Omnibus Tama Bell Brass (Entry 1275.PR2225)
Feb 5, 2026
Nabil Ayers, author and music executive who led Beggars Group and wrote a memoir about family and identity. He talks about growing up in a musical family, running Sonic Boom Records from a napkin plan, touring life and hacks, collecting prized snares like the Tama Bell Brass, and the mythology around legendary studio drums.
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Early Drum Set Sparked A Career
- Nabil's uncle bought him a real Ludwig drum set when he was two and a half, kickstarting his lifelong drumming habit.
- He played along to records, never took formal lessons, and later regretted selling that first kit.
Napkin Business Plan Made A Record Store
- Nabil Ayers and a friend opened Sonic Boom Records in 1997 after calculating a simple sales-per-hour plan on a napkin.
- They planned costs, set targets (two new CDs + one used CD per hour) and built community ties that made the store succeed.
Turn Costs Into Hourly Sales Targets
- When starting a small retail business, break costs into per-hour sales targets to test feasibility.
- Design simple, achievable daily/hourly goals before committing capital.
