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FIG
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02
03
ISSUE 051 • SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2015

010 • Anton Fig ~ Why Ask Why?

BY MOVER

004
Cover Photo: Mover, Above Photo: Kate Cauthen
 I love to converse and talk to people musically.
That’s what I really love to do. - Anton Fig
006 Editor’sLetter
008 Subscriptions
009 DrumheadApp
053 CDInfo
054 PlayWithThePros
“Vespers”
By ABCD

055 DrumU
AccenTed 16Th-noTe excercIses
plAyed oVer sAmbA
By Art Bernstein

056 Rucker’sRuckus
Where’s one?
By steve ruCker

062 TakeNotes
drummers And guITAr & bAss
By steve AnismAn

065 Bee’sBuzz
The menTAl ApproAch To
drummIng
By iAn Bee

066 KingSizeTips
030 Casey Scheuerell ~ Come Full Circle
By mover
sImon sAys
By john king

068 WeekendWarrior
...And We Are lIVe In 5 ...
By kent ABerle

070 LessonsOnLessons
The Three quesTIons ThAT
solVe All drummIng problems
By evAn pollACk

072 MeetTheMaker
pAIsTe The hIsTory & The mAkIng

077 Gear
neW And noTeWorThy

082 Gear2Share
bAe AudIo 1073 mpl & b15 eq
zIldjIAn k cusTom dArk crAshes
086 CDDVDBookReleases
090 BackIssues
compleTe your collecTIon!

091 CaughtInTheAct
kenneTh “chIp” WIlson
Allen, olI sAVIlle, nAThAn “Tugg”
currAn, Troy lucckeTTA, Todd
suchermAn. 044 Joey Peebles ~ Supa Funkin’ Rockin’ Man
By stAn hAll
094 InMemoriam
VIc FIrTh

005
editor’sletter

staying power Your ticket to ride

SePteMBer - octoBer 2015
It was ten years ago that I started Drumhead and was first faced with the task No. 051
of having to choose the drummers to be in the premier issue which would best WWW.drUMHeAdMAG.coM

represent my vision for what this magazine is all about. Drumhead would never be editorial
Jonathan Mover Editor-in-Chief
the “flavor of the month,” nor would it be based or focused on one genre. Drumhead mover@drumheadmag.com

to me, was going to be the magazine to showcase the life of a drummer; more than Genoveva Winsen Managing Editor
genoveva@drumheadmag.com

just what gear they played or whom their latest gig was with. Josie dahl Asst. Managing Editor
josie@drumheadmag.com

art
For the premier issue especially, I wanted players that represented all facets of the James Kloiber Art Direction
james@drumheadmag.com
industry; drummers that were doing something new, that were in control of their coNtriButiNg WriterS
careers, that were breaking ground, that had made personal choices and career kent aberle, Steven anisman, art
Bernstein, ian Bee, Stan Hall, John king,

decisions that didn’t necessarily follow the flow or adhere to the norm...but I also evan Pollack, Steve rucker, Skip Saylor,
david Segal.

wanted players that represented drumming for the long run and long haul, and did it coNtriButiNg PHotograPHerS
kate cauthen, Jon Fin, richard Pierce,
solely because they loved it, and not for any other reason. lissa Wales, genoveva Winsen.

MuSic NotatioN
art Bernstein, richard Pierce, Steve rucker.
Hence, Anton Fig being an obvious choice for the debut of Drumhead. My only regret coPY editiNg
was that I didn’t do the interview. I had my hands full with everything else necessary ganesh giri Jaya lee

advertiSiNg
to prepare the issue, so I hired a great journalist, gave him some insight on what to (646) 624-2734
Email: advertising@drumheadmag.com
ask, and was very happy with the result. But I also knew that Anton didn’t speak to WeBPageS
him, the way he speaks to me, and although a great feature was the result, I decided www.drUMHeAdMAG.com
www.facebook.com/DrumheadMag
then and there that I had to get into the game and add journalist to the resume. Twitter: @DrumheadMag
Instagram: @DrumheadMag

SuBScriPtioN iNquirieS
I’ve known Anton for a very long time, and for a drummer that could have easily aNd cHaNge oF addreSS
email info@drumheadmag.com

sat back and rested on his laurels–having such a prestigious and coveted gig as Webpage:
www.drumheadmag.com/subscribe
Letterman–Anton is always looking to better himself as a player, by practicing new
things, listening to new music, checking out new guys and forever being critical geNeral iNForMatioN

(though sometimes overly so) about his groove and what it does to each and every drUMHeAd
Drumhead LLC.
song he applies it to. 3229 Casitas Ave
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Phone (646) 624-2734
email info@drumheadmag.com

I’ve been a big fan since first hearing him on a record. I knew he was a good
` player, druMHead llc.
but it wasn’t until I found myself sitting in his shoes and playing with his band, that Jonathan Mover - ceo, Publisher &
Managing Member.
I really got the chance to see just how good, make that great, a player Anton really
is. Groove aside, Anton has the chops and then some. He can play polyrhythms, have drUMHeAd is published bimonthly by
drumhead llc.

fun with metric modulations, play with time and do 32nd-note runs around the kit, 2 orton lane
Moultonborough, NH 03254

but unlike so many players that learn the very same and force it into everything annual subscription price is $24.95.
Submission of manuscripts, illustrations
they play and onto everyone they play with, Anton keeps most of it tucked away and and/or photographs must be accompanied
by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
hidden, only occasionally showing that side here and there on the right gig. Music the publisher assumes no responsibility
for unsolicited materials.
comes first, and that understanding and outlook is why he’s had such a spectacular distributed to the music trade by
career thus far, and is now ready to get back into the studio and out on the road, Hal leonard corporation.

Postmaster send changes of address to:

doing what he loves and does best.
drUMHeAd Magazine
3229 casitas ave
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It’s no surprise to me that ten years later, Anton is not only still at the top of his copyright© 2014 by drumhead llc. all
game, but with the end of The Late Show upon him, is ready, excited and fired up rights reserved. reproductions, in whole
or in part, without the publisher’s prior
more than ever to now have the opportunity to get back out and into the scene that written permission are strictly prohibited.

terMS oF uSe
he’d been removed from 29 years ago when he committed to staying in New York City the information contained herein is
presented to our readers as a reference tool
full time and being available five days a week for TV. only. drUMHeAd magazine will not be
responsible or liable for any damages arising
from the use of information contained herein.

Anton’s a drummer for all the right reasons...it’s what he loves to do. And that in the opinions expressed herein are
those of the individual authors and do
itself speaks volumes for his forty-year career that’s still going strong and about to not necessarily represent the views of
drumhead llc d/b/a drumhead Magazine.
start a new chapter. drumhead llc does not warrant the
accuracy or completeness of information
contained herein, such information is
subject to change, and is used herein for
informational purposes only.
I waited a decade for this interview and am so happy to have Anton showcased here Printed in the USA.
in Drumhead once again. I’m already looking forward to our next chat for 2025.

006
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 ANTON
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WHY ASK WHY?
INTERVIEW - MOVER PHOTOS - KATE CAUTHEN

Some drummers find themselves in the right place at the right time and end up finding fame
and/or fortune, though neither tends to last for a very long time. That’s called: Luck. Other
drummers find themselves in the right place at the right time and end up finding fame and/or
fortune, which lasts for many, many years and winds up being a full-time career. That’s called:
Skill. Anton Fig is the latter.
From the moment I heard him, which was on Joan Armatrading’s Me Myself I record, I knew
I was listening to someone that was more than just a drummer; I was listening to someone
that knew music. Anton had something special in his personality and character which made
him stand out above and beyond most others, which I later found out was due to his African
background being a direct influence on his groove, his sense of time and his musicality.

Having occupied the coveted drum chair of The Late Show with David Letterman for 29 years, and
played with the crem de la crem of the music industry–both in the studio and on stage–Anton
could easily take a break, call it a day, wind down a bit and relax, now that the show has
ended. But no. Now that the “golden handcuffs” have been unlocked, less than a month
after the last show aired, he was in Nashville recording the new Joe Bonamassa record and
preparing for several upcoming tours.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Anton for many years, as well as had the opportunity to sub
for him in his band Skollie, when he was unable to do a tour, so I know just how great a player
he is. And as much as I continually tell him, and enjoy speaking to him and picking his brain
about particular things he’s played and done, he’s always ever-so-humble and ever-so-
grateful for the career that he’s had so far, though he’ll be the first to say he doesn’t know why.

Even though he doesn’t why, I do, and now you will too.

010
011
JM: You’ve had one of the most
successful careers a drummer could
have. The whole world knows you,
but they don’t know how f*ck*ng
good you really are, and I do. I
know because I’ve stepped in your
shoes when filling in for you on the
Skollie tour, where I had to not only
learn your parts, but also had to
learn your feel, which wasn’t easy.
Being from South Africa, you have
an interpretation and understanding
of rhythm that is definitely something
different. I’d like to talk about the
elements of your African background
that make you the player you are, with
the feel you have, and the chops that
for the most part, you keep hidden.
Let’s start with your musical history
from Cape Town and work our
way to you coming to the States
and studying at New England
Conservatory in Boston.
AF: Well, my parents always encouraged
music. My mother played the piano and
my dad had a big jazz and classical
collection, so I grew up hearing all that,
as well as the African music that existed
there. And when I say ‘growing up,’ I’m
talking before the age of five, because
I’d been banging on pots and pans at
three or four. By the time I was five, I had
a set of toy drums because a friend of
my parents knew that I played, and gave
me some. I was just always drawn to the
sound of the drums and I loved to play.
When I was six, my grandfather gave
me a bass drum and a snare, and every
birthday, added a tom until I was ten;
then I had a full set. Then he bought me
a Premier black and white pearl set that I
used for quite a while.
JM: And when you say playing, I
imagine you were listening to the
radio or playing along to records, like
most of us.
AF: Yeah. But by eight, I was playing with
Keith [Lentin – bassist in Skollie] and we
were in a bunch of local bands together.
We won the Battle of the Bands when I
was 12.
JM: Oh, you go back that far?
AF: Yeah. I met Keith in Cub Scouts.
He said, “I play the guitar” and I said, “I
play the drums.” There was quite a big
age difference in those days, because
I was eight and he was eleven, but it’s
not so big now, obviously, because we’re
both ninety [laughs]. We started to play
together, and we’ve played together for
decades, and we’re still friends.
But with regard to music, growing up
I heard jazz and classical music in my
home, and of course I heard African
012
music, very similar to what you hear on
the Paul Simon Graceland record; the
music behind his vocals.
JM: Ray Phiri and the players from
Soweto?
AF: It was a lot of that, yeah. That
kind of music was on the radio. We got
Lorenzo Marques [Mozambique] on the
short wave radio, which was like our
window to overseas; they played the
music that came out of England–the
BBC–but it also broadcast what came
out of America. I remember, at night,
we’d tune in and listen, because South
Africa was a very closed country in those
days due to apartheid. We didn’t have TV
and the government didn’t allow much
info to come in; they didn’t want outside
influences messing up the political
structure of the country. In fact, when we,
as musicians, used to play with people of
color, you could only play on campus at
the university or in your home.
JM: You couldn’t mix and go out to
play in public.
AF: Right, you couldn’t gig in public. So,
my parents used to have parties all the
time where we’d have all different bands
playing, and I would get to play with all
kinds of local and visiting musicians. I
was interested in all music. I remember
listening in South Africa, pre-English
invasion; we heard, “Personality” by Lloyd
Price, which was Earl Palmer playing
drums, we heard Elvis with DJ Fontana,
and we heard James Brown with Jabo
and Clyde. I had these records, but I
don’t remember how they came into my
possession.
JM: What a great mix to grow up
with, and all heavy on the grooves.
AF: Yeah, and when I finally got the
Letterman show, one of the criteria of
getting the gig was to know a lot of
material. I knew a ton of these songs. I
didn’t know I knew them, but I just knew
them. I listened to My Fair Lady, because
my parents had it, and I listened to James
Brown on record. I made no distinction, I
listened to all kinds of music and that’s
what served me well when I got older,
particularly in being be able to cross-
pollinate a whole lot of stuff, to make it
into my style.
JM: I can certainly see where all of
that comes into play, especially on
a gig like Letterman. But there is
definitely something in your groove
and feel that is not “American,”
meaning James Brown or Lloyd
Price, and I believe it’s in how you
feel a triplet and how you bridge
the gap between 4 and 6. African
music dances back and forth very
easily between the two, and in a
way, often plays both at the same
time. Whereas, here in the States,
4 is straight, rock and pop, 6 is
blues, and 3 is a waltz. From what
I gathered by playing with Blondie
[Chaplin – singer/guitarist Skollie,
Rolling Stones, Beach Boys], the
triplet and feel of 4 and 6 in Africa is
different from America and England,
and it absolutely affects the swing of
the groove. I don’t mean swing as in
jazz, but in what Jeff Porcaro would
call the lope of somebody’s groove.
AF: Right, there is a difference in feel,
though I’m not sure I can articulate it.
JM: It’s not in the downbeat or quarter
notes, but more within the notes and
spaces in between. Those guys that
play in the Soweto bands have a
very distinct feel, which is very un-
American and very non-white, if you
know what I mean. And you’ve got
that too.
AF: Yeah. Well, I think you’re right;
that’s growing up in South Africa. It’s
not something that I consciously did,
but just what I heard. I mean, I am an
Afro-American [laughs]. Felicia [Collins –
Letterman guitarist] always says, “You’re
the Afro-American in the band.”
HEAR IT HERE
JM: So, when you were a kid playing
with local musicians, they weren’t
pointing out, “The beat needs to be
here, and it feels like this…” you just
heard it in music and naturally have
it?
AF: No one said anything; I just played
it. To this day, I hear some of those intros
from some of those records in Soweto,
and can’t, for the life of me, figure out
where they’re starting and how they’re
coming in.
JM: Tell me about it! [Laughs] “What
This All About,” the track that you did
with Skollie that I had to play.
AF: Yeah.
JM: I played that a dozen times on
tour thinking that I was starting on
the ONE, with the bass, but it was
really the ‘AND of FOUR.’ One night,
a light bulb went off when I finally
realized the song was starting on the
AND, but because of the bass line,
which starts on the AND and slides
over and across the downbeat of
ONE, I just couldn’t hear it like that.
It’s brilliant.
I’m glad that I learned to record the old-fashioned way.

013
 The only thing I’ve always been
conscious of is trying to make
the music really groove;
that’s the most important thing.
AF: Right. I MILES TO AMERICA
remember when
Johnny Depp was
on the show and
he said he doesn’t
ever watch himself
once he’s done a
movie. And I’m not
comparing myself
to him either, but
I never listen to
myself after I’ve
done a record. I
might listen to the
record once just to
hear it. But I get
so focused in, that
if I hear any kind
of drift, it sends
me into major
panic, because I
am so focused on
having the groove.
I almost picture
it as a geometric
pattern or a ditch
that I can lay in. It
doesn’t mean that
you’ve got to stay
AF: Yeah, those beats, I just grew up with
in like a machine–you can sway in and
them. I didn’t consciously seek anything
out of it–but it’s just that you know where
out. I just heard it, and it had an influence
it is and you’ve got that forward thrust and
on me. The only thing I’ve always been
momentum all the time. To me, that’s the
conscious of is trying to make the music
most important thing about drumming.
really groove; that’s the most important
thing.
JM: Those are chops, just different
I’ve never ever thought of myself as
ones. Not the acrobatics of what
a chops player at all. I feel completely
many are doing today. But you do
rudimentary. I don’t really have any
have those chops too. You might not
chops, compared to what I hear people
be playing double-bass blast beats
doing now, but what I know is, a lot of
at 300 BPM, but I’ve seen you do
people tell me that I have a really great
dates around the city where you can
feel.
throw in a polyrhythm or a metric
modulation and lose everyone in the
JM: No argument here.
snap of a finger. Where does that
AF: Sometimes when I listen back to
come from?
myself, I don’t know if I’m too focused
AF: I’ve always been interested in how
in, but I hear little fluctuations, and it
other rhythms superimposed on the
drives me nuts. Then I’ll go listen to
original rhythm relate to the time. And I
Tony Williams and I’ll hear him pushing
try and feel it as opposed to count it. So,
the time, and it doesn’t bother me in the
it creates this tension, but it can throw
slightest. Of course, I’m not comparing
people off easily if you get influenced by
myself to him at all.
the new rhythm. Obviously there is a time
and place for it, but at the right time, it can
JM: No, I understand completely.
be really effective, especially when you
Whether it’s Tony or Bonham or
release back to the original tempo.
Ringo, we love everything they do,
but for us, we’re the ‘time police.’
014
JM: Okay, then why, with this
background of African music and
the English and U.S. invasion that
came in, the decision to follow
jazz and classical to New England
Conservatory?
AF: Well, I told my folks I wanted to play in
America because: “That’s where the best
musicians were.” Cape Town was so cut
off; Mandela was still in prison in those
days. And because South Africa was so
cut off, I felt like I needed to hear and see
the really great players in America. We
didn’t have TV and we had no videotapes,
we barely had any records. And by
the way, records are very deceiving…
because for example, I thought Ginger
Baker was thundering away, and yet he
plays very lightly. So, I wanted to see all
these people play. And also see if I had
a chance to play [professionally]. My
parents said, “If you go to America, you
have to get a degree.” That’s why I went
to New England Conservatory. I had a
friend going there, so I applied for the jazz
department, and they accepted me to the
classical department. I don’t know why.
JM: Academically it worked out that
way? You didn’t audition?
AF: No, no, I sent in a tape. They said,
“You have to play ‘Stella By Starlight,’ a
jazz standard.” I had no idea what “Stella
By Starlight” was; I’d never heard it. I
think I did “Can’t Buy Me Love” in a swing.
JM: [Laughs] Well, it does swing.
AF: I had a jazz pianist playing with me
[laughs]. I did that and a ballad, sent in
the tape, and they accepted me to the
classical department. I got there, and
I did the jazz degree and the classical
degree at the same time and they said,
“You can have whichever degree you
want.” I thought, “Well, if I go into a jazz
club in New York and tell them I’ve got a
jazz degree, I’m going to get beaten up.”
JM: [Laughs] Of course! Classical
musicians kick ass!
AF: [Laughs] “I’ll take the classical
one.” But right before I left Africa, I
heard Bitches Brew [Miles Davis] and
started to get interested in jazz, perhaps
because this was the beginning of a
jazz/rock sensibility that gave me a way
in. Though, this is weird–I got into jazz
to make me a better rock player, not
necessarily to make me a jazz player.
JM: Nothing weird at all. As far as I’m
concerned, the best rock drummers
all swing. Bonham, Vinnie, Newmark,
Phil Collins, Jeff Porcaro… they all
have swing in their feel, and in their
background.
AF: Yeah, you can definitely hear it. When
I got to Boston, I got completely into jazz
and only listened to Jack DeJohnette,
Tony and Elvin, Ed Blackwell, Joe
Chambers, Roy Haynes, all that stuff. For
five years, all I did was just listen to and
play jazz. And then I moved to New York.
JM: With or without a gig?
AF: Without a gig. I moved to New York
and did weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. It was
funny because I was playing with all these
jazz guys and they were saying, “You’ve
got to get back to your roots.” They were
wearing dashikis; at the time, Herbie
[Hancock] was into Mwandishi and all that
stuff. I said, “Wait a second. My roots? I
grew up on The Beatles and Cream and
Hendrix.” That’s what I used to listen to
when I was young and playing in bands.
At that point, I started to play rock
again and I immediately got work. And
now I could throw the jazz stuff into the
rock stuff, and back in those days, people
weren’t doing it as much. Not like now. In
those days, they didn’t know it so much.
For example, when I did Ace’s [Frehley]
record, which was one of the first records
I did, I was playing some rock fills, but
also playing some jazz fills in rock songs,
which came from having played only jazz
for five years, although playing with a
rock sensibility.
JM: It’s interesting you mention that.
Are you familiar with a drummer
named Ray Luzier?
AF: Yeah.
JM: Great player. We do something
in the magazine called “Tuning
In,” about a particular track/
record/drummer/gig, anything that
influenced and changed your life
I listened to all kinds of music
and that’s what served me well
when I got older, particularly
in being be able to cross-
pollinate a whole lot of stuff, to
make it into my style.
when you heard it, and he cites that fills that you played on the demo,” which
record and the fills in the opening was just something off the top of my
track. After we printed it, quite a few head. So I copied them and played them
drummers wrote in and commented on the record. A lot of drummers like that
as well. song and the fills. Pretty basic, but at that
AF: Oh, “Rip It Out.” Well, you know who time, it was cool.
else too, the Foo Fighters guys, Dave
and Taylor. They like talking about it when JM: You actually have a writing credit
they see me. It’s extremely flattering. on a song called, “Wiped Out.” What
was your involvement and how did
JM: How did you land that gig, if all that come about?
you were doing was playing a bunch AF: Ace was playing a riff and I played it
of weddings and Bar Mitzvahs? one way and then put a spin on it, which
AF: After a while in New York I formed made the same riff sound completely
a band with Keith and Amanda [Blue - different. I would go between the two
vocalist]… drumbeats and he kept his part the
same. So we worked up a track and he
JM: Spider. said go and write some lyrics and you’ll
AF: Yeah, Spider, here in New York. We probably make more on the song than for
were auditioning bass players and one drumming on the record, which was true,
guy in particular, who didn’t actually get though Ace was always very generous
the gig with us, said, “I’ve got a friend, with me. We became good friends from
Ace, and he’s looking for a drummer.” So that period on.
I went up and played with Ace and we
demoed four songs. Then I went up and NY GROOVE
did some more. It was great at the time,
but you know, I actually didn’t even know JM: Let’s back up just a little bit.
who Kiss was, quite honestly. To me, Kiss So you finish school in Boston, you
was a band on the side of a bus, and I move to New York, and Spider…?
wasn’t into the whole folklore of them AF: We were all in Boston. Keith and
though I knew they were huge. I asked Amanda were in Boston, and after I went
Ace, “Are you a
rhythm guitarist or
a lead guitarist?” I
really didn’t know.
Anyway, he
asked me to do
the record. We
went up to the
Colgate mansion
in Connecticut,
and we cut the
record with me on
the landing of the
staircase and Ace
sitting next to me,
with his guitar amps
in another room
and Eddie Kramer
in the truck outside.
When it came to
recording “Rip It
Out,” Ace said, “I
want you to play the
015
 I’ve always been interested in how other rhythms
superimposed on the original rhythm relate to the time.
And I try and feel it as opposed to count it.
to New York, they came to New York. We
didn’t have any record yet, but we were
trying to get signed. We were working on
material and auditioning people and stuff.
Then, I did the Ace record, and after that,
I hooked up with Robert Gordon and Link
Wray. [Drummer] Howie Wyeth went off
to play with Dylan and I got his gig with
Link and Robert. It turned out that his
producer [Richard Gottehrer] was working
with Joan Armatrading on the Me, Myself,
I record, so I did that too.
JM: Got it. So, doing that record, I
take it, led to meeting and playing
with Paul [Shaffer] and Will [Lee],
which, at some point, is what brought
you to Letterman.
AF: Right. Marcus Miller was on that
record too, and Chris Spedding. That’s a
great record.
And in those early days, we didn’t
have clicks. On a lot of records I did back
then, you’d take a stopwatch, and you’d
hit the first chorus and time four bars on
the stopwatch. Then you’d go to the last
chorus and time four bars on the fade.
016
JM: To see if it matched.
AF: Yeah. I’m glad I learned to record
that way. The other way of doing it with
Pro Tools, take after take with playlists
is great; it’s quick and expedites it and
gets the best out of you, and I do it myself
when I’m recording with Pro Tools at
home and working with other people,
but I’m glad that I learned to record the
old-fashioned way. And also, I liked those
recordings where you were in the room
and everybody had to get the take all at
the same time. Can you imagine being on
a Frank Sinatra date with a full orchestra
and you make a heavy clam… you end up
in cement? [Laughs]
JM: That was it. You blew the date;
you blew everything, period.
AF: [Laughs] You end up under Giant
Stadium.
JM: [Laughs]. Exactly, but your time
would be rock solid. Bad joke!
SUBMERSED
JM: So how long was it between you
meeting Paul and playing on that
record for Joan to when you got the
call for Letterman?
AF: Oh, it took a long time. I’d say, about
four or five years. But, prior to that, I had
played on Paul Butterfield’s last record
[The Legendary Paul Butterfield Rides
Again] and Paul was on that. Actually
that was where Blondie Chaplin and I
really hooked up. We had met in South
Africa when I was 14. He was in a band
from Durban called The Flames and
they were playing in Cape Town, which
is where I was from. Once we started
playing in New York there was an instant
connection, probably from having grown
up in the same place and the fact that he
is a superb musician and songwriter.
JM: How did the actual Letterman
call come?
AF: Whenever I would see Paul, I’d say,
“Let me sub on the show.” He’d say,
“Oh, you’ll get your chance one day.”
Eventually, I just gave up and finally
thought, “F*ck it. These guys are never
going to call me.” Then eventually I
started hearing rumors that they were
asking about whether I could do the gig,
I think because I was more of a rock
drummer that did sessions as opposed
to a session drummer. One night, I was
playing at the Lone Star with Robert
Gordon, Chris Spedding on guitar and
Tony Garnier on bass, great band by the
way, and Paul and Will came down. I
knew they were checking me out.
Soon after that I got a call, “Steve’s
[Jordan] away for a week. Can you come
and do a rehearsal?” I went and did the
rehearsal and after the rehearsal, they
said, “Actually, he’s away for two weeks.
Can you do two weeks?” I said okay, did
the two weeks, and Steve came back.
JM: Obviously they were covering
their tracks, no pun intended.
AF: Exactly. Then I got a call a few weeks
later, “Steve’s not here. Come down to
the studio.” I ran to the studio, got there
and went straight on-stage and played
the show.
JM: Did you think you were getting
the show or maybe just going to be a
last minute sub?
The reason I got into drumming was not to get chicks,
it was not to be famous and it was not to be rich;
it was because I just loved to play drums.
AF: I had a feeling something was going
down though I didn’t know anything. A
couple of weeks later, Paul called and
said, “Steve is leaving the show, and we
like the way you subbed the best; the
job’s yours if you want it.” And that was it.
Within a month of subbing, I had the job.
That was 29 years ago.
JM: A dream come true?
AF: It was a life-changer, that’s for sure.
But, you know, I had a whole life before
that; Spider had happened with Keith,
Amanda, myself and Holly Knight, who
was also in the band. She’s written so
many big hits for so many artists. Mike
Chapman produced us. You should hear
our original version of “Better Be Good
to Me.” Tina Turner copied it all pretty
closely. So, there was that, and the other
records like [Mick] Jagger’s first solo
record, and a few Dylan songs, and I did
the She’s So Unusual album, which was a
huge hit for Cyndi Lauper. I hacked away
like a drum machine; I was playing a lot.
That was a whole period of time before
Letterman and I was busy, that was going
on for a while in New York.
KISS OFF
JM: So, was Spider what you really
wanted to do? Have a band with your
friends and make it to the big time.
AF: Yeah, sure, that would have been ideal.
But although we cracked the Top 40, we
never really broke and at that time, after I
did the Ace record, Kiss asked me to do a
record. So things were getting busy.
JM: Was it Eddie Kramer or Ace that
brought you in?
AF: It was Ace who brought me in. And I
didn’t talk about it until they spoke about
it. They paid me to not say anything,
and for about 20 years, I never said
a word. Now it’s common knowledge
that I did Dynasty. They said that Peter
had broken his arm or something, and
couldn’t play on the record. Then we
did Unmasked…
JM: When he broke his other arm.
AF: [Laughs] Something like that. So, I
did Unmasked and then, I remember, Ace
took me out for dinner and asked me to
be in the band.
017
 TRACKS

