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Working Live
Snare Drum Contest Winners

This summer, to coincide with release of Carl Palmer’s latest CD, Working Live - Volume 1, we chose to celebrate all of Carl’s hard working fans with a special new contest.

We asked you to tell us about your most MEMORABLE job, be it weird, funny, horrific or just very interesting.  No matter how briefly you did it, or how normal or strange it might have been, we wanted you to tell us what you do when you're “working live”.

At stake for the most interesting job was an autographed REMO Master Touch Snare Drum from Carl’s personal collection, and response was overwhelming to say the least.  There were many wonderful essays to sort through, the decision process was extremely difficult, and Carl Palmer would like to thank everyone who participated in the contest.
 

Here then are the winners of our contest as well as many wonderful responses deserving of honorable mentions:
 
John Rubino 1ST PRIZE

John Rubino
Staten Island, NY

John Wins:
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- The Autographed REMO Snare Drum 
- A Set of Carl Palmer Drumsticks 
- A "Do Ya Wanna Play?" T-Shirt 
- A Copy of WORKING LIVE Vol. 1
 
 

Hi Carl, 

   The best job I've ever had was being a New York City Firefighter. Although playing drums is my true passion, I practiced ELP tunes along with my rudiments endlessly in hopes to make drumming a career. But the need for a full time job was becoming a reality. So I put down the sticks and joined the fire department. On occasion, I'd play for the guys between alarms by drumming on the pots and pans hung overhead in the firehouse kitchen. They were very supportive and forgiving if I broke the knife handles while using them as my sticks. Their favorite request was my rendition of Karn Evil 9, also my Captain's favorite, being an ELP fan from way back when. The mini kitchen concert would end with the usual drum solo or fire alarm...whichever came first. 

However the reality of the job is the car accidents, the arson, the fatal fires. I thought I'd seen it all until the morning of September 11th, 2001. I just got home from a night shift and put on the news. I fought back tears as I watched the fires burning in the World Trade Center.  Ultimately 343 brave firefighters made the Supreme Sacrifice that day saving hundreds of people. I spent many hours at Ground Zero searching and attended countless funerals for these men on my days off. They were my friends. We've shared many good times and music together in and out of the firehouse. I was proud to have known and worked with them. By the grace of God, I was spared that day and vowed to use my drumming talents and influences to Honor these Heroes. Constant inspiration from your works and music help make this possible.

Thank you.

John Rubino
Staten Island, NY
John Rubino

2ND PRIZE

Barry Shea
LosAngeles, CA

Barry Wins:
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- An Autographed CP Tambourine 
- A Do Ya Wanna Play?" T-Shirt 
- A Copy of WORKING LIVE Vol. 1 
 
 
I've had some of the most suck ass jobs: digging a trench out of coral rock with a pick ax under an August Florida sun, shoveling out horse stalls 8 inches deep with horse crap and urine, etc.

However, the BEST job I ever had was as a safety diver for a French-Canadian movie being filmed in the Florida Keys.  It was about two sailors who were adrift after their boat sank, and the mermaid that befriends them.  My sole responsibility was to swim under the topless mermaid (I SAID it was French-Canadian) during each shot, keep my eye on her to make sure she was OK (which I performed with great diligence), then swim up and hold her against my body to keep her warm and take her back to her starting mark.  AND I got paid.

Barry Shea
Los Angeles, California
Lior Kahane
 3RD PRIZE

Lior Kahane
Studio City, CA

Lior Wins:
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- A Do Ya Wanna Play?" T-Shirt 
- A Copy of WORKING LIVE Vol. 1 
 

The most horrific job I had was cleaning the sewer system Here in New York City.I was in Graduate school at the time and I had to crawl on my knees twenty feet below the hustle and bustle of the city and clean out all the waste. I encountered live and dead snakes and numerous rodents attempting to enter the water system. I was  bitten numerous times by all kinds of underground mutants and suffered heat exhaustion three times. Needless to say I was earning minimum wage. Despite all this, I acquired an appreciation of hard labor. I am a Physician now and would never give up the experience I received in the sewer system of New York. 

Sincerely,

Lior (Lee) Kahane
Studio City, CA

Congratulations to all of our Winners!
 

Click HERE to read to read many of the wonderful
entries deserving of our honorable mention.


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