North Drums

North Drums were a distinctive line of horn-shaped drums developed by American drummer Roger North in the late 1960s. Unlike conventional cylindrical drum shells, North's design flared outward, with the larger opening directed toward the audience. The geometry was intended to project the instrument's sound more directly and to emphasize the drum's immediate tonal character in a live setting. North developed the first fiberglass-shelled instruments by hand in late 1968 while living in Boston and performing with the band Quill. The concept was initially a practical, experimental solution for his own playing rather than a conventional consumer product. In 1971, he received United States patent number 3,603,194 for the design. The patent established the technical basis for the characteristic flared shell and helped distinguish the drums from ordinary tom-toms and other cylindrical percussion instruments. Beginning in 1973, North produced and sold a commercial version. Distribution combined direct sales with retail-dealer channels, allowing the instruments to reach professional musicians, other drummers, and the broader public. The unusual appearance made North Drums visually prominent on stage, while their projection characteristics appealed to performers seeking a different balance of attack, resonance, and audience impact. The products were used by a range of touring and recording drummers, including Billy Cobham, Alan White of Yes, Joe English of Wings, Doug Clifford of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Gerry Brown, Russ Kunkel, W. S. “Fluke” Holland, and Richie Albright. In 1976, North licensed the patent rights to Music Technology Incorporated, commonly identified as MTI, in an effort to increase manufacturing capacity and distribution. Production passed through several arrangements. Fiberglass shells were initially made by a manufacturer on Long Island. Manufacturing later returned for a period to Roger North at his facility in Troutdale, Oregon, before eventually moving to Italy, where an injection-molded polystyrene process was used. These changes show the brand's transition from a small, founder-led production effort to a licensed manufacturing model. Commercial sales ended in the early 1980s. North Drums nonetheless remained visible in professional and enthusiast circles, supported by a used-equipment market and a small but committed community of players. Their continued cultural presence was reinforced by later appearances in touring kits, drum corps, and alternative and rock scenes. Alex Van Halen incorporated North toms into Van Halen's large white touring setup associated with the 1988 OU812 period, while Chad Channing was known for using them during the early years of Nirvana. Other later users included Ted VanTilburg and Hana of the Japanese band Gacharic Spin. The instruments also appeared in drum and bugle corps. The Concord Blue Devils used North Triple drums in 1976, and the Long Island Sunrisers used them in 1981. One set associated with Lucky Lehrer of the Circle Jerks was damaged by slam-dancing fans, subsequently refurbished by DW's Louie Garcia, and placed on permanent display behind glass at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. These examples contributed to the brand's reputation as a visually unusual and historically distinctive percussion design, even after new commercial production had ceased.

