a nightclub in the basement of the river boat and You know what I come help and be the band boy I said, well, yeah, sure You know, uh I did that I so I would take the bus from from where I lived into new york city at night And I was there with louis every night watching him play every night um You know another time he came into the city with pearl bailey. She was doing to be on the ed sullivan show He called me up and said yeah, I said, hey, I'm gonna have a lesson tomorrow with sol gubin Who was the tympaniast for the new york philharmonic louis was gonna have a lesson with him You know, you want to meet me? Oh, yeah Yeah, I took the bus into the city. I met him there.  We did the same thing um We were on the wrong time we went to philharmonic louis to do the mike douglas show all that stuff I everything I did was with louis for the next couple years Then I got out of high school and I said well, I spent a year on the road with a rock band at a high school and uh I said, well, I guess I want to go to berkeley louis wrote a letter of recommendation and made a phone call to somebody in berkeley and There I was I got into berkeley without an audition Oh You you can't You can't beat these stories.  You know, I want to move out there and he says well You know, it's real tough in la these days. I said, I don't care what I do you know, so I moved to la in timber of 1970 and Was there is his assistant on the pearl bailey show And and we'd be in the music office and then each week the guest stars would come in like on monday And go over the music with louis and then the arrangers would make their charts and then friday There'd be a run through thursday friday and then taping friday night The guests that pearl had on that show for 13 weeks We had ellington. We had basie. We had louis armstrong uh Mel tormay I mean, tony bennett lucille ball bink rosby Everybody who was anybody was in louis office that week You know that I would get to hang with that's so cool And that was the end of an era Yeah, yeah those variety kind of you know, uh those shows like that where there'd be performers They just you know, they're so cool There's I feel like kind of variations of it now, but it's almost more competition based and it's just It was something special in those days And it only lasts the ratings weren't bad on abc They said the reason that they they cancelled it after just 13 weeks. It was too expensive for them to produce Yeah with all those guest stars big names and you're there for a week. Yeah Yeah, and and you know, I mean there were stories I remember of guest stars and I was always it was one of the things that's funny I was always like louis earpiece You know louis meets. I mean he would he would forget details And I remember this is now in 1970 beginning of 71 Joan rivers came to guest on pearl show And she was you're like, oh louis how you do remember?  She was the opening act and louis goes.   I knew his his sisters his brother It was just it was just nothing like it. Wow you're I don't want to say lucky because There's always the sayings of like well hard, you know luck Is made by hard work and by being in the right places and stuff But it's really you're right though where you're like, why did he choose you? there he obviously saw something in you and um And you guys just got along that that happens sometimes with You know, if you're kind of quote unquote, I guess his assistant or whatever He's got to like you and want to spend time with you and um And he had that relationship with others in different times, you know, like when I like with dave black It was a music student out in northbridge, california Uh, and also with andy weiss up in san jose area Um, so, you know, he's had that in different periods of his life different people have come in And you know to his life But uh, like he like he says in that intro of me and that you can see on youtube It's we were together over 40 years Wow, you know, and it's uh It's hard for me to fathom that whole thing When I think when I think back on it. Yeah, exactly and uh, and I do plan on doing because um, You know on the show there have been biographies on other major drummers But I'm working on one with andy and hopefully we can get you involved A biography on louis belson. Um, but andy had some some health issues with covet and we've kind of