The Art of Drumming

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The Art of Drumming

Postby drakula63 » Sat Sep 22, 2018 12:49 pm

In case anyone is interested, SKY ARTS are showing a new series entitled 'The Art of Drumming' on Friday nights at 9pm - repeated Thursday at 11pm.

Generally, it's very good and features interviews and profiles of drummers who are generally regarded as being the masters of their craft and true pioneers - the likes of Billy Cobham, Earl Palmer, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Ginger Baker, John Bonham, Fred Below, Hal Blaine, Steve Gadd, David Garibaldi, Keith Moon, Bernard Purdie, Chad Smith, Jeff Porcaro, etc... etc... There was also a bit of nonsense in last night's episode about Ringo Starr, but we'll forgive them that as it seems that every music documentary HAS to give a mention to The Beatles in some form or another. But, evidently, he was the first 'British' drummer to have meant anything and done anything worthwhile within the world of pop music. No mention of Tony Meehan or Brian Bennett. Maybe next week...?

As I say, very interesting stuff and a real education. Just wish I had practised my rudiments as a kid!!!
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby Uncle Fiesta » Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:11 pm

Getting a bit fed up with people knocking Ringo Starr. He is unique, as any drummer who has tried to copy his style, and failed miserably, will tell you.
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby drakula63 » Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:53 pm

Uncle Fiesta wrote:Getting a bit fed up with people knocking Ringo Starr. He is unique, as any drummer who has tried to copy his style, and failed miserably, will tell you.


Never found it difficult myself. Rather like Charlie Watts, he got lucky and fell in with the right crowd. When you look at and listen to the other drummers featured in the programme, his inclusion did seem rather odd - more to do with his popularity (or popularity of his band) than his talent and influence I think. As I say, generally a very good programme - albeit with a few odd omissions and inclusions.

I'm not actually knocking the guy as such... just pointing out that to include him in a list of drummers who were genuinely innovative and inspirational, is a tad suspect. A good pop drummer, but not in the same league as anyone else featured in the programme. And why do people knock him, I wonder...?
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby JimN » Sun Sep 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Louis Bellson got a mention, though apparently only because he originated the two bass drum set-up.

It would be nice to think that ground-breaking jazz drummers like Kenny Clarke, Jo Jones, Art Blakey and Max Roach (plus Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich) were going to be included in a later episode dealing with the evolution of the modern kit itself as well as the general style of playing.

It's hard to escape the suspicion that Bernard "Pretty" Purdie has been so well included mainly because he has accomplished the trick of surviving this far. My first experience of his playing was on the Gabor Szabo "Jazz Raga" LP back in 1966.



By way of a "PS" to that Youtube video, please ignore all reference to the Gary McFarland Orchestra. He wrote the tune (such as it is), but the players on the track are Szabo (guitar), Bob Bushnell (guitar), Johnny Gregg (bass) and Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums). It was issued on a Gabor Szabo quartet LP - "Jazz Raga" - in 1966 and there isn't an orchestra anywhere in sight.
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby Uncle Fiesta » Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:57 pm

drakula63 wrote:
(Talking about Ringo)
I'm not actually knocking the guy as such...

(Then proceeded to knock him)

You may be interested in what a professional drummer and drum teacher has to say on this subject:

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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby drakula63 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:55 pm

Uncle Fiesta wrote:
drakula63 wrote:
(Talking about Ringo)
I'm not actually knocking the guy as such...

(Then proceeded to knock him)

You may be interested in what a professional drummer and drum teacher has to say on this subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQsKRyihEA


You're taking this a bit too personally, Steve. Is Ringo a mate of yours? Thanks for the youtube link, but I won't bother watching it as he's probably just going to try to counter the comments and opinions of the many. I'm not even saying that Ringo was a BAD drummer, just that he wasn't an especially GOOD one either. I don't suppose he cares what I think, so why should you? He was fine for the Beatles, but to suggest that he was some kind of drum god, is absurd. Everyone else in the programme seemed to have progressed the Art of Drumming to some degree. I'd dispute that Ringo did the same. But, as we know, no programme about music can be complete without some mention of the Fab Four. I rest my case.
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby dave robinson » Tue Sep 25, 2018 2:36 am

I once had a conversation with Brian Bennett about Ringo and he rates him very highly, at the time mentioning that people who knock him don’t know what they are talking about. He was very defensive of Ringo’s style and said that he was perfect for The Beatles and that he himself couldn’t have bettered what Ringo did. :idea:
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby drakula63 » Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:22 am

Yes, in most cases, if not in all, bands get the drummer that is right for them. And, no doubt about it, the Beatles ended up with the right drummer. I too have had a couple of very interesting conversations with Brian, during which I don't recall him saying anything negative or disrespectful about anyone.

I think the point that everyone here seems to be missing, is that whilst Ringo did what he did perfectly well, should he really have been featured prominently in a programme that had just one hour to show us some of the true pioneers and innovators who would then go on to become widely acknowledged for having changed or contributed significantly to the Art of Drumming. I would still maintain that Ringo's main reason for being featured was that he was in the most famous pop group of all time.

So, yeah, Ringo is probably the most famous and recognisable drummer in the world. And yes he fitted the Beatles like a glove and many a 'better' drummer could have ended up over-playing and therefore not being quite such a good fit. Like most of us here, I have heard just about everything the Beatles have recorded and whilst one can't help but to be impressed with the songs, the drumming has never really stood out for me. I'm of the opinion that both Tony Meehan and Brian Bennett made an equal, in fact, greater contribution to the art of drumming than Ringo ever did. But, sadly, the band in which they played wasn't the Beatles, so today they rarely get a mention.

What I find amusing and slightly irritating in equal measure, is that when people give examples of Ringo's great drumming, they simply draw our attention to things that, had they been played by any other drummer in another song, would go totally unnoticed and never mentioned. For example, the beginning of 'She Loves You', the fills in 'A Day in the Life', the opening to 'Birthday'... nothing wrong there, but nothing that good either. I think the best thing would be to watch the programme and then consider where Ringo sits in relation to all the other drummers mentioned (and, er, not mentioned!).

In closing, and because the programme-makers have thus far omitted them, here are a few of my favourite drumming moments from Tony and Brian.

F.B.I.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8COV_x7MB4

The Savage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2W3HJbf7Go

Guitar Tango:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K_EBJggcPQ

The Warlord:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-W1MomhsKw
(Let's see Ringo do that!)

Maroc 7:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=743CIqcqlpI

Trying to Forget the One You Love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ekHn3XDLJU
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby johnc » Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:57 am

Yeah, well...

As far as I recall, nearly EVERY drummer who had some ability but played in rock groups etc back then really wanted to play..... JAZZ! :? :roll: :lol:

Apart from classical music, the ultimate dream of many musicians was to play SERIOUS music...i.e. jazz...
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Re: The Art of Drumming

Postby JimN » Wed Sep 26, 2018 11:43 am

I remember an edition of "Ready, Steady, Go!" (circa 1966, during the period when all performances had to be live) in which Charlie Watts claimed that when drumming with the Rolling Stones, he was essentially playing jazz.
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