Flaming Drumsticks?

I am trying to figure out how to play with flaming sticks for a little drum break/solo without burning down whatever club we're playing at, or ending up at the local burn center for treatment. Has anyone ever done this before and if so, point me in the right direction? Are there special sticks you can get for this? I did some poking around at several local music stores and could get no help.

Blicko

MAYBE if you had some sort of metal/synthetic drumstick. Coat it with some sort of slow-burning gel. (I assume liquid would fly off, considering the sticks are on fire you probably want to play fast, right?). You'd need to mount some sort of 'hand-guard' on the sticks... sort of like a hilt on a sword, to keep the flames/flammable gel from getting on your hands. You also might want to look into some sort of flame-resistant gloves/body suit. Oh, and one of those drum-keys that mounts on a drill, because you'll have to change your heads after you do it (I assume coated heads would catch on fire, and clear heads would probably melt considerably). don't forget to have a fire extinguisher on hand, oh yeah... and be sure you have lots of money in your checking account, because the state fire marshall will probably write you a pretty ticket.

Other than that though, shouldn't be too hard.

although I'm no specialist, I would stop by a magic/talent shop and look at their flamming batons. you might be able to pick up one of those special ends which you dose in lighter fluid and that you light, and adapt it to a drumstick. however if you light the end of the stick, you'll probably end up burning yourself, and if you use the other end, you'll damage your drum heads. perhaps you should just buy a flaming baton, and twirl it a bit, drummer stylez, or play using one hand twirling and, the other drumming, you could switch hands and stuff.. would look neat, as long as you didnt drop it.... just an idea. ....

Thibaud Henin

My drumming idol, Eric Singer, has been doing it for th last couple oif years during his solo spots. Basically he uses mallets which have ben dipped in kerosene and then handed to him by his roadie. He notes that the heads and other hardware are not damaged as he doesn't hit the drums as hard as normal. But obviously just hard enough to get a nice sound from the drums while playing a double bass pattern underneath.

Check Eric's page, have a look in the message board section, or the section where he answers fan questions. In one of those he answers this question (I think I asked the question too!). Also you can e-mail him for further details.....it's worth a try but he may hold back fearing the fact you may burn yourself!