The drumhead market has been somewhat of a duopoly for decades now, one that CODE drumheads CEO Mike Heaton benefited from in more than three decades of drumming for notable British rock band Embrace.
But the screws have been loosening, and tightening for that matter, as CODE drumheads, via Dynamic Music Australia, have entered the Australian market. This is a move that excites Heaton and should elicit a similar response from drummers all around the country.
Despite Heaton’s current role at CODE, he hasn’t always headed the brand. In fact, it was his dear friend and fellow drummer James Potts who initially established the foundations of what CODE would ultimately become.
“James was a police officer and played drums in a weekend band,” outlines Heaton. “One day, the coating came off his drum head. He went back to the shop where he bought it, and they said there was nothing they could do.
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“Frustrated, he went home, had a few glasses of wine, and decided to order his own drumheads. He found unbranded heads, bought a bulk amount, selling some on through eBay, which went rather successfully, so he ordered more and CODE was born.”
It’s a tale that’s equal parts unique to its telling as it is universal in how many brands are created. However, it was Heaton stepping in that legitimised the operation, striving for quality, specifically designed products that CODE has inevitably become.
“He asked me to try the heads,” notes Heaton. “I liked them, and I was looking for a new challenge after selling some shares in the venues I’d owned. I said I’d invest, but we had to turn it into a bona fide brand.”
And that’s just what they did, but it’s the way they approached the construction of the drumheads that make CODE unique. Heaton was inspired by an older method of crimping heads, but pioneered a layer to it he describes as ‘double-knurling’.
“The older method of making drumheads involves crimping: the head goes around a core, and an outer channel is crimped over it. That’s how we do it. But I wanted something a little different, so I came up with the idea of double-knurling the inside core.
“The steel core has deep knurling on each side. I thought that when you compress something around it, it would press into the knurls, create more grip, and increase the surface area. After some testing, we found the right formula. That’s our unique feature.”
The method has seen some incredible results, as well as some big names backing the drumheads. Iron Maiden’s drummer Michael “Nicko” McBrain has his own range with CODE, as well as shares in the company.
“Having Nicko on board is surreal. When I was growing up in the ’80s and becoming a drummer, one of my heroes was Nicko. I flew to Barcelona about three or four years ago, when Iron Maiden were playing at the Olympic Stadium. He tried the snare head and liked it. We made a deal, and he became a partner in the company— a shareholder.
“We designed two ranges: the Boomer Snare and Boomer Toms. “Boomer” is his nickname. The tom heads came first. They’re clear heads with a silver donut dot—a circle with a little circle in the middle.”
It was in this collaboration that CODE’s application of the ‘New Traditional’ is totally defined.
“Nicko told me his favourite drum head had been the Ludwig Rocker, a clear head with a silver dot, popular in the ’70s and ’80s. He’d also played Premier drums for years and loved their donut-dot design. I suggested combining the two ideas, and so we pulled it off.
“He asked his drum tech to put the head on for that night’s show, with 60,000 in attendance. I was sitting with the front-of-house engineer, Pooch, who’s worked with huge bands, and hoping it sounded good. It sounded phenomenal. Afterward, I asked Pooch what he thought, and he said it cut through. I was very relieved. The two ranges went out about two years ago.”
This relationship has been vital for CODE’s ascension to distributing globally, specifically within the context of their McBrain’s prototype test run, but it’s connections with lesser-known musicians that Heaton values too.
“We have nearly 200 artists in the UK,” exclaims Heaton. “People say we’ll endorse anyone, but I listen to every request. If I like the band, their ethos, or what they’re doing, we offer a deal.
“I want to give hard-working young musicians a chance. They become vocal about the gear they use, which helps people hear about CODE. Traditionally, endorsements went to people who could already afford the product. I want to turn that around and give young drummers a chance.”
It’s been Heaton’s experience of being a musician himself, aware of the challenges and struggle that come with that which shapes the ethos of CODE. An ethos that is creating a multi-layered ‘New Traditional’, something that is more holistic than just the way the heads are made.
For more info and to browse a huge range of CODE drum heads and accessories, visit Dynamic Music Australia.
