TOMMY LEE, DANNY CAREY, JASON BONHAM, SULLY ERNA HELP GUITAR CENTER CROWN 2009 DRUM OFF CHAMP

Jason Bonham was one of the all-star cast who attended Guitar Center’s drum off and in the process attended the induction of his late father, Led Zeppelin’s …

Guitar Center held their annual Drum Off, and besides naming the Drum Off Champion for 2009, the event featured a star studded cast of drummers including Tommy Lee and the Street Drum Corps’ Frank Zummo who presented “Bezerk” including Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Sorum (Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver), José Pasillas (Incubus), Sully Erna (Godsmack), Jay Weinberg and BANG! The event, which took place at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, Ca on January 8th, 2010, was hosted by Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction) and also showcased an emotional tribute to the late John Bonham of Led Zeppelin by his son, drummer Jason Bonham, along with an exclusive collaborative performance by Danny Carey (Tool) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon).

Before hosting the Drum Off, Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins talked about what fans could expect and who were some of his inspirations when he started out behind the kit.

“So here we are Drum Off 2010 but they call it 2009. The 2009 Drum Off. I think a lot of paradiddles, a couple of five stroke rolls and one nine stroke roll. Gene Krupa started it all and then Baba Olatunji, african guy and then John Bohnam, Keith Moon and then actually the most inspiration came from guitar players. Hendrix, Jimi Page etcetera but I wanted to be a drummer as musical as they were on the guitar. I really tried to immiate guitar players, that was my thing.”

Taylor Hawkins of The Foo Fighters, who was also a Drum Off judge, talked about what makes a great drummer.

“I suppose someone who can entertain and get your butt moving a little bit or I don’t know, there’s so many different kinds of great drummers. It’s hard to say because Ringo Starr was great and Billy Cobham was great. Stewart Copeland, all those 70’s guys Ian Pace, Roger Taylor all of them, Phil Collins, Alex Van Halen.”

Godsmack’s Sully Erna, who performed in Tommy Lee and Frank Zummo’s Bezerk at Guitar Center’s Drum Off, also talked about showmanship and chops as a drummer and foreshadowed his upcoming solo album with his tribal drum performance.

“Showmanship and chops. There’s a few things. I’m doing a tribal hand drum thing, a few things. Have fun tonight!’

Drum Icon, Billy Cobham, was also inducted into Guitar Center’s Legends at the Drum Off, but the night’s main event was performances by the top five undiscovered drummers in the nation, who competed in front of a capacity crowd and a panel of celebrity judges for the prize package worth more than $40,000 and the title of “Guitar Center Drum-Off Champion.” The 5 finalists competing in the 2009 Guitar Center Drum Off were Troy Molsberry of Carlsbad, Ca., Eugine McBride of Flint, Mi., Stanley Jamal Hampton of Smithtown, NY, Ramon Sampson of Cordova, TN and Michael McGrath of Henderson, NV. with 19 year old Ramon Sampson taking home the coveted title!