Friday, August 04, 2006

Mea Culpa

I must have been the worst bartender in Amsterdam lately and all of you must be raging thirsty. You see, the thing is, that my service provider got bankrupt and I lost the home internet connection. Besides that, I have been redecorating my home last weeks. The glassroom has become a small atelier with several painters easels and a lot of charcoals, brushes, knives and other handy tools. Now when I get home from work, I cast off the monkey suit, poor myself a nice glass of Ott Rosé, open the garden doors, smell the fresh summer air, put on some Motown music and let creativity flow. You may check out AtelierDA for some first results if you like..

Click here for a short visit to ATELIER DA

Next to that my drum teacher is getting me up to speed and making me exercise some difficult stuff. I have been following lessons with Cesar Zuiderwijk from the Golden Earing, (e.g. Radar Love) for the last half year now and his valuable tips and tricks are really starting to pay off. We have exercised drum strokes, Snare drum techniques, Double Bass Drum Techniques, Hand & Foot Coordination, Drum Fills, Drum Solo Techniques and so on. Sometimes we just play together.

I started out with lessons from students from the Amsterdam conservatoire but that didn't work as I am to pigheaded and self-willed and definately don't want to read notes. But when one of the best European drummers says your technique sucks, it just sucks. No discussion possible. 'Guess that's the only way it works for me. Next week I will get a new Internet connection so my virtual life can get back in order and CafeDA will be the most enjoyable (Bush bashing) virtual Amsterdam cafe again.

Until then...take care my friends and enjoy the weekend!!

10 comments:

Granny said...

Glad you're back.

Not having internet is infuriating.

Tina said...

Hey! I wanna stop by and pour a drink and kick back with some Motown while you busy yourself with painting and music lessons because that glass room is gorgeous!

Ingrid said...

hooooo, Cesar Zuiderwijk!! Wasn't he the 'cute' one? (Ingrid, racking her brain for some left over teenage crushes...hehe)..Did he not have the curly black hair? But I have to say, one of my favourite Golden Earring songs that you can dance really well to is Bombay!
aah memories...
Ingrid

Anonymous said...

Hah, Hubby is a drummer and I'll tell him to check out CafeDa so you two can trade stories with you about technique. Speaking of Motown, I just bought him a David Ruffin collection (music made after he left The Temptations) and it is great. Who are your favorites?

Jo said...

Do you paint? Amazing. What do you paint? I'm going to check out some of your work.

Josie

Nerdine said...

My mom swore I'd become a drummer... I'd drum my fingers on the table, the sofa, make sounds with everything I found. Drove her mad. I even started playing in the marching band in hopes of playing the drums. I didn't - they had enough drummers. I was devastated when they gave me a tuba. *lol* I was 12 - and they expected me to play the tuba. the instrument was just as big as me - and I could hardly lift it!!

Zee said...

Excellent Dimitri!!!
But I have to rush - it's my turn now to kiss the ocean. Will be back in a week.
Ciao, Zee

enigma4ever said...

no net- moi sad...so awful...glad that you are back..hmmm, maybe it is time for a bit of Marvin Gaye...and you paint and drum and you sail...if you need someone to babysit that glassroom- I will come with Tina and take care of it- hell I'd even do the Windows- amazing view...Keep being Creative- the world needs more of that..

Mary said...

Drums too! I'm jealous.

Unknown said...

That glass room is lovely. Does it look out on the river? What a great place to kick back & be inspired.