Although I can hardly believe it, it’s been over 30 years since I had the idea for the Rhythm Stick (now called The Jamma).

 

I was just 19...  If someone had told me then, how much that simple idea would develop, and what a massive effect it would have on my life, the joy, the heart ache and missed opportunities, I simply would not have believed them.  It even cost me my two front teeth.

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I’ve realised over the years that many people have ideas. Good ideas, bad ideas and crazy ideas, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter, is if you turn them into a reality.

 

And that.  

 

Is not easy.

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A dear friend Paul financed the development of the early Rhythm Stick back in the 80's and negotiated a licencing deal with Dynacord and then it was called the 'Dynacord Rhythm Stick'.  After that deal went spectacularly wrong, I tried to relaunch it as 'The Jamma' in the 90's.

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From my invention, I received and lost a small fortune, I demonstrated The Jamma to many well known musicians and bands as diverse as U2 and David Morales. I taught Michael Jackson how to play it and I unwittingly contributed to getting Jules Holland kicked off the seminal U.K. TV series The Tube (the video clip has been edited to remove the bit where both Jules and I use the 'F' word by accident!).  I’ve lost dear friends over it, and found new ones through it. I’ve tasted huge success with it, and been devastated by it.

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​There are many mobile MIDI trigger instruments now, but the Rhythm Stick was the first in its field and precedes them all.  Fast forward a few decades with the development of the Raspberry Pi and and the awesome MegaDrum, and it's a totally new ball game.  The Jamma, dear friends - and I - are back.  Big time.  I’m redeveloping The Jamma using this new tech and will post videos soon, you might be surprised.

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​So... I could not tell the story of this instrument without telling my own personal story. If you read on, be prepared, for this is the real, ‘warts and all’ experience that I had in turning one of my ideas into reality.  

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BiG LOve, Pete :)

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