As the drummer of a touring synth pop tribute band, Tony Le Rhodes uses a vintage Simmons kit – but with some contemporary add-ons.
We have a very complicated kit set-up, which results from a lot of engineering. Firstly, we’ve got a custom-designed rack with a floating hi-hat. I even had the cable specifically designed for me by a hydraulics company.
Then, we have the Simmons SDS 9 pads from 1983 and a Roland SPD-SX SE limited edition multipad. For cymbals, we’re running the Efnote cymbals.
Behind the original Simmons kick drum, I’m using the Roland KT-10 trigger pedal, which feels and responds much better and is totally reliable.
In this production for (‘80s synth pop band) Voxneon, we’re using actual Simmons sample sounds that are being triggered by these pads.
I’ve spent countless hours messing with parameters and thresholds and mask time to try to get the best response out of the Simmons pads.
Our show relies on backing tracks due to the amount and complexity of the tunes that we’re running. The keyboard player runs the patches on the SPDS. He changes the patches throughout the set.
We tour a lot, so it goes through a rigorous kind of touring schedule and I’ve had to adapt certain things, such as the Efnote hi-hat connection. It’s a very boutique small pin connection that, if stepped on accidentally, can destroy your whole evening, which is what happened. So, I ended up changing the connection on the hi-hat into a more robust six-pin plug that you could drive a truck over.
This kit is creating a bit of a storm within the e-drumming community. Just the fact that we’re bringing out the look and feel of the retro Simmons vibe – which is so apt for an ‘80s synth pop band.
Audiences want to hear and see the ‘80s and when they walk in, the first impression has a huge wow factor.
The previous drummer used a standard Gretsch kit with some rototoms, so this kit is a big change for the rest of the band.
They’re very particular about recreating the sounds of the songs we cover, and the tech that they come up with to reproduce these songs authentically is amazing. So, when the original drummer stepped down from his role in this band, and I took over, I realised this is my chance to apply what I had learned about e-drums over the decades. This is my chance to actually live my childhood dreams and play the songs that I grew up with – live with a real Simmons kit set up with those sounds. So, I’m in my happy place right now.
Tony’s gear:
- Roland SPDS-SX SE sample pad
- Roland KT-10 trigger pedal
- SDSV bass pad and SDS9 snare and tom pads
- Efnote 5X for hi-hat and cymbals
- Roland RT-30K and RT-30HR triggers
- Customised drum rack
- DW 5000 customised remote hi-hat
- Sennheiser EWG4 wireless system
- Xvive T9 In-Ear Monitors
- DBX 4 channel DI
- Yamaha MG06 mini mixer
- TECHRA carbon fibre sticks
See Tony’s kit walk-through here.
