Brooks Drum Company was officially founded in 2012—but the story began long before that. Back in the early ’90s, I unpacked my old drum set—the one I’d stored away when I started a family and became a father—and set it up in the living room. My son was about five and a half at the time. As I adjusted the stands and tuned up the heads, I saw that spark in his eyes. That feeling we all remember from the first time we were exposed to a drum set. He was drawn to the drums instantly, and once he was behind the kit, it didn’t take long to realize he had a real gift. I showed him a few things, but it was clear he needed a proper teacher—someone who could nurture his talent and help him grow.
As luck would have it, I found one of the best instructors in the area, teaching out of a small, family-run custom drum shop. I walked in with no intention of becoming a drum builder—just a dad trying to support his son. While my son took his weekly lessons, I’d hang around and talk shop with the owner. We’d chat about woodworking, tools, finishes—things I’d dabbled in as an amateur woodworker. Before long, I found myself working alongside him. I had the knowledge of tools, but I was used to building square things: tables, dressers, cabinets. Suddenly, everything was round. I was learning to apply familiar skills in a completely new way, and I loved it. Once I found my rhythm in the shop, I realized something important: I wasn’t building for the owner—I was building for the artists. These were drummers with serious voices—some with multi-platinum records, others lighting up the local scene—and they trusted us to craft the instruments they used to speak their truth.
Meanwhile, my son was thriving. He soaked up everything his teacher gave him, and it wasn’t long before I started building him a custom kit of his own. Until then, he’d been playing on my old CB700 set—floor tom turned bass drum, 12″ tom as a floor tom—the usual patchwork setup. But when he sat behind that first real kit, something changed. His confidence grew. His playing took off. And that’s when it hit me: this is what it’s all about. Giving a drummer an instrument that lets them find their voice. That’s what we were doing. That’s why they chose us. They could’ve played anything—but they chose these drums. That realization stuck with me. It got into my blood and never left.
When the company eventually relocated across the country, I chose to stay in California. But I couldn’t walk away from the work. I kept building, experimenting, chasing new ideas, and refining old ones. In 2012, I decided it was time to carry the torch forward and start Brooks Drum Company. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. I get to collaborate with some of the finest drummers and musicians of our time—people who push me to keep growing, just as they never stop evolving themselves. I’m honored every day to help shape their sound, and to be a small part of the music they make.