01-02

018
JM: Really! Put the makeup on and
everything?
AF: Yeah, be in the band.
JM: And you weren’t interested?
They were pretty big at that point.
AF: At that point, Spider had a record out
and we were number 35 on the charts.
I went through ridiculous anguish, and I
sort of said no, that I wasn’t going to do
Kiss. I wanted to be in my own band. Of
course, Gene and Paul–their spin on the
story was, “Well, we didn’t want Anton
and Ace to be a team,” because we had
different values about things in life at
that time. They said that they rescinded
the offer. And so, whatever happened,
happened.
JM: So was getting the Letterman
gig, pretty much the end of Spider?
AF: Yeah. Spider kind of petered out.
Amanda and I had a deal together for a
while but it did not end up in a recording,
and then I got the Letterman show.
I DOUBT IT
JM: When you got offered the
Letterman gig, even though you had
been subbing, was there anything
that was thrown at you that worried
you? Were your reading chops up
to par? Did you have to work on
different styles to play?
AF: No, but I’ll tell you what happened.
I was ecstatic that I got the gig. Then, a
little ways into the gig–maybe six months
or a year–I suddenly thought, “Why did I
get this gig? Are people going to find out
that I can’t actually do it?” Like, “They
picked me, but I’m not right for the gig,
and it’s going to be a disaster.”
JM: Obviously, this was your own
head-trip.
AF: Totally my own! I was playing and no
one knew that this was going on, but I
was in absolute f*ck*ng hell. It took me a
couple of years to work my way through
that. I would go to the show, and because
I was feeling this, it wasn’t fun.
JM: You were playing well, but
feeling you weren’t going to last.
Thinking everybody’s looking at you
and seeing all your weaknesses.
AF: Yeah. Thinking I’m a fraud and faking
my way through it. The typical artist thing;
I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this. I
had to research it because it was driving
me around the bend. It was only after a
certain period of time that I kind of felt
accepted, like I was there, deserved to be
there and had earned my place.
JM: What kind of research did you
do, and how did it help in dealing with
that insecurity?
AF: I read books. There are a lot of them
for athletes and performers of all kinds.
It’s quite common actually.
There is also a great book by pianist
Kenny Werner, whom I used to play with
and knew well back in the early New York
days, called Effortless Mastery that has
some pertinent pages, as well as just
being great info for playing. I also spoke
to some people who could understand.
JM: Though through it all, no one had
a clue what you were feeling.
AF: As far as everyone else was
concerned, everything was fine. But I had
to kind of prove it to myself. So to answer
your question, that’s what I went through,
but I was able to do everything. I could
read well enough and I could play all the
styles. I mean, I got better; I definitely
got better. But I could do it, really. It took
time, but eventually the insecure thoughts
subsided.
ANTON’S ANTICS
JM: So, no curve balls?
AF: My one initiation into the show was;
I got there and Paul said, “Dave said
you’ve got to do a drum solo for three
minutes.” Now, that’s a long time on
television! They played “Caravan,” or
something really campy, and then they left
the stage and had a clock up there to time
it. It was like something out of the Twilight
Zone where the clock would tick by very
slowly. After 20 seconds, you’re already
thinking, “I’m maxed out and I’ve got
another two-and-a-half minutes to go.”
Anyway, I get through the whole thing;
I just played my lick a million times… The
band came back on after about 2:45 and
finished the song. Anyway, I go home,
and the next day I walk in and they say,
“Dave wants you to do it again.” [Laughs]
He made me do it again. After that, I had
the gig.
JM: Maybe that was the beginning
of the relationship and great rapport
that you and Dave established. I love
the fact that you were in on so many
skits.
AF: Yeah, I don’t know. For some reason,
he took a liking to me.
JM: I literally almost pissed my
pants when I saw you bite the
head off the bird. I was howling.
[ h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m /
watch?v=Q0Ha5ga5ogI]
AF: Yeah, and you know it was really
convincing.
JM: [Laughs] It definitely was.
AF: Afterwards, I had to be a guest on the
show and explain that it was fake.
JM: Did you really? I didn’t catch
that.
AF Yeah, because they got lots of angry
letters.
JM: [Laughs] It was absolutely
brilliant. I lost it when I saw that.
What was the setup?
AF: The way they did it was, they had a
few live birds in the cage, and they had a
fake bird attached to my hand. I had my
hand in the cage holding the fake bird in
the middle of all the live birds, and with a
lot of blood capsules in my mouth.
JM: [Laughing hysterically]
AF: [Laughs] They got letters, “We’ll
never watch your show again.” “We hate
the drummer.”
JM: [Laughs] It was so funny! I can’t
stop laughing now, thinking back.
AF: Shit, it was, “Anton has some odd
habits.”
FOR THE LOVE OF
JM: Now, I don’t know if this is okay
for you to talk about… Obviously, you
make great money through the Union
playing drums on the show, but when
you do a skit with David, are you paid
as an actor?
AF: No. I tried to get on AFTRA, but the
show wouldn’t do it. So I just did it to
be a good sport, and because it helps
everyone out. The writers wrote some
pretty great stuff for me, and that raised
my profile too.
JM: Absolutely. Good for you.
AF: I’m a team player, and Dave took a
liking to me, and why not just be part of it.
JM: That’s great to know, I’m happy
to hear that.
AF: Yeah. I got a lot out of it. I can’t
complain. This might sound bizarre, but
I never play for the money. Like all of us,
obviously, you need money to live; I’ve
got to pay the rent. I did a gig the other
day with Oz [Noy], and we got quite a lot
of money for it. He asked, “Did you know
how much you were getting paid for this?”
I said I had no idea, that I just wanted to
play. Conversely I’ve done gigs in town
for almost nothing because the music is
good.
JM: I understand. It’s the reason we
got into it from the very beginning.
AF: The reason I got into drumming was
019
Sometimes I can’t believe that a little kid from this small town at
the bottom of Africa got to do all the things that I got to do.
not to get chicks, it was not to be famous
and it was not to be rich; it was because
I just loved to play drums. I think just
about every single drummer is better than
me. And it’s not like I have a huge head
about it, I just love to play. When I’m in
the right situation and I can contribute, it
makes me feel really, really good. I love
to converse and talk to people musically.
That’s what I really love to do.
DAVE & DRUMMERS
JM: A few random questions about
Letterman. Were you friendly with
Jordan beforehand? How was the
transition? And, are you friendly with
him now?
AF: I would say, I didn’t really know him,
and he was more brash when he was
younger, but I am friendly with him now.
I don’t see him that much, but when
I do, I say that I owe having that job all
to him. He’s a great drummer and done
extremely well.
JM: You’re not kidding. He’s such
a monster. Most people know his
“pop” playing from the past couple
of decades, but go back to Scofield,
020
and even the 24th Street Band,
f*ck*ng, unbelievable. He was like a
cross between Gadd and Cobham.
AF: Yeah, incredible. He’s a fantastic
drummer. I really love the way he plays.
I’m honored that I could follow him. So
we’re linked that way, and he’s very
friendly to me. We have a very nice
relationship; there’s no problem there
whatsoever. I think the world of him.
JM: As do I. The time the show had
the drummer week, where people
came in and played, whose idea was
it and who chose those particular
people and why?
AF: I had nothing to do with it.
JM: Oh, really?
AF: Nothing. It was Dave’s idea. Dave
has a friend Jeff Altman, he’s a comedian
on the show and he’s a Buddy Rich
nut; he got David watching Buddy Rich
YouTube videos. Buddy was very much
an over-the-top soloist, so Dave decided
that he wanted to have that on the show.
I got called by Sheila, who does all the
music stuff, and she said, “Dave wants to
do a ‘drummer week,’ and he wants you
to be one of them.” I thought, “Oh god,
do I have to do this?” I was still smarting
from when we did those two solos on
NBC. [Laughs] Anyway, I said, “Okay, on
one condition. I go first.” I just wanted to
get it out of the way. I didn’t want to sit
there the whole week simmering. Actually
it went off fine.
JM: Did you know the others coming
to play?
AF: No, I didn’t know who was coming
next. I heard afterwards it was going to be
Roy Haynes, who ended up playing over
a vamp. Stewart Copeland, who had an
orchestrated thing worked out. Sheila E.
was great, she did her thing. And Gavin
Harrison, who played “The Chicken,” He
had a click and he was using the Porter
& Davies system. I said, “What the hell
is that?” Ever since then, I’ve been using
one of them. They’re great.
JM: Wasn’t Neil Peart part of it too?
AF: Yeah. Neil Peart, and Dennis
Chambers, who’s always amazing, and
Tony Royster. I think I’m leaving a couple
of people out and mixed up the two
separate weeks, but, it all had nothing to
do with me whatsoever.

JM: And do you have an opinion,
positive/negative/indifferent to, going
from the four-piece “most dangerous
band” to the orchestra? Because it
really was a very different dynamic.
AF: Yeah. Dave wanted to have a big
band. I personally liked the four-piece
because the four-piece could turn on a
dime.
JM: Me too, which is why I was
asking.
AF: When you’ve got the horns, you’ve
got to work out the parts, the harmonies,
have the right keys and all that; it takes
much longer to do it. I was more in
favor of the smaller band. But once we
had it, you make it work, and it’s totally
fine. They’re all great, all the different
incarnations of all the players that we’ve
had, it’s all been a big sound. When the
band gets roaring, it’s got a huge sound,
which is great. The horns definitely make
that happen.
TEN TO ONE
JM: We talked about biting the head
off the bird, which was a classic
moment, but that aside, how about
“Anton’s Top Ten List Of Favorite
Musical Moments On The Show.”
AF: Anytime you play with the real thing it
just elevates your level. I can’t remember
all the people I have played with on the
show, so I’m sure I’m leaving many out.
Also, even though this is a Top 10, no
one is more important than another.
JM: Okay, a few questions if you will.
Miles Davis. Did you get to hang with
him? Did he compliment you?
AF: I got to meet him afterwards. He
asked, “Where are you from?” and I told
him. Then he said, “Well, you’ve got a
good feel for them drums.” And I thought,
“Quick, get out of the room before he
says ‘But’ or ‘And’… [Laughs]
JM: [Laughs] I’ll take it, thank you
and good-bye.
AF: Yeah, exactly. And that experience
was a building block for me. You take
it with you. Like, when you’re having
trouble, you can remember that and use
it to give you strength.
JM: James Brown. To be able to
play those grooves with that guy…
AF: He was supposed to play with his
band. They were rehearsing at SIR and
they got caught in traffic, so he started
rehearsing with us. Then the bass player
and drummer arrived, and as they’re
walking up to the stage, James Brown put
his arm out and stopped them, “I’ll play
with these guys.” So we got to play with
him. I played with him a few times on the
show. Afterwards, I felt that confidence,
like–if it’s okay for James Brown…
JM: Tony Williams. You said you
played with him three times. I can’t
imagine how unbelievably enlighten-
ing and intimidating that must have
been.
AF: First time was when I had just come
to New York. I used to play with George
Russell at New England Conservatory,
and he was doing a concert at Carnegie
Hall. Tony couldn’t make the rehearsal,
and I knew the music because I had
played it a lot in Boston. So I came down
and did the rehearsal, playing with all
these heavy guys–I’m this little whitey in
college… Anyway, he said, “You can play
in the band. Tony will be center stage.” It
came time for the show at Carnegie Hall,
I was about to go onstage, and the Union
guy said, “Do you have your Union card?”
They weren’t going to let me go onstage.
JM: What happened?
AF: Suddenly, someone said, “Hey man!”
and he turned around to talk to the guy,
and I ran onstage and played.
Then, in one of the songs, there were
fours. Tony turned around to me and
said, “Take ‘em with me. Trade with me.”
I was completely out of my depth. It felt
like when you see the bath water going
down, I felt like in this vortex, totally out
of my league. But anyway, my first gig
was in New York with Tony Williams at
Carnegie Hall.
Then I played with him twice on the
show, and the second time, which was
the last time, he said to me, “You know,
if you can’t do the show, I’ll sub for you.”
I was going to South Africa and I said to
Paul, “Tony said he’ll sub.” They arranged
for him to sub, but he ended up in the
hospital for a gall bladder op, and that’s
when he passed away. Otherwise, he
would have been on the show. He was
the guy for me. He had his own language
on the drums and so it never sounded
technical at all. He just spoke at a very
high level. He was explosive and he
could swing and thrash, but I’m not saying
anything you don’t already know.
DOING HOMEWORK
JM: When you find out you’re going
to be playing with a particular artist,
do you get a chart, do you get a
copy of the song, are you told how to
interpret it? Is it up to you?
AF: If we’re going to play with a band
or an artist for a feature number, we’ll
usually get an MP4 of the song we’re
ANTON’S TOP TEN
FAVORITE MUSIC
MOMENTS ON
THE LATE SHOW
#10. B.B. King
Sounds just like him on guitar and vo-
cals, and he plays with absolute
sincerity.
#9. Eddie Vedder
The last guest the band played
with on the show. Writes great
songs and is totally committed
on every run through and perfor-
mance.
#8. Tony Williams
The greatest - I was so honored to
say that I drummed with him three
times. I heard from Vince Wilburn
that he liked me; go figure.
#7. Bruce Springsteen
Just follow his body language and
you can’t go wrong. He played
the last show at NBC with us.
#6. Pete Townshend
I was a Who nut growing up, so
playing with him was a dream
come true.
#5. Solomon Burke
He could sing the phone book and
it would sound important and
heavy.
#4. Stevie Wonder
Genius. However good you think
he is, he’s way better.
#3. Stevie Winwood
I have been a fan since Spencer
Davis, another dream come true.
#2. James Brown
An absolute honor to play with
the Godfather…and a little terrify-
ing.
#1. Miles Davis
The ultimate. Someone who
changed the course of music a
few times in his life. Scary and
thrilling - I felt like I was sitting in
the eye of the hurricane.
021
 I don’t really want to learn a lick and then play the lick.
I want to learn the concept behind the lick and then
be able to play whatever I want.

