Box Drum
The Box kit 
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As most inventions go, this idea began out of necessity. My wife and I had just moved. Our drums were not set up and I was beginning to play a lot of hand drums. While playing the hand drums I really missed having a bass drum and often caught myself tapping my foot as if I was playing the kick drum. One day I grabbed a bass drum pedal and set it up by a cardboard box…Boomp the box drum was born. Now I’m not saying I am the first drummer to hit a cardboard box, but the idea grew from there. Soon I was adding a mount for a tambourine, cowbell or any other percussion instrument that was handy. Then I added a cymbal stand made from leftover parts from the hardware store. Next I was incorporating chimes that I made out of keys.
I remember the first time I played the box kit out of the house (9/?/2001). I was invited to play a gig at an open mic night with Dan Strawser at the Boro. He was recovering from a car accident and wanted to get out of the house for the first time. We went to the Boro where Joe Audette was hosting the local open mic night. I set up an early version of the box kit and played a set with Dan. I ended up meeting Michael Brown and reuniting with Mark Hixon who I had worked with at the US census 2000. I played a set with both of them (improving) and have been playing music with them ever since. I had never gotten so many positive remarks on a kit before. Everyone wanted to know where it came from. I wore out several early versions of the kit before I had the idea to build the kit around a wooden frame. Then I decided to blend the kit with a backpack. I already had a kit with a door on the front, partially for the sound and partially for storage. I was able to incorporate a backpack on the front door. Now I could carry equipment inside the kick drum itself and carry it on my back. Freeing my hands to carry the other drum equipment. Just walking into a gig with only one trip from the car… This is possible if you keep the toys, cymbals and such to a minimum. I had created the perfect minimalistic kit. One trip set up and play in a small area and at a low volume level. Perfect for small clubs, writer-nights, living rooms etc. I have built several different kits over the past four years and played many shows in the Nashville, Murfreesboro area. I have traveled with the kits and sold a few along the way. Every time I play out on one of my box kits I am approached by drummers and fans and asked “where did you get this?”, “is this electronic?”, “where can I get one of these?”. All of my friends and relatives say “you have to get a patent”, “why aren’t you selling these?”. So, for all your questions and comments… here you go, the drum box, from the box man. FOR SALE. More pics coming soon. As well as stories about the box and the gigs I have had on the mule kicker.
This is a partial and growing list of songwriters and musicians that I have had the pleasure of playing music with on the box drum…
Dan Thornhill Guitar, Vocals
Doug Payne Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Dan Strawser Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica
Mike Adkins Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Mark Hixon Guitar, Vocal
Michael Brown Guitar, Bass
Mike Palmer Guitar, Vocals
Roster Fry
Sleepy Felix
Klyd Watkins
Laura Swingle Guitar, Vocals
Shoo Fly Pie
The Mark Hixon Orchestra
Tony Dickerson Percussion
Uncle Don Clark Guitar, Vocals
Ronnie Karm Guitar, Vocals
Eric Dale Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Guittar Dejimbe
Max Johns Guitar, Vocals
Seth Timbs Guitar, Piano, Keys, Accordian, Vocals
Chris Jackson Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Scott Carter Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
Dave Guitar, Keys, Percussion
Big Vessal
Elliot Currie Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Willie Bass
The Otays
Little Chocolate Donuts
Katy Estmont Guitar, Vocals
Richard Bennit Guitar, Vocals
Robin Spencer Vocals
Driving Miss Crazy
Brian Carter Guitar, Vocals
Brandon @Wall Street Vocals
Tim Guitar, Vocals
Chris Byerly Guitar, Vocals
Tia Sellers Guitar, Vocals
Corby Vocals
Ilya Guitar, Banjo
B.W. Adkins Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
B.D. Adkins Guitar
Shannon and B.T.
Bryan Turner Guitar, Vocals
Jolie Bell Guitar, Vocals
Trevor Wooton Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Sneaky Felix
Lord Puddle Bottoms
Miles of Clear June
Brent Baltzer Guitar, Vocals
Estell Collins Violin, Vocals
Brian Pitts Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Howie and Marivuana Guitar, Vocals
Punkenstein
Mechanical Debris
Idle Page
More to come…