I Was a Teenage Drummer

The Slingerland floor tom from my first drum set.

When I was 13, my mother asked if I wanted to learn to play a musical instrument. She no doubt hoped I’d take up guitar or piano or something quiet. My favorite album at the time was Cheap Trick Live at Budokan. Whenever I heard Bun E. Carlos’ snare drum intro to “I Want You to Want Me,” I felt shivers. I wanted to be a drummer.

My parents agreed to buy me a drum set. We drove to Valley Arts Music in Studio City where a…