source: MusicRadarTV Ever seen a cymbal shaped like a samurai helmet? Or a shield? Or a hand? MusicRadar hadn't - until we met British cymbal-maker Matt Nolan at Musikmesse 2009. Nolan gave us a quick interview about the methods behind his cymbalsmithery, and even played them for us, too. As Rhyhtm magazine's Chris Barnes says: "They sound absolutely nuts". But in a good way... [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGVs6xuYc0[/youtube]

Interesting story from the good folks at Sabian Cymbals. I've always heard of guys burying ride cymbals for six months in their backyards for the purposes of drying them out. My first teacher did it. His Zildjian K Custom Medium Ride is a dry as they come. Sounds great! Looks like Sabian is trying their hand at it with their "One of 100" project. Feels a touch gimmicky to me, but I'd be interested in ...

Sadly, Travis Barker, acclaimed drummer for Blink 182 and Box Car Racer, was involved in a plane crash in South Carolina over the weekend. Appears to be in stable but critical condition. From Yahoo.com Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and Hollywood music spinner D.J. AM were critically injured in a South Carolina plane crash that left four others dead, authorities said Saturday. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Les Dorr told AFP they and four others were on a Learjet 60that crashed ...

Source: Sabian.com It's been a busy few months for endorsements as John Blackwell and Chris Layton moved to Zildjian. It looks like Sabian has just secured drumming prodigy, Tony Royster, Jr. "HHX cymbals are my sound," commented Royster. "I love the smooth responses of the Evolutions, the hot tone of the Xtreme and Legacy crashes, and the multi-hole design and wicked sound of the O-Zone, which is the real kicker! With SABIAN I've found a great ...

Source: Harmony Central SABIAN has expanded its Vault collection with the introduction of 13-inch Vault Fierce Hats. Inspired by renowned drummer Jojo Mayer, the Fierce Hats feature a raw, unlathed surface and jumbo hammer marks that combine to deliver an aggressive low-end clarity and punchy, semi-dry response that projects in any music. It is this unique response that has made the Fierce concept a favorite among drummers of all styles, said Mark Love, SABIAN master product ...

Source: Paiste.com First introduced in 2007 in a concept proving and ground breaking essential configuration, the Twenty assortment now undergoes a major expansion, as the company completes an ambitious development process in response to world-wide requests by drummers and percussionists for additional models in the critically acclaimed series. As part of the greatly expanded selection, additional sizes in all the existing main-stream models are now offered, which include the Ride in 21", the Crash in 17", 19" ...

Source: Harmony-Central.com Alesis introduces the revolutionary SURGE electronic cymbals, delivering the convenience of an e-percussion experience with the realism of acoustic cymbals. Crafted from genuine brass alloy and dampened by a clear, proprietary vinyl layer, the SURGE electronic Piezo-based electronic cymbal triggers offer a lighting fast, crystal clear response with a remarkably realistic feel. If the play as good as they look, Alesis may be on to something. Read the full story ...

Continuing on the cymbal video love, here are few videos covering Zildjian history and its factory. Most surprising fact: it's pronounced "AHH-veh-dis," not "ahh-VEE-dis." My brain hurts! Part 1 [youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=L1d2NtzpNFM]   Part 2 [youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y_gIpJuvvWY] Part 3 [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eKwqdauLd8] Part 4 [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKsabSo8cLQ] Sorry about the quality on some of these ...

Texas news station does a report on the Sabian Vault Tour. Dig the Sabian rep holding his ear like a 1950's news announcer. [youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=mI5R1hpVNI8] If the vault tour comes into your town, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

This is an EXCELLENT video of how Zildjian cymbal are made. From the UK program, How It's Made. [youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=zyynDsMhb7g]