022
going to play. You’re expected to know
it when you walk in. Sometimes there’s
a chart, but the thing is, for jazz stuff,
you can have a lead sheet. Like today,
for the Nathan Lane thing, I was reading
the trumpet chart or you could read the
bass part, the keyboard part, because
you just need to see where the hits are.
For rock stuff, it’s really beat-specific, so
it’s easier for me to actually make the
charts myself, as if you were going to go
on tour with someone and you write out
the form of the song and what beats need
to be played where. And in the process of
writing it out, by the time I get to the end
of the song, I know the song. So, I don’t
really have to listen to it over and over
again, I just do the chart, and then I’m
done. I come to the show and just work
off my chart.
JM: Is there a lot of rehearsing or
just a pretty quick run-through right
before the show?
AF: Very little. I remember we once
played with Sammy Davis, and he didn’t
want to rehearse at all because he’s one
of those guys that–you just do it. But
the director made him rehearse it once,
and it was unbelievable. Then it came to
the show, and although I saw the show
recently and it was fantastic, I remember
we were thinking at the time that it just
wasn’t as good as the rehearsal. Some
of the guys don’t want to rehearse at all,
but the director needs to get the camera
shots and all that, so there are reasons.
But it depends on the artist. If you’re
going to play with B.B. King or someone
like that, how many times do you want
to do the song? You don’t want to do it
more than once or twice. If it’s some other
kind of thing, it might be good to play it a
bunch of times.
JM: Any disastrous moments?
AF: Not really. They would redo a song
if there was a technical problem, like a
mic crapped out or something like that.
They very rarely would redo stuff for a
musical problem. Everything is recorded
as we play it, so minor things can be
fixed. The thing that always impressed
me about the band, before I got it–when it
was still Hiram [Bullock] and Jordan–was
it sounded like they just dropped the
needle in the middle of the record; it
was just grooving. That is what we were
always going for. On the show, you play
with an artist and you’ve got to sound
like you’ve been touring with them for six
months. They’re entrusting their career to
you, and they’re nerve-wracked because
they’re on TV in an unfamiliar situation.
So it’s up to you. The drummer has to
shepherd everybody along and make
everyone feel comfortable. I play with
people and I visibly see them relax when
they know I’ve got their back and I’m
going to be there, and they can depend
on me. It takes maybe a song or two to
gain that trust or a take or two, but then
they can relax and they can forget about
you and they can do their thing.
WAIT, DON’T GO
JM: I would imagine, like with every
great gig, there’s a blessing and a
curse.
AF: Yeah. The golden handcuffs.
JM: Exactly. In a situation like
Letterman, I’m sure you were not
able to tour or go off and do a bunch
of gigs that may have been yours for
the taking.
AF: Yeah. I’ve done a lot of stuff around
town and a lot of records. I did a lot of
stuff on my weeks off; I would go off and
do as much as I could. Occasionally, I
missed a few weeks of shows, which
I didn’t like to do. I toured with Hugh
Masekela, with Bakithi [Kumalo], Tony
Cedras and Morris Goldberg from Paul
Simon–all these great, fantastic South
African musicians. I had to do it, but
when I got into my hotel room and I saw
the Letterman show was on, I wouldn’t
watch it.
Same thing happened this year with
Eric Johnson and Mike Stern. I had done
the Eclectic record with them and really
wanted to play live, so even though it was
getting close to the end of the Letterman
run, I missed a few weeks to play with
them. That was really fun!
JM: It must be interesting to see a
sub on your show, when you do take
a peak.
AF: Yeah, [Steve] Ferrone did it once.
Kenny [Aronoff] did it a few times way
back. And lately, Shawn Pelton. He
knows the drill now so it makes it easier
on everyone else. The drum chair on
the show is different from any other
instruments there; there are lots of cues
and timing issues that you just have to
learn by doing it. It would be impossible
to convey to someone verbally and have
them really know what to do.
HEY JOE
JM: Okay, so you’re winding down
now with less than two weeks of
shows to go. Are you going to take a
big vacation or already have things
booked, now that the ball and chain
is about to be removed?
AF: Well, a friend of mine, producer
Kevin Shirley, got me involved about eight
years ago, playing with Joe Bonamassa. I
did most of his records, and I did a couple
of dates. At the The Royal Albert Hall,
they got me in to play double drums, and
they did some concerts in London a few
years later representing his evolution in
London; I did one with Michael Rhodes,
a power trio representing his early years,
and Tal [Bergman] his touring drummer
did the other three. Then last August, I
played Red Rocks with them and then
they asked me if I was interested in doing
a tour. I figured: I know the organization
really well and they know me, I’m going
to be learning my own parts anyway,
and I haven’t really been on the road in a
long time. Also, Joe said he wants to do
more improvising, so I figured, “What the
hell, I’ll give it a try for the fall and spring
tours.”
JM: Great news. When does all this
start?
AF: I’m going to do a record in July. Then,
in August, he starts a tour called The
Three Kings, which is the music of B.B.
King, Freddie King and Albert King. I’ll do
The Three Kings, and then in September,
it’ll be the Joe Bonamassa tour. It’s going
to be Michael Rhodes on bass and Reese
Wynans from Double Trouble on keys.
JM: The Hammond player, he’s
amazing.
AF: Yeah. That’s going to be a groove.
For The Three Kings, there’s going to
be a second guitarist, Kirk Fletcher and
there’s going to be horns and background
singers.
JM: That sounds really great with
both tours back to back.
AF: Yeah, and Joe travels really well. He
plays three-, four-thousand seaters, so
it will actually be really cool. I’m going to
take June off, which I’ve never taken that
amount of time off in 30 years. And then
I’m going to start in July. I’m excited about
it. Joe’s really on an upward trajectory,
and it’s a great organization, and a great
band. I think it’s going to be very nice.
NO TIME
JM: Let’s go back to Skollie. And
again, this is where my perception of
you comes in and why I feel I know
so much more about you and your
playing, than most.
AF: I don’t even remember how you found
out about the Skollie gig.
JM: I got the Skollie gig because they
were booked to go over to the Soviet
Union, kind of as guinea pigs for
023
[manager – financier] Bryan Miller,
to tour and play in many places
that no one had played before; and
you couldn’t go because of your
schedule.
AF: Right, I had Letterman.
JM: The tour was supposed to be
seven weeks, which once we were
there, did so well, it turned into
twelve. Anyway, from what I know,
they played with a few guys, and it
wasn’t happening, so they were going
to cancel. The Who were playing
Giants Stadium, with Simon [Phillips]
and Jody Linscott on percussion. I
was there backstage after the show,
hanging with Simon, and Jody came
over to me and said, “You’ve got
to meet this friend of mine, Blondie
Chaplin. I just played percussion
on his record, and they’re about to
cancel a tour because they can’t find
a guy to play this African-influenced
rock music.” I met Blondie, and this is
a funny story; I don’t know if this will
jog your memory. I had literally just
moved to New York that week and
was eager to play, so I accepted a gig
with this horrible band of corporate
guys that weren’t really musicians,
trying to play blues. So Blondie and
Keith came down to see me play the
next night at The Bitter End.
AF: I came, as well.
I’ve been in a cocoon, and I don’t really know what
the status of the business is like out there now.
024
JM: Really, that I don’t recall.
Probably from the shame that I felt
[laughs].
AF: Yeah, I was there for a short while.
JM: I remember it being absolutely
horrendous and embarrassing.
Apparently Blondie looked at you
and said, “This is not going to work.”
And from what Blondie told me, you
said to him, “He can play. This is just
a really bad band, but he can do it.”
AF: Yeah.
JM: So I sincerely have to thank you
for that, because that tour was one of
the greatest experiences of my life.
Anyway, I got together with them the
next day, we jammed, and then I was
on a flight to Moscow learning the
set on the plane a few days later. We
do the first gig and I think I killed it. I
mean crushed it. I played my ass off,
copped all your shit, and I loved the
music. We come offstage, and I’m
high as a kite on adrenalin; I looked
at Blondie and said, “Man, that was
f*ck*ng great! This is going to be an
amazing tour.” And he looked at me
and said, “You don’t have a clue.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t
make any mistakes.” “It doesn’t have
anything to do with mistakes. You
don’t understand anything about this
music.” Then he really started to
explain to me, song by song–what
the groove was all about, where it
came from, what tribal concept and
rhythm was behind it, where you
push, where you pull, and I was then
able to really key in on all of these
idiosyncratic bits and pieces of your
personality and groove that are just
so great. Then it really took off. We
had an amazing tour and again, it
was one of the greatest experiences
of my life. I learned more from
Blondie than anyone I’ve worked
with; he’s one hell of a musician.
AF: Oh, Blondie is a really great writer
and musician.
JM: So again, I know what you can
do, because I’ve heard the Skollie
record and had to play those songs.
Now, I’ve got a lot of records you’re
on, and maybe I’m missing one
or two that has something on it
that I don’t know about, but even
with Figments [Anton Fig]; your
opportunity to show the drumming
world all of the shit that I know you
can do, and what do you do–you put
out a record of really great tunes with
excellent grooves, and no solo or
over-the-top fills. [Laughs] Why didn’t
you throw in the kitchen sink on at
least one tune? I said the same thing
to Manu [Katché], “Every record
you come out with is full of these
beautiful tunes with great grooves
and gorgeous melodies. But, how
come you’re not playing the f*ck
out of at least one song, for me?”
 Believe me, I would sound like Tony Williams if I could do it.
I can’t do it. So I have my own stuff mixed in with other stuff.
I understand the maturity of wanting
to be entirely musical, but what about
the immature fans out there like me
that want to be blown away, even
just for a few seconds, with some
over-the-top shit.
AF: I did put a solo at the end of one of
the songs, and I took it off.
JM: You did?!
AF: I do wish I’d left it on. It was just a
little break for about 30 seconds, just a bit
of playing. And I sometimes think I should
have left it on.
JM: You should have. Bad Anton!
[Laughs] Any thoughts on another
solo record?
AF: Well, there’s too much writing to
be done. Lately, I’ve been getting into
producing people, because then you just
work on arrangements and the sounds,
and I can play the drums. And those
projects let me do whatever I want to do
with their stuff.
But yeah, maybe another one at some
point, it’s just having the material. But,
as you know, it’s a lot of work. Because
when you do your own record, you don’t
have a producer there to do the other
things, like the background vocals, and
the lead vocals, when you could be doing
something else. You know; if you don’t
work that day, the whole project stops.
And I’ve done enough projects like that.
You’ve got to be prepared to make a
commitment, or you develop it slowly over
a couple of years. But I haven’t had the
time. I rush up to the show every day. I’ll
be working on something and then: Oh
wait, now I’ve got to go off to the show.
Which is great, the show has paid for my
Pro Tools and everything else, but it kept
me pretty busy as well.
Actually we’ve just decided to release
Figments again on a wider scale, because
when it first came out it was just a small
Internet release. I figure not that many
people heard it the first time and it still
sounds really fresh to me, so it’s worth
giving it one more try. There are many
great artists on it and varied styles and
songs. I still enjoy hearing the musical
contributions of everyone.
I’VE GOT THE TIME
JM: With all of the people that you’ve
played with throughout the years,
and especially through the show,
I’m sure there were a lot of missed
opportunities to do more. Any artists
that you plan to follow up with or
would like to work with now that you
have the time?
AF: Yeah. Recently, I did some stuff
with Blondie as a duo. We did a bunch
of gigs, just him and me. I have this
weird percussion-hybrid kit, and he
played acoustic guitar; it was fun, it was
really nice. I’ve recorded that stuff, which
could be mixed and put out there. I saw
Winwood a couple of years ago, and
he said, “Remember when I asked you
to tour with me, and you’d just got the
Letterman show? You did the right thing.”
[Laughs] For now, I’ve got the Joe thing,
and I’m happy with that. I think it’s going
to be great.
I’ve been in a cocoon, and I don’t really
know what the status of the business
is like out there now. I don’t know what
people pay for gigs. Does the huge
money go out for a year, go out for
the summer, go out for what…? Some
guys pay a lot, some guys don’t. But at
the end of the day, I want to play good
music, really. I want to get better, I want
to play cool music, and I’d like to earn
money at the same time.
JM: You’ve played every style and
genre of music with every style and
genre of artist… You just mentioned
getting better. Now that you have the
time to do as you please… Do you
practice? What do you work on now?
What does “getting better” mean?
AF: Getting better, to me, is refining the
groove. Then it would be playing more
and more complex stuff while still having
025
the good groove. I also enjoy playing very
simple stuff–there are many ways to skin
a cat.
But, I hear these drummers playing
today, and there’s some unbelievable
stuff. So lately, what I started doing up
in the dressing room is playing on a
Moongel pad that has no bounce, and
I got a bass-drum pedal and took the
spring off so there’s no bounce off the
head. If you let it go, it’ll just stop on the
head, and that will be that. You’ve got
to make it bounce off the head to, and
it hurts like hell. It hurts your shins like
crazy.
JM: Are you doing it to build up your
muscles?
AF: I’m doing it to warm up and make
things easier for when I do go to play. You
try and do some doubles with a pedal that
has no spring, it’s difficult; it takes a while.
But when I go downstairs [to the stage], I
feel like everything is working.
JM: Do you ever work on new things
to play?
AF: Yeah, but I don’t really want to learn a
lick and then play the lick. I want to learn
the concept behind the lick and then be
able to play whatever I want. Basically, I
want to be able to get out of my own way
so that I can do whatever I want to do. I
get frustrated because there’s so much
stuff that I want to do that I feel that I can’t
do, and then I think, “Well, as long as you
play in time, that’s the most important
thing.” But if you did not think at all and
just played in the present moment all the
time, with ideas just flowing through; that
would be pretty great.
JM: For example, what are the things
you’d like to do that you can’t right
now?
AF: Well, I don’t want to be a gospel
drummer, but I would like to understand
some of those fills and make them my
own. I spoke to Aaron Spears and Chris
Coleman, and I know that it’s, “Oh, well, if
you go four and two and they’re triplets or
sixteenths and interchange your hands…”
and all that stuff, that’s the basis of it. But
some of the stuff just sounds so good to
me, it’s so slick, and I wish I knew how
to do that. Not that I would play that way,
and I wouldn’t change my style, but it
would be great to be able to throw some
of that stuff in. My version of it, because
I could never do what those guys do.
They’re monster freaks.
JM: Yet, in watching the show tonight,
you took a lot of liberties, like you’re
having a lot of fun, trying different
things all the time. You had a lot of
broken linear happening tonight with
quads and triplets, alternating right-
and left-hand lead, up and down the
toms, and a lot of that stuff is what
you’re talking about that the gospel
guys are doing.
AF: Yeah. I’m improvising all the time. So
maybe I’m doing it, but just not to the level
that I really would like to get at with it. I
found, when I played with Blondie, when
it was just guitar and percussion–and by
percussion, I mean a bass drum pedal
hitting a tambourine, a little hi-hat, and
a Djembe for a snare–I start setting up
a motif and then I want to build on that,
but still want to keep three-quarters of it
going; that takes a certain level of chops
to be able to branch off and develop, but
still keep everything you started with.
And the only way you can do that is to
be playing that a lot. That’s why I’m really
quite interested in doing the stuff with
Joe; I’ve never had that opportunity.
On the show, we play so much different
stuff and different songs, and Paul calls
the songs right before we play them.
What a luxury it will be to have a set
and know: When this song ends, I know
exactly what the tempo of the next song is
going to be. Not putting on a click, you just
know what it feels like. And to be able to
play it and to know where it’s going to go
and to know where I can rest and where

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Yamaha 13 X 5 Mounted Snare 18” K Hybrid Crash Sticks
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10 X 8 Rack Zildjian Evans Anton Fig Signature
16 X 16 Floor 14” K Hi-hats Racks & Floor - Clr G1/ Clr Reso Hardware
22 X 16 Kick 18” Reso Crash Kick - EMAD Yamaha

026
 I play with people and I visibly see them relax
when they know I’ve got their back.
I can push, and how to color the song
and what’s going to happen, and play
it differently every night, not play it the
same way. If something strikes you, just
do it and take the whole band off ‘round
the corner on a tangent. That’s what
I’m looking forward to doing, playing
every night. I wouldn’t want to play a
mechanized show where you’ve got to
play exactly the same every night, any
more than I’d want to be in an orchestra.
I’ve played tymps and percussion in an
orchestra and it feels really good–so it’s
an art form unto itself. It’s just that I prefer
to be able to improvise in a context. I
think the best music is when you’ve got
a tight framework and you’re pushing
the boundaries all the time. That’s what
makes the best art for me.
BEEN THERE DONE THAT
JM: I know you said the Beatles and
Hendrix were your roots, but have
you ever thought about exploring
more of the South African and
Soweto influence that you have?
AF: I don’t think so. It’s like I got what I got
from it by growing up there, and playing
with Bakithi Kumalo, Tony Cedar, Morris
Goldberg and the Hugh Masakela gigs
here, I think at this point in my career,
I’m a sum product of all my influences;
it’s not necessary for me to go reinforce
any influence anymore. It’s just important
to move ahead. I never really look back.
I’ve always been the kind of person that
looks ahead, just to take what I’ve got
and that’s what I have now. I was talking
to Oz on a gig the other day, and he just
said, “You are what you are now. That’s
what we are, and you just keep working
on that.” I’ve been very lucky to play
with a lot of very gifted musicians and I
really enjoy connecting with those kinds
of spirits.
JM: Sounds like you’re going to have
the same thing all over again with
Joe.
AF: Yeah, his musical heart’s in the right
place, a really good place.
JM: I remember seeing you play with
Oz many years ago at Le Bar Bat,
before anyone knew who he was.
You’ve come a long way with him,
and I believe were the first big name
drummer he had. Now, alongside of
you, he’s got Vinnie, Weckl, Ferrone
and Carlock, who you double drum
with now and again.
AF: Oh, that’s fantastic. I have such an
admiration for Keith’s drumming. You
listen to him on a record and he can
play very contained, very smooth and
really nice. He’s really got a whole other
thing going. He has his own style, which
is advanced, and no one sounds like
him. The classic Wayne [Krantz] band
was Keith, Tim [Lefebvre - bassist] and
Wayne, who is a super-creative guitarist
and composer. I loved the times I played
his music. There are new guys coming
up too. There was one great guy that
played with Wayne, Nate Wood. He plays
bass and drums. One time it was Wayne
and Nate, and I played drums. Then
suddenly, Nate put down the bass and we
played double drums, and then 64 bars
later, picks up the bass and continues.
And he was ridiculous on drums. It was
so much fun. He’s plays in a band called
Kneebody.
You know, I play with some of these
guys, but I don’t feel that I even know
why I’m playing. It’s that inferiority part of
me that thinks, “Why in the hell are they
playing with me?
JM: At this point, don’t even ask why?
AF: Yeah, I know, I know. I’m starting to
get over myself. But playing with Keith
was great. I remember us sitting around,
before the world knew about him, and I’d
say to him, “Man, believe me, it’s just a
matter of time. You’re going to be f*ck*ng
big.” I don’t know how the f*ck he does it.
He’s so amazing.
027
JM: How did you go about
approaching the live gig with two
drummers?
AF: Oz was just quite specific and said,
“You don’t all have to play at the same
time.” He wanted us to switch in odd
places or maybe one play the verse and
the other the chorus. I actually liked it
when we were both going at it at the
same time. When I play with him, it feels
like the tortoise and the hare. I feel very
privileged to at least be sitting there. He’s
a very generous drummer. It doesn’t get
into being a shootout. I can play a rock
backbeat, and he can do all this stuff
and go all over the place. Some of the
time, I just stop playing and turn around
and listen to him. I don’t know what it
is that he’s doing. He’s got that thing
between the bass drum and snare that
sounds like sixteenths going all the time.
And he holds his stick way in the back.
JM: His stick technique and the way
he angles his toms are as unique as
his voice.
AF: He’s very light with the right hand.
But, it’s that chattering between the bass
drum and the snare drum, I just wish I’d
got more of an insight into what it was, so
I could have my own version of that. It’s
like Tony Williams. Tony Williams had his
own language. Believe me, I would sound
like Tony Williams if I could do it. I can’t
do it. So I have my own stuff mixed in with
other stuff.
JM: But you’ve got something that
nobody else has, either, and that’s
why I am such a fan. I know the
command of the instrument that you
have, and other people do too, but
when you do another solo record,
make sure you put some shit on
there, and don’t ask why.
BACKING UP
JM: Outside of the show, the
Letterman Band also does a lot of
gigs.
AF: They used the Letterman Band on
the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. This was
the thirtieth one, and I’ve done most of
them since the second. Actually, I missed
one because I was in South Africa when
my mother passed away and maybe
they did one in L.A. and used a different
band. When they inducted Bill Withers, I
got to play with John Legend and Stevie
Wonder, which was a thrill and I got to
play with Stevie again a few weeks ago
on Letterman. Talk about a highlight
moment, playing with Stevie is like
playing with the best drum machine in the
world. He’s oozing music. I had just his
keyboard really loud in my headphones
and played along to that–unbelievable,
just unbelievable.
Also, when Ringo was inducted as
a solo artist, we played “It Don’t Come
Easy” and “With A Little Help From My
Friends.” The Green Day drummer played
too, but he let me lead, as I knew all
the parts. That music is pretty parts-
specific. And, I got to play with Ringo and
Paul [McCartney] together.
JM: The greatest rock bassist in the
world.
AF: Oh yeah. I’ll tell you–economical,
great lines and great time. He was so
solid. I mean, I always knew he was, but
he really was.
JM: Did Ringo play or just sing?
AF: In rehearsal, he was just singing and
wanted to play tambourine, but I said,
“Come on up and play.”
JM: And…?
AF: And he did. We did “I Want To Be
Your Man,” he started off singing and
then came back and played the drums,
which was really great. Double drums
with Ringo; that was a thrill.
JM: I can only imagine. It doesn’t
get any bigger than playing with a
Beatle, and you got two of them.
AF: I did a record with Gary Moore in
London, and John McEnroe and George
Harrison came by and jammed with me,
Will [Lee] and Gary. I also got to play with
George at Bob Dylan’s anniversary party.
So, I got three Beatles, and that was
pretty great.
JM: Like I said, it doesn’t get any
bigger, and I can’t imagine it getting
any better.
AF: I’ve had a very lucky career. I’ve
done a lot and really put in my work, but
I’ve been lucky–I’ve played with people
I never thought I’d play with. From very
heavy guys to very famous guys, it’s been
really great.
Sometimes I can’t believe that a little
kid from this small town at the bottom of
Africa got to do all the things that I got to
do. Whether it was on the show or outside
of it, it’s just been incredible.
JM: Well, there’s a reason, but don’t
even bother asking why.
AF: I don’t think I could answer it anyway.
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030
 CA SEY
SC hE u E r E l l
Come Full Circle
BY MovEr
I love so many drummers. There I said it. Bonham, Colaiuta, Keltner,
Porcaro, Collins, Phillips, Bozzio, Gadd, Newmark, Mattacks, Elvin,
Tony, Jack, Barriemore, Erskine...and the list goes on and on and on.
Of course, I could never tally them all, but amongst my “Drumming
Gods of Mount Olympus” that were extremely important to me and
my development in my formative years sat Casey Scheuerell.
Casey was the perfect mix; he was musically educated, had groove
and chops, was able to play any and all styles of music, was on big
records and did big tours, and played for two of my favorite artists–
Jean Luc Ponty and Gino Vannelli, neither being an easy chair to fill.
With all of that to boast, Casey now finds himself very happy and
comfortable playing the role of Professor of Percussion at Berklee
College of Music. Having attended Berklee as a student back in the
early ‘70s, Casey’s now attending Berklee once again, only this time
from the other side. But unlike many drummers that are either great
players or great teachers, Casey is most definitely equal in those
departments, and loves dispelling the myth that you cannot be both.
Speaking to him about Berklee and where he’s now at now in his life
and career, his eyes light up and his excitement is intoxicating to say
the least. He’s come full circle and is exactly where he wants to be.
JM: Let’s start with Berklee, since
that’s where we are right now, and I
know it played a big part in your past.
CS: I went to Berklee in the Fall of ’72
and did four semesters, but I didn’t get
my degree because I took a road gig with
comedian Kirby Stone and just never
went back. Berklee was an amazing
experience; there were a lot of great
players and teachers there. I met Steve
Smith while waiting outside an Alan
Dawson lesson. I met Vinnie [Colaiuta]
too, through Steve and there was a
great groove drummer, Doug Florence,
who eventually went on to play with the
Pointers Sisters. We all learned a lot from
Doug.
It was a smaller environment back
then, and I had a lot of contact with Gary
[Chaffee] because of how they did the
first semester experience. Most of my
freshman classes were comprised of
drummers, being taught by drummers. I
had Gary for three or four of my classes,
so we had a little drum culture going
where we all got to know and enjoy one
another.
031
 at didn’t have players that had a lot of
professional jazz experience. I was in
the Wisconsin Youth Symphony at that
time, and James Latimer [percussion
coach] knew Alan and said, “You should
do that. He’s about the best guy I know
for studying drum set.”
The Berklee campus was in Boston.
The Jazz Workshop right down the
street; Tony Williams is coming in.
All these musicians that you’re not
going to see in Wisconsin, “Yeah,
this is really cool, the East Coast is
speaking to me.”

INFLUENCED
JM: You were at that age when
the Beatles hit and changed the
world of music, and although
there are elements of rock and pop
in your playing, you chose to go in
the direction of jazz.
CS: I listened to quite a bit of jazz, but
I didn’t have any real connection with
anyone who knew how to teach it. There
was a great drummer in Madison, Mike
Turk, who still plays, and he ran a music
store. I’d stop by the shop a couple of
hours before it closed and hang out,
talk about music and then he’d close
up and we’d hang out for another hour
or two playing drums. He’d charge me
JM: A lot of fantastic camaraderie as well as pushing each other. five bucks. [Laughs] He turned me on
CS: Completely. My memory of it is nothing but really great vibes, hanging around the to all these great drummers by sitting
practice rooms and encouraging one another, sharing ideas and concepts. in the front of the stereo, “Check this
After the first semester, I realized that Berklee’s strengths were the writing guy out; Kenny Clarke with the Kenny
classes–so I switched to a major called Arranging & Composition. Then I was around Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band”, He
the keyboard players and being challenged that way, which was incredibly rewarding, was instrumental, because he opened
as it taught me how to look at a piece of music through the eyes of an arranger or my brain up, “Hey, you should listen to
composer. the jazz guys.” We both played in Top 40
bands and were checking out Bernard
JM: Was it always in your mind to study, instead of just “going for it?” Purdie, Grady Tate, Clyde Stubblefield,
CS: Yes, and a big part of it was my parents, saying, “If you want to pursue music, go the groove R&B guys, but had an equal
to college and learn everything you can about music.” I wanted to go to college and interest in jazz drumming. Weekend
at that time, the colleges most focused on jazz were Indiana University, North Texas, gigging and my parent’s support is how I
Miami and Berklee. Originally, I wanted to go to North Texas, because I had a friend, got money to go to Berklee.
jazz educator Rich Matteson, who taught brass/jazz tuba there and he encouraged
me. So I went down there to check it out. Ed Soph was teaching there; I took a lesson JM: Was there music in the family?
with him and he was fantastic. He taught me a lot in that one lesson, more than any How did music come around and
teacher I had ever had up to that point, but I came home and said, “I think I want to
what got you specifically interested
go check out Berklee.”
When I was about 17, I saw Joe Labarbera in Milwaukee with the Woody Herman
in drums?
CS: My brother Doug was a classically
Big Band. He was an amazing drummer, and a Berklee guy. That was when I first
trained singer. He’s six years older than
heard about the school. I’d never been to the East Coast, and the vibe was a whole
me and was 16 or 17 when The Beatles
different thing, it had energy. A lot of small-group musicians, “doin’ the hang,” focusing
came out. He got a guitar, learned
on improvisation and group interplay. Back then, there were three majors, so you didn’t
some tunes and got a band going, The
have many students there that didn’t put playing first. Everybody was here to play, or
Aristocracy. So I was influenced by him,
study arranging and composition, or music education. So there was lots of playing. It
in that I wanted to do something like that.
was a fantastic environment.
My first band at age 11 was The Four
Directions [laughs]. The Beatles were
JM: Did you have any idea of who to study with?
definitely a factor. My parents were not
CS: I sent for the Berklee catalog and saw Alan Dawson listed. So I went to the record
musicians or artists, but my father had
store and started finding stuff with him on it, I discovered, “This guy’s a great player
a love for music that started to appear
and has a great reputation;” he was a real jazz guy. Most of the colleges I was looking

032
more and more as I got interested. I was drummer; you’ve got to make all these cues and run the band. I was the quarterback.
coming home with Count Basie records It was a great experience. I did that for a couple of summers in high school and just
and he’d ask, “What are you listening to?” found my way.
“Big Bands.” We would share that. If Basie
or Woody Herman or Stan Kenton was JM: I remember my first ‘band’ experience in elementary school, and it was
in town, we’d go see the not a good one. It actually turned me off of playing for a little while. Sounds
band and talk to the like you had a great experience.
musicians. I heard
Peter Erskine Ever y CS: I know a lot of programs in school that are not very good. And
unfortunately, they turn kids off. Some teachers forget to make music fun.
during his first gig y ou But when you have access to a good program and the kids take advantage

play, you
week with the of those programs, it’s amazing how they come into the college. So much
Kenton band. He more prepared, because they can read and have a variety of different skills,
already owned
that gig!
nee d a they can follow conducting, adapt to different styles and play musically with

for mula–
JM: I see the
interest in music,
but how about the
specifics of getting into
drums?
CS: I started out taking drum lessons in
the fifth grade. We didn’t have a school
program, but there was a guy who came
around as an independent teacher. Mr.
Devoe as I recall, he was an amazing
young musician’s teacher. We had eleven
kids or so, and he started a little band.
We had a bass drum, a snare and
cymbals. He was great, because
he really taught me a lot–how
a 9s and 7s, turning me on to North Indian Classical Music, reggae,
a broad range of dynamics. I never experienced any mentorship like the
movie Whiplash. Most of my teachers were positive, challenging and caring,
and inspirational. If they weren’t, I avoided them! [Laughs]
IN & OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
JM: You mentioned four semesters, but didn’t get the Associate’s Degree
because you actually split. What gig was it that you left for, and had that not
come along, were you destined to be here for four years to get a Bachelor?
CS: My initial reason for coming to Berklee in 1972 was to study with Alan Dawson. In
my second year, I had him for two semesters, and a big bonus was that Gary Chaffee
was here, who became equally influential to me. Here I am studying with this
jazz traditional guy who’s saying, “Here’s the form, and you should
check out Billy Hart” and then here’s Gary who’s doing polyrhythmic

to read music, the rudiments,
how rhythm is so important,
and got me interested in
music, in general.
mental Tower of Power, Stockhaussen and Ray Barretto. It was great
because it was getting the modern and the past all at once.
and After four semesters I was going to just take a break from
school and reevaluate whether I wanted to come back. I was
musical working in Boston and all over New England by that time. One

approach
From there, I pursued
whatever I could find that
was musically interesting and
challenging.
JM: What kind of music things
did you do in school? Jazz band,
orchestra…
CS: I was in the concert band, the
marching band, the pep band, etc.
Dean Vilhauer, a classmate that was an
excellent trumpet player and I started
up a jazz ensemble. I did a lot of pit
orchestra things at the high school and
I did this thing for a couple
of years called the Kids
From Wisconsin. It
was one of those
to
day, two of the guys from the Kids From Wisconsin, trumpeter
Jim Samsa and vocalist Larry Zarletti, showed up at my door.
They were working with Catskills’ musician/comic Kirby Stone.
Kirby was very hip musically, he had co-written some tunes with
Dizzy Gillespie. Anyway, they were out on the road, traveling through
Boston and needed a drummer, “Hey, the drummer’s splitting in another
month. You want to do the gig?” That was a good gig, we played showrooms around
the country and went to Vegas for a couple of months. On one of those gigs, at the
MGM Grand, the opening act was Gino Vannelli, and we were the middle act. The
headliner was Lou Rawls.
JM: Was that Graham [Lear] playing with Gino?
CS: It was. And the conga player with Lou Rawls was Don Alias. Don and I became
friends. Alex Acuna was also there playing shows in Vegas, and the Reyes family was
all there too. Walfredo Reyes, Jr. was at the University of Las Vegas and we ended
up hanging out at a percussion clinic Walfredo senior did at the Musicians Local
369 Las Vegas.

