Arizona Bay Special Guest Star - Mike Rikter

Here When I asked drummers from around the world to send me pix of themselves, Mike took it all a bit serious and decided to send me a few pix of himself (and his missus, Mary Jo). Just to show my appreciation I have given him his own little corner of the site....(the real reason is the other guest drummers were getting jealous!). Mike is from Sioux Falls in South Dakota and e-mails about a million times a month (not that I am complaining!) - he lists his hobbies as horses, drumming and cups of tea!

Mike has a good taste in friends - namely Zoro - and a good line in kits - such as this rather superb Drum Workshop kit you see here......

Mike is to be seen here with a top Ludwig kit (not his) - he explains his bad posture can be put down to him straining to listen to a badly placed monitor system - I myself have never used a monitor system - in my days with Strat and Goffy, Monitor system meant you just sat closer to Goffy's old, moth eaten Selmer amp!

Going back to 2002, here is Mike's old Tama Rockstar kit - complete with Gibraltar Rack system and array of Sabian cymbals - check out the depth of those tama shells......

Mike in more familiar surroundings back behind his Drum Workshop kit....

... you see - Mike has spent so much on DW and Sabian gear that he cannot afford a pair of carpet slippers!

.....here is Mike's kit after addition of Sabian HHX cymbals in March 2004. You can also see he has a bit of a shift around with his toms as well.......

A slightly stripped down setup for a front room jam at the end of April 2004.......

More Jamming - May 2004 with a few more drums and fellow musicians....

Performing out in the open air, Summer 2004...

another shot showing the whole tight, little six piece!

...and here's a picture of Mike's Doggy.....

.... obviously a bit of a softy.....

.... and here's Mike's other Doggy.....

Here's Mike and his missus and another lady named Kay - Mike informs me that he got caught in a breakwater that was a little deeper than he expected - the photo was taken in Wilmington, North Carolina....

Mike often goes on about how much he loves the UK - he is with Mary Jo at Warwick Castle - Mike is also an addict of PG Tip and Yorkshire Tea - that are both very hard to get hold of in the USA. Luckily - he got hold of an import agent called Graham......

The same day that Mike was sending me this, I was moaning because I had to de-ice the Micra window in the morning. This is Winter  - South Dakota style.... OK - so I have no problems.....

That's a good yeehah, son. Mike and nephew about to lasoo some buffalo.... or something.....

Loads of atmosphere in this pic - you can almost hear the Bonanza theme music. This is Mike and Mary Jo and their Gee-Gee's.

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