Vinnie signs deal with Paiste.

[willyz]

I met Vinnie at that NAMM signing- he was really polite and we chatted for a quick minute or two about my studying with Ralph at LAMA.

I've mentioned it before but I had a hang with him a few months later between sets at Charley O's when he was doing a one off with Emil Richards. I was outside having a smoke when he came out for the same reason, and after a second he just looks at me, offers his hand and says, "Hi, I'm Vinnie!" and we just started chatting. I was there with a good friend from LAMA who new Tal, who was also at the gig, and then Jim Keltner came outside and hung with Vinnie. It was a great memory and I doubt he'll remember that hour long set break or me, but I always will.

That being said, I can't really add much other than *I* had a pleasent expereince with VC and with all the other heroes of mine I've met in the past.

...THAT being said, did you see that quick glance/glare to the camera when meeting that kid? I think he put on his good face for that for the kid and probably because he was at a Gretsch signing next to Fred.

[Pocketplayer]

If you are at a NAMM booth, and don't want to mix w/t crowd...you have failed!

Good reaction...wasn't directing "AT" VC...just a more general observation and comment.
Yet, if the show fits, so be it. I don't take people's comment too seriously because
their personal experience is usually biased...ask any cust service rep...90% of the
real issue was personal than actual.

Be it VC or Steve Smith (more directed at him after several NAMM meetings)...if you
are to meet the public, prepare for it, go to bed early...you're at NAMM! What
else do you expect? That was my point.

Remember Joe's Mech reaction to Neil Peart in LA at the smaller venue? You respect
him as Neil Peart...but fact remains the same...once he gets out of his car, men turn
into little boys...prepare for it! It's gonna happen every time. If you're a shy person,
have several verbal options to use like learning a new lick...not that hard. Basic
psychology...give each person something to hold onto, which is usually verbal like,
"Hey, nice to meet you" or "Thanks man..."

Not everyone is Kenny Arnoff who can work a room better than most.

...I've met VC several times...love the guy. Hung out with him...he's a deep soul
and complex...very complex. That's what makes him great.

[kinkymook]

Maybe Vinnie is going the/influenced by/Neil Peart way. He's reached a point where absolute strangers hound him, shadow him, want to touch him, feel like he owes them something...etc. Listen to "Limelight" by Rush, or read Neil's books. You'll get the picture, I think.
Could be just that. So, leave the guy alone. And, if Zildjian screwed up, well, their problem, although I can't imagine John D. wouldn't have done everything he could within his power to prevent Vinnie from leaving. I'm sure he did.
Vinnie takes his art and abilities VERY seriously and I think he goes to great lengths to keep a little bit of "mystery" around his abilities. That's why he frowns on clinics, filming, and instructional videos. He's kicking' it "old school". Back in the day, he used to listen to records and catch his heroes in live settings to cop what he could cop. That's "old school".
Yes, it's a new world with camera phones, YouTube, and all that, but I think if Vinnie had his ultimate way, you'd go see him-ingest the info through your eyes and ears-take home the memory-shed, and continue on your own path to discovering your voice and working on "your" thing. He doesn't want a bunch of Vinnie clones running around anymore than we do. He's gonna get filmed. That's never going to stop. But, I think his intentions are probably good at heart. He's creating "in the moment ART", sometimes playing things in a way the will never be seen or heard again. He's obviously not comfortable knowing that said ART is going to be replayed/dissected by anyone with a YouTube account.
Seems clear to me.
Regarding his skipping out of autographs or shaking hands and the like: It's the same with any celebrity/talent. Could be having a bad day. Could have diarrhea. Could need to take a phone call from his family.
We don't know what goes on off the stage. And, I'm sure he's gone thru bouts of beating himself up for not being better about all that and balancing all the things that happen on and off stage to make himself look "perfect".
It takes a lot of energy to be Vinnie. More so than we'll ever know.

[circh bustom]

DSOP, I only brought up the Zildjian pissed him off thing cause I read it here. I wouldnt go away from the thread and spread that. I figured since it was posted Id use it as an example. I did not in anyway mean for that to be accepted as THE reason. My bad. In looking at my post, I did word what I wanted to say wrong. If it's true that Zildjian pissed off Vinnie and that in turn lead him to go Paiste, why would he not see that some of his reactions to his fans, might have the same effect on him? You could say there is only one Vinne, yes, but many would say there is only one Zildjian. As I said, im probably not gonna stop listening to Vinnie cause he was a dick to me, my wife and a host of other people outside of the E Factory in Philly. Problem is, if someone asks me what I think of him, the only personal experience that I have with him is negative. How can I not be allowed even a small piece of judgemental freedom? I don't feel i know him personally cause I listen to him, but besides my story, most of the instances I have heard about of him meeting people have been negative. WillyZ's story is great, and one I'm sure we all wish we had experienced, but we didn't.