wholesome ‘Up what’s JM: I’m assuming the connection to you playing with Gino was from
With People’ kind
of things. I hated going to being on that gig together.
CS: No Doubt! Ross Vannelli [Gino’s brother] took my name, he was always
getting my hair
cut and doing the
work for networking with musicians for things, and I remember having talks at length

stuff you had to do the gig.
[laughs], but I knew
that it was a really great
music program. For me,
it’s always about the music. There
was a camp for three weeks with a big
band, we rehearsed all day long; it was
my baby. All the responsibility was on the
about what was going on, and what our musical ambitions were.
Anyway, after Vegas I came back here in the Fall of ’74 and started working
and living in Boston. Almost two years later to the month, Ross called up and
said, “We need a drummer; Graham’s leaving the band. Do you want to come up
to Montreal and audition?” By that time, they had gone from opening up in lounges to
playing concert venues. So I went up to Montreal and the rest is history.
JM: Anyone who’s a fan of Gino, which I am, knows what a serious gig it is.
When it came to drums, you had to be a monster. What was the audition like?
033
CS: They asked if I knew any keyboard players. I had a friend, Chris Ryan, who was JM: I don’t know if I’ve ever told you
in a band with me at the time, [Steve Santos and Pappa’s Nightlife] so we flew up this before, and if I haven’t, I’ve said
to Montreal together. They had some drums and keyboards, and I remember just it in print; “One Night With You” is
jamming and trying different things, and meeting Joe and Gino’s family; mom, dad, one of my favorite drum tracks. Not
everybody! We must have played a couple of hours and Gino said, “Okay, if you guys
only is your groove amazing, sitting
want the gig, we’d like both of you to be in the band.” Then it took a whole new turn.
just on the back end, holding this
[Laughs] I didn’t know what to expect. I remember being very excited and very serious
about it, and just trying to make everything that I was, come together at that point in incredibly vibrant tune back–which
time. It was my first major gig. gives it even more tension–but your
fills are f*ck*ng amazing. That being
JM: Was he auditioning to put a band together for a new record or did you said, there’s a big difference in your
go out and tour first? playing on Pauper [In Paradise], as
CS: They had just done Gist Of The Gemini and Graham had recently left. It was to opposed to Graham on Gist [Of The
do that tour, which was nice because it gave us time to learn to play together, before Gemini] and previous. Not saying
doing any recording. better or worse, just different. When
you got the gig, was there any
JM: Knowing how critical Gino is and what he expects of his band, and direction from Gino on how to play?
especially drummers, how were the rehearsals? Was he looking for a replacement for
CS: It was hard work but incredibly rewarding. We started in LA. We rehearsed in a Graham, meaning someone to play
warehouse from 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon to 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, six days Graham’s parts, but then heard your
a week for six weeks. They put us up in a nice hotel in Santa Monica, on the ocean.
Chaffee influence and let you take it
I’d wake up with my Sony 152 SD recorder, the smallest you could get in those days,
more in that direction?
I’d have headphones on and write my charts and work on stuff while sunning on the
CS: Well, thank you. Coming from you,
beach, then go to rehearsal. What an incredible privilege!
that’s an incredible compliment. For me,
You’re right about Gino, he’s very particular about drummers. He’s a drummer
that time with Gino was the accumulation
himself, and sometimes, I felt he was driving me crazy with detail. He likes to get a
of all these influences that I had had up
little under your skin to get that energy and channel that frustration. Like, you’re in the
to that point. I was really into the whole
middle of something really intense, he’ll stop and he’ll ask for some little detail. Coitus
groove thing; [Bernard] Purdie, David
interruptus! [Laughs] Now that I know him, it’s like, “I see what you’re doing.” But at the
Garibaldi, Ziggy Modeliste and the James
time, I would get riled up, and he would utilize that energy. Duke Ellington was famous
Brown drummers, John “Jabo” Starks and
for doing these kind of psychological tricks.
Clyde Stubblefield. Then, around 17 or
How often, especially these days, do you get the opportunity to work on music in
18 years of age I started to get into Elvin
such great detail? Not often. And his imposing of discipline on us; I learned so much.
Jones and Tony Williams, especially Tony
I was so fortunate to have that. That’s as good of schooling as you can get anywhere.
at that period in my life. And Billy Cobham
We had fun too; the live shows and studio sessions had incredible highs. Gino is an
and Mahavishnu Orchestra too.
electric live performer.
With Gino, yes, first I learned Graham’s
parts. There were certain things that
JM: His records are pretty amazing. How was the studio experience? had to be in that music to give it the
CS: We went to London to record; the best studio, the best conditions, lock out 24/7,
trademark, that made it “Gino-ish.” It was
best engineers; gosh, what a great experience.
the starting point.
Gino encouraged me to play in an
JM: Don’t you wish every record was like that [laughs]. expressive way. I would say, “Maybe
CS: Man, after I did that, it was a little bit of an we should take these fills out,” and he’d
adjustment to not have that same level at the say, “No, leave ‘em in!” He couldn’t
next gig or recording, instead of being get enough. He wanted drums on top
three weeks of basic tracks, it’s more of drums! He’s still like that. When I
like six hours [laughs]. It’s another saw the band recently with [drummer]
kind of mentality. But both of them Reinhardt Metz, Reinhardt was playing
are valid, with positives and all this amazing stuff in the context of the
negatives. music. It was like two different things:
In rehearsals–Gino would test your
patience; there was a lot of tension,
I had hours and hours of detail, a lot of
stuff. Good vibes, but tedious work.
tons of Onstage–now we’re gonna rock!

freedom. “Okay, we’re free now. Go man,

play.” I had tons of freedom.
It gave me It gave me confidence to be
myself musically. He knew
confidence to be how to get the best out of me.

myself musically. JM Was it difficult having

He knew how to all that freedom and
get the best excitement, and keeping it
together?
out of me.
 That’s
what I’m
about;
how far can
I take it
musically?
CS:
I would
record off the board every
night and listen–if the band
was rushing or dragging,
or sounding nervous or
whatever, I would hear
it in the recordings and
develop an awareness to
make those points better.
We were into developing
good time as a rhythm
section. We didn’t use click
tracks in the studio, just a
metronome to get the starting
tempo. There was a lot of
editing. We did old school; cuts
between tracks without the aid of
a metronome. Two-inch, 24-track
tape at 30 IPS–the best sound quality
ever. We took it on as a badge of
professionalism, that we could groove
in live time without a click, and have
the same tempo for each take. It was
h a d
fantastic.
contracts
with everybody;
ALL GOOD we were on retainer, and
they were just trying to work it out so they could financially pull back a little bit and
THINGS... regroup with the new management. On my behalf, that opened the door for me to try
something new.
JM: Why did it come to an end?
JM: I’ve been in that situation a couple of times, where you think you’ve got
Because, as we both know, that was
something really great and solid, only to find out that for whatever reasons,
a coveted gig.
CS: They had some business troubles at it just ended. How long until you got the gig with Jean Luc?
that point in time. They were changing CS: Right when that happened, Steve Smith called me, “Hey man, I’m leaving Jean
management, and the tour that was Luc’s gig. You got eyes for the gig?” I said, “If you’re leaving, I’d really like a crack at
coming up got canceled. We were getting that.”
ready to do another record, starting on
what later became Brother To Brother. JM: Was it a situation where Steve was able to just hand it over to you?
Some of those tunes, like “Brother To CS: No. Jean Luc and [bassist] Ralphe Armstrong had been around the country
Brother,” we rehearsed before we did auditioning people, and it hadn’t worked out. I went down to S.I.R. in Hollywood, and
A Pauper in Paradise, although those Jean Luc and I played for an hour-and-a-half. He just had his violin and a keyboard,
guys did a much better job on Brother To and I remember him saying, “I’m a big believer in reading, but a lot of the players that
Brother than we were doing. I play with which don’t read, I find they learn the music faster. So I don’t care if you
read or not.”
JM: [Mark] Craney was ridiculously
good. JM: A nice atmosphere to play in.
CS: Yeah, they captured something super CS: He got me relaxed, and we just had fun. He just had a great attitude of, “Let’s play
on that track. We were kind of going in some music. Let’s play something in seven. Want to play in 4/4? Let’s play this at a
another direction with it. fast tempo.” I knew some of his stuff and said, “I’ve got these ready if you want play
Anyway, the Vannellis were in flux, them.” I sight read a couple of things. At the end of the audition, he said, “If you want
trying to let everybody go in a good way. the gig, it’d be nice to have you.”
They needed time to sort it out, and they

035
JM: And it was nothing then he’ll use you as a musician.
other than coincidence It’s a balance. There are certain
with you and Craney times when you’re just groove
both playing for city for eight minutes, and
then there are other times
Gino and Jean
where you go for it.
Luc?
In rehearsals,
CS: That’s right.
Jean Luc welcomed
But it even goes
creativity. I would
deeper; we were
come with a weird
all living in L.A.
setup of bells, tablas,
and started to
timbales and things,
help each other
and just try stuff and
get gigs, all of
he’d say, “Ah, that’s
us. It was Steve
good. Use that.” I
Smith, Mark
would try unorthodox
Craney, Graham
set-ups, and that’s
and myself.
how I ended up my own
Eventually
trademark approach to
Doane Perry,
his music. The rehearsals
Greg Bissonette
were pretty relaxed. When
and others joined
I got in his band, we had
in. There was a group
four or five days of rehearsals
called “The Woodland
before the first gig, so it was
Hills Drum Club” made
more an attitude of, “Just get it
up of guys who lived in
done. It doesn’t matter if you don’t
Woodland Hills. We all helped
each other. There was this circle of The have all your drums and pedals, etc.,
we’ve got to rehearse.” That was a
teaching
gigs going around.
whole different way of thinking,
At one point, I was working in New York
from my Gino days where
with guitarist Ray Gomez, and out of the blue
Chris [Ryan], my bandmate from Gino’s band,
part helps we had bigger budgets and
who was playing keys with Santana, called, you solidify all tons of time. Jean Luc was
proletarian in his approach.
“Graham just quit the band. Do you want to
come up and do an audition?” So I went to your concepts and I can say that with Jean

what you’re doing,

Luc, there became a really
San Francisco and I rehearsed for about a
nice working relationship. I
week. I was having a great time and it was
looking pretty good. I loved playing with the and lets you study always felt he did the best
he could as a leader. He
great Cuban percussionist Armando Peraza,
and conga player Raul Rekow. Bill Graham things in depth had a great sense of humor
management was asking, “What are your plans?” that maybe you and appreciated what you did
for him. Here’s a guy who is a
put off.
We were talking seriously about going forward,
great musician, and had been
and then Carlos came in one morning, and said, “I
a sideman for John McLaughlin
need to talk to you. Graham called me, and he wants
and Frank Zappa; he understood
to come back into the band.” [Laughs]
what it’s like to work for others. While
So Graham came back and I went back to my life in
there was this side to Ponty that you had
L.A., freelancing. It was a fulfilling experience; Santana was my original
a framework to play in, the other side
introduction to Latin music when I was in the eighth grade or so.
was there’s lots of room in that music for
exploration. I just tried to push that limit
JM: Jumping back to Jean Luc, I think that was the first time I saw you play, as far as I could. That’s what I’m about;
which was at the Orpheum here in Boston. how far can I take it musically?
CS: Yeah, I remember doing that.

JM: It was on the Cosmic Messenger tour. I had the Ponty records and was a A NIGHT TO
big fan. So, similar question as with Gino, following in the footsteps of Steve
[Smith] on Enigmatic Oceans and Mark [Craney] on Imaginary Voyage, REMEMBER
was Jean Luc open to you bringing more of a rock element to it, with a big
double-bass kit, multi-toms, and really giving it some fire? JM: Another gig worth mentioning
CS: To me, every gig you play, you need a formula–a mental and musical approach is Chaka [Kahn]. Although I believe
to what’s going to work for the gig. Jean Luc had definite things that he wanted to Ferrone is on most of What Cha’
hear. I knew when he was going to turn around and want sixteenth notes on the Gonna Do For Me, you’re on “A Night
hi-hat, or when to go to the ride cymbal. He has some very particular things that he In Tunisia.” It’s a fantastic track and
wants to hear, and those are the things that make him sound like Jean Luc Ponty. you’re really playing some great shit.
So those things remain there just by virtue of his leadership and his asking for them. How did it come about?
The rest of it is whatever you want to play. I think Jean Luc is a guy who, when he CS: That LP was a special project
hears somebody play, if he hears something that he thinks you can bring to the gig,

036
recorded in Switzerland with Arif Mardin
producing, and Steve Ferrone was
on those dates. After Switzerland, Arif
realized they needed a couple of extra
tracks to complete the album. He had
this idea of doing an R&B pop version of
Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” they
titled it “And The Melody Still Lingers On.”
He wanted to try something new in LA,
with a different set of session players and
asked his son Joe, who plays drums, if
there was a drummer that he could think
of that could give it a new sound. Joe had
been listening to a lot of Jean Luc Ponty,
and he recommended giving me a call.
Joe, if you read this, thank you! [Laughs]
JM: What was the session like?
CS: The session was at Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, 1981. Ronnie Foster; Fender
Rhodes, David Foster; Synths, Abe
Laboriel; bass and myself. The vibe was
very up, exciting. You could sense this
was not a regular session. Arif had
minutes of running the chart, Arif turned to me and said, “This is isn’t working, what
do you hear?” I played the groove you hear on the record. Abe lit up, “that’s it!” and
began playing along. Very quickly we had a concept. Where Herbie’s solo is, my chart
said: “like Weather Report.” That suggested cymbals to me, not too much bottom. I
used the toms to give it some melodic shape and that freed Abe up to function more
melodically as well. He plays beautifully, the bass is singing over my part.
We spent a couple of hours working out details then did two takes. The first take had
excellent energy, but was loose in sections. At the end, where the drum breaks are,
I played all this crazy stuff, it was cool, but when I heard it, I thought, “This is Chaka
Khan, it should stay more in the pocket,” so I toned that section down a little bit to
keep the beat more pronounced. We cleaned things up, tweaked our individual parts
and got ready for another pass.
Arif had this idea of using Charlie Parker’s famous riff at the end, so he needed it to
be a certain tempo. He asked us if we should use a metronome. Unanimously we all
said no, that we could get it with live time. We were setting the bar high and working
together, with a spirit of, “Let’s do this, we can get it.” Arif had this passion that was
contagious, we all wanted to play our best for him. Luckily we pulled it off! The second
take was it, no fixes, no edits.
JM: There are some truly amazing artists on that track. Was Chaka there?
Did you play with Herbie [Hancock]? Dizzy [Gillespie]?
CS: Chaka came in to do a rough vocal. When she opened her
mouth to sing the energy went off the hook. Her physical
presence, attitude, demeanor, how she moved and her

a way of pumping you up, making
you feel like gold, that you were
there for your specific creative
input. We were given 8-,
9-page charts with all this
I really
vocal sound elevated the session to a whole new level.
Arif flew up to San Francisco and had Herbie add
just look at his parts, including that great synth solo. When
they got to the Parker riff, they slowed things
each student down and did some doubling of the line. It was all

incredible detail, dense
chord voicings, double
bass-drum passages, etc.
Arif had put a lot of work
into the arrangement,
which he had written on
the flight back to the US
from Switzerland. He had it
all demoed on a little cassette
recorder that he played for us,
and then we went to work
figuring it all out.
After a very
short time,
j u s t
individually and
very revolutionary technology at the time, a lot
of “firsts” that later became standard practice.
think, “How can I Dizzy came in at the end and did his playing. He
told me he loved the track. That was rewarding.
help this person?”
regardless of JM: It doesn’t get any better than that.
Sounds like a one-of-a-kind session and
what their fantastic learning experience.
major is. CS: Working with Arif was amazing. His ego was in
check. He made all his decisions based on musical
instinct and trust of his musicians. He threw out a big
piece of his arrangement without hesitation. It was all about
the music, capturing something special.
You know, anything can happen at any time. I literally
was working the Baked Potato the night before that
session. Then I played on a track with all these
incredible musicians, including Charlie Parker.
That recording started a movement of
adapting jazz standards to funk styles and
vocalese. It was cutting edge. Arif Mardin
was the man, an inspiration and mentor.

L.A. IN THE DAY

JM: So, you went to school in
Boston, were doing some work in
New York, but ended up living in L.A.
CS: Yeah. When the Vannellis moved
from Montreal to L.A., they helped me
move to Los Angeles, where I continued
to live for the next 18 years.

JM: Seems like a lot was happening for

you there, why leave?
CS: When I went out there, it was still peak time

037
 TRACKS

03-04
 while networking, that’s gone, and
that’s a real shame. That was the
heyday of ‘get up and work in the
studio every day.’

JM: When did you leave

and how did the Berklee
gig come about?’
CS: I came here in the
summer of 1993. I was a
member of the Education
Board at Pearl so I was very
involved with the clinic scene
at that time. Dean Anderson
[former Berklee Percussion
Dept. Chairman] was on this
Board, Greg Bissonette, Thom
Hannum, Ralph Hardimon
and others, and we would all
get together and have a good
time planning these cutting-edge
percussion events. Dean asked what
I was doing, “Why don’t you come out
to Berklee and do the summer program?”
That sounded like a good plan. I knew Boston
and thought I’d like to come back to the East
Coast for a minute, and Berklee would be a good
for home way for me to do it. I originally planned on being here
studios and just six weeks. Now it’s going on 23 years!
songwriting demos. At the end of that summer, one of the teachers, Alan Hall,
There was no drum machine decided at the last minute, not to teach that year; they needed somebody,
and there was no sequencing. Everybody and I was here. They made an offer that worked. Timing is everything, right?
who was going to write a song and make I really thought I would be doing this kind of thing maybe five or six years from when
a demo needed musicians to do it. I used I actually did it, but opportunity knocked. It was a chance to move back East, play
to say that you could stand at any corner more jazz and change the direction of where I was going musically.
in L.A. and within a block, there was a
recording studio in a garage. You had JM: Doesn’t sound like you missed out on anything by leaving L.A.
your price; a hundred bucks a session, CS: I’m sure I missed a few things, but that comes with change. I was really fortunate
or fifty bucks a tune, whatever it was, to be in front of that curve because it’s getting harder and harder to get these kind of
but you’d go to some songwriter’s place quality teaching gigs.
and you’d spend all day in the studio,
networking and honing your skills. Then, JM: And you settled right in going from sessions and touring to teaching?
once in awhile, maybe you’d get a real CS: It was weird for about a day.
gig, a Class A session with a major
label. JM: How so?
The essence of L.A. was CS: The first day back, I’m in the basement–the
that there was tons of old and funky 1140 Boylston St. basement,
opportunity to get your before it was remodeled–I’m thinking,
craft together. That’s “Wow, I just left L.A. for this?” [Laughs]
one thing I really Then, a couple of students later, it all
miss–songwriters felt very normal. I had been teaching
that are doing some in L.A., at The Percussion
things, all this Institute of Technology [PIT] with
contact with Joe Porcaro, Ralph Humphrey and
them. Yo u Steve Houghton, and I had a studio
don’t have so in Glendale, so teaching was
much now. It’s already a part of who I was. I had a
returning a little great experience at Berklee when I
bit, people co- was here as a student. It changed
writing things my life musically, and I felt like I
and doing demos can do this, I can give back. I had
at home, but my family, and I didn’t want to have
that nice thing of to be on the road, so teaching here
having some income was a good compromise; it all worked
to help pay your rent out. I started part-time for about five

039
 Luc. So I understood a little bit about the
whole thing of saving face, and respect,
and how you have to be patient, that kind
of stuff. I have a respect of Japanese
culture.
But when we got into rehearsals,
communication was a little difficult. For
example, we have the use of the double
negative. So, “You don’t want to go down
and get a slice of pizza?” You say, “No.”
But to the Japanese guy, that means
yes because I said “You don’t want to
go down” and you would say “Yes,”
meaning “Yes, I don’t want to go down.”
Sometimes, we’d be in rehearsal and that
might take ten minutes, “You don’t
want me to play C-sharp.”
He would think about it,
“Yes.” “So you do want
If you me to play it?” …

are not long pause… “No.”

It was like Abbott
strong, there and Costello’s

is a danger of
‘Who’s On First?’
Over the course
getting lost and of weeks of this
stuff… you can
forgetting who imagine [laughs].

you are.
Eventually, there
years, and
was a turning point;
then I got a
you have to look at
full-time contract, a
that gig for what it is. It
professorship.
was a show. It’s a lot of cool
percussion, some fantastic musical
JM: I think it’s great that you enjoy teaching so much. Sadly, there are some passages, at times symphonic; part of it’s
teachers that don’t, and end up in that position because they didn’t ‘make it.’ like playing in the Grateful Dead where
CS: Here, you can teach and continue to grow as a musician. The students are there’s this kind of rock jam, and then
tremendous, so sometimes I’m learning a lot more than they are–that whole exchange there are parts with long stretches where
cycle. Of course, there have been challenges along the way, for sure. Right now, I’m you could go take a nap. So: It is what it
totally loving it. The balance is in playing as much as I possibly can. I think teaching is. In that sense, I kind of knew what my
is an important part of being a good player. Philly Joe, Elvin, Papa Jo, Purdie, they deal was. I won’t say “with the devil,” but
all taught at Frank Ippolito’s Drum Shop in New York when they weren’t traveling. you know, this is what the gig is. It was a
That whole thing of: Can’t play, can’t teach. I never bought that. I studied with Alan good financial agreement, they treated us
Dawson–a great player and teacher–he was my mentor. The teaching part helps you first-class, everything was great, hotels,
solidify all your concepts and what you’re doing, and lets you study things in depth the hospitality, all that. Kitaro’s manager,
that maybe you put off. I love that part of it, so I’m never without inspiration, that’s for Eiichi Naito, knew how to get things done.
sure. My performing life continues; I gig around Boston, doing concerts, club work and Anyway, the Japanese have meetings
some recordings… for everything–gotta have a meeting,
gotta have a meeting, gotta have a
meeting. We were doing bus tours, the
NO MEANS KNOW country/western way with sleepers and
lounges, big Silver Bullet busses. There
JM: Aside from a drum festival we played together in the early ‘90s, the was a meeting after every gig, and then
last time I saw you live was with Kitaro. It was a really nice concert, but it we’d get on the bus and we’re going
was very different from anything that I’d seen or heard you play. You had a down the highway at two in the morning,
massive kit, but with very little going on playing-wise, though very important and the guy would want to have another
what you were doing and when you were doing it. How did that gig come meeting. For us, the best part of being
on the road on a bus tour is going into
around? Did you know what you were getting into with regard to playing New
a truck stop, the crew bus pulls up with
Age? And how was the experience? you, and you all go have breakfast. The
CS: Did I know what I was getting into, yes and no. [Laughs] It was a great gig
gig’s over, you relax, have fun, celebrate
business-wise, but the biggest challenge on that gig was cultural. You had a guy who
a good day’s work, after that everybody
was coming from a certain system of what is expected of a leader in Japan, to working
does their thing until you go to sleep. So
with a bunch of American musicians who, to him, seemed like a bunch of renegade
we’re getting ready to go have breakfast,
outlaws, which was just our normal way of functioning. [Laughs] Luckily, I had some
he wants a meeting, and he’s getting
experience because of my work with Pearl, and I’d been over to Japan with Jean
everybody all teed off. So one day, we

040
got together and respectfully said, “Kitaro,
you can have a meeting any time you
want. But when you’re in this country with
American musicians, you cannot have a
meeting on the bus. The bus is our time.
You can have a meeting after the gig, but
once we go onto the bus…”
that it didn’t have before. Over here [pointing] in the basement, we’ve got six studios
and two have huge Neve consoles. In the percussion department on Boylston Street,
we have another basement that’s tweaked out; one room’s Brazilian percussion,
another is Afro-Cuban, African and so on… beautiful marimbas, vibes, xylos. There’s a
classical room, and another drum-set room with eight or nine sets in it. Dean Anderson
did an incredible job advocating for our Percussion Department facilities. The place
is jacked!

