SKF NOTE: A note card from one of my oldest friends, Paul T. Riddle. I don’t know what pictures Paul is referring to. Probably the photos accompanying his feature interview in the May 1981 Modern Drummer magazine.

When Paul writes about photos of him at the drums with “no guitar in my face…no singer in my ear,” he has a legitimate point.

Until Modern Drummer came along, there wasn’t much of a market for photos of drummers. Onstage, drummers were often in back of the rest of the band, while music photographers were standing in front, with the stage floor at chin level, shooting up at the musicians.

Even drummers on risers were usually hidden behind their drums and cymbals. Or they were caught in the shadows of poor stage lighting. The more drums/cymbals drummers used, the tougher it was for photographers to get photos of them.

As the market for drummer photos opened, everyone involved became more creative in getting quality drummer photos.

Riddle’s May 1981 photos were taken, I believe, in a studio by one of the drummer’s friends. Photographers began showing up at concert venues at soundcheck time, where they had optimal lighting, and great access to drummers and drumsets.

By 1983 I had a list of about 80 photographers to work with. But that’s a topic for another day.