[groober]

DSOP, I only brought up the Zildjian pissed him off thing cause I read it here. I wouldnt go away from the thread and spread that. I figured since it was posted Id use it as an example. I did not in anyway mean for that to be accepted as THE reason. My bad. In looking at my post, I did word what I wanted to say wrong. If it's true that Zildjian pissed off Vinnie and that in turn lead him to go Paiste, why would he not see that some of his reactions to his fans, might have the same effect on him? You could say there is only one Vinne, yes, but many would say there is only one Zildjian. As I said, im probably not gonna stop listening to Vinnie cause he was a dick to me, my wife and a host of other people outside of the E Factory in Philly. Problem is, if someone asks me what I think of him, the only personal experience that I have with him is negative. How can I not be allowed even a small piece of judgemental freedom? I don't feel i know him personally cause I listen to him, but besides my story, most of the instances I have heard about of him meeting people have been negative. WillyZ's story is great, and one I'm sure we all wish we had experienced, but we didn't.

So don't take it personally and move on ... Give the guy a break and maybe next time you'll get to hang

Artists don't owe their fans any thing ... their fans become fans through freedom of choice
May be Vinnie is so immersed he just doesn't want to talk drum stuff and typical after show stuff. May be he's off doing other stuff that enables him to do what he does.
Be happy with the exhaustive amount of amazing energy and material he plays on, or ... don't

[DSOP]

As I said, im probably not gonna stop listening to Vinnie cause he was a dick to me, my wife and a host of other people outside of the E Factory in Philly. Problem is, if someone asks me what I think of him, the only personal experience that I have with him is negative.

That's unfortunate, but understandable. I think I can be a dick to a lot of people without realizing it too. Anyway, I hope you have a better experience with Vinnie someday. Personally, I've only seen his good side.

[DSOP]

I am into darker sounds and a softer feel which Paiste doesn't offer.

Actually they do. Try some of the Twenty Customs, or the Dark Energy, or the Traditionals. The Formula 602 stuff is amazing too. Paiste has several lines that sound incredible and completely different from each other.

I owned a whole set of the 20' s and at first I liked them. Later not so much...they felt ok just sounded thin. Some guys really make them work and love them.

The first round of 20s were made with blanks supplied by a different source (Diril I think) than the current ones. I tried a Twenty crash for a while and lost my love for it after a while too. The Twenty Masters ride collection is really amazing stuff though! And the new Twenty Customs are really nice too, but I prefer the DE, Traditional and 602 stuff for sure. I recently picked up a Signature china type that I haven't had time to play with yet, but I have high hopes.

[groober]

i remember one of our roadies was carrying my 24' china type up the stairs of a hotel at 3.30 in the morning when his grip must have loosened and the thing fell down the entire stair well opening up to it's full roar. The police were called because the residents thought that part of the building had collapsed.

[Rene]

Vinnie being a jerk or not being a jerk. Honestly I don't give d**n.

Sales will probably drop for Zildjian and Steve Holmes will become a Paiste endorser within 3 months just as Rodge ... Zildjian must pay their artists now for sure to stay .... and Vinnie probably got a Mercedes for moving to Paiste....(JUST KIDDING)

I think it's great that drummers switches endorsements. It keeps the industry and creativity alive for sure. So I'm more interested in the effect his move will have on Paiste's product development. What can we expect from them in the near future... Vinnie loves 15" and 17" crashes. Paiste hardly offers 15" crashes ...
Does he use with Sting a 602 22" ride" prototype? The current 602 line only includes a 20" ride.

I want a 22" 602 ride....


Rene

ps. I own a 15" Sign Mellow crash (discontinued) which blends in perfectly with a Twenty 17" thin crash .... The Twenty is a bit less versatile than the 15" Sig.

[gretsch-o-rama]

lol @ Rene. As for me, this does not pique my interest in paiste or even ludwig one iota. Paiste, imo, have to be the most inorganic cymbals out there. I feel like they sound like how a slow bit rate speed sounds like. Like you are hearing pixels. And I've always loved gretsch, after my dad bought me a rosewood five piece for 400 bucks at a studio auction.(there were a lot of those in the 90's) I was 15 and I knew very little about drumming but i knew they sounded good. Of course, Vinnie playing them only brought them to the forefront of my mind again... If I were to show interest in any other cymbal company it would be Bosphorus. Their tone is undeniable! They just lack the focus of z's.