JM: Sanctuary. JM: And how about your approach to working with students?
CS: Yes. And a lot of it was sign language CS: My philosophy is: You need one foot firmly in the past to look to the future
because his English wasn’t so good at and make that happen. I think it’s crazy to expect all the kids to be jazz players.
the time, and none of us were proficient in It’s not realistic. Where are they going to play be-bop? There are a few students
Japanese. It was hopeless. “You come to every year that rise, like Antonio Sanchez would be a good example, and Steve
bus, we go sleep, watch TV, no meeting.” Haas–these are musicians who can make a living in the jazz realm. I encourage
He said, “Okay, we try.” A couple of them to do so. But the bulk of the students who come here, realistically, that’s not
months later, he said, “I love this no- the thing. Whatever we teach them, if it is fundamentally sound, they can apply
meeting thing,” because, he didn’t have that to whatever style or idiom they find themselves in. Jazz is fundamentally
to be responsible anymore. So that was a sound, it is classical music for the drum set; it’s where the language of drum-set
turning point in that going forward, there playing evolved. There’s a tendency, I would say, in people who haven’t had that
was a little more understanding, “We’re link to think you can just blow off traditions, roots and such; that you don’t really
not trying to be disrespectful or anything; need them. There is some truth there. You don’t need jazz, advanced harmony,
we’re just a different culture here.” So etc to attain success, but those that put in the work, get a vast library from which
that developed into a little trust, and it got to pull, to create with. When I was here in the ‘70s, it was jazz tradition. Today it is
to be a pretty comfortable situation. We still jazz-based, but also is enhanced by the great musics of the world. That’s the
had some real highlights. We played New essence of what this school is. The core of the school is its faculty, who you study
Years’ in Tokyo Bay, which is like playing with; who’s teaching what class. It’s about people imparting knowledge to you and
in Times Square. We played at these also giving you confidence to pursue your own inner voice.
intense religious shrines; sacred grounds. Your most valuable people at the school, are the ones
One concert was in front of the largest who understand that when the classroom door
indoor Buddha in Japan. High points, life
experience-wise, that were totally hip.
What closes; you teach what you think you should
teach. Of course, there’s curriculum that we
It was challenging in its own way and a I learned follow and guidelines and all, that have to get
cool thing, but it definitely ran its course.
in L.A. was; done, but I really just look at each student
individually and think, “How can I help this
your livelihood person?” regardless of what their major
CIRCLING BACK depends on
is. I’ve got to find something
unique that’s going
JM: You had a great opportunity that last to work for
e a c h
session you
and experience when you came
to Berklee as a student. Come full
circle, now 20 years later and now a
professor, what are some of the big
did.
and better changes?
CS: Well, one of the better things
is it has a collegiate feel. Kids need
that environment. College is a lot of
opportunity to be in-between a kid and
an adult. It gives you some adjustment
time. To explore, to make some mistakes,
learn some things and maybe not pay
too big a price for those mistakes. It’s
also, hopefully, a somewhat idealistic
time, where you are encouraged to think,
“What if? Why not? If I put in the work,
is it feasible that I could get a gig with,
say, Jean Luc Ponty?” The mentality of
my teachers was: “Go get the best gigs
you can. You can do it.” Putting that in a
student’s head; I think that’s still needed,
There is more practicality now because
of the cost of school and the investment
and everything, but nonetheless, good
learning involves good thinking; creating
a vision is tantamount to success.
Also, the school has incredible facilities

041
student so they can get through and My family came along. My wife
get to the next level. I hope to Laura is a visual artist. She met
inspire them and to assist them street artists, studied graffiti
in reaching their goals. If you and kept a visual log of the
are not strong, there is a trip with her drawings. My
danger of getting lost and daughter Ella, 22, is a
forgetting who you are. senior at Skidmore
A lot of information College, loves
and knowledge is languages and
going to get thrown developed an ear
at you; you have for Portuguese.
to find your inner My son Cooper,
voice and get 25, is a music
secure with that: business major
With a strong at Berklee and
musical base to documented
lean on, you will the trip. Sharing
survive, you’ll be this with them, it
okay. doesn’t get better
Berklee’s also than that!
very good at
teaching how to JM: Sounds
adapt. We have the like an amazing
best technology in experience. What’s
the world here, but you on the agenda now
realize that in two years, it’s
that you’re back?
going to start being obsolete.
CS: I’m gradually getting my
Because of the way you’ve dealt
time back and starting to play
It’s
with things here, you’ll know: “I can
and practice more. I have so many
do it. I can learn the new stuff.” The
people that I love to play music with. I
school equips you very well for that. Study,
work hard and apply yourself. The new
crucial want to start documenting that. I started
president, Roger Brown, and his people that we writing some tunes and material and
things, and am thinking about putting
have done a very good job of bringing
money into the school; it’s becoming remember what together sessions. You could say,

got us here, who

hugely successful and the alumni are
more involved than ever. Nonetheless,
it’s crucial that we remember what got
us here, who we are at the core and what
our essence is.
ultimately, the old-school way would
be to make a CD, but I don’t know, do
we are at the people make CDs anymore? [Laughs]
I want to record music, I want to record
core and what music I write, and I want to record with

our essence
people that I love to play with. And I
Along that line of thinking, I am putting
want to do some producing; I have all this
together a book at the moment for Berklee
Press to be titled, Berklee Jazz Drums. It will is. experience I would like to put to the test.
And, because things are changing now
be the summation of the many methods and
in my commitments, I would also like to
traditions our faculty use to teach the basics of jazz
take a year off to go play with somebody if
drumming. It will be out in 2016.
it was the right situation musically. Really,
I’m at a good point in that I don’t have to
JM: You’ve accomplished so many things; playing, teaching, writing materials, do gigs to make a living that I don’t care
the professorship, big records, big tours…is there anything left that you to do. You know how it is. When you’re
haven’t done that you would like to do? Or at this stage, where your kids are just living off music in New York or LA,
grown and you’re established here, would you like to go back out and maybe there’s a lot of what we say “music by the
get on the road again? pound.”
CS: Oh yeah. I was just recently in Brazil for a total of six weeks, and traveled to What I learned in L.A. was: your
Sao Paolo, Belo Horizonte/Ouro Preto, Olinda/Recife, Salvador and Rio. I was on livelihood depends on that last session
sabbatical from Berklee, My proposal was “Five Cities in Five Weeks,” with the intent you did. That demand is great pressure to
to study and learn Brazilian music. I stretched it to six weeks! learn under and that’s a really awesome
Things just blew up once I got there. I ended up doing jazz gigs in Sao Paolo with thing, it gets you to rise up. I want to use
great musicians, master classes, some street music, a couple of concerts and finally that energy now more for expression, and
recording with Brazilian pop artist Carlinhos Brown, also an amazing drummer and creating music that I truly am interested
community activist. It was quite an adventure. Through a former student, Giba Favery in playing. Collaboration–sharing the
I befriended Tito Oliveira, a very special Bahian musician/drummer/bandleader, and creative process with others, is high on
an authority on Afro-Brazilian rhythms. Tito and drummer Hernan Voyzuk, took my my list. I would say yes to that.
family and I around Salvador, meeting musicians, jamming, learning Candomble’,
samba reggae, maracatu’, frevo, baiao; playing with the percussionists from Olodum WEBFOOT www.caseyscheuerell.com
and Carlinho’s band Timbalada.
WEBFOOT www.berklee.edu

042
043
JOEY
PEEBLES

SUPA
FUNKIN’
ROCKIN’
MAN
STORY BY STAN HALL
PHOTOS BY MOVER
044

O
ne of the biggest acts to hit the
music world in the last few years
has been New Orleans phenomenon
Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty. In a
relatively short time, Shorty and his band
Orleans Avenue have risen to the top of the
funk world, a fact underscored when they
were chosen to play the closing set of the
2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,
traditionally the most prestigious slot of
the entire event. They were also selected to
headline at the grand reopening of the musi-
cally historic Howard Theater in Washington,
D.C., where they shared the stage with R&B
legend and Parliament/Funkadellic master-
mind George Clinton and Danny Ray, James
Brown’s longtime MC.
In no uncertain terms, Shorty and his band
seem poised to become the pointmen for
today’s generation of funkateers, and part
of the reason for that can be laid at the feet
and hands of drummer Joey Peebles. Joey, a
longtime musical buddy of Troy’s, drives the
band with a combination of youthful enthusi-
asm, overflowing energy, and an interesting
mixture of N’awlins funk and hard-edged
heavy rock. And the man obviously loves his
job: when things lock in and really start burn-
ing, a mile-wide smile lights up Joey’s face.
Troy calls his music “supafunkrock,” a
term that’s also an accurate description of
Joey’s drumming. The six-piece band (three
horns and the traditional guitar/bass/drums
rhythm section) comes across like Led Zep-
pelin meets James Brown, the horns spitting
out smart-ass remarks over top of Pete
Murano’s distort-o guitar lines while Joey
and bassist Mike Ballard support everything
with a churning bed of rock-edged funk. In
addition to their original material, Troy and
the band have been known to pepper their
live sets with such rock material as AC/DC’s
“Back In Black,” the Violent Femmes’ quirky
“Blister In The Sun,” and Green Day’s “Brain
Stew.” Clearly, this is not your grandad’s
musical gumbo – this is the sound of a long
and rich tradition taking its next step forward.
SURROUNDED BY SOUND
Although born and bred in New Orleans (he only recently
moved to Connecticut, his fiancee’s home state), Joey is not what
you might think of as a typical Crescent City musician. In fact, he
laughingly recalls, “Our baritone-sax player once said about me,
‘Dude, I think you’re kind of a New Orleans drummer by osmosis’
because I didn’t sit in my bedroom checking out any New Orleans
players, although I heard a little bit of Zigaboo Modeliste and I
checked out The Meters some.
“But every year, inevitably, if you’re a New Orleans resident,
you hear Mardi Gras music. You go to the store and you hear
‘Big Chief’ or ‘Hey Pocky Way’ or something like that. It’s like
Christmas music; if you walk into a mall, you will hear it.
“I checked out a lot of players from elsewhere and admired
them; I didn’t really get into players from New Orleans until
I started playing professionally as a teenager and going
to clubs and seeing them. Now I have a well-developed
appreciation for New Orleans music and what uniqueness it
offers and how you can be the greatest player on earth and
still have a hard time capturing that.”
WHAT’S THE RUSH
So if he didn’t start by scoping the locals, where did he
start? You do the math: young + impressionable + interested
in drumming = (no surprise here) Neil Peart. That’s right, the
chilly winds from Canada reached all the way to the Gulf of
Mexico, carrying the sounds of Bytor and the Snow Dog down
to the swampy delta.
Young master Joseph started early but in a fairly casual
way: “I’d been playing, just kinda doing my own thing with
no direction, since I was five, easily. My brother lived in the
French Quarter, and he led this real bohemian lifestyle. He
was into Nitzer Ebb and Ministry and industrial bands. When
he used to baby sit me, he’d give me the phone book–the
big yellow pages–and two paint brushes, and I’d turn them
around and use them like drumsticks while he turned on a
strobe light, blasted some loud music and encouraged me to
just be crazy and beat on the phone book. My parents knew
about it, but they just kind of rolled their eyes and said, ‘That’s
his brother, that’s what he does.’” [Laughs]
A few years after those homegrown pseudo-psychedellic
one-man jam sessions, Joey got a little more serious: “When
I was 12, I got a private drum instructor, Louis Romanus, who
had a real jazz background. He came to the house weekly
and we did private lessons.
“He turned me on to people like Steve Gadd and Dave
Weckl. At the time my favorite drummer in the world was
Neil Peart–Neil was everything. Louis said, ‘Dude, there are
so many other drummers out there.’ He went to the Loyola
Jazz Program and studied with Johnny Vidacovich. A lot of
the stuff he taught me came from his studies with Johnny V.
and players like that. He was a big Idris Mohammand fan, so
there’s where my jazz influence came from.
“I studied with him totally consistently from the age of 12
to 15, and then more sporadically until I was about 18 or 19.
What made Louis such a great teacher was that, not only was
he a great player, but he really inspired me and would point
me in different directions, pointing out other guys for me to
investigate.
One day he brought in a chart of “Oleo” [Miles Davis]
and told me to learn how to play the melody of the song on
the drums. There’s a tasteful way to do it. You can beat the
rhythm of the melody any way you want, but he taught me
there’s a way to ‘sing’ on the drum set, to play melodically.
045
Plus he worked on reading out of the C.E. Gardner series of
classical snare drum books.
“Louis also introduced me to playing all the time with a
metronome–a Dr. Beat–whether I was working on exercises
or just free playing. But the best thing that Louis ever did
was, one day when I was about 13, he just straight up spent
an entire hour-long lesson tearing me down, telling me how
horrible my time was. When you’re first starting out as a kid,
you think that everything you play sounds great.
“I remember when I was about ten or eleven, I said, ‘Dad,
listen to this.’ And I played him a clip of Buddy Rich and then
I played something. Then I asked him, ‘Who is better, me or
Buddy?’ He said, ‘Uh, Buddy Rich.’ And I was like, ‘What!?
I was way better than Buddy Rich!’” [Laughs] When you’re
young, you just have it in your mind that you’re better than
you actually are, and sometimes you need people to tell you
what the reality is.”

(BAND) CAMPING IT UP
So now the million-dollar question is, how did Joey connect
with Troy? As with so many other situations in life, it was a
matter of somebody knowing somebody. In this particular
instance, it was bassist Mike Ballard [currently Joey’s rhythm-
section partner in Orleans Avenue].
The basis of the whole thing lies in the particulars of their
home town. In Joey’s words, “New Orleans is a small town–It
has that feel to it. Troy’s about three years older than I am, During the summer in question, Mike and Joey were both
but we both attended the same summer camp called The attending the camp. Mike, who had already been playing with
Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp.” Troy in other situations, hipped him to Joey by telling him,
“When we do our jazz performance night for our parents, you
should check out this drummer Joey.” Ballard, who knew Troy

LIGHT IS RIGHT
Cartage will kill you, make no mistake; if not via
your back, then by way of your wallet. Traveling light
is a key to a successful tour nowadays (unless you’re
Metallica and can afford to lug around all sorts of
colored maggots, special effects and self-destructing
was looking to switch up drummers in his band, thought Joey
would fit the bill nicely.
What came next turned out to be Joey’s golden opportunity.
As Peebles recalls, “Mike composed a couple of songs for our
performance night and asked me to play with him. Troy liked
what he heard, so we got together.”

statuary in addition to walls of amps, guitars by the
dozen and a couple of double-bass drum kits). Take
only what you need and pick up the rest as you go
is the order of the day, and Peebles takes it to heart.
Although he’s got plenty of sonic targets up on the
drum riser, the only thing he carries from gig to gig
are his Paiste Signature cymbals and the Trombone
Shorty logo front kick head he stashes away in his
cymbal case. That and a stick bag, and he’s road ready.
Joey didn’t always go that light. Like many a young
drummer before him, he caught the equipment bug
at an early age, when he was playing different music
with a different approach: “I do have stuff of my own,
but it’s stuff I got at least eight years ago at Ray
Francen’s Drum Center: an eight-piece Yamaha Maple
Custom Absolute drum set with four racks, two floors,
snare – it was f*cking bad ass. Back then I was more
into fusion and jazz; I wasn’t really playing the kind of
music that I’m playing most of the time now, which is
heavier rock, pop and heavy funk stuff.
“When Katrina hit, our house was filled with eight feet
of water – it completely wiped out the first floor. Lost all
my drums at the time, except for the snare drum, and
that’s only because it was upstairs.” (As a postscript to
that event, after Katrina, Joey’s teacher Louis moved to
Athens, Georgia, and Peebles wound up in Houston for
about eight months before moving back to New Orleans.
GETTING SERIOUS
Even though the pieces were there, Trombone Shorty &
Orleans Avenue were not an overnight sensation–they were
just another local band in the starting blocks. Joey relates:
“When we first started playing together, we played the typical
New Orleans-style gig at your small dive, which consists of
showing up and playing whatever the hell the people around
you start playing–totally improvisational dance; funky. Places
like the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street or Joe’s Cozy Corner
in Treme, which is now shut down. Another place would have
been Donna’s Bar & Grill on Rampart. We also played a lot at
The Funky Butt, on Rampart, a few blocks down from Donna’s
Bar & Grill. We even played Snug Harbor some, when we
were more jazz-ish.”
We know that the band eventually became successful, but
how did Troy & company make the transition from local bar
band to a world-class performing and recording band? They
did it the hard way, as Peebles admits: “It was very hard
work, a lot of endless playing. Right after the storm when we
came back, we started getting a regular gig at The Blue Nile
on Frenchmen Street, just a block down from Snug Harbor.
We played The Blue Nile every week for a while, just playing
whatever the hell we wanted to play on the spot.
“One night we had a really shitty gig, just really bad. We
were kind of down on ourselves about it, ‘Man, that was not
what we wanted to sound like.’ We were just making that

046
transition from ‘do we just want to play around town when
we can or do we want to make this our lives and get serious
about this, see how far we can go.’ We decided we wanted
to get serious, so we found ourselves a space and started
rehearsing almost every day.”
DUES & BLUES
This is when the dues were paid and the artists starved.
And what did they do to pay the bills while they were bumping
up their game? Joey explains how they scraped by: “Different
guys did different things. The guitarist waited tables for a
while–some of the dudes were in college. Mike worked in
a kitchen. I worked part time in the kitchen at the Tulane
Children’s Center, Tulane University, to help make the rent.
But we devoted our time to getting better.”
Tough as things were, everyone was committed to getting
everything tight and right, as Peebles recalls: “I remember
one day we showed up and we just worked on playing a
groove–five minutes of a solid groove, that doesn’t move, that
doesn’t have any embellishments in it. We learned how to
concentrate.
“I remember, I’d be playing a beat, Mike would be trying
to put a bass line over it, and we’d just try to concentrate
on holding it down. I’d work on playing a beat with more
authority–things like that. When you’re 15, unless you’re really
exceptional or grew up playing in church, playing with authority
is something you have to work at.
“Troy had also just started playing with Lenny Kravitz
around then, the first leg of the Lenny Kravitz tour, and he
saw how they operated and how they spent hours and hours
working things out, so that inspired us, too.”
21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID HANDS
As a young drummer in his twenties, Joey carries no
baggage concerning the correctness or exclusivity of using
a given grip [traditional vs. matched grip or right hand lead/
DONATI – THAT GOOD
It’s the age-old story: young musicians hear a master
player who inspires them to strive to reach their
potential on their chosen instrument. In Joey’s case, the
inspiration came in the person of Australian drummer
Virgil Donate, whose command of the mechanics of
drum set performance has to be seen and heard to
be believed, and that’s literally what Peebles did at a
critical time in his musical development: “When I was
14, things started to really click. It was the second
year I competed in the Guitar Center Drum-Off, and I
did pretty well. I made it out of New Orleans and made
it to Atlanta for the regional competition. That really
inspired me to work really hard, and I became obsessed
with practicing. I did some regimental practicing with
rudiments and drills and reading exercises and things
like that, but I also did a lot of free play.
“I got to meet Virgil Donati and saw him play an
entire night after the competition. He was the featured
artist – he blew me away, and he does it all traditional
grip. I’ve never seen anyone so dedicated and focused
on being perfect. I hear he has a daily regimen of
playing eight hours whenever he’s not on the road. At
the age of 14 I saw that, and I wanted to be like that – I
wanted to be that good. So I practiced hours and hours
every day.”
cross hand vs. left hand lead/open hand playing], he simply
uses all of them. He often switches back and forth with
different grips and lead hands throughout a gig: he’ll typically
go from using traditional grip to matched and/or switch
from left- to right-hand lead, or vice versa, and back again,
sometimes within a single tune. What’s with his 21st century
schizoid hands?
There is a method to the madness, as Joey explains: “I’ve
always played both, but earlier on I probably played more
traditional. It wasn’t until I started playing more gigs that were
backbeat-oriented or dance-oriented where I had to slam all
night that I switched to matched grip.
“It’s become just second nature, going back and forth like
that. I’m left handed naturally, so I used to just play open
handed on a right-handed set. When I’m swinging or playing
jazz, I’ll play the ride on the left side.
“I started experimenting the last few years playing right
handed, crossing over my hands. When we were playing
the simpler, backbeat-oriented music, I thought that limiting
myself helped, just to be able to be solid and not put in too
many ghost notes. Now it’s almost as comfortable as playing
open handed. I switch mid-song sometimes. If it’s backbeat-
oriented and really driving, I’ll play crossover with the right
hand to simplify, and I play most of the show like that.
“The way our songs are constructed, different parts require
different things or different feels. Maybe one moment the
chorus is really driving, and then there’s a breakdown that
requires fine and fast articulate playing.”
Some of his changing grip/lead hand choices also have to
do with the evolution of his set up as well: “My set up used to
be different: my cymbals used to be more angled, more Steve
Gadd-ish, and my ride was on the left side. But for the stuff
we’re doing now, it’s more natural for me to have it on the
right side. Sometimes I’ll try a different set up with two racks
and one floor and a couple of crashes in front of the toms. I
kind of like the way I’ve got it now [traditional right-hand big
band layout with the ride cymbal low and to the right of the
047
Drums
DW
12 X 9 Rack
14 X 14 Floor
16 X 16 Floor
22 X 16 Kick
14 X 6 Snare
14 X 6 Snare
Cymbals
Paiste
16” Signature Crash
14” Signature Hi-hats
17” Signature Crash
bass drum, between the single rack tom and his two floor
toms] because on the left I’ve got two crashes and a timbale-
esque snare drum. I angle all my drums towards me, and I sit
with my legs slightly above parallel to the ground.
“I’ve also got a double pedal that I just started using–I really
love metal and that got me interested in trying a double pedal.
I screwed around with it the last couple years, but I really
just started using it in 2013. I’m not a fluent double-pedal
player like Virgil Donati; I would never compare myself with
somebody like him on double pedal, but I’ve learned a few
tricks. I can’t do a double-stroke roll with my feet like a lot of
fluent double players can. I can do singles moderately fast but
not at lightning speed, so when I want to do what sounds like a
fast run, I would play hand, left foot, right foot, right foot.”
JOSH & THE MECHANICS
When it comes to the mechanics of playing, Joey looks to
one guy in particular as a role model: “I’ve really gotten into
some church players–very clean, articulate and powerful-
sounding guys.
But a player who’s become one of my very favorite
drummers in the world in the last few years is Josh Freese.
I really got turned on to his playing, him uniquely, because I
048
22” 2002 Ride
18” Signature Crash
Heads
Remo
Racks & Floors- Coated Amb / Clear Amb
Kick - Pinstripe
Snares - Coated Ambassadors
Sticks
Vater
5B
Hardware
DW
DW9000 Double Pedal, D5000 Hi-hat, DW Stands
got obsessed with his mechanics–he’s got such a kinesthetic
approach. I saw him play once with Weezer and once in
Australia when he was doing the new Sublime project. He and
I were both playing loud but groove-driven, hard-hitting music
that requires a lot of stamina.
“Back then, when I played that kind of music, I tensed up:
I tensed up on my grip and I choked up on my sticks. I don’t
know if you’ve seen another player who’s about my age, a
great player named Ilan Rubin, who’s playing with Nine Inch
Nails now. He’s got that kind of rigid touch. I used to play like
that, but it was really killing me.
“I got diagnosed with rotator-cuff tendonitis at 22. I went to
an orthopedic specialist who told me, ‘You’ve got to change
your posture and loosen up.’ I was hunched over and my
drums and cymbals were up way too high. But I didn’t want to
compromise explosiveness for good technique. Seeing Freese
play, he seemed to be able to get all this power without getting
fatigued by even the most physically demanding stuff. He
maintained this looseness and fluidity.
Seeing him play the way he did really influenced me to
develop a different approach to my playing, a more fluid
approach.”
 first two records: “At the live shows we were really hitting
PLUGGED IN hard–I got carried away at the live shows. We did a lot of
touring, about 200 days out of the year, for a couple of years.
Joey has two words of advice for other
But we approached the records differently. We weren’t going
drummers who have to duke it out on loud stages:
to try to recreate a live thing; we just wanted to make a cool
monitors and plugs. Specifically, he says, “You
record.
really do like having a good monitor mix, and
“Ben Ellman, who produced the first two records, Backatown
being able to hear everything with clarity can
and For True, had a production style that was a lot different. He
make your performance ten times better than if
was more into making cool edits of your performance, so at the
you can’t hear everything and it all sounds muddy
time, when I’m playing certain parts, I think the musical idea was
– then you’re just playing from muscle memory.
completely different than the result. I learned you don’t really
I’m sure that contributed to the tendonitis issues I
have to hit that hard; it’s more about touch. I learned that
was having a few years ago.
being in a studio, especially with the last record [Say That To
“I’ve always played with earplugs, those big
Say This] where it was all completely live cuts through and
foam ones you get from Walgreen’s. I just like
through. I learned that it was all about touch.”
those, but if I put them in all the way, it tends to
And Joey has put that lesson to good use, as witnessed in
muffle everything, and I’ll overhit. I went to an
his playing with another New Orleans group, Kristin Diable
audiologist about five years ago to get molded
and the City. This band, which he describes as “Nora Jones
earplugs, but I eventually lost them, which was
goes country,” takes a decidedly softer approach than Orleans
terrible because they’re very expensive! [laughs]
Avenue, and Joey makes the necessary adjustments to fit in
The doctor explained to me that the hi-hats really
with its more subdued sound, playing with rods and brushes
do it to you. I’ve always used earplugs, even if
to suit the mood set by the band’s upright bass and acoustic
they were cheap. As long as I have earplugs in,
guitar.
I’m fine.”
Given his youth, chops, flexibility, dedication to groove and
openness to learning, it’s a good bet that we’re going to be
ALL ABOUT TOUCH hearing Joey for a long time.
To date, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue have put out WEBFOOT www.tromboneshorty.com
three albums [Backatown, For True, Say That To Say This], the
first two being produced by Ben Ellman and the most recent by
Troy and legendary R&B musician/producer Raphael Saadiq.
From Joey’s perspective, recording and live performance
have been different things for the band, especially with the

