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Remo Belli, musician who pioneered synthetic drumheads, dies
CBS 5 AZ ^ | 02 MAY 2016 | AP

Posted on 05/02/2016 5:31:34 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - Remo Belli, a musician who pioneered the synthetic drumhead in time to help a generation of rock-and-rollers shape their sound and then saw it become standard on kits across genres, has died in California.

His death was announced in a statement by Remo Inc., the California-based drum manufacturer that Belli founded and ran for six decades. Belli was 88 and had been treated for pneumonia at a Pasadena hospital, where he died April 25, said Sue Kincade, Remo's advertising manager.

Belli was a young professional drummer in the 1950s, backing singer Anita O'Day and others, when he grew frustrated with the limitations of animal-skin drumheads, which could wilt or expand depending on the weather.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbs5az.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: drums

1 posted on 05/02/2016 5:31:34 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

2 posted on 05/02/2016 5:34:14 PM PDT by ghosthost
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Bummer. I just bought a Remo drum head for my banjo. I wondered where the name came from.


3 posted on 05/02/2016 5:46:01 PM PDT by P-Marlowe (Freep mail me if you want to be on my Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar Ping list.)
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To: ghosthost

I wouldn’t mind having backed Anita O’Day, back in the day.


4 posted on 05/02/2016 5:56:34 PM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: ghosthost
i never knew about the name either. i used remos for along time. but switched to black evans liquid filled on the batters. they are sweet.
5 posted on 05/02/2016 6:01:51 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2 (gandolf)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I still have a couple of Remo Weather King drumheads with the Spirit of Atlanta logo.


6 posted on 05/02/2016 6:22:17 PM PDT by real saxophonist ( YouTube + Twitter + Facebook = YouTwitFace.com)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

RIP.


7 posted on 05/02/2016 6:24:30 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: Wally_Kalbacken

I was part of a band that opened for Anita O’Day, 1988, I think. Got to talk to her briefly, she was nice, but kinda scary lookin’...


8 posted on 05/02/2016 6:26:00 PM PDT by real saxophonist ( YouTube + Twitter + Facebook = YouTwitFace.com)
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To: P-Marlowe
I wuz just wondering about the banjo head vs. drum head....

We put a new "organic" head on an antique banjo in ~ 1970. Last time I saw the instrument (<5 year ago) the head had split again...

9 posted on 05/02/2016 6:28:57 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Live Free or Die.)
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To: Wally_Kalbacken

10 posted on 05/02/2016 6:30:06 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Live Free or Die.)
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To: real saxophonist

Come to think of it, I also have one with the Blue Devils logo. No idea how I obtained that one.


11 posted on 05/02/2016 6:43:32 PM PDT by real saxophonist ( YouTube + Twitter + Facebook = YouTwitFace.com)
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To: Paladin2

I suspect that the organic head will have a more mellow or muffled tone than a synthetic head.

I had a single synthetic head on my banjo since I bought it in 1968. I only replaced it recently because the old one was dirty and worn looking. I was restoring the banjo and the new Remo head looks awesome. Sounds good too.


12 posted on 05/02/2016 6:49:03 PM PDT by P-Marlowe (Freep mail me if you want to be on my Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar Ping list.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Thank you for posting. This is a huge loss to the drumming community. He helped revolutionize our instrument. I’ve been playing Remo drumheads since 1984.


13 posted on 05/03/2016 7:49:02 PM PDT by ncdrumr (Oooh, SarahCUda!)
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