Roland Baak (NL)
Setup:
Adams 8000 drumkit (white sparkle, black hardware):
22" kick, 10" + 12" toms, 14" + 16" floor toms
Adams 5000 drumkit (black to grey fade):
22" kick, 10" + 12" toms, 14" + 16" floor toms
14" x 5" Adams 8000 snare
14" x 6.5" Yamaha maple custom snare
14" x 8" Ludwig Black Magic snare
Cymbals:
Amedia
17" Fusion crash
18" Fusion crash
18" Classic crash
20" AMD china
10" Thrace splash
Zildjian
14" New Beat hi-hat
21" A rock ride
18" A custom EFX crash
18" K cluster crash
18" K custom dark crash
Sticks:
Balbex 5B
Drumheads:
Evans: Emad2 (kick), EC2 clear (toms), HD dry (snare)
Cases / covers:
Adams, Hardcase, custom flight case
Bands:
Royal Beat (cover band for large tent parties and festivals)
Cherry & the Sugarstuds (cover band for weddings, corporate events etc)
Chapter7 (original rock band)
Come As You Are (Nirvana cover band)
Websites:
www.rolandbaak.nl
www.royalbeatmusic.com
www.cherryandthesugarstuds.nl
www.chapter7band.com
Favorite drummer:
Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) - I love his timing and energy. His art of leaving things out makes his grooves a huge inspiration for me.
Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Eagles of Death Metal) , Lots of energy and creative parts.
Roy Mayorga: (Stone Sour, Soulfly) , He mainly inspires me with his double bass drum playing. He also plays with massive energy and a great stage presence.
Favorite band:
Joe Bonamassa, Alice In Chains, The War on Drugs, Pearl Jam, The Avener
What do you like to eat most:
Italian
What do you love most:
Cliché answer, but it's really true: playing with my band Royal Beat for a few thousand people who are going completely wild. (...and preferably doing something fun with my girlfriend that same day and the day after haha. Cheesy but true ;))
What do you hate:
I don't hate much ;) If I really have to hate something it would be narrow-mindedness (racism, homophobia, etc).
How long have you been playing Adams:
Since 2010. At my graduation presentation for the Rockacademie I wanted to purchase a professional kit and ended up choosing Adams. I am still playing the same kit and I am still in love with it!
History:
Drumming career
September 18, 1984 was the day I was born in Geertruidenberg. When I was five, I received a toy drum set from Sinterklaas. My mother saw how much and how long I enjoyed it and as a result I started taking drum lessons at the music school in Middelburg at the age of eight.
After eight years, having obtained all diplomas from the Zeeuwse Muziekschool, I started the preparatory course in Pop Music at the conservatory in Rotterdam. There I studied for two years with Juan van Emmerloot. My goal was to complete a full Rockacademie program, so afterwards (2004) I went to the Rockacademie. I successfully completed the program there, graduating in "Teaching".
From the age of twelve I have played in many bands ranging in style from jazz to pop and from metal to hip-hop. With these bands I have of course played in the smallest bars, but also on bigger stages such as Paradiso, Patronaat and the Main Hall of 013. I have also performed with my current bands in countries such as Morocco, England and Austria. In addition, I have appeared in video clips (Gino Vannelli, Chapter7) and TV performances (including Esmée Denters and Ronan Keating).
Currently I play in the bands Royal Beat, Chapter7 and Cherry & the Sugarstuds.
Drum lessons
When I was sixteen I started giving private drum lessons in Middelburg. Two years later I moved to Oosterhout and also started teaching from home there. Because I wanted to gain experience at a professional large drum school, I started teaching at Drumschool Mark Eeftens in Breda and also took lessons myself. I did this for two years, while continuing to teach at home.
Since I was 21 I have been living in Tilburg and I now give private drum lessons there in my own studio space. At the Rockacademie I taught drum lessons for two years as a minor subject for other students.
In addition to drum lessons, I also provide workshops "Trommel op Rommel" and coach the samba band Divertimento.