049
 candomusos
L - R: Joe Hardy, David Segal, Andrew Hewitt, Dom Famularo, Mike Mignogna.
THE BEGINNING OF A CHALLENGE
On March 15th, 2013, Andrew Hewitt, who hails from Australia,
arrived in New York from California to have a lesson with Dom
Famularo. Andrew was in Santa Barbara, CA to attend a three-
day seminar for Eddie Tuduri’s TRAP program [The Rhythmic
Arts Project], a workshop-based program to teach people with
disabilities how to read, spell, count and use life skills via drums
and percussion.
Andrew was born with cerebral palsy. In spite of this, over
the past 20 years, he has worked successfully as a performing
artist, drum teacher, drum-set clinician, motivational speaker,
workshop facilitator and disability advocate. Mike Mignogna, also
a drummer, was in town from Tennessee. Mike also has cerebral
palsy and has studied and known Dom for over 20 years. Mike
published a book entitled Look Ma No Feet, a practical approach
to the drum set for someone with limited, or no use of their
legs. In 2009, the three of them played together in the Ultimate
Drummers Weekend in Melbourne, Australia’s Darebin Arts
Centre.
I had known Dom Famularo since I started going to the
KoSA Drum Camp in 2002. Born and raised in New York City
and now in residing Connecticut, I formally began studying with
Dom in 2004. I was born with arthrogryposis, which affects the
development of the bones, muscles and nerves in the hands
and feet, and had to have 12 corrective surgeries throughout
my youth. In spite of that, the fire to play drums was burning
inside me and studying with Dom and other master drummers/
percussionists each summer at KoSA inspired me even more.
I decided to go back to school and get a B.A. in Music and a
Masters in Music Education and was excited to realize a dream
and play Carnegie Hall in 2014.
052
By DaviD Segal
Back to March 2013; we were all in town. Dom suggested
meeting at his drum studio to have a summit of sorts, discuss
drums and issues we had been dealing with as “challenged”
musicians. There was something there previously, but it wouldn’t
be crystallized until we all were together that day. What if we all
came together and formed an organization that could empower
all “challenged” musicians–be it physical, mental or intellectual–
from across the world.
That day we came up with CandoMusos, got the domain, and
CandoMusos.com was born. We chose Can-Do because having
that type of attitude is the first step towards success, and Muso is
a term used to describe a musician that is passionate about their
instrument. We combined the terms to form a unique name that
described our vision and mission.
In 2014 we added an associate board member to our main
team, Californian drummer Joe Hardy, who was born with no legs
and plays with the heavy-metal band Unit 287. For over 30 years
he has played drums, has a unique, electronic drumset built into
his wheelchair and has developed a special device that allows
him to play a bass drum, despite having no legs. Two years
removed from that meeting we already have over 150 members
from 19 countries.
In January 2015, we spoke at NAMM in the H.O.T. Zone, and
included on our panel was drummer Dean Zimmer, who also has
arthrogryposis, and guitarist Mark Goffeney, who was born with no
arms and plays with his feet. Recently we launched CandoRadio
which features music from disabled artists all over the world.
If there are any artists with any physical, mental, intellectual
challenges and would like to join us please send an email to
info@candomusos.com or visit us at candomusos.com.
 DrumheaD ISSue 51

Issue 51

PlayWiththePros
aNtoNFiG
05. “Verspers”
01 . “Cool Day”
06. “Verspers” Practice
02. “KWyGii”

DrUMU
CaseysCheUerell
07. Bernstein ex. 1
03 . “it’s a NeW
yoriCaN thiNG”
rUCKer’srUCKUs
04. “this i DiG oF yoU”
08. - 47. rucker ex. 1 - 40

DownloaD mP3S @ DrumheaDmag.com

053
 PlayWiththePros
TRACKS

“Vespers”
05-06
“Vespers” - Track 05 Art Bernstein & Chuck D'Aloia
Score
“Vespers” Practice - Track 06 Drums: Art Bernstein

Improvise Side Stick.

Drum Set
4 xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
ã 4 œ x œ œ x œ œ x œ œ x œ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’

Continue simile
8

ã ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’

A

ã .. ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’

16

A
24

ã ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’

B
32

ã ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’

ã ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’..

40 1, 2, 3, 4.

Tag
48

ã ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’
Fade

054

© 2005 Art Bernstein and Chuck D'Aloia

 drumu
TRACK

Accented 16th-note Exercises 07

Played Over A Samba Bass-Drum Ostinato,
with Step Hi-hats on beats TWO & FOUR. Pt. III of VII
BY ART BERNSTEIN

Welcome back to Drum U. In this issue I will be playing accented 16th-note exercises on snare drum over a samba bass-drum ostinato,
with step hi-hats on beats TWO & FOUR. In addition to playing the exercises as written, here are a few additional ideas to try:

1. Try moving your right hand to the floor tom on beat TWO of each measure, adding an accent to the floor tom even if no accent is written.
2. Try playing pressed or buzzed strokes where accents are noted.
3. Try moving your right hand to the floor tom on beat TWO of each measure, re-orchestrating the remaining accented notes freely.
4. Try re-orchestrating all of the accented notes freely.
5. Try using different stickings.

Begin accents on the E’s and the A’s

Bernstein Ex. 1 - Track 07

> > >

ã .. œ œ>> œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. .. 5 5>> 5 5>> 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 ..
ã .. œ œ> œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ .. .. 5œ 5> 5x 5œ> 5œ 5 5x 5œ 5œ 5 5x 5œ 5œ 5 5x 5œ ..
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ5 5 5x 5œ 5œ 5 5x œ5 œ5 5 x5 œ5 œ5 5 x5 œ5 ..
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ5 5 5x 5œ 5œ 5 5x œ5 œ5 5 x5 œ5 œ5 5 x5 œ5 ..
œ >x œ>œ >x œ œ x œ œ x œ œ x> œ œ> x> œ > œ x œ œ x œ
ã .. œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. .. œ œ>> œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ œ xœ œ> œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ ..
ã .. œ œ>œx œ> œ œ>œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ .. .. œ œ> œx œ œ œ>œx œ> œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ ..
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ .. .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ œx œ ..
œ > x œ> œ >x œ> œ > x œ œ x œ œ > x œ> œ >x œ> œ >x œ> œ x œ
ã .. œ œ>> œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>> œ œ œ œ œ œ .. .. œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ œ œ ..
ã .. œ œ> xœ œ> œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ œ> xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ ..
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ>xœ œ> œ œ> xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ œ xœ œ> œ œ>xœ œ> œ œ> xœ œ> œ œ xœ œ ..
ã .. œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ .. .. œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ ..
œ > x >œ œ > x>œ œ> >x œ >œ x œ > œ > x >œ œ> x >œ >œ >x œ>œ x œ
ã .. œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ .. .. œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>> œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>>œ œ>>.. œ Œ
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. œ Œ
ã .. œ œ>xœ œ>œ œ>xœ œ> œ œ>xœ œ>œ œ>xœ œ .. .. œ œ>xœ œ>œ œ>xœ œ> œ œ>xœ œ>œ œ>xœ œ>.. œ Œ
ã .. œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ œ œ xœ œ .. .. œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ œ œ œx œ .. œ Œ
œ xœœ xœ œ xœœ xœ œ xœœ xœ œ xœœ xœ

055
 rucker’sruckus
TRACKS

Where’s ONE? 08-47

BY STEVE RUCKER

In the beginning, the Keepers of the Groove deemed the snare drum backbeat should occur on beats TWO and FOUR. Later,
drummers like Zigaboo Modeliste, Clyde Stubblefield and David Garibaldi moved the backbeat to other unexplored locations
in the timeline. Thus, security of TWO and FOUR was replaced by an unpredictable realm known as “beat displacement.” And
it can be quite funky. In this article, we’ll take progressive steps to move familiar beats to unfamiliar locations.

We can use these ten “Basic Beats” (see the “Fatback” article in Drumhead issue #47) as vehicles for our beat displacement:
Rucker Ex. 1 - Track 08
1
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ™ œ
4
/ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 2 - Track 09
2
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ™ œ œ
4
/ œ Œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 3 - Track310

¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ™ œ œ™ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 4 - Track 11
4

¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 5 - Track 12
5
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 6 - Track 13
6
¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ™ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 7 - Track 14
7
¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ™ œ œ ≈ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 8 - Track 15
8

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ™ œ ≈ œ œ œ
4
/ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 9 - Track 16
9

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ Œ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 10 - Track 17
10
¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
056
 rucker’sruckus

Let’s take beat #5 and start it on various eighth-note locations in the bar. We’ll start on beat ONE, then on the AND of ONE,
then on TWO, and so on.

The down arrow indicates where the beat starts.

Rucker Ex. 11 - Track 18
1

¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 12 - Track 19

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
4
/ ‰ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ‰ J ‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 13 - Track 20
3

¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 14 - Track 21

4

¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ 4
/ ‰ J ‰ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 15 - Track 22
5

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 16 - Track 23

6

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ ≈ œ œ ‰ œJ ‰ œ œ œ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 17 - Track 24
7
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ
4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 18 - Track 25

8

¿ ¿ œ ¿ œ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ œ ≈ œ ‰ J ‰ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
J
057
These exercises are more for the mind than for the limbs. The key is to get the beat in muscle memory, then start the
beat at the indicated position in each exercise. The beat should feel the same for each exercise, but it should sound
totally different. Don’t try to think of each exercise as a different beat.

It’s the same beat for every set of exercises; they just start at different positions in the bar.

The next step is to play various hi-hat patterns over the top of our eighth-note displacement exercises.
In the following set of exercises, we’ll use an eighth and two sixteenths on the hi-hat.
Rucker Ex. 19 - Track 26
1

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 20 - Track 27

2

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ ‰ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ‰ œJ
4
‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 21 - Track 28
3

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘
Rucker Ex. 22 - Track 29
4

¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 4
/ ‰ J ‰ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 23 - Track 30
5

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
/ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 24 - Track 31

6

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ ≈ œ œ ‰ œJ ‰ œ œ œ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘
J
Rucker Ex. 25 - Track 32
7

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ œ œ œ œ œ
4

œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Rucker Ex. 26 - Track 33

8

¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ œ ≈ œ ‰ J ‰ œ ‘ ‘ ‘
J
058
Now that we have eighth-note displacement under control, let’s displace the rhythm by a sixteenth note, using beat #3.

> > > >

Rucker Ex. 27 - Track 34

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘

When this beat is totally in muscle memory, start it one sixteenth note before beat ONE of the measure.

>r > > > >

‰™
Rucker Ex. 28 - Track 35

¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿œ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿œ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿
‰™ œ ‰ œ ‰™ œ ‰ œ ‰™
Œ Œ Œ
/ Œ Œ Œ œ ‘
R R R

PRACTICE WITH AN AUDIO TRACK, OR SOME SORT OF EXTERNAL SOUND SOURCE.

The simpler and funkier the track, the better. One of my favorite practice tracks is Me'shell Ndegeocello’s “The Way.” Gene
Lake’s groove is so deep that it will make you play in the pocket.

For some of you, it might help to add “ghost” notes on the snare. They fill in the sixteenth-note grid for the entire measure.

Rucker Ex. 29 - Track 36

> > > >
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ œœœœœœ œœœœœœœ œ
4
‘ ‘ ‘

After you have this beat totally in muscle memory, start it one sixteenth note before beat one.

>r > > > >

‰™
Rucker Ex. 30 - Track 37

¿ ≈ ¿ ≈¿ ≈¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈¿ ≈¿
/ ŒŒ ‰™
Œ Œ
Œ Œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ ‘
R

If you think this notation looks really ugly, you’re probably right. Let’s write it a different way:

>r > > > >

™
Rucker Ex. 31 - Track 38

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ Œ Œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ ‘

Remember that the groove should feel familiar, since it’s in muscle memory, but it will sound completely different.

At this point, you may be thinking, “how can I possibly use this?” The point of these exercises is to make you hyper-aware of
the time. When you’re playing a groove, it’s possible that you’re close to the time, but not totally immersed in it. However,
with these sixteenth note displacement exercises, you have to be absolutely spot-on, otherwise you’ll fall out of the grid. If
you’re feeling pretty good about all of this, let’s start the same beat one sixteenth after beat ONE.
> > > >
≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿œ™ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿ ≈ ¿œ™ ≈ ¿
Rucker Ex. 32 - Track 39

/ ∑ ‘
≈ œR ‰ œ ≈ œR ‰ œ

059
And the ghost-note version.
Rucker Ex. 32 - Track 39 > > > >
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ ∑ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ > œ œ œ œ œ ‘

Next, use the eighth/two sixteenths hi-hat pattern from Example 3, adding accents to the downbeats.

> > > >

Rucker Ex. 33 - Track 40

¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ™ œ œ™ œ ‘ ‘ ‘

Now, start this groove one sixteenth note before the beat.
Rucker Ex. 34 - Track 41
>r > > > >
‰ ™ ¿ ≈ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ≈ ¿ ¿ ¿ ≈ ¿ ¿ ¿œ ≈ ¿ ¿ ¿
‰™ œ ‰ œ ‰™ œ ‰ œ ‰™
Œ Œ Œ
/ Œ Œ Œ œ ‘
R R R

If it helps, add ghost notes.

>r > > > >

Rucker Ex. 35 - Track 42

™
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ Œ Œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ ‘

Next, start the Example 11 groove one sixteenth note after beat one.
Rucker Ex. 36 - Track 43

> > > > > > > >

≈ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ™ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ™ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ™ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿œ™ ¿
/ ∑ ≈œ‰ œ ≈œ‰ œ ≈œ‰ œ ≈œ‰ œ
R R R R

And the ghost-note version.

> > > > > > > >

Rucker Ex. 37 - Track 44

¿ ¿¿¿ ¿¿¿ ¿¿¿ ¿ ¿¿ ¿¿¿ ¿¿¿ ¿¿¿ ¿

/ ∑ ≈œœ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œœ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ
At this point, you may feel that you’ve entered another universe. In this universe, time is upside down or backward. Play mindlessly,
trust your muscle memory, and experience this universe.

In the next phase of your displacement journey, you’ll stay in “displacement mode.”
Rucker Ex. 38 - Track 45
> > >
r
‰™ œ
¿ œ ¿ œ ¿ œ¿ œ ¿œ ¿ œ ¿ œ¿ œ ¿
/ Œ Œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‘

060
We can also use the displaced version of our eighth/two sixteenth hi-hat pattern from Example 3.
Rucker Ex. 39 - Track 46

> > > > > > >

r
‰™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
/ Œ Œ Œ ‘

In these last two exercises, the body still feels displaced, but since the snare is on beats TWO and FOUR, the listener has a point of
reference in the groove.

You may be thinking that you might actually be able to use a groove like this without offending your band-mates and possibly losing
your gig. And you may be right. Still however, the primary purpose of these exercises is time-awareness.

Let’s take this displacement adventure one more step, and move the bass drum to its natural, non-displaced position. We’ll use beat #5
of the Basic Beats from Example 1.
Rucker Ex. 40 - Track 47
> > > > > >
œ ¿ œ¿ ¿ œ ¿ œ¿ ¿ œ ¿ œ¿ ¿ œ ¿ œ¿ ¿ 4
/ œ œ œ œœ ‘ ‘ ‘
In this exercise, the body still feels displaced, but the listener hears a familiar snare drum/bass drum pattern, the way the Keepers of
the Groove intended it. You can use this method to play all ten of the Basic Beats from Example 1. For me, these displacement exercises
have been door openers into another world of groove. If you play mindlessly, but still groove-conscious, you’ll discover some incredible
rhythms that you might not have accessed in your normal, non-displaced mode.

061
 takenotes

Notes For Drummers, Pt. III

By steven anisman

Continuing on with Notes For Drummers, we’re now going to take a look at notes with regard to guitar and bass,
which includes the frets, the strings, the notes and the various ways to write and read them.

THE FRETS
The frets are the metal strips that run across the neck, underneath the strings, and are used to separate the notes. Similar to a
piano, moving from fret to fret, is the same as moving from key to key.

On the guitar, it’s a little harder to learn where all the notes are, but once you learn them, it’s a little easier to apply the same idea
in different places (chords tend to look similar, scales are similar when you play in different keys – which isn’t always true on the
piano).

The lowest pitch (fattest, closest to your chin when you’re playing the guitar) string is the (low) E string. Next lowest is the A, then
D, then G, then B, then (high) E again.

E
A
D
G
B
E

If you’re playing bass, only the first 4 strings (E, A, D, G) apply, but they’re the same pitches – just one octave lower.

E
A
D
G

To figure out where the other notes are on the guitar, you may have to look at a keyboard to figure out how the black notes and the
white notes are related.

For example, the next note above E is F (there’s no black note in-between), the note above F is F#, and the note above F# is G.
And so on. As a shortcut to memory, there’s always a black note between white notes, except between B and C, and between E
and F.

BC EF BC EF BC EF BC EF BC EF BC EF BC EF BC

062
The frets serve the same function as keys. If you play the E string without touching a fret, you’re playing an E. If you push down
that string behind the first fret, you’re playing the next note – which is an F. If you push down behind the 2nd fret, you’re playing the
next note – in this case, an F#. 3rd fret is G, 4th is G#, 5th is A, and so on.

A G# G F# F E

You can do the same math with the other 5 strings (another shortcut: the top E has the same pitches as the bottom E, but 2
octaves higher). If you’re smart, you’ll start by learning only the first 5 frets on each string. It turns out that the 5th fret of each string
is the exact same pitch as the next highest string “open.” Open simply means with no frets used – just pluck the string and let it
ring. So when you play the 5th fret of the E string, that A is exactly the same as the A string open.

As always, there’s a fly in the ointment – when you go from the 4th string (G) to the 5th string (B), that’s different. That open B string
is the same pitch as the 4th (not the 5th) fret of the adjacent G string below it (lower in pitch). This is done to make things easier,
believe it or not, for guitar players, since it makes most scales fall nicely beneath the fingers without having to shift the hand up and
down the neck a lot, but it does make the first few days you’re learning pitches more difficult. Sorry…
A G# G F# F E
D C# C B A# A
G F# F E D# D
C B A# A G# G
E D# D C# C B
A G# G F# F E

The notes on the guitar are notated the same as the notes on the piano, or any other instrument (except drums). The bottom E on

?
the guitar is the 3rd space in bass clef, and the bottom E on the bass is one ledger line below the bass clef.

w
w
E - guitar

E - bass

When writing for guitar only (not bass), people typically write things one octave higher on the staff than they should be, to make
them easier to read – they put the bottom E of the guitar on the first line of the treble clef. This way, everything fits on that clef

w
without needing to use ledger lines for the lowest notes.

w w w
& w w w w
D E
A BC
G
EF

Guitarists also have a shorthand called “tablature,” (aka “tab”) which can limit them significantly if they never learn standard musical
notation. It is, however, important to know.
The guitar is represented by a series of lines.
The six vertical lines each represent a string
on the guitar, and the frets are represented by
horizontal lines. The dots and numbers signify
which frets and which strings are to be played
by which fingers;
1 - index
2 - middle
3 - ring
4 - pinky
O - open string
X - do not play string (not applicable here)

You can write chords and scales this way.

Here is an example of a G chord.

063
 takenotes

If you extend this out in time, you can write melodies this way, as well. The strings are now represented by six horizontal lines
(lowest pitch E on the bottom, highest pitch E on the top), and the numbers represent which frets are played on a given string to
create the melody.

Here’s an example of a G Major Pentatonic scale. Please notice that whenever there’s a 5 on a particular string, you could just as
easily play the next highest string open (as an “O”). For example, the second note in the scale is an A, played on the 5th fret of the
low E string. You could play this note on the next highest string (the A string) without touching any frets, and it would be the same
pitch. Try it!
3
Gtr. T 3 5 5 3
A 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 2
B 2 5 5 2

œ œ œ
3 5 5 3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Pno. & œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
And last for this lesson, here’s the music and bass tab for the intro to “Day Tripper” by the Beatles.

? #### 4 j œ nœ œ œ
4 . nœ #œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ
œ

T 2 0 4 0 2
A 2 2 2
B
0 3 4
In the next article, we’re going to be exploring the relationships between these notes. Between now and then, try to spend
some time with a keyboard or a guitar neck, learning where the notes are.

