Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is a request from a subscriber, but this song has a story for me. When I was in college studying music, I was not the first call drummer for big band, or orchestra, or the theatre productions. My main percussion teacher was Nick Cerrato. He was a very important person in my musical development. Nick was also a Broadway pit musician and conductor. He was the conductor/musical director for the JCSC production of Grease.
The spring of 1982 was my last “official” semester of college and I decided to audition against all of the great drummers that I went to school at Jersey City State College. Most of the guys were listening intently to the Broadway cast album of Grease to prepare for the audition, but I was not even sure if I would audition. On the day of the auditions, I was one of the last drummers to audition and the first song they had me play was “Born to Hand Jive.” When it was my turn, I went in and started playing this funky 16th note disco inspired Bo Diddley beat and I got the gig! I never listened to the cast album from the play or movie. I just approached the song like a funky rock song, with a big back beat! Nick later told me, it was because of my rock music feel that I got the drum chair! That experience stuck with me and cemented my drumming direction to be a commercial pop/rock drummer. I played lots of different gigs in my career in all styles of music, but pocket music is my calling! Thank you Nick Cerrato for that inspiration during my college years!
This song was performed by the rock & roll revival band Sha Na Na and appeared in the 1978 film Grease as "Johnny Casino & The Gamblers," performing songs like "Those Magic Changes" and "Born to Hand Jive" during the Rydell High school dance scene. They were pivotal to the soundtrack and embodied the 1950s greaser aesthetic.
Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1978 film Grease. It was originally released by RSO Records and subsequently re-issued by Polydor Records between 1984 and 1991. It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, also ranking amongst the biggest selling soundtrack albums of all time. The song "You're the One That I Want" was a U.S. and UK No. 1 for stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Besides performers John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, the album also featured songs by rock and roll revival group Sha Na Na as well as the hit song "Grease", a tune written by Barry Gibb (of the Bee Gees) and sung by Frankie Valli (of The Four Seasons) that was an additional U.S. No. 1.
The Grease soundtrack drummers:
Ollie E. Brown – drums
Cubby O'Brien – drums
Carlos Vega – drums
Now available Earldrum's Spring Store
my-store-d51346.creator-spring.com
Basic Equipment:
Gretsch - 14x22
Ludwig Black Beauty - 5x14 Snare Drum
Vintage Pearl Fiberglass Concert Toms - 5.5x6, 5.5x8, 6.5x10, 8x12, 10x14, 14x16, 16x18
Paiste - 14" 505 Bottom/2000 Regular SE Bottom HH, 16” 2002 crash, 18" 2002 Crash, 22" 2002 Ride, 20" Giant Beat, (18" 2002 China)
Logic Pro X
Focusrite 18i20 Interface
Please check me out on Instagram @earldrum
Please check out my series on how to make a drum cover in this playlist youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGfPcwZGZAaWPBcf94n4py0UWD-RyyF2o
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. All copyrighted material remains the property of the respective copyright owner(s).
This is a request from a subscriber, but this song has a story for me. When I was in college studying music, I was not the first call drummer for big band, or orchestra, or the theatre productions. My main percussion teacher was Nick Cerrato. He was a very important person in my musical development. Nick was also a Broadway pit musician and conductor. He was the conductor/musical director for the JCSC production of Grease.
The spring of 1982 was my last “official” semester of college and I decided to audition against all of the great drummers that I went to school at Jersey City State College. Most of the guys were listening intently to the Broadway cast album of Grease to prepare for the audition, but I was not even sure if I would audition. On the day of the auditions, I was one of the last drummers to audition and the first song they had me play was “Born to Hand Jive.” When it was my turn, I went in and started playing this funky 16th note disco inspired Bo Diddley beat and I got the gig! I never listened to the cast album from the play or movie. I just approached the song like a funky rock song, with a big back beat! Nick later told me, it was because of my rock music feel that I got the drum chair! That experience stuck with me and cemented my drumming direction to be a commercial pop/rock drummer. I played lots of different gigs in my career in all styles of music, but pocket music is my calling! Thank you Nick Cerrato for that inspiration during my college years!
This song was performed by the rock & roll revival band Sha Na Na and appeared in the 1978 film Grease as "Johnny Casino & The Gamblers," performing songs like "Those Magic Changes" and "Born to Hand Jive" during the Rydell High school dance scene. They were pivotal to the soundtrack and embodied the 1950s greaser aesthetic.
Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1978 film Grease. It was originally released by RSO Records and subsequently re-issued by Polydor Records between 1984 and 1991. It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, also ranking amongst the biggest selling soundtrack albums of all time. The song "You're the One That I Want" was a U.S. and UK No. 1 for stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Besides performers John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, the album also featured songs by rock and roll revival group Sha Na Na as well as the hit song "Grease", a tune written by Barry Gibb (of the Bee Gees) and sung by Frankie Valli (of The Four Seasons) that was an additional U.S. No. 1.
The Grease soundtrack drummers:
Ollie E. Brown – drums
Cubby O'Brien – drums
Carlos Vega – drums
Now available Earldrum's Spring Store
my-store-d51346.creator-spring.com
Basic Equipment:
Gretsch - 14x22
Ludwig Black Beauty - 5x14 Snare Drum
Vintage Pearl Fiberglass Concert Toms - 5.5x6, 5.5x8, 6.5x10, 8x12, 10x14, 14x16, 16x18
Paiste - 14" 505 Bottom/2000 Regular SE Bottom HH, 16” 2002 crash, 18" 2002 Crash, 22" 2002 Ride, 20" Giant Beat, (18" 2002 China)
Logic Pro X
Focusrite 18i20 Interface
Please check me out on Instagram @earldrum
Please check out my series on how to make a drum cover in this playlist youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGfPcwZGZAaWPBcf94n4py0UWD-RyyF2o
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. All copyrighted material remains the property of the respective copyright owner(s).
