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1/1/2008
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW
Media Contact:
Jeff Ivester
615-793-2050
In 1955, a band of four musicians walked into Herb Brochstein Music in Houston, Texas. They were looking for a drum set to replace their old set that had simply fallen apart. One set in the far corner of the store caught the eye of the band's drummer, DJ Fontana.
"Herb," said DJ, "How much for that one over there? That’s the sizes I need."
It was a beautiful set. A 1953 Gretsch kit with a twenty-inch bass drum with a front head made from unborn calfskin, a 12-inch hanging tom, a 14-inch floor tom and a matching snare. The set was finished in a beautiful copper-colored lacquer.
"It was the perfect set for us," recalls DJ. "Small sized, so we could fit it either in or on top of the car as we toured. Unfortunately, Herb was reluctant to sell us that set. You see it was his set of drums."
The guys talked to him for what seemed liked two or three hours and finally Herb agreed to sell the drums to them for $400. "That was a lot of money in those days," said DJ. "There was no way I could afford them."
But the band’s strikingly familiar lead singer and rhythm guitar player knew how badly DJ needed the drums. So he told Herb, "I’ll pay for them."
That was the day Elvis Presley bought his drummer DJ Fontana the drum set he would play on hundreds of hit recordings and during numerous landmark stage and television appearances.
DJ Fontana was Elvis Presley's drummer for over 14 years. Together, with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black the band recorded over 450 songs with "The King."
That beautiful, old, four-piece drum set now sits in DJ’s family room, along with thousands of priceless keepsakes that stand as the milestones of an impressive and robust career playing drums for the greatest of the greats including Paul McCartney, Charlie Pride, Mel Tillis, Carl Perkins, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, Jeff Beck, Jerry Lee Lewis and more.
Only now, sitting across the room from it is a brand new, beautiful 4-piece Mapex Saturn set. DJ’s drum tech, Mike Megafin suggested Mapex to DJ, because Seattle-based Mapex dealer and renowned drum collector and historian Donn Bennett thought the Saturn would be a good fit for the legendary drummer.
“After fifty years of service, we agreed it was time to retire the old Gretsch. The Mapex Saturn is a great replacement,” says Magafin. “DJ is some kind of drummer, man. The way he sits – straight and relaxed, with a bouncy swing – you can’t take your eyes off of him. He’s the real deal – a pioneer, a pathfinder.”
As DJ sat down and took his new Saturn set for its first ride, he commented, “I love the hardware and the heads have a great sound. This set has a great overall feel.”
DJ is still blazing trails and traveling the world playing clinics, playing at Elvis Conventions and recording in Nashville from time to time. DJ is also busy creating online drumming lesson material for ivideosongs.com.
DJ has also written a book that chronicles his fourteen years with Elvis. The Beat Behind The King is a unique and interesting look at the path that led to the rise of one of the world's greatest performers. One of DJ’s greatest talents is storytelling and The Beat Behind The King is loaded with priceless stories. You can order your own copy from DJ’s website.
Mike Megafin still techs for DJ and considers him one of the best "pure" players alive. “I was talking to (drummer) Stan Lynch not long ago and I think Stan put it best when he said, ‘So much has been written about rock music and Elvis. All I really know is, when I try to imagine music today without the contributions of DJ Fontana, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, my brain goes numb. Think about it. If you’re a musician, they are the founding fathers on the face of Mt. Rushmore.’”
Mapex welcomes DJ Fontana to the family.
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