uh, you know, we're Gonna do it when we can do it. Um, so Man ron. Well, this is just turned into this is The kind of episode that I absolutely love just because it's not uh, I mean your story Is what it's all about. You know what? I mean, it's just it's a guy who worked hard and made a cool drum company It's full of all these great tales of drumming legends and and louis and and all this stuff. Um so um I want to thank you for being here and and also, um ron if you have a couple extra minutes I figured we could maybe hang out and do a little bonus episode for patreon where maybe we talk a little bit more about You know, I I always like to do on the bonus ones Like the behind the scenes a little bit on uh some trial and error and maybe some some things that you tried where Hey, this prototype didn't work at all and maybe there was a couple flubs here and there and um, I like to hear about that kind of stuff and and we'll see what else comes up.  There's other perks, but Uh, you get those bonus episodes and a big thank you to greg chadaronek I'm gonna have trouble with that last name for the rest of my life. So thank you to greg Um for just he basically ron is you know, he read your story online and then boom it led to this a year later so You never know, it's thanks, you know, thanks for for having and listening to the story I I love talking about it because I you know everything that's happened over the years has just been like a almost like a fairy tale to me, you know, and I don't take any of it for granted and and uh You know, there's there's lots of louis stories and one day when you do do a louis biography You know, we can really get into some more. Yeah, I'm sure it'll be a two-parter kind of episode because there's a lot A lot of people who love the you know, the gentleman who is louis So I'm glad we could incorporate him in this episode. Um, so Anyway, uh, everyone can check out the bonus episode where ron and I are going to take a few minutes and talk and uh Anyway, ron, thank you so much for sharing your story and um, I know people are gonna love this one It's it's been great. So and I do want to say too, uh, the day we're I don't know when this is going to come up But the day we're recording this, uh, charlie watz passed away yesterday today's august 25th. He passed away august 24th so we just want to say um, you know that we love charlie watz and um, just We're sorry to hear about it for the band Everyone another gentleman another gentleman exactly. I was fortunate enough to meet him in 2019 Which will always be one of the most like important memories, uh in my life So thank you to don mccauley who was has been with charlie for a long time as his tech um, so I just wanted to say that so Anyway, uh on that note, thank you ron for being here and I look forward to uh the bonus episode and uh, thanks for being on the show Thank you. Thanks again for having me bar If you like this podcast find me on social media at drum history and please share rate and leave a review And let me know topics that you would like to learn about in the future Until next time keep on learning


I'm going to show you how to find not one but multiple keywords at a time in today's Friday Quickie. First here's an example. If I wanted to look for trees, I could go up here to my keyword, I could click on it and it'll show me all of the trees that I have tagged with this particular keyword. But if I want to search a little bit deeper, for example, if I wanted to find all of the pictures in Africa, for example, I can't use this method here. So instead what I need to do is go up to text, type the word tree, add a comma, and then type the next word. And so what I'm doing now is looking for trees in Africa. You can also use this methodology for finding groups as well, for example. Let's say that I wanted to find all of the animal pictures that I've ever taken. But then let's say I want to find some lions in the mix of all these animals. That takes it from 5,000 down to 1,000, but now I want to find animals, lions in Africa. So I just type those words into my keyword section and there you have it. I've narrowed this search from 5,000 images down to two. My friends is how you search for multiple keywords inside of Lightroom and this is a really powerful tool. So I hope you use it. Have a great weekend everybody.


The Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of Better Things for Better Living through chemistry, presents George Brent in Burma Surgeon. DuPont's Better Things for Better Living have become vital materials of war. For instance, the nylon yarn which in peacetime was made into sheer long-wearing hosiery is today used exclusively for war purposes. And the strong, durable Cordura rayon yarn used in peacetime in the manufacture of sturdy truck and bus tires is today being used in tires for army rolling equipment and in all important parachutes for players, cargo and fragmentation bombs. When peace comes, these and scores of other DuPont products will return to all as still better, better things for better living. This evening the Cavalcade of America brings you a story out of the native villages, the swamps and jungles of Burma.  Here is a tale of sacrifice suddenly brought to life by the flames of war. Our play written by Milton Wayne and Robert Richards is based on the current bestseller Burma Surgeon by Dr. Gordon S. Seagrave. Cavalcade is proud to present Burma Surgeon starring George Brent as Dr. Gordon S. Seagrave. The Burma jungle is over. It is May 1942. And at the casualty station at the little town of Impal on the border of India, the last of the wounded is straggling in for treatment. Americans and British, Burmese, Chinese, Indians, veterans of Burma. Bring that man right over here. Doctor, we've heard really soon. Have you been examined yet Lieutenant? Not yet. No great hurry though. Where are you wounded? Here. Leg. Shell fragment I think. What are you doing there? I am cleaning up your wound before the doctor comes. Well, you better wait for a nurse or someone like that. I am a nurse, Lieutenant. Orderly dressings in a sterile probe, please. Yes, nurse.  Yes. Is it strange to you because I am in dirty overalls and have no pretty white uniform?  I am a native of Burma, yes.  Are you not? How did you put it that way? Yes, I suppose I am. Soap a powder and put it in the cast. Well, what's the matter with this man? A shell fragment in the leg doctor. Any evidence of fracture? I don't find any. I'll probe for the fragment and undress the wound. You can do it as well as I can. Yes, sir. Now who's next here? This man over here, sir. What sort of a place is this? Who in the world is that chap? That is Dr. Seagrave. Really, now even a doctor from Burma doesn't go around in nothing but a pair of shorts and a layer of sweater. This doctor does when it is hot and when his clothes have all been soaked with the blood of men who fought for freedom. Hey, Judd. Good Lord, General Stillwell. No, don't try to stand. Well, Dr. Seagrave, still growing strong, I see, eh? And the best we can, better order of transfusion on this man right away. Yes, sir. I just want to say to you again that you and your Burmese girls were great on that march to the jungle. Lot of us wouldn't have made it without you. General, so I guess that makes us even. I'll operate on them as soon as you're ready. Very good, sir. When I see you bit this, I'll leave you alone. Anything you want? Same old thing. Food, medical supplies. We never seem to have enough. Well, I'm doing what I can. I know. I'll give you a more thorough report and I'm clear. You're right. Thanks again. So that's Dr. Seagrave. I told you. You would not believe. Well, I'm awfully sorry, really, but it's not usual, you know. I'm Burmese nurses. This chap, Seagrave, he's a wanderer here. Then I will tell you something about Dr. Seagrave. Because when I prove for the fragments in your leg, it will hurt. And perhaps what I tell you will take your mind off the pain. Shall I? Yes, do.  Yes. Let me tell you about Dr. Seagrave. Go on. It was a long time ago. Long before the war. And I was only a little girl. When Dr. Seagrave came to our village in Burma. We did not know much of Americans or Europeans then. There was only one in the village. And our people did not like him very well. His name was Mr. Simpson. He was a trader. I see. Dr. Seagrave came with his young wife. They did not know quite what to expect. Especially poor Mrs. Seagrave. She had believed we would receive her and her husband with gratitude. But that was not what happened. Hello there. You are Seagrave? Yes, this is Mrs. Seagrave. How do you do? How do you do? I am Simpson. You never heard of me, I suppose. Well, there is a matter of fact. It is no matter. I heard of you though. I heard you were coming. Well, come along. I will show you your new setup. Oh, they know, all right. They? Yes, the natives. They knew before I did. I do not know how. There is a suspicious lot though. Suspicious? Of what? Of a white man. That is why you do not see any of them. They are cooking up some kind of reception for you, all the same. What kind of reception? It is hard to say. But you will find out soon enough though.  