The skin also appeared on an episode of Later… with Jools Holland, and is being used on the English rock band’s current tour of the UK and Ireland.
Brooklyn printed six skins: two for the band's kits in Europe and the US, and four spares. The skins are bright pink and emblazoned with the title of Kasabian’s latest album: 48:13.
Falkirk-based Brooklyn Graphics has printed drum graphics before, but never for a band as well known as Kasabian.
“The only challenge was the colour – they were very critical about that being bright and glowing,” said partner at Brooklyn Graphics Darren Brooks. “That was just trial and error and applying as much ink to the vinyl as I possibly could."
The company, which also prints vehicle graphics, canvas art and retail signage, was approached by the supplier of Kasabian’s drums, Falkirk’s DD Drums, because it had worked on decorative drum skins with the company before.
The job was printed on Brooklyn’s new Mimaki CJV30-160 printer-cutter on adhesive-backed wrapping vinyl. It was then applied to the transparent drum skin.
“It was done in exactly the same manner as vehicle wrapping. You just tend to use your normal Averys and 3Ms and things like that,” said Brooks, adding: “But you can’t use a heat gun because the drum skin is plastic.”
Printing of the job had to be kept secret so as not to reveal the title of the new album. “You’re wanting to jump off the roof telling people and to get in touch with everyone to tell them, but you can’t,” said Brooks.
DD Drums owner David Dowell said: “The set designer’s brief was that the pink had to match the album cover and the stage backdrop. Brooklyn managed it first time – it looks excellent.”
He added that drum graphics are also sometimes printed directly onto the original drum skin as some people believe this leads to a better sounding instrument. This isn’t an issue where the drum will be used in such huge gigs as Kasabian’s, he explained.
Describing seeing the skin on Later… with Jools Holland, Brooks added: “It was catching the eye of the cameraman, which I found hilarious; tens of thousands of pounds spent on lights and the guy’s zooming in on the drum skin!”
