The book fair where creativity meets the future, London Book Fair, opened its doors last March 11-13, 2025, in Olympia, London. Drawing around 30,000 attendees, this year’s London Book Fair showcased the vibrant world of publishing and creative content, marking a significant milestone in the industry. The fair not only maintained its impressive attendance figures but also celebrated a 10-percent boost in rights-center table sales compared to 2024.
Citi of Books is proud to have been part of this prestigious event, representing the incredible works of our talented authors in stand 7B94. In our assigned booth, a range of books—from fiction to nonfiction—would be on exhibit. A book included in the gallery was “Give the Drummer Some: Drum Line Origins in School-Daze Confunktory” by Milton Lawrence Cox II.
Milton Lawrence Cox II graduated “Thank-You-Laude” with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Business at Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA. At VSU, he was impressed and taught that playing music in a college level marching band is performing on the professional level.
During his junior year at Big State (VSU) he also sought out and volunteered for a one semester cooperative education internship as a computer programmer trainee at Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company in Hartford, CT, which upon successful completion was extended for a second semester.
Keeping his love for percussion playing current, he has performed in and around eastern Virginia as a drummer-percussionist with the Virginia State University Alumni Theatre Ensemble’s production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.
He is also prone to offer occasional sit-in rudimental combination strokes on his church’s drum set as his choir’s accompaniment. The former U. S. Navy Lieutenant is a behavioral health provider and resides in Hampton Roads, VA.
“Give the Drummer Some: Drum Line Origins in School-Daze Confunktory” provides a personal and vivid account of Cox’s experiences as an African American schoolboy drummer in the 1960s and 1970s. As a member of various school music groups, including marching bands, concert bands, and string orchestras, Cox explores the evolution of the “drum section” into what is now known as the “drumline.”
The book focuses on the transformative period during which the “military-style cadence” of traditional marching bands evolved into the funk-driven, syncopated beats that characterize modern drumlines. Cox attributes this shift to three key factors: the competitive nature among percussionists, the desire to push the boundaries of rhythmic cadences, and the intense focus on rivalries between schools. This transformation also included a move toward dynamic, visually engaging performances, where drummers not only played but moved in sync with the music, energizing the crowd.