Some way to embarrass you. I am sorry. I do not believe that. Do not worry yourself. You know what I mean when you have been here for a little while. Maybe if they have been treated a little better. There is only one way to treat these people. Tell them what you want done and make them do it. It is all a matter of face here. Well, here is your establishment. Where?  Your hospital. That is Shek. I hope you did not expect to find a miniature Johns Hopkins. That is your house next door. It is not too bad. We can make you fairly comfortable here. Let us take a look inside the hospital. There is not much to see. Here you are. There are a few wooden beds. It is about all. Pretty dirty, is not it? Everything out here is dirty. Gordon, look, there is our luggage. They must have brought it up here. They must want you to have it handy. No patience, of course.  They go to their own doctors, these people. If you could call them that. Which doctors would be much better? Well, they are certainly starting from scratch. Listen, what is there? I thought they would be up to something. Come on, let us have a look. Looks like a parade of the whole village. What is that they are chanting? It is a sort of prayer for the dying. Oh, look, that must be it. It is a funeral. They are carrying someone. They must have sent it to that. They are turning in here to the hospital. Oh, so that is it, eh? Hello! Do any of them speak English? Some of them. Now look, this is the trick, Seagrave. I am warning you. I suppose you let me handle this.  Who can speak English? I can speak English. Well, what is the matter? You are American doctor? Yes, Dr. Seagrave. And this man? This man. Good Lord, the fellow is half-dead. What is the matter with him? Hmm, peritonitis. The rupture depends, probably. But it must have happened days ago. He is full of infection by now. Is there a chance? No, half a chance, if we operate right away. They will never let you operate, never in the world. Look, this man is dying. I know. I may be able to save his life if I operate on him right away. What? This is operate. Well, I have to cut him open. Take the poison out. Then I sew him up again.  All right. You operate. You give the anesthetic, tiny.  It isn't time to boil anything. We have to sterilize and scrub with alcohol. There is a big bottle in that carton, I think. Yes, I'll get everything ready.  No, I'm merely a doctor. But don't you see what this whole thing is? It's a trick. I told you it was. The man's all but dead right now. You can't save him. Probably not. But there's a chance. He certainly won't live if I don't try.  Let's simply get a trick of the local witch doctor to make you lose face. I guess I'll just have to lose a little then. Well, lose as much as you like. Let's get one thing straight.  I came out here to save lives or try to, and I'm starting right now. Oh, so you're one of those fellows. That's right. Ever see an operation? Come on in. You might learn something. In fact, you might be able to help. Almost ready, Tani? Yes, already. Here's your alcohol for scrubbing. Thanks. How is he? You'd better hurry. I don't need gloves. You'd better put some on yourself. You'll have to help. And start the anesthetic. Well, who are you? What are you doing to my father? Well, if you mean that man there, I'm going to make him well again, if I can. No, no, I heard what they are saying.   No, you will not. He shall die in peace at least. You will not. Go on with the anesthetic, Tani. Don't you dare to touch him. Don't you dare to explain that I can't operate unless they get that girl out of here. All right. Gordon. Is he under yet? Yes, Gordon. Perhaps we shouldn't. Scalpel, please, Tani. Here you are. Watch his pulse. Is there adrenaline handy? I've laid it out. Clamp, please. Another, please. How is he? Pulse is weak, but steady. This girl, her name was Ehela, she was what you call a very spirited girl. Did she was? At first she hated Dr. C Grave for what she thought he had done to her father. And when her father got this disease, she thought she was just going to die, and she didn't know what to do. So she left the hospital. Then she had to leave the hospital. I don't know what to do. If she didn't leave the hospital, she would have died. She would go in to see him, only when the doctor was not there. But she was very curious, too, about this American doctor. And one day, when he was working in a part of the hospital, he had made it to the lab. Well, hello there, my little Spitfire. I did not know you were here. Didn't you? Well, come in, anyway. What is this, Spitfire? It's a young lady who needs an operation on her temper. You will not operate on me. Oh, don't worry. How is your father? I don't know. He eats a great deal.  