North Drums originated as a drummer's handmade experiment rather than as a conventional musical-instrument company. Roger North created the first fiberglass-shelled examples in late 1968 while he was based in Boston and performing with Quill. The defining feature was the shell's horn-like profile: instead of ending in a conventional circular opening with a largely cylindrical body, the shell widened outward in the direction of the audience. North's objective was to make the drum's sound project outward and to give listeners a more direct impression of the instrument. The design was patented in the United States in 1971 under patent number 3,603,194. North subsequently developed the concept into a commercial product. From 1973, he produced the original commercial configuration and sold the drums both directly and through retail dealers. This distribution brought the instruments to professional musicians, touring drummers, and general customers interested in their unusual sound and appearance. A significant change came in 1976, when North licensed the patent rights to Music Technology Incorporated, or MTI. The licensing arrangement was intended to provide greater manufacturing scale and wider distribution than North could achieve alone. Manufacturing moved through several stages: shells were first produced by a fiberglass manufacturer on Long Island, then for a period by North himself at his Troutdale, Oregon facility, and eventually in Italy using injection-molded polystyrene. The changes in material and manufacturing location reflected attempts to make the design commercially viable while retaining its characteristic flared form. North Drums became associated with a number of prominent performers during the 1970s and remained visible in some professional settings into the 1980s. Users included Billy Cobham, Doug Clifford, Alan White, Joe English, Gerry Brown, Russ Kunkel, W. S. “Fluke” Holland, and Richie Albright. The design was also adopted in drum-and-bugle-corps settings: the Concord Blue Devils used North Triple drums in 1976, and the Long Island Sunrisers used them in 1981. Despite the attention generated by their appearance and by professional users, the drums were no longer commercially sold by the early 1980s. Their discontinuation did not end their influence. Existing instruments circulated through a used market, and a small, loyal group of players continued using them. Later examples of use included Alex Van Halen's incorporation of North toms into his large white touring kit during the period associated with Van Halen's 1988 OU812 album, Chad Channing's use during the early years of Nirvana, and use by Ted VanTilburg from 1988 to 1993. Hana of the Japanese band Gacharic Spin is also associated with North Drums. The instruments have retained a niche historical presence because of their unusual industrial design, their connection to notable drummers, and their survival in collections and displays. A set used by Lucky Lehrer of the Circle Jerks was damaged during a slam-dancing incident, later restored by DW's Louie Garcia, and placed behind glass at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. North Drums are therefore best understood today as a discontinued experimental drum design with a continuing collector, enthusiast, and performance legacy rather than as an active mass-market brand.

• 1988

  North toms appear in the Van Halen touring setup

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  Alex Van Halen incorporated North toms into his large white touring kit during the period associated with Van Halen's OU812 album.

• 1981

  Used by the Long Island Sunrisers

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  The Long Island Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps used North Triple drums.

• 1980

  Commercial sales end

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  New commercial sales ended in the early 1980s, after which the instruments continued mainly through the used market.

• 1976

  Patent rights licensed to MTI

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  Roger North licensed the patent rights to Music Technology Incorporated to pursue higher production and distribution volumes.

• 1976

  Adopted by the Concord Blue Devils

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  The Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps used North Triple drums.

• 1973

  Commercial production begins

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  North began producing and selling the commercial configuration through direct sales and retail dealers.

• 1971

  United States design patent granted

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  North received U.S. patent number 3,603,194 covering the distinctive drum design.

• 1968

  Roger North develops the first drums

  [1]North Drumsen.wikipedia.org

  Roger North hand-built the first fiberglass-shelled, horn-shaped drums for his own use while performing with Quill.

An experimental, visually distinctive professional-drum brand centered on horn-shaped shells intended to project sound toward the audience. Its appeal combined stage presence, unusual projection characteristics, and novelty within rock, jazz, touring, and drum-corps performance.

• Drum shells and drum sets · 1973

  North horn-shaped drums

  The core North design used a flared, horn-like shell intended to direct sound toward the audience. Early shells were made from fiberglass, while later licensed production included injection-molded polystyrene shells manufactured in Italy. The design was offered in configurations for professional performers and general retail customers.

• Toms · 1973

  North tom-toms

  North tom-toms applied the brand's flared-shell concept to individual tom drums. They were used by performers in touring and recording contexts, including Alex Van Halen and Chad Channing, and remained in circulation after commercial production ended.

• Multi-drum configuration · 1976

  North Triple drums

  North Triple drums were a multi-drum configuration associated with drum-and-bugle-corps performance. The Concord Blue Devils used them in 1976 and the Long Island Sunrisers used them in 1981.

• 1976

  License patent rights to Music Technology IncorporatedM&A

  Background

  Roger North sought greater manufacturing capacity and distribution than could be achieved through his original small-scale production operation.

  Action taken

  North licensed the design's patent rights to Music Technology Incorporated, which took responsibility for manufacturing and marketing efforts.

  Aftermath

  Production moved among fiberglass manufacturing in Long Island, North's Oregon facility, and later an Italian injection-molding operation. Commercial sales ultimately ended in the early 1980s.

  Source

1. 1North Drumsen.wikipedia.org