I’m not a huge fan of drum solos, but anyone who’s heard the percussive blowout that opens Side 2 of Cheap Trick’s 1979 “Live at Budokan” album knows that the band’s drummer, Bun E. Carlos, is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s national treasures. Carlos, an avid drum collector, will be at Rockford College of Art at 6 p.m. Saturday to talk about personal faves in his large drum collection, much of which will be on display at the gallery for the following week. Be There caught up with Carlos as he and his bandmates were putting the finishing touches on a new two-CD-with-CD-ROM “Live At Budokan” release, which will be out in April. (Call 815-226-4034 for details on the art show.)
Q. What are some of the more unusual drums you have?
A. A lot of stuff from the ’20s, hand-engraved (drums) with art deco artwork, (various) big band drums. I have a Duke Ellington drum set from his band in the 1940s, but that won’t be at the show; that’s at the Kansas City Jazz Museum right now.
Q. Do you actually play the vintage drums in concert?
A. I play them for fun, and I use a 1925 snare drum live. It’s trendy these days for drummers to have vintage drums, but when they’re 75 years old, you have to keep a lot of spare parts around.
Q. 1998 is the 25th anniversary of Cheap Trick. Did you ever think it would go on this long?
A. No way. Bands didn’t stay together that long when we started.
Q. Like your previous band, Sick Man of Europe?
A. Right. That was our stab at fusion dance music. It cleared dance floors all over the place.
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