You don't really think that, do you? What is the magic that you have to make the dying live? It must be a very wicked magic. No, not magic. It's something called science. Science? What is this science? Science? Well, it's just knowing the right way to do a thing, so that what you want to have happen does happen. Oh, this is nothing. My people also have this. Do they? What do they do for your father? The doctor made many strong spells and gave much strong medicine made from the oil of a snake. But it didn't do your father much good, did it? Well, he was very sick. But what I did made him well. Oh, not because I'm any better than your people, but because I had science. You see? If that is all, why does not everyone learn this science? Because it is very hard and takes a very long time. And some people just don't have that kind of a mind. Some people simply don't have the time. Then a woman could not learn it? Oh, yes. Many women have learned it. But a woman of Burma, like me, she could not learn it. She could try. She could learn it if she wanted to enough. Dr. Seagrave. Yes, eh, hello? I want to learn your science. I want that more than anything in the world. Do you, eh, hello? Oh, yes. Well, why do you? To help my people. Oh, but perhaps that is not a great enough reason. It's the finest reason anyone could ever have. Eh, hello? I wanted to hear that. You will teach me? Oh, I will be your servant. I will work day and night. Oh, you won't have to do that. Then what must I do? Tell me. Well, you must learn to be patient and kind of those who are sick. You must learn to do the most humble tasks and do them carefully. And you must learn not to tremble at the sight of pain. And yet, you must feel that pain as though it were your own. You must learn to do many things that will be unpleasant to you, but will sicken you. And yet, never show your feelings to those you serve. Do you think you can learn all those things? Yes, Dr. Seagrave. I promise you, I will learn. You are listening to Burma Surgeon, starring George Branta's Dr. Gordon Seagrave on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As our play continues, a young Burmese nurse is telling a wounded soldier how Seagrave came to Burma and how he struggled to overcome the suspicion and prejudice he found there. His first step toward success was to interest a group of Burmese girls to become nurses. That was how Dr. Seagrave started his school for Burmese nurses, Lieutenant. At first there was only Ehola, then others joined. I myself joined. Good for you. As the years passed, we built a new hospital, even a nurse's home in the midst of the Burma jungle.  The Burma road was being built right past our village, and so we were all doubly concerned. But of course. We got most of our news by radio. One afternoon, the doctor and some others were listening to the radio. It was confirmed in a light headquarters that the Japanese have launched an extensive drive into Burma. Although no details had been officially revealed, it was reliably reported that the Japanese had already crossed the Burma border in several places and had made advance up to as much as eight miles. The first objective of any such drive would of course be to cut the famous Burma road, which supplies are carried to the armies. I guess it's true, all right, Simpson? Well, it had to come sooner or later. The Burma road? That sort of puts us right in the line of fire, doesn't it? Do you think we're really in danger? Not from the Japanese, not yet. Your worst danger is right here at home. What do you mean? I mean from the Burmese themselves. Once they've seen that the Japs are actually strong enough to march in the Burma, they'll desert to them like flies. Oh, nonsense. Oh, I know some of them have been taken in by this Asia for the Asiatic stuff. But most of them see right through it. Oh, you think so, eh? I suppose you think these little Burmese nurses of yours won't streak over to the Japanese the first chance they get. Why, I'd bet my life on it that they wouldn't. Ah, all right, all right. But the first good demonstration of power the Japs put on, goodbye, nurses. Listen, what's that? Planes. Don't suppose there could be... Something tells me here's your demonstration of power, Dr. Seagrave. They're Japs.  Well, Gordon, where are you going? I'm going to warn the nurses and the ward. Ah, hello. Koi, all of you, listen. There are Japanese planes coming over.   Yes, doctor. Now, hurry. Doctor, who is to stay with the patients? I'm going to stay with the patients. Now, hurry. Then we also will stay. You will not. Now, go down to that shelter as I told you. Very well. We will go. And hurry. You better go to Simpson. Oh, I don't mind staying here. Never seen a real air raid before. Suit yourself. Here they come.  