The Cupertino Courier

Education

His driving beat is giving drum lessons

By Erin Hussey

When Craig Batanides was a child, stomach problems forced him to spend a significant amount of time at the local Ronald McDonald Children's House. But unlike most children who are excited to leave the hospital environment, Batanides didn't want to leave.

"There was a kid that was playing guitar on a gurney, a guy in a wheelchair playing bass, and there was this drum set that I fell in love with," Batanides remembers. "When they told me I would be going home, I said, 'Wait a minute, I don't want to go; I have my band here.' "

Even though Batanides eventually left his first set of band members behind, he continued to do what he loved: play the drums. And while he didn't become as popular as Keith Moon of The Who, Batanides was able to make a career out of his passion.

Batanides has been teaching drums for the past 25 years; 12 of them have been out of a studio at the Haight Ashbury Music Center in Sunnyvale.

"I never really had the inclination to become a teacher," he says. "When I was studying the instrument I had the aspiration to be a rock star."

Batanides did play with a number of bands, including Rubber Soul, which featured Tom Castro, Soul Patrol with Frank Biner, and Big Al's Heart and Soul that opened for Patty LaBelle. But fate had other long-term plans for Batanides.

"When my drum teacher went on a three-month hiatus, he asked me to take over his students," recalls Batanides, who was about 27 at the time. "It sounds kind of geeky, but I felt like, 'Wow, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. This is my calling in life.' "

Since then, Batanides, who continues to play in local bands in his free time, has taught hundreds of people how to play drums.

"There are no age limitations, young or old," he says. "As long as they are coherent and have a passion to do it, anybody can take lessons."

In addition to the theory side of instrumentation, Batanides likes to focus on actually playing, sometimes with records as bac- up. It's similar to the way he learned.

"I played to old Hendrix records and Led Zeppelin on this funky old phonograph above the garage for hours," he says. "It drove my mom out of her mind. You can take lessons until the cows come home, but until you take it out into the streets and play and get involved in it, it won't catch fire."

During lessons, Batanides also runs muted videos of famous drummers such as his idol Buddy Rich, and points out elements such as stick holding.

Batanides' favorite part of his job is seeing his students progress, although he says that it is always difficult to see them leave.

For more information on drum lessons call 408.732.4898 or visit www.batanides.com.