Travis Barker

Just got home from church and my wife told me about Travis Barker's plane crash. Only recently I went to a clinic run by Steve Smith, who's possibly one of the best drummers who's ever lived. Steve knows just about everything there is to know about the history of Jazz and Rock drumming in the United States (where the drum set was invented). The clinic question time was interesting - this nervous kid who was sitting with his dad, asked Steve where punk drumming fits in with the history of drumming and Steve replied that it didn't, he said: "The whole punk thing is about not being pro and wearing your lack of skill as a badge of pride." The poor kid didn't know what to say, so he said "What about Travis Barker?" Steve smiled in a way that said he was expecting that name to come up and simply replied that Travis Barker is a great drummer and therefore not a real punk drummer.

Travis Barker grew up in Fontana CA which is in the more suburban 'Inland Empire' area of San Bernardino. He had a tough childhood and his mother died before he finished high school. He's a disciplined musician and from all accounts is much more sensible than his persona suggests.

Travis is a great rock drummer, with amazing creative instincts combined with a 'punkish' attitude that says, "Why shouldn't I be able to play that on a drum set?"

It is my prayer that he will get well soon, and when he gets better, that he will reflect on his life and in God's mercy he will turn to Christ.