We're going to be all right. This is a hospital and they wouldn't bomb that. Who are you trying to fool? I just want to prevent any panic, that's all. They're bombing the road. Yeah, it sounds that way. Oh, I wonder how many of those poor devils out there working on her will be in the hospital tonight. There'll be enough. That was close. Well, either they're missing the road or they're trying to hit us. Sounds as though they're moving off. Well, I guess the worst is over. All right, everyone. It's over now. You can relax. I guess I better go and find Tiny. She'll be wondering where I was. Yeah, I guess she comes now. Oh, hello there, darling. You all right? Oh, yes, I'm all right. Where were you? Up here. Oh, Gordon. How do the girls take it? The girls? Oh, yes. Weren't they with you? Oh, no. I told you, it's the last you'll see of them. I don't believe it.  No, no, not one of them. Well, where could they have gone? Listen, what's that? Sounds like someone's shouting. Huh? Probably better have a look. It is only the white man they wish to destroy.  Gordon, Gordon, he's got a gun from somewhere. I don't like the looks of the Seagrave. They want to help us to free ourselves from the slavery of the white man. That is why they dropped death from the skies upon our lands. Because we hover the white men who are their enemies as well as ours. Isn't that one of your little nurses in the crowd there? Quite. It's Airlock. No, she is coming through the crowd. Dr. Seagrave. Well, where have you been? Don't be angry. We went to be nearly wounded. We hid in a ditch until it was over. The others are bringing the wounded in now. Oh. But what is happening here? What is that man saying? What you hear? Don't help by this American Seagrave. I am so ashamed for him. Never mind him, eh, hello. I think we owe you some thanks. The fighting front came to our hospital by the hundreds. Chinese, Americans, English, Indians. All those brave men who were fighting to hold on a little longer.  It's very brave of you. Then, then at last the order came. We must leave. We must get across the border into India as best we could. We were to march with General Stillwell. I see. We had to leave on short notice. And everything was confusion as we loaded what we could into army ambulances for the first time. Miss Doctor? But how many way you can find room? You haven't seen Ahala, have you? Oh, no, sir. I haven't touched it. We are almost ready, Doctor. Wait with you in a minute. I'm trying to find Ahala. I haven't seen her this morning. Oh. There you are, Ahala. I was just going through the operating room to see if you had left anything. Better join the other girls. They're all ready to go. And the patients? Well, we've put as many as we could into the ambulances.  How many will be left? Nearly a hundred. Oh, Ahala, that makes me sick. Sick to think of leaving those men behind. What's to become of them? Who's to take care of them? They will be cared for among my people. Oh, but they need so much more. Some of them still need medical attention. I'd give anything in the world to stay here with them. Well, you must go with the armies. That is your place. I know. I know. But are you sure your people can hide them from the Japs? Take care of them? Oh, yes. I am very, very sure. What do you mean? I mean I'm sure because I'm going to stay here with them. Stay here with them? Well, you can't do that. Yes, I can, and I must. Oh, no, you can't. I forbid it. You know what the Japs are like. Please. This is my place. This is where I will stay. It's my place if it's anyone. No. It is only where we can serve the most. You are needed with the armies. And I am needed here. Do not be afraid. I am afraid. I won't let you... Don't be afraid. You know what I am doing is right because it is you who have taught me these things. To perform the humble tasks, the unpleasant tasks. Well, you have taught us so much that your people and my people can trust each other and work together and serve each other at so many things that I cannot say. But that is why I am staying. It is what you yourself would do. I'm going to miss you a lot. Well, I shall miss you. But I shall be here when you come back. And we will come back. I shall be waiting. And these men, these fighting men, they will be waiting, too. Dr. Segrave, convoy's ready to start, sir. Over there in a minute. Yes, sir. Goodbye, my dear doctor. Goodbye, Ahala. Oh, look. There is one more thing you will need. The pail from the operating room. Oh.  The blood of Asia. Pour it here on the ground and mark the place, Ahala. One day, free men shall spring from this earth and from this blood. Part is glad to have had the privilege of bringing to Cappalcade's audience this story of one who serves his country better because he first served humanity. Mr. Brent will return to the microphone in a few moments. Meanwhile, here is Gaine Whitman with news which gives us added confidence that the Army Medical Corps, with the help of chemistry, is making the American Army the healthiest in the history of our country. Throughout history, disease has followed armies. Typhus has been the soldier's worst enemy, far worse than bullets. In the Crusades and again in Napoleon's day, Typhus killed soldiers by the tens of thousands and spread from the