in downey, karen attended downey high school. she was a good student, but did not like gym. in order to get out of gym, she asked to be in the marching band instead. when she got into the marching band, the director gave her the glockenspiel, an instrument that sounds somewhat like a xylophone. karen did not like the glockenspiel and asked her band director if she could play the drums instead. seeing karen's natural talent for rhythm, the director approved. from then on, she practiced drumming on pots and pans before her parents finally bought her a drum set.