El Estepario Siberiano - MY NEW DRUM COMPANY - 5 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS SPECIAL

[Jules]

He was about the only reason I was familiar with Varus. What a loss for them.

[tcbetka]

Great player, but way too busy for my tastes these days. Technical ability is OFF the charts though!

[DaveInNZ]

He was about the only reason I was familiar with Varus. What a loss for them.

I've only watched one of his videos all the way through and his snare had lug screws bouncing around inside the bottom head, that was all the product info I ever needed to see about Varus right there...

His technical ability is off the charts and I genuinely admire the work ethic, but I cannot stand him at all. For someone in such a position of influence, especially to younger drummers learning and accessing drums largely through social media, his toxic masculinity and pro-drugs bullshit I've seen is really, really poor form.

I shall now be selling everything I own with the Pearl logo on it

[tcbetka]

Did you see the video where he shoots a shotgun in time with the music? Sheesh...

He even cocked the thing in time, lol... It was a bit "over-the-top" to be sure, and it certainly took me by surprise.

[DaveInNZ]

I have just watched this whole video, making it the second time I've watched one of his pieces. Something doesn't feel right...

He talks about being able to phone up anyone he wants and because his following is so great, anyone would give him what he wanted for free. You also see a lot of endorsees say their deals are just discounts and very few, if anyone gets free gear any more. So either people or lying or this guy is lying. He also talks about how his snare choices will give him the sounds he wants as though he now knows, except surely, with any drum it takes time to learn what they do and don't do for you. Sounds to me more like he's just gushing from the advertising material and making a clip which says all the right things...

But it's easy to see how you could be taken in by it, all the right words, all the gushing about his fans. I don't buy any of it - all smoke and mirrors.

[tcbetka]

Yeah, I pay zero attention to endorsements these days. What matters to me though, is sound. Guys/gals who play in bands I like to listen to...I care about what they're playing. Why? Because if the drum sounds are great, then that's something I might be personally interested in. This is how I came to be a Sonor fan, back in the late 1970s--from Steve Smith's early Journey work (for example).

Personally, I don't listen to the guy. I respect his chops--but he's as musical as a .50-caliber machine gun. As such, I really don't care much how his drums sound. That said though, Pearl makes some great-sounding drums: I've owned a number of their kits over the years. But at this point in my life I play what I like to listen to, and I've never gotten a free drum-related thing in my life.

I guess I figure that if you gotta pay-to-play, then at least play something that moves (motivates) you. Others' mileage may vary of course...

[DaveInNZ]

It's like we're old and have grown up or something...

[tcbetka]

I know!

[Jules]

I respect his playing. I have seen some of his videos but I am not a 'follower'. Not a fan of the drug/alcohol references (particularly his shirts) as already mentioned.

I am interested to see how this plays out in the years to come. If I wasn't a Sonor loyalist (with a few momentary lapses of reason), I don't know that I would be married to anyone, so to speak. Seems like Joey Kramer of Aerosmith used to switch brands pretty often and I liked the idea of floating around to this and that. Every time I have tried it, though, I always come right back home to Sonor.