armies to the civilian population. During World War I, there were at least 10 million known cases of Typhus in Europe with 5 million deaths. In this war, the United States Army has already won an overwhelming victory over disease. Among all our soldiers in China, Burma and India, there has been only one case of Typhus. There has been not one case of cholera, tetanus or smallpox. In the whole of North Africa and the Middle East, our men have suffered only four mild cases of Typhus with no deaths. The shot in the arm inoculations that our soldiers and sailors get aren't fun. Nobody enjoys them. But such a splendid health record is worth any number of inoculations. In addition to inoculations, food is checked and food handlers are constantly inspected. The army purifies all drinking water by boiling it or killing the germs with chlorine. Insects and vermin, because Typhus is carried by license fleas, are controlled with other chemical compounds like Dupont's IN 930. High praise must go to the doctors and nurses of the medical corps who have achieved a miracle of health in the midst of battle. Their courage, their wisdom, their prompt acceptance of new life-saving techniques such as the blood bank are deserving of the greatest praise. Credit must go also to the manufacturers of medicinal compounds who are supplying drugs of the highest purity to the armed forces in vast quantities called for by more than 60 different fighting fronts, the longest battle line in the history of war. It has always been a source of gratification to the Dupont Company that many of the compounds used in medicine have been developed from materials created by industrial chemistry. The marvelous sulfur drugs, for instance, which have accomplished so much for civilian as well as military medicine and surgery, grew out of research in dyes. The shelves of Dupont laboratories with hundreds of bottles of new compounds with long names have supplied many research workers in medicine with the materials needed for his experiments. Saving lives in time of war is one of the duties of the products of industrial chemistry that serve you in time of peace as Dupont, better things for better living through chemistry. And now here is George Brent, star of this evening's cavalcade, to ask your help in a real emergency. George Brent. Another emergency, ladies and gentlemen, is this. At a time when the government needs great quantities of packaging paper, many American paper mills face a shutdown for lack of waste paper. Waste paper reprocessed packages food and shelves. It makes parachute flares, bomb fins, practice bombs, wing kites and camouflage paper and many other civilian and military items. So bundle up your old newspapers and magazines and watch your newspaper for local salvage directions. Get every scrap of waste paper into production for victory. Thank you. This Monday evening, cavalcade will bring you two of Hollywood's favorites, James Craig and Bula Bondi, in Joe Dyer Ends a War. Our play, a lesson for the post-war world from the pages of America's past, one answer to the age-old hope for lasting peace is an exciting story of a dispute between the people of Connecticut and the people of Pennsylvania that almost led to war a century and a half ago. Dupont invites you to join cavalcade's audience again next Monday evening when we present James Craig and Bula Bondi in an exciting drama that happened in the early days of our republic and has a parallel in today's news. Our play is called Joe Dyer Ends a War. Acknowledgement is made to Alfred Knoff, publisher of Jack Belden's Retreat with Stillwell for permission to quote from that book. Tonight's musical score was composed and conducted by Robert Armbrister. This is James Bannon sending best wishes from cavalcade sponsor, the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The State of America comes to you from Hollywood. This is the National Broadcasting Company.


In Southern Jackaroo there were three nations involved. There was us, the Marines, and the Australians, and the Japanese. They divided the scenario up into three different stations. And the first station that we participated in was an offensive clear lane. Our second station was defense. We send out these security patrols to prevent our line of defense from being paroled by the enemy. And then the third station was a lot of combat marksmanship. The non-lethal training, otherwise known as the Blue Bolt training, the Australians call it. We received notification that an ID had gone off. Right when you see a casualty, the priorities of work just go right off in your head and start clicking and triaging that person, getting the intel from that person, and then getting that routed up to higher so we can get an aircraft spun up and get that on its way. That aircraft picked up one of the casualties and ended up escorting them all across the northeast of the country and landed in Darwin.