©
The Mental Approach
To Drumming
by Ian bee
Today, as drummers, we’re spoiled with an endless amount of
DVDs, videos, books and websites offering a mind-boggling array of
technical, performance and musical advice. Just deciding which ones
to watch or read is a task in itself, then you have to decide which parts
of those DVDs or books you need to learn, which bit of advice is going
to work for you (that’s the important part), by which time, you have
double vision and a grinding headache!
However, the solution is here - which applies to EVERYTHING.
Yes, EVERYTHING!
No matter what material you are using to learn this wonderful art
of drumming, what particular skills or what exact piece of music you
might be trying, there is one aspect of drumming that is the lynch-pin
of the entire art; an aspect that, because we take it for granted, will
seem very obvious at first glance, until you stop and put down your
sticks to have a much closer look at it!
And that aspect is? - The mental approach to drumming.
Yeah sure, we all know that to do anything you have to have a
certain mental capacity–we all use our brains to learn–so what is Ian
Bee on about?
Like I said, it seems obvious, but when you break down that mental
aspect and actively think about what’s going on in your head when
you’re drumming or learning a new technique, what you find can
have a profound effect on your physical approach to the art, your
self-confidence in your own ability and ultimately, your technical and
musical skills.
So let’s take a look at this mental thingy! The best way to put this
is by listing, so here you go –
1. THE PHYSICAL SIDE: When we learn anything new,
neural pathways are formed inside the brain physical connections
that create a pathway in the brain that, if you like, hold the memory of
that action, or knowledge.
KEY: The more you repeat that action, the stronger the pathway
becomes, the benefit to us being the more natural the action seems
to be, therefore the easier and easier it becomes to execute. We
know that ‘practice makes perfect,’ but this is how it actually works.
The human body needs to repeat an action at least 500 times before
it even begins to recognize the action as a muscle memory, but the
great thing is, if we know this, it greatly improves our confidence that
if we practice regularly and with focus, we will definitely
improve.
Knowing this gives you confidence that your
hard work will indeed pay off, that all the
time you are hammering out those tedious
paradiddles, even if you FEEL you are not
making progress, you can take comfort
knowing that you ARE, and that it is very
much worth the grind!
Okay, so that’s the ‘physical’ side of
how understanding the mental side of
drumming can help our confidence and
encourage us to practice.
2. THE MENTAL ASPECT: Now
here is the other side - HOW we view our
practice, performance and goals can also make
a huge difference. So, this is really the thought
bee’sbuzz
processing we can harness rather than the biological aspect as
above.
I take great care to point out the following to my students, in an
effort to boost not only their confidence, but faith in achieving their
personal drumming goals: When you watch you role-model drummer,
be it Weckl, Gadd, Smith…whoever, and you think, “Jeez, I’ll never be
that good,” then DON’T!
DON’T think like that. I know that these guys have years of
experience, years of playing and usually a certain amount of natural
ability, but if you think like this, you’ve sold yourself short before you’ve
even begun. Remember this; the ONLY main difference between you
and these guys is time. They have often had 8 hours a day to hone
their craft for many, many years.
Most of you guys are either in full-time education or holding down
a day job, so you may not have this kind of time to practice, but come
on, we already know that all humans work the same - the more
you repeat something, the better you get, the stronger those neural
pathways become; so to close the gap, to get closer and closer to
being as good as these guys is getting in as much practice as you
can. The pros are not super human - they ALL got as good as they are
by doing the same as you - practicing with vigour and passion and joy.
So okay, we may not ever get the time to reach the skill level
of these drumming heroes, but you must take confidence and
excitement in knowing that it really is only the amount of time you’ve
put it that separates you from them - and take on board the fact that
keeping this at the back of your mind should spur you on to better
yourself again and again and again.
You CAN be a great drummer - you CAN be as good as you wish
you were now. Just put in the time and it WILL pay massive dividends.
Last but my no means least, is another strange-but-wonderful
phenomenon that occurs in the old brain box – I call it ‘subconscious
reinforcement.’ Sounds creepy, eh? But relax, this does not involve
any surgery! It’s an observation I have made from years of practice,
which you may already have discovered yourself.
I find time and time again, when I’m in a regime of focused practice
of a particular technique, after two or three weeks practice, I give
myself a few days break, or even longer sometimes. Then, when I
start up again, and this is the wonderful part, I am, 99% of the time,
far improved past the point when I stopped those few days before.
This may sound odd, but I promise you, it happens. The key is
strong, focused practice for a good two weeks BEFORE a few days’
rest. This seems to give the brain time to let the muscle memory and
new neural pathways to subconsciously reinforce all the work you
have been doing.
It’s as if this allows the brain to divert the energy it would have been
using to help you learn (as you practice) into strengthening the
new technique you have taught it. Now, I certainly don’t
have a physical explanation for why this happens –
all I can do is assure you that for me, and many
of my students, it works.
So, there you have it. All of these mental
aspects can and will affect all areas of
your drumming, so remember, whatever
DVD you are emulating, whatever book
you are learning from, use these mental
aspects, keeping them at the forefront
of your mind, applying them to your
individual situation, and allowing them
to boost your confidence, your outlook,
your ability, your technical and musical
self-expectation and the endless joy that
drumming should always bring.
065
 KINGSIzeTIPS

Simon Says
By john king

My wife and I recently adopted a dog. It was a rescue situation, For the gear aficionados, Tama was promoting their Artstar
so we were happy to help out a stressed family, and welcome a drums at the time, so Simon played the big, beautiful double
wonderful little lady named Sadie into ours. We are not new dog bass kit with the exotic striped wood grain which was featured in
parents, but are lifelong “dog people” getting back in the saddle the full page ads of the popular drum magazines of that era. He
following a dogless period after our last four legged family member also had a set of octobans, and of course, he played an array of
passed away a few years ago. Caring for any animal is a big Zildjian cymbals which were perched above of a forest of Tama
responsibility, but the love and everything else we receive in return Titan stands.
is huge. Simon was an extraordinary clinician. He played his butt off!
One of those “things” popped up – literally – on the first But he also knew a lot about drums, drumming and recording.
morning Sadie woke up with us. We’d placed her bed in our He openly shared his expertise, and he answered everyone’s
bedroom to immediately include her in our lives. However, she questions, including mine, about seat height, pedal tension,
jumped right over it and ended up sleeping right between her breathing, and a particular sound on one of his recordings. Simon
“new people” on their bed. Which was, and is, fine was everything I’d imagined he’d be, and much more. Yet I
with us. When morning arrived I happened to be was most surprised by something involving less. I was
awake first, so I got to see her eyes open, and
her first moments of waking consciousness.
She seemed very happy in an environment
that was much safer than she’d been in before.
She looked around, stretched, and smiled
- yes, dogs do smile - as she saw her new
parents nearby. It has been said the eyes are the
windows to soul, and her eyes radiated love and
gratitude. And they reminded me of something else.
Something I’d forgotten about during the time my wife
and I had been dogless.
Those canine eyes radiated the promise of
a new beginning, and all of the wonder that
accompanies the daily rebirth as we make the
transition from asleep to awake - wonder regarding
the world we’ve just been in with our eyes closed
- and also about the one we plunge into anew with
eyes open. Regardless of what kind of dream(s)
we may have had, there is a fleeting period of hazy
existence that we float in while between different levels
of consciousness. And this is a very beneficial time to
foster creativity because our mind is unfettered, and at its
most powerful. Now here’s where the dogstuff turns into
drumstuff.
If we can loosely direct our attention at this juncture,
we can access a power that provides incredible
inspiration behind the drum kit, as well as help us
solve problems, and find answers to questions. I
know, it sounds weird. But if you don’t listen to me,
maybe you’ll listen when “Simon says…”
Back in the 1980’s, I attended a drum clinic by one
of my all-time favorite players, Simon Phillips. The
event was held at a local college, and there was a
long hill leading up to the recital hall from
the parking area below. I arrived early, and
heard part of the sound check as I walked
upward. The pure tone of the drums sang
out through the open windows, swept
across the valley, and hung in the air.
It was a beautiful, unforgettable musical
moment.

066
amazed by how full his drums sounded even though he wasn’t a
large person, and didn’t hit them very hard. Mr. Phillips proved that
drums sound best when we play them, instead of beating them.
He also told a number of stories, including this pertinent classic…
Simon said that one of his favorite things to do was play drums
when he first woke up the morning, even before he’d had his
breakfast tea. He felt he played his best during that time. You may
be thinking, just as I did, “Well, that’s fine if your drums are set up
near your bedroom, and there’s no one around to disturb at that
hour.” And Simon thought so too, for a while. He blazed away in
bliss until one day he found a note in his mailbox which began,
‘Dear Little Drummer Boy…” and went on to make it known in
no uncertain terms how upset the neighbors were about Simon’s
early morning drum concerts! Simon is a good guy so he obliged,
and put an end to his sonic wake-up calls, at least while he lived
at that location.
It’s a funny story, but the point is that Simon had found an
easy, effective way to access the universal stream of energetic
consciousness that fuels ultimate creativity. Some people meditate,
or perform various rituals to get to that special place, but he
happened to do it by simply wearing his pajamas and sitting on a
drum throne while half asleep. Many scientists and philosophers
would probably concur that this universal energy is the same
“super stuff” that helped Nikola Tesla design his great electrical
machines completely in his mind before actually assembling them,
and also helped Mozart begin composing symphonies at age five.
You see, it doesn’t matter what your vocation or your aim is, what
matters is that you tap into this power in a way that works for you.
If you are fortunate enough to have your drums set up near your
bed, and there is no one around to bother if you play as soon as
you wake up in the morning, I highly recommend trying Simon’s
method. You may find, just as I did, that the best things happen
when we simply “let them.” And by all means, record whatever you
play so you can listen to it later.
This is a very important point because most people do not
realize that it is very difficult to create and edit simultaneously. One
of the worst things we can do as musicians is to try to come up with
something and tear it apart at the same time. Forget about quality,
quantity and categorization. Just play freely during “Simon Time”
and analyze the results later.
In order to get the most out of being in this zone, it’s vital to
understand that it’s about playing, not practicing. This is not the
time to pull out George Lawrence Stone’s “Stick Control” and a
metronome. There is no producer, artist, teacher, manager, or other
musician(s) to ask, or tell you what to play, or how to play it. This is
the time to just relax, breathe, and play streams of consciousness.
Whatever you see, hear, or feel, give it a percussive soundtrack.
Let the creativity flow through your hands and feet. And enjoy it!
Keep in mind that we all need to practice the technical aspects
of drumming at other times so we can release our musical ideas
instantly in any musical setting. When our technique is solid
enough that we don’t have to concentrate on execution, we can
just be, and do. And that’s when the real magic happens.
Speaking of magic, tapping into the universal consciousness can
help with more than just drumming. Try keeping a notebook and
pen, iPad, phone, or whatever device you prefer next to your bed
to record any thoughts you may have while half awake. Or is it half
asleep? Whatever you call it, you might be surprised at what you’ve
manifested when you read, or listen to it later.
Finally, “Simon Time” does not necessarily have to occur in
the morning. It can happen whenever it is easiest for you to enter
“the zone.” For instance, Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead has
described waking up many mornings with a tar, or single headed
African frame drum, in his hands after falling asleep while playing it
in a deep trance. He seems to make the transition most seamlessly
when going from awake to asleep.
I hope that Simon, Sadie, Mickey and I have helped you become
aware that universal creative energy is an extremely powerful tool
to help with drumming, and life. It is ever present, and ready to be
utilized, day or night. All we have to do is get out of our own way,
and get into it. Until next time, I wish you all the best.
067
 WeekendWarrior

... And baggage handling of the TSA. So,

I took two old bass drum heads of
the same size, sandwiched my logo

we are
head between them, put them in a
bass-drum head box, slid two, heavy-
cardboard sleeves on each side of

live in 5 ...
the heads and taped the crap out of
the box. My friend Davis even showed
me his craft of using packing tape to
make a handle for easy carrying. It
all worked, as the logo head made it
safe and sound. The drums looked and
sounded great; my job was done here.
Now let’s go check out the city!
It was a beautiful sunny day, so I
headed out on foot. The first place I
had to check out while in town was the
NBA Store. I’m a huge Atlanta Hawks
By Kent ABerle fan, and fan of the NBA in general,
so I was excited to check out this
shop dedicated to my favorite sport.
Needless to say I was disappointed
to find that the only representation of
I started playing drums when I was about six or seven years old, and through
my Atlanta Hawks in the store was
all of those years of playing drums, discovering sounds and rhythms, listening to
one measly hat, that wasn’t even cool.
drummers and watching drummers on tv, I never truly thought I would have the
But, I took the opportunity to talk some
opportunity to perform on TV.
trash with the Knicks fans who worked
Well, in 2014, I was able to live a long-time dream of mine and perform on
there. We had a fun trash-talk, full of
a couple of major TV shows. The next two chapters of the Weekend Warrior
laughter and of course I told them the
column focuses on my experience playing two major staples in entertainment TV.
Hawks were going to shock the world.
Chapter one is having the chance to play The Today Show.
So far, I’ve been right. Go Hawks!
I’d been touring most of 2014 with Kristian Bush,\ from Sugarland. It’s been
I checked out numerous shops,
a true blessing, the entire team is a real treat to work with and it’s definitely
watched the sidewalk entertainment,
something special. Kristian released his new single “Trailer Hitch” in 2014 and
did a little shopping, and of course I
with it climbing the country charts, The Today Show called.
had a slice of NYC pizza. I grew up
When I got the news about performing on The Today Show it really set me
south of Chicago so I had to compare
back a bit. I couldn’t believe it: “I’m seriously playing The Today Show?” All I
the two...it’s a draw. Pizza is pizza and
could think about was how my parents were going to react when they heard the
pizza is good.
news, and yes...the thought of playing live on TV, on a major network show, was
My friend Brad, who I worked with
a tiny bit freaky, but I knew it would be fun.
for years, bar tends in NYC so I hit
We flew to New York, where the show is filmed, the day before the actual
him up next, as he was in town and
filming. I hadn’t been to NYC in a long time, and most of the times I’ve been
working in the village. That evening
there, was while on tour, to play a show at Arlene Grocery; only to rush right out
I walked about an hour to the village
of town to the next show and never getting a chance to check out the city. Not
and enjoyed seeing the night life of
this time...
the city begin to take place. I met Brad
I checked into my hotel, which was two blocks off Times Square and
at a fantastic Italian restaurant where
Broadway, and then met our tour manager in the lobby. We walked to The Today
we enjoyed wine, bourbon, food and
Show studio where we met the back-line crew, and set up for the next morning’s
friendship.
performance. Uh oh, the kit I ordered came with a 12” tom instead of the 13” I
I made the ninety-minute trek back
had requested. Not a major ordeal, but they didn’t have a matching 12” head for
to the hotel. It was now about 9 PM
it and no 13” tom available; I can’t be live on national TV with mismatched heads!
and I definitely needed to get some
Xavier, with Best Instruments, really helped me out and called around town,
sleep–lobby call was at 4:30 for a 5
found a matching head for the twelve-inch tom and ran to pick it up. Everyone on
AM sound check...yes....5 AM sound
The Today Show crew were very cool and helpful with any questions I had. They
check!
made us feel very at home.
I laid down to try to sleep, but it
Heads in place (mine too), I put my Kristian Bush logo bass drum head on
was not going to be easy; I was very
the kit. It was the first time I checked a logo bass drum head at the airport for
excited about the next morning. I
a show, and I was nervous that it was going to get messed up by the gentle
couldn’t sleep. I called the front desk

068

and requested a 2:30 AM wake-up
call, to be safe, and then went down to
the lounge for a glass of Merlot and a
Melatonin...Bam! Asleep.
The 2:30 AM wake-up call came
what felt like only ten minutes later. I
immediately made myself get up and
hop in the shower. Once dressed, I
got my things together and went out to
Times Square. Times Square at 3:30-4
AM is really trippy. There are very few,
if any, people around. The streets are
pretty empty, other than a few cars
here and there; far different from that
afternoon. I walked around the block
to find some juice and strong coffee.
I found a pizza place, and as soon
as I walked in, a gentleman asked if I
wanted some coke...at 4 AM. I guess
it truly is the city that never sleeps. Of
course, I declined.
I then met our tour manager and
rest of the group back at the lobby and
walked over to the studio for sound
check. The Today Show crew was in
full ‘rock mode’. Everyone was smiling,
cheerful and ready to kick some ass,
which really helped those of us who
were not used to functioning that early,
to adapt and feel good.
Once on the set, everyone got their
in-ear mixes, we set the click track
and ran through Kristian’s hit single,
“Trailer Hitch” four times. The first
time was for us to get settled with our
mixes. The second was for the audio
engineer to get his mix. The third and
fourth times were for the camera crew
and producer to get their game plan
together for their presentation of our
performance, such as camera angles,
close ups and who to put the camera
on when. It was also great for me, as it
allowed my nerves to settle and relax:
Just another day on the job playing a
song we’ve played a hundred times.
It was now about 5:45 AM and
everyone was happy so we were free
to go for a bit. We were to sound
check one more time at 10:30 AM and
then do the live performance at 10:45,
giving us all some time to go back to
the hotel and grab our show clothes
and chill for a few hours. This is where
I damn near made a mistake.
I got back to the hotel and my
energy level plummeted. I don’t know
WeekendWarrior
if it was the lack of sleep, the crash from the early coffee, or the crash from the
adrenaline of sound check, but I totally crashed. I sat down on the bed and felt
myself fading, so I wisely called for a 9 AM wake-up call. I then passed out deep
into REM sleep. Nine AM came and thankfully the phone woke me up. I took
another super quick, colder shower to wake up again, slammed a coffee from the
room and walked back to the studio.
We went to the Green Room and met many of The Today Show staff. Everyone
was in a great mood. There was juice, coffee, water and a great spread of
sweets, fruit, vegetables, etc. I plopped down on a stool near the counter and
just took in all of the conversations happening...then she arrived. Hoda!
Hoda came through the door and stated proudly, “Don’t tell anyone...I’m gonna
have a donut!” as she walked up to me looking at me dead in the face. I replied,
“Get yourself a donut Hoda,” winked and smiled. She grabbed my arm looking
me right in the eyes, smiled and said, “Thanks sweety.” Sigh... For awhile, when
I had time to watch TV, I really enjoyed watching Hoda and Kathy Lee in the
morning just loosening everyone up for that busy day.
I hung up my stage clothes–a nice shirt, tie, vest and black Levis–when one of
the staff came up and asked if I’d like them to be steamed. I said, “Absolutely!
Thanks!” I wish I had that option all the time on the road. Fortunately, the shower
works decent enough when in a time-pinch, but it’s hard to keep stage clothes
looking good when they’re going in and out of a suitcase every day. She returned
ten minutes later and my clothes looked like they were fresh from the cleaners.
I was then asked if I wanted makeup. I asked the staff member, “What do you
think?” She said, “Drummer’s gotta look good on national TV.” I agreed. Once my
makeup was done, I felt awesome and ready to do this.
We were led back to the studio, where upon arriving behind my kit, everyone
noticed that they had placed a glass shield around my kit to help keep my drums
from bleeding into other microphones. All good.
We watched a few segments of the show from the stage, and then the show
sent it over to the local newsbreak. This allows us the time to sound check the
song one more time and rehearse a thirty-second bumper. A bumper is when the
band plays a short instrumental leading the show into a commercial break. The
Today Show came back on from the local newsbreak and ran one more segment
after which we did our thirty-second bumper spot on.
Kathy Lee and Hoda took their places next to us by the stage. Kathy Lee
noticed the glass shield around the drum set, looked at me and asked, “Are you
getting lonely back there drummer?” with a wink. I about died and the rest of the
band had a good laugh.
We then heard those words: “And we are live in 5, 4, 3” and it was go time.
Kathy Lee and Hoda did a very short interview with Kristian and then introduced
us. The click track ran and we rocked it out. The feeling of adrenaline I had
was not really of the speed, excited variety, but more that of confidence and
ownership. We played the song without a single, weird moment, which is the way
it should be after rehearsing it five times that morning. After the conclusion of the
song, the producer said, “And 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, we are out! That’s a wrap!” Mission
complete. We all took a moment to hang with Hoda, Kathy Lee and the crew,
saying our thank you and good-byes.
Xavier and I exchanged numbers, I grabbed my cymbals, pedal and logo
head, and rolled back to the hotel with the rest of the band, beaming with
accomplishment. We dropped our gear off at the hotel, and then Lanky [guitar
tech] and I go grab a good, healthy, vegetarian lunch and another coffee. We
then walked back to the hotel, grabbed our stuff, went to the airport and flew
home; I passed out immediately after taking my seat on the plane.
Playing The Today Show was now scratched off my bucket list. It was an
honor to do with such an amazing group of people–the Kristian Bush family. The
Today Show staff was top notch all the way around. Hoda and Kathy Lee are the
definition of beautiful people with class, elegance and kindness and I definitely
hope to perform on their show again. ~ka~
069
 LessonsonLessons
The Three Questions That Solve
All Drumming Problems
Part One
By Evan Pollack
Drum studios all around the world
are filled with students and teachers
who are working on exciting music.
In my mind’s eye I see the drummer
who is attempting to learn a Dream
Theater song; I see the 18-year-old
who is working on audition material for
Berklee; I see the middle school kid
who is about to experience the thrill
of trading fours. Each is filled with the
expectation of good things to come.
But what if all of these lessons
are occurring within a thick fog of
frustration, fear and confusion?
Remember that guy who’s been trying
to nail that progressive rock tune? His
limbs are refusing to cooperate. How
about that 18-year old who is getting
ready for her music college audition?
She’s having problems understanding
how to read measures thirteen through
nineteen. And of course, we can’t leave
out our middle-schooler who has to
trade fours next Thursday. Wouldn’t you
know it, this 13-year old has no interest
in jazz.
I wish I could say that my teaching
studio has only been home to lessons
that end with the resounding sound
of hi-fives. But there have been times
when frustrated voices bounce off the
walls. When these moments creep
up, I feel it’s in the best interest of my
students to steer them back to calmer
shores. How do I do that? I ask them
these specific questions:
“Do you think we’re having
a reading problem?”
“Do you think we’re having
a technical problem?”
And….
“Do you think we’re having
a motivational problem?”
070
I can assure you, the solution to our Let’s Try This
problem will become apparent as we
delve into the answers. “Question” Thing Out
Why These Questions You might think I’m being a little
naïve here. How can all our musical
Why do I ask students if they can problems disappear if we just answer
read what they’re working on, comment these questions? Shouldn’t we just
on their coordination, and ponder practice till the blood pours out of every
if they’re interested in solving their pore? Nah. Practice hard, and when
problems? Well, I do it for two reasons. trouble hits, practice asking yourself
First, by narrowing down the reasons if you can understand what you see,
for their drumming dilemmas, students hear, feel and care about at that
tend to feel less overwhelmed. They’re moment. Answers will appear.
given hope that the answer to their You still don’t believe me, do you?
troubles is just a question or three Here. Let me give you three scenarios
away. and let’s explore how these questions
Second, these questions help both lead to our solutions.
teacher and student cut to the chase. Scene One: Let’s say you have just
If our eyes and ears can interpret purchased Carmine Appice’s Ultimate
the notes, we can
conceptualize what we
want to accomplish. If we
can’t, we’re just praying
that we’ll eventually crash
into the correct phrase. If
we can move our bodies
fluidly, we can make the
music flow through us. If
we can’t, our limbs feel
like they’re spitting and
sputtering. If we like what
we’re working on, or if
we have an attitude that
supports breaking through
our challenges, we’re going
to master what we set out
to do. If we don’t, we’re
going to lose the will to
knock down our musical
barriers.
Asking and answering
questions pertaining to
reading, technique and
motivation will move us
through our sticky wickets.
It’s really that simple.
Realistic Rock. This book is an amazing
resource that has helped drummers for
over forty years. If you’ve purchased
this book, there’s a good chance that
you like to play rock music and that
you have some coordination. I would
imagine that you would be psyched, as
this is the “Ultimate” book for heaven’s
sake! You turn to page nineteen. It looks
intriguing. You’re ready to explode into
new territory when all of a sudden…you
stop. You’re staring at the page and your
desire to play is strong, but you can’t
play the beats.
What’s going on? You like rock
drumming, so your motivation is there.
You can play some licks through your
experience on the kit, so it appears that
your basic mechanics are intact. Hmmm.
What could possibly be getting between
you and page nineteen?
Well, there’s one more question that
you can use as a diagnostic tool: “Do we
have a reading problem here?” As you
ask yourself this, you look at the page
and you recognize that the black lines
and dots are not making sense to you. A
better attitude won’t solve this problem.
Adding another pedal to your kit won’t
help either. What will help is to work on
understanding how to think about what
you’re seeing. That’s how you deal with
reading issues.
Scene Two: In this little vignette you
are the world’s greatest sight-reader.
Someone has just told you about John
Bonham’s drumming and there you are
with the drum transcription to “Good
Times Bad Times,” one of Led Zeppelin’s
most challenging bass-drum songs. You
are stoked to play and learn from Mr.
Bonham’s tour de force. You look at the
transcription, put the needle down on the
record and…you can’t play along with it.
What the heck? You can read this stuff.
You are motivated to play this song.
What could be missing?
Try this. Ask yourself if you might have
a technical issue. If you can confidently
understand what you see or hear but
can’t feel that confidence in your limbs,
you might indeed have a technical issue.
You would need to learn how to move
in a relaxed and effective manner to
play what you want to play, when you
want to play it. That’s how you deal with
technical problems.
Scene Three: You’ve been picked by
the director of your percussion ensemble
to play a snare piece entitled “Flight of
the Ancient Alien Astronauts” (Yes, this
is a non-existent Evan Pollack piece.
Steal it if you want!). You know your
rudiments backwards and forwards. You
understand the value of a relaxed stick
grip. We both know that you can blast
this snare piece into the stratosphere!
However, you’re having trouble with it.
You get through the first eight measures
and then….you just sort of stop and
drift off into space. What do I do? I
start talking about the tough parts of
measures nine and beyond. What do
you do? You close your eyes and hum
the intro to that Hendrix song you’ve
been dying to learn. I stop talking, and
after about ten seconds you notice the
sound of your own voice. Now, I know
you. We’ve worked together for six
years. You can read and play anything I
put before you. Why would this situation
occur?
“Hey man, do you think we’re having
a motivation problem?” Perhaps you’re
really tired or just bored with the piece.
Or maybe the truth is that you just want
to jam out to that Hendrix tune!
No matter how well you can read or
play music, if your interest isn’t there, the
music won’t be there either. Therefore,
all we have to do is talk about what’s
going on in your world. People like to be
heard, and in all honesty, there’s nothing
more motivational inside the teaching
room than the feeling of being heard and
understood. Yeah, we talk. We listen to
each other. That’s how we both deal with
a motivation problem.
So Now What?
Whew. This is a lot of food for
thought. Even if you buy into my
theory that all problems and their
accompanying solutions stem from
either conceptualizing the music
(reading), feeling the music (technique),
or acknowledging your level of interest
in the music (motivation), you would still
have to practice diagnosing which issue
you’re dealing with. Great news! That’s
exactly what we’re going to do in Part
Two of this article. I promise to give you
plenty of practical music examples that
will help you find out what’s bugging you.
Till then, when trouble comes your way,
please practice asking yourself these
three questions:
“Do you think we’re having
a reading problem?”
“Do you think we’re having
a technical problem?”
“Do you think we’re having
a motivational problem?”
The solution is only a question away.
 MeettheMaker
History & The Making...
Growing up, I was always under the impression that Paiste cymbals were
for the most part, machine-made, which allowed for the notion and claim
that two cymbals of the same size and model were nearly identical…how
else could you replace an 18” 2002 crash with another 18” 2002 crash and
end up with as close to a perfect match as possible?
Well, much to my surprise, upon taking a tour of the Paiste factory
and offices in Nottwil, Switzerland, I recently found out that it’s quite
the opposite–in fact, not machine-made at all, but rather hands-on from
beginning to end, produced by a highly-skilled work force with finely-
tuned ears, eyes and minds.
So, first a little bit on the history of the company and then a walk
through the facility.
The day started in the main office with meeting my good
friend, Paiste Artist Relations Manager/Product Specialist and
tour guide, Christian Wenzel.
It was there that I spied a couple of flat metal discs, one
large and one small, which led to my first question, “What’s the
composition and where does the metal come from?”
072
Russia (1901-1916) The Paiste story begins here
at the turn of the century, when Michail Toomas
Paiste, a composer and musician whose father
had come from Estonia to serve in the Tsarist
Guard, establishes a publishing business and
music store in St. Petersburg. The operation,
which also includes an instrument manufactur-
ing and repair facility, flourishes for many years
until the Russian Revolution forces its closure.
Estonia (1917-1939) Michail Toomas returns to
his native country, re-opens his business in the
capital city of Tallinn and with his son, Michail M.
Paiste, begins to design and manufacture cym-
bals for concert and marching bands. Not long
after, Michail takes notice of the rapidly evolving
demands of “modern music” [including the
emerging drum set] and begins to develop his
own concept of Turkish-style cymbals, which
he prefers to the Chinese. During this time he
also develops the first Paiste gongs.
Poland (1940-1944) World War II forces Mi-
chail M. to leave Estonia for Poland, where the
company manages to survive, but not without
a struggle due to a wartime shortage of raw ma-
terials and difficulty in maintaining international
relations.
Germany (1945-1956) Towards the end of the
war, Michail M. and his family escape Poland to
Northern Germany where he once again, begins
to produce cymbals and gongs. It is here where
Paiste gongs are still manufactured.
Switzerland (1957- present) Michael M. firmly
establishes the company in Switzerland, bring-
ing in a third generation with sons Robert
and Toomas. A new era begins as Robert and
Toomas make Paiste Switzerland the hub of
international business activities.
USA (1981- present) The company gains a firm
foothold in the world’s largest musical instru-
ment market with the establishment of Paiste
America in Brea, California, U.S.A.
 Raw materials are supplied by a metal factory, with a few This kit was comprised of: 22” x 16” bass drum, 12” x 8” rack
different alloys used for Paiste’s cymbal production: CuSn20 tom, 14” x 14” floor tom and 16” x 16” floor tom, all shells from
(80% copper, 20% tin) Signature Bronze (patented proprietary Signature Bronze. A 13” x 5.5” snare drum and 14”/15” x 6.5”
alloy), 2002 Bronze CuSn8 (92% copper, 8% tin) and Brass timbale set with shells of 2002 Bronze.
MS63. Raw sheets are ordered, including all specifications,
such as diameter, thickness, etc.
From there, it was a short stroll to view many of the historic
pieces that represent Paiste through the years. First in view
were a few cymbal lines from the ‘80s. (l-r): 18” 400 Color
Sound Power Crash, 18” 200 Crash/Ride, 16” 2000 Color
Sound Power Crash and 18” 1000 Power Crash.

