After a Los Angeles street musician had his drums stolen, Metallica stepped in to save the day
Metallica live in London in 2017 and Sheriff Drumman.
Anthony Eugene Sheriff, known to people across the Los Angeles area as Sheriff Drumman, had his life turned upside down last December when his truck and drum set were stolen at 4:30 a.m. outside his apartment in Hawthorne, California.
“When I got outside, I had a total panic attack,” Sheriff, 34, told the Los Angeles Times. “I fainted in front of my neighbors. I started screaming, I was calling for help like someone had shot me. It felt like the devastating news of a loved one being murdered.
“It means the world to me,” he said about his music. “Without drums, my life would have went a completely different way. There’s no other way to say it. It’s my therapy, it’s my fun, it’s my life.”
After his truck was stolen, Sheriff immediately took to social media to tell his followers to be on the lookout.
Sheriff’s truck and drums weren’t just for transportation and self-expression, they were his livelihood. He built a special rig in his truck’s flatbed so that he can play drums while being driven all over town. They also allowed him to easily set up and play at Los Angeles Rams' tailgate parties and in shopping centers.
Sheriff was "discovered" at a gas station and subsequently made an appearance on "The Steve Harvey Show."
"I went to a part in my life and I said 'You know what? These drums is keeping me going,'" he told Harvey. "I said, why have a gift being able to do something and not be able to make money from it?"
During the pandemic, Sheriff was playing up to six gigs a day, getting paid $300 a for an hour's gig.
The truck also had sentimental value. Sheriff spent six years building the rig, handcrafting the metal supports and eye-catching #SheriffDrumman sign that hovers above the makeshift stage.
A few days after his truck went missing, it was located near train tracks on Slauson Avenue. But unfortunately, his drum kit and the elaborate setup he created to play on the truck’s flatbed were gone. Sheriff started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the repairs he needed to get working again.
So far, the campaign has earned nearly $20,000.
Last week, Sheriff got a big help from people who understand the importance of music, Metallica. A representative from the legendary heavy metal band caught up with Sheriff in Hollywood and gave him a new drum set.
Videos on Sheriff’s Instagram page show that he did have a kit to play when he received the new set, but as any musician will tell you, one set of drums is never enough.
Sheriff couldn’t believe the band’s generosity. "Man, thank you guys so much," he said. "Thank you for taking the time and the resources to support and help what I do. I love you for that."
We're honored to be able to help out a fellow artist. Keep the music going, Sheriff Drumman!https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/sheriff-drumman-whose-drums-were-stolen-gets-new-set-thanks-to-metallica/2800734/\u00a0\u2026— Metallica (@Metallica) 1642706537
Even though Metallica is known for songs such as “Creeping Death” and “Ride the Lightning,” it's touching to see they still have some love in their dark hearts to help out a fellow musician. Now, it would be great if Sheriff could post a video on his Instagram page of him playing a cover of Metallica's “Fight Fire With Fire.”
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Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."