MUSIC GEAR
AUGUST 11, 2021
The History Of Remo
The history of Remo Drumhead Company spawns for almost 65 years. It was all started in 1957 when Remo D. Belli a professional drummer created the first successful synthetic Mylar dumheads.
According to the official Remo website, After World War II experiments were being made with Mylar, a polyester film made by DuPont. This material was previously used during the war for military mission such as nighttime reconnaissance flights. Its durability and inexpensive price combined with weather resistant material provided pitch, tone and consistency never heard before.
These new features intrigued Remo to produce modern drumheads material that is more durable and flexible. Soon, he began to create the Weatherking drumheads, the first commercially successful synthetic polyester film drumhead design.
In 1957, Remo Incorporated was founded to market the drumheads, Remo Belli was in partnership with chemist Sam Muchnick for creating the new material. Unlike the traditional calfskin drumhead, the new Remo’s Mylar drumheads were not affected by humidity and temperature. Thus, giving drummers constant sound and tone for their kits.
However, purist jazz drummers preferred the sound of natural calfskin at the time. But these calfskin drumheads had to be frequently tuned with weather fluctuations. And this was the point where Remo drumheads gained comparative advantage due to its consistency. It was a hard effort for the company throughout 1960’s to gain market acceptance but eventually professional drummers started to realize they had better experience by using Remo heads.
Originally, the drumheads were white and opaque to help mimic the look of calfskin. It was intended for drummers to have the look as if they still hit the calfskin, so psychologically they would feel comfortable playing it.
Later innovations produced clear drumheads, two-ply drumheads (better durability and depth) and simulated natural drumheads.
Some of the currently popular Remo drumheads series are : Ambassador, Diplomat, Emperor, Ebony, Pinstripe and Powerstroke.
Today, Remo headquarter is located in Valencia, California after they moved in 1998. They have factories in the US and in Taiwan where they supply drumheads for various drum companies such as Pearl, DW Drums, Yamaha, Mapex, Pork Pie Percussion and Sonor.
One of the vacant buildings at the old Remo factory was renovated. It is now used as an activity center and named Remo Recreational Music Center. It features a 1,000-square-foot showroom and a 10,000-square-foot activity room packed with a huge inventory of Remo drums and percussion.
The Percussive Arts Society honors his innovations, on their PAS Hall Of Fame website they put Remo Belli on the list.
In recognition of his passionate works for drums and percussion community, Remo Belli was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame on November 8, 1986. The induction, which concluded PASIC ’86 in Washington D.C., occurred at the annual banquet.
Some other honors he received such as the Doctor of Music, Honoris Causa from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, during the July 2007 Masters of Music Education Commencement Exercises.
Remo Belli died on April 25, 2016 at age 88, but the history of Remo drumheads will live forever as his legacy of innovation for the percussion in all its forms carries on forever.
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