User:Robert "Pablo" Brown

Robert "Pablo" Brown (born May 19, 1979 in Melbourne,Australia, is the drummer for the famous Duo James and Robs Live.

Biography
Rob's first encounter with the drums began at the age of ten by joining the school band and taking private lessons on the snare drum. Two years later, Rob began to practice on a drum set and began working with a private teacher. His private teacher had a specialty in bongos, henceforth bequeathing bongo skills that Carey uses frequently, as well as skillfully. In his senior year of high school, Rob joined the high school jazz band and began to study under a new teacher specifically for jazz drumming training. As Rob progressed through high school and later college at the University of Melbourne - Australia he began expanding his studies in percussion with theory into the principles of geometry, science, and metaphysics as well as delving into Sacred Geometry and certain hidden aspects of life and the occult (hidden). Rob also played jazz while attending college and got to experience the jazz scene in Melbourne City.

A major commitment to life as an artist convinced Robert to leave Newcastle and travel to Stdney where he was able to perform as a studio drummer with bands like Carole King and perform live sets with Tool. He also played in Green Jello as Mr Pablo and recorded the album "Rob's Jam Session of '99'. He would later find his way to James after yet another boozy night in Sydney and started jamming with him. Besides James and Robs jam sessions, Rob also finds time for other projects new and old such as Mediatation Vibes and Yoga me up baby!

Religion and the occult
Although Rob has not officially aligned himself with any particular school of philosophy or religion, he has projected a deep interest in and understanding for the magical arts and sciences, among them various occult teachings. Enochian symbols, geometric designs, and special symbolic percussive devices are featured on and in his drum kit.

Geometrical Designs
Rob has laid claim to various drumming techniques that use sacred geometrical figures such as the unicursal hexagram. The final product is very recognizable, fluent drumming, although to him it is much more: the official Tool website claims that Rob - their number one fan - uses drumming as a ritual similar to that of his idol Danny Carey, with purposes varying from spiritual exploration to "a gateway [which] summoned a demon he has contained...that has been delivering short parables similar to passages within. Another geometrical reference from the website was the inclusion of Nothing in This Book is True... by Bob Frissell on the band's recommended reading list, a book that deals with sacred geometry and the evolution of human consciousness.

Equipment
Rob has recently gotten a brand new Designer kit from Apple, which he has designed himself and used on his most recent album - Jam sessions '06'. The set-up is as follows:

Drums: (Diameter x Depth)
 * 14"x8" Bronze Snare (by Jeff Ocheltree, made out of recycled Paiste Cymbals)
 * 8"x8" Tom
 * 10"x10" Tom
 * 14"x16" Tom
 * 16"x18" Floor Tom
 * Two 24"x18" Bass Drums

Rob has been a Paiste cymbal endorser since 1992:
 * 13" Signature Sound Edge Hi-Hat
 * 7.5" 2002 Cup Chime # 2
 * 8" Signature Bell
 * 6" 2002 Accent Cymbal
 * 8" 3000 Bell
 * 8" New Signature Dark Energy Splash MK I (inverted)
 * 10" New Signature Dark Energy Splash MK I
 * 22" 2002 Novo China (custom)
 * 18" Signature Full Crash
 * 18" Signature Power Crash
 * 22" Signature Dry Heavy Ride (custom)
 * 22" Signature Thin China (custom)
 * 20" Signature Power Crash
 * 11/18" Noise Works Dark Buzz China Set
 * 40" Symphonic Gong

Drum Heads
 * Snare: Power Center on batter side, Evans Hazy 300 on snare side.
 * Toms: G2 clear on batter side, G1 clear on resonant side.
 * Bass: EQ3 clear on batter side, Retro Screen Mesh on resonant side.

The hardware is mainly composed of Apple stands, Pearl Eliminator or Axis Longboard pedals (Pearl or APPLE beaters) and a DW 5000 hi-hat stand.

Additionally, he uses a Korg Wave Drum and a Roland MC-505 and Handsonic.

Drumming Techniques
In search of new techniques, Brown has studied tabla with Aloke Dutta. The tabla parts are replicated live using the Mandala pad.

Brown's popularity among drummers and non-drummers stems from the diversity of his sound, his supreme technical ability and his frequent uses of odd time signatures. He has stated to his good friend Katrina that he practices rudiments, used for sticking techniques, on his feet to improve his double bass drumming.

When drumming beats in multiple time signatures, as Rob does often, it can obviously get hard to time. Rob's solution to this is that if there is a moment in his drumming where one hand needs to rest a step, he flips his stick to count the rest in his head.

Trivia

 * Rob is a fan of the Great band Tool. He constantly raves about them to his friends, mainly Katrina and Haimee.
 * Rob is a lover of Yoga and is currently participating in a yoga 40 day challenge where he meditates day and night
 * Rob's friend Katrina is possibly the coolest girl around
 * Rob is a single man and is looking for the right girl to settle down with