Now, it was time to enter the factory and get a real taste of
just how a cymbal is developed from start to finish.
The first step is to form the bell. This is done by taking the
flat disc (similar to the ones seen of the previous page) and
firing (heating) the center of the raw sheet, noting that the
temperature and diameter of the fired spot have to be exact.
Next was an array of others: (l-r) 20” Formula 602 Medium
Ride (1970), 18” Sound Creation Bright Ride, 14” Sound
Creation New Dimension Short Crash, 18” Formula 602
Medium Flatride (1981 blue label), 16” 2002 Medium (‘70s) and
20” Sound Formula Heavy Ride.

And sitting in front of all was an extremely impressive Paiste/

Ocheltree drum kit. Although there were many snare drums and
timbale sets produced, there were only three complete drum
kits made. The shells were made from recycled cymbals, with
a thickness of 3/16” and bearing edge of 45°. The drums were Once the center is fired, the disc is then transferred to a
outfitted with solid brass lugs, gold-plated zinc and die-cast machine specifically designed to press out the bell.
hoops, with exception of the bass drum.

073
 Once the bell is fashioned, the next step is punching the
cymbal hole. It may seem obvious, but the hole has to be
perfectly center, otherwise the cymbal doesn’t sit straight on
the stand.
A large bell and small sounding surface results in more core
tone, less wash and higher pitch. A smaller bell gives a cymbal
more wash.
Heat treatment greatly influences the sound and playing feel
of a cymbal. This process is used for particular cymbal models
and can be seen here as these unfinished cymbals are placed
on the conveyor to enter the oven.
After heating, the cymbals rest, cool and wait to be hammered.
074
Hammering with a pneumatic hammer gives the cymbal its
desired shape and tension. The craftsman turns and guides
the cymbal, controlling where the pneumatic hammer hits the
cymbal surface, while at the same time, maneuvering a pedal
which controls how heavy the hammer hits the cymbal.
Every new cymbal is made via comparison to a Master
Cymbal. The shape has to be exactly the same and many details
are taken into consideration: A flat form gives a cymbal a lower
pitch than a round form. The hammering pattern influences the
sound too. A rhythmically arranged, even hammering results in
a clear, defined and even sound. An uneven, wild hammering
results in a washier, more complex sound.
Hand hammering is also done. Bringing the shape to
perfection by visually scanning the cymbal, the craftsman
knows when the cymbal is perfect. Then, a test with a drum
stick aurally displays that the pitch is equal in all spots.
A sound test at this stage is not possible, because right after
hammering, sound is muffled and muted.
 Yes, yours truly took a stab at it. My arm was killing me after Logo printing, also known as pad printing in this case, is
three minutes! These craftsmen definitely know what they’re done with a silicon cushion that evenly prints the logo on each
doing. I do not. cymbal that’s guided into the printer.

Lathing determines the thickness of the cymbal. The lighter Grinding and rounding the edges is yet another process done
the cymbal is, the lower is the pitch. Paiste craftsmen are by hand, making them smooth and even.
incredibly precise. Again, the Master Cymbal is the benchmark
for the new cymbal, and the variation must be extremely minor.

Since late 2011 Paiste’s serial numbers are laser engraved,

previous to that, they were embossed.

Leftover shavings from the lathing are collected, packed and

sent back to the metal factory for a variety of other uses.

Of the digits, the first two show you the year of production.

075
 The last step before being tested, is the craftsman putting The finished product: tested, approved, stacked and ready to
a protective coating on the cymbal. This is a very thin, clear be shipped for world-wide distribution.
lacquer, that does not affect the sound. Although it helps
prevent corrosion, it doesn’t last forever. Every stroke of a drum
stick very slightly wears down the protecting layer.

All new cymbals are compared to the ‘perfect’ Master

Cymbal. The sound character has to be exactly the same,
though the pitch can vary to a certain tolerance. If your cymbal
breaks and you get a new one, you can be sure that you get the
same sound character and quality again. Finished cymbals that
do not fulfill Paiste’s strict demands, are rejected and recycled.

With Paiste’s Sound Development Team: Fredy Studer, Stefan Odermatt, Arno Troxler & Kaspar Rast. www.paiste.com WEBFOOT
 GEAR

Drum Lite - NEPTUNE:

The Ultimate DRUM Lighting System
MSRP: Not Yet Available

The ultra bright Neptune system is “Plug n’ Play” so very easy to install and allows the user flexibility when
mounting the system. Each system is supplied with a single mains power lead to be connected to the first
drum control module. Then a “Daisy Chain” lead is connected from the first drum module to the second
module and so on. This negates the need for multiple power sockets and also makes taking down the kit
and moving the kit a simple process. Neptune solves the usual problems encountered by professional
drummers when trying to add lighting effects with its unique trigger that detects sound from inside the
actual drum. This means that sensitivity can be adjusted to filter each drum as much as possible and ensure
that hitting a drum will not set off the lights on other drums. Additional to this are three options for lighting
speed. Although the lights come on instantly with the detection of sound, the three options allow the user
to choose between fast, medium and slow fade modes to suit different styles of drumming.
www.neptunelightsystems.com Bose® - F1 Model
812 Flexible Array
Loudspeaker and F1
GoPro HERO4 Session Subwoofer
MSRP: $399.99
Bose® Professional has drawn acclaim from end users
and venue owners for its iconic L1® portable array
systems and now expands its portable P.A. offerings
with the introduction of the F1 Model 812 Flexible
Array Loudspeaker and F1 Subwoofer. Designed to
serve an even broader set of applications than L1
systems, F1 Model 812 is the first powered portable
loudspeaker that lets users optimize sound by creating
up to four different vertical coverage patterns. Offering
exceptional power and clarity, the F1 system provides
versatility for a wide range of applications and venues,
easy setup, aesthetically pleasing design, and rugged
durability. The F1 system is an ideal choice for live
music, DJ, corporate AV, house-of-worship, AV rental
and general P.A. applications. Engineered with an
array of eight Bose proprietary 2.25-inch drivers,
The smallest, lightest, most convenient GoPro yet. 50% smaller and 40% lighter than GoPro’s best-selling 100-degree horizontal waveguides, a high-powered
HERO4 Black and Silver cameras, HERO4 Session packs GoPro’s Emmy® Award-winning image quality and 12-inch woofer and a lower crossover point, the F1
performance into an exciting new low-profile form factor. HERO4 Session benefits from a durable waterproof Model 812 loudspeaker delivers high SPL performance
design that eliminates the need for a separate housing and features simple one-button control to make while maintaining vocal and midrange clarity that’s
capturing immersive photos and video quicker and more convenient than ever before. HERO4 Session is dramatically better than conventional loudspeakers.
compatible with existing GoPro mounts and captures GoPro-quality 1080p60, 720p100 and 1440p30 video For extended bass response, the optional Bose F1
along with eight meg-apixel photos in Single, Burst and Time Lapse modes. It features many of the same Subwoofer packs all the power of a larger bass module
innovative features found in GoPro’s best-selling HERO4 Black and Silver cameras, including SuperView™, into a more compact design. The loudspeaker and
Protune and Auto Low Light recording modes. subwoofer have a combined 2,000 watts of power.
www.gopro.com www.bose.com/F1

077
 GEAR

DRUM GURU - HIT LIKE

A GIRL 2015 CONTEST
LESSON PACK
FREE!
Drumhead Magazine was the newest Media
Sponsor to join the Hit Like A Girl Contest and
we couldn’t be more proud of everyone who
participated.
Now, Hit Like A Girl is proud to announce that
all seven videos— along with transcriptions of
excerpts of the drum parts— from the winners
in the upper and lower age divisions of the 2015
Hit Like A Girl contest for female drummers are
now available as a free lesson pack exclusively
on the Drum Guru App. The Hit Like A Girl 2015
pack can be downloaded, accessed and viewed
by anyone who has the popular Drum Guru
Pearl Crystal Beat App on their Apple or Android mobile device.
MSRP: Varies
Since reintroducing the seamless Acrylic shell they pioneered over 40 years ago, Pearl offers more sizes,
Included on Drum Guru’s 2015
finishes, and sonic value at this price-point than any other drum company. The latest custom upgrade to
Hit Like A Girl Contest Pack are
be featured to the seamless Acrylic shell is new Metallic Frost finish. This hand-coated, texture-blasted
performances by:
interior finish gives the clear exterior of each shell a unique translucent sheen. In contrast, the coating Over 18
gives Acrylic’s normally brighter tone an added dose of sonic warmth and control. Crystal Beat Metallic Champion:
Frost Acrylic kits will be available in four different pre-configured shell packs and available in component Lindsay Artkop (USA)
sizes from 8” to 24”. To add more power to the mix, Pearl now adds 24x14” bass drums to Crystal Beat’s
assortment of component drum choices, and expands the number of available shell packs to five with an 1st Runner-Up:
added 24/16/13 set-up (CRB543P/C) in all four available finishes. Daiana Azar (Argentina)
www.pearldrums.com 2nd Runner-Up:
Brooke Custerson (Australia)

Under 18
Champion:
Nicx (Indonesia)
1st Runner-Up:
Becca (USA)
2nd Runner-Up (tie):
Elise (USA)
2nd Runner-Up (tie):
Natalie (USA)

078
 GEAR

To commemorate 40 years of RUSH and the band’s R40 tour – and 10 years of the
SABIAN Paragon line – SABIAN has announced 4 new Paragon models. New 17”,
19” and 22” Crashes round out the line’s offering of crash cymbals, providing larger

SABIAN sizes that are so popular with drummers today. In addition, new 15” Paragon Hi-Hats
also fill a need for larger hats. The new Paragon Crashes are medium weight models

PARAGON with large bells to boost volume, a combination of wide-groove and pinpoint lathing
for increased brightness and explosive response, and hand hammered bells for increased

CYMBALS
musicality. The medium weight Hats offer fast and crisp response, and well-defined sticking.
Designed with RUSH drummer Neil Peart, Paragon cymbals deliver musicality and power in cymbals
that are always dynamic and responsive. www. sabian.com
MSRP: Varies

Vic Firth - SteVe Gadd Limited edition ProductS

STEVE GADD SIGNATURE STICKS #SSG; L = 15 3/4”, Dia. = .550” #SSGN; L = 15 3/4”, Dia. = .550”
Featuring a new and improved black finish and labeled with the special commemorative 70th birthday logo in eye-popping chrome! This classic barrel tip stick
was the first Vic Firth signature stick and remains one of the world’s most popular models! Available in wood or nylon tip. www. vicfirth.com

STEVE GADD WIRE BRUSH

#SGWB; Dia. = .530”; Spread = 5”

STEVE GADD PADD

The Gadd Padd features a 3/16” thick black silicone
rubber pad, mounted to a round 8” sturdy wooden
Years ago, Steve and Vic solved the age-old problem of wire brushes snagging on new coated heads by base. This single sided pad features a non-skid
slightly angling the wires in the playing end. Steve has refined the design once more with a new angle that rubber base and is decorated with the special
allows the wires to better glide across the head, providing a smoother sweep and a velvet swish! Additionally, commemorative 70th birthday logo. Built to Steve’s
the retractable pull-rod now includes a third crimp that offers the player an enhanced setting capability. desired specifications, this pad travels easily for the
Like the Gadd Padd & sticks, these brushes are labeled with the special commemorative 70th birthday logo! player on the go.
079
 GEAR

Zildjian Low
Volume Cymbals
The Avedis Zildjian Company has developed a
new and innovative playing experience with the
release of the Low Volume Cymbal series. The
L80 Low Volume cymbal is perfect for drummers
looking for a quieter sound without losing the
authentic feel of a Zildjian cymbal. It is ideal for
practice rooms, drum-lesson rooms, low-volume
gigs or any other situation where reduced volumes
are required.

Zildjian K Custom Dark

Crash Cymbals in new
19” & 20” sizes
The Avedis Zildjian Company has unveiled two
new additions to its popular K Custom Dark Crash
offering in response to requests by drummers
and dealers alike. Now available in 19:” and 20”
diameters, these two larger sizes are the latest
members of the acclaimed K Custom series and
put out a warm, rich sound that cuts through
and sings out.

Zildjian Z-Gear items

The Avedis Zildjian Company announces the
launch of new Z-Gear items. Included in the lineup
are three great travel items: a durable nylon
Deluxe Weekender Bag, a Laptop Backpack and
a Mobile Battery Pack with built-in flashlight. Also
launching this summer is an authentic Dickies®
Work Shirt with a gold embroidered Zildjian logo,
a 12oz. Klean Kanteen® Water Bottle and a 25oz.
BPA-free plastic Water Bottle.

HD Hearing Protection
by EarPeace®
The Avedis Zildjian Company announces the launch
of new HD Hearing Protection by EarPeace®.
Zildjian HD Hearing Protection is a versatile and
robust universal fit earplug that turns down the
volume without distorting the sound. Each pair
is virtually invisible in your ear and was built
to provide clear and crisp sound clarity while
protecting your ears with maximum comfort.

24” Rolling Cymbal

Vault & Premium
Cymbal Cases
The Avedis Zildjian Company announces the
launch of a new premium line of cymbal bags
and cases. The Zildjian 24” Rolling Cymbal Vault
provides the ultimate in protection and durability
and features a molded-polyethylene shell with
large “Z” logo that holds 5-10 cymbals. For
lightweight, yet durable cymbal transport, the 22”
and 24” Premium Cymbal Bags feature durable
nylon on the outside and soft tricot fabric lining
on the inside. www.zildjian.com

080
OLYMPUS VP-10®: PREMIUM STEREO RECORDER
Msrp: $99.99
Forget about being weighed down by a recorder, at only 1.3 oz. in weight, the Olympus VP-10 allows for
lightweight, hands-free recording. Paired with three settings of Anti-Rustle technology (HIGH, LOW, OFF),
the VP-10 is the perfect recorder for setting and forgetting in the user’s pocket, coat or bag. This latest
innovation in audio recording prevents common device rubbing and brushing from getting in the way
of capturing the highest-quality sound. Packed with 4GB of internal memory, the Olympus VP-10 allows
for 1,620 hours of recordings before having to download files to your computer. Once the user is done
recording and ready to share, simply use the VP-10’s Direct USB Connection to download audio files.
Charging the VP-10’s Ni-MH (BR404) battery is that simple as well. The built-in USB connection allows for
quick and easy charging by simply plugging the VP-10 directly into the USB port of a computer without
having to fuss with separate wires and cords. www.getolympus.com

Audix - HT7 Single Ear Headworn Microphone

MSRP: $345
The professional-grade omnidirectional HT7 features a comfortable ear piece that can be
worn around either the left or right ear. The durable and adjustable length boom arm is easy
to position. The modular design of the HT7 allows for field replaceable parts when necessary,
and the microphone can be used wireless or wired with optional phantom power adapter.
Engineered for use wireless body pack systems such as the Audix RAD360, the HT7 can be
used with other brands of wireless body packs. A selection of adapters is available depending
on the input connectors of the body pack. Designed to blend with the skin tone of the wearer,
the HT7 is available in three colors—beige, black and coffee as well as the microphone comes
with a windscreen, adapter and storage pouch. www.audixusa.com

Genelec 7040A Ultra-Compact Subwoofer

The 7040A is the latest addition to Genelec’s line of active monitors, and like the rest of the product line, all electronics,
amplifier circuitry, drivers and enclosure have been designed and assembled, tested and calibrated individually in the
Genelec factory in Finland. The 7040A features Genelec’s acclaimed Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) technology. This
unique enclosure design is the result of more than 10 years of research work and manufacturing experience and allows
the 7040 to achieve a high sound pressure level (an essential property for a subwoofer) and move high volumes of air
without distortion. Small rooms have limited floor space, and Genelec engineers have optimized the 7040 subwoofer
enclosure with this in mind. With external dimensions of 16.125 x 13.75 x 8.125-inch (410 x 350 x 205 mm), the 7040A
has a footprint that is smaller than that of a small practice guitar amplifier. It is also narrow enough to fit in a 19-inch
rack and weighs 25 lb (11.3 kg). www.genelecusa.com

Sennheiser Momentum In-ear Headphones

Msrp: $99.99
Sennheiser expanded its MOMENTUM range with premium ear-canal phones unveiling the
MOMENTUM In-Ear. Beautifully crafted from the highest quality materials, the ear-canal phones
feature class-leading proprietary transducer technology that delivers the acclaimed MOMENTUM
sound performance in the smallest, most compact form. Using tough impact-resistant polycarbonate
and stainless steel for the MOMENTUM In-Ear, Sennheiser has developed very durable ear-canal
phones – ensuring that the ultra-portable design can go anywhere and is also robust enough to
take the demands of a life on the move.
www.sennheiser.com

081
 gear2share
BAeAUDio
1073 mPL &
B15 eQ
BY Skip SaYloR
When managing editor, Genoveva Winsen, asked me to
review gear for Drumhead Magazine, I thought she was out of
her mind. I told her I have never been a tech head, always a
“does it sound good” type of guy. She told me that is why she
asked me to review the BAE products. First and foremost, it is
old school hardware and the readers of Drumhead Magazine
need to know if it works.
So here we go.
I am going to tell you how I tested the BAE 1073MPL mic-
pre and the BAE B15 EQ. Both of these devices fit into an
API 500 rack; which is very handy. Every studio should have
an API 500 rack, as many companies now make gear that is
compatible to that system.
A LittLe PersPective
I have been a fan of API gear since I was a 2nd engineer in
the 70’s. In 1979, I had the good fortune to be a 2nd engineer on
Tom Petty’s classic “Damn the Torpedoes” featuring Refugee
and Don’t Do Me Like That. I worked under then producer
Jimmy Iovine and the best mixer in my mind at that time, Shelly
Yakus. We mixed that record on a Trident A-Range with an
API 550A or 560A on every channel. That was unheard of at
that time period, but Shelly was a nut job. A beautiful nut job
with the best set of ears I’ve ever experienced. Along with Tom
Petty, Shelley mixed a lot of U2, Stevie Nicks, solo Don Henley
and Cutting Crew. Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died In Your Arms
Tonight”, mixed by Yakus, Yes’s “Owner of A Lonely Heart”,
mixed by Trevor Horn, and k.d. lang’s “Constant Craving (a
Grammy Award winning record mixed by Greg Penny at Skip
Saylor Recording) are all examples of recordings all audio
engineering student should study, as they are hits due as
much, or more, because of the sound quality of them, than
because of the songs themselves. This kind of attention to
sound detail is something that has gotten lost somewhat in the
last decade, but is still relevant.
I have a lot of high quality analog gear to use as a
comparison, so I may be a bit of a ringer. I own the BAE 312
mic pre that, by the way, is a classic as well as Neve 1084 EQs
that are basically a 1073 with more high frequency EQ, as well
as the API 550A & 560 EQs.
First imPressions
The BAE 1073MPL mic-pre is a very nice re-issue of the
classic 1073 and they have done a good job of re-creating the
“red knob” from a 1073. But there are differences and that will
change the way you use the classic 1073, as well as the BAE.
The BAE has two qualities that stick out immediately. It has
082
a flatter response from 250hz on down, making it warmer than
the classic 1073 “red knob”. That can come in very handy or
be exactly what you don’t want. It also has a bit more bite
at 5k, which again can be a blessing or a curse. I tested the
1073MPL against the classic 1073 pre and the BAE. I tried
them both on vocals, drums, piano and acoustic guitar.
I get the impression from companies making gear today
that they are trying to get a flatter response than some of the
old gear had. Sometimes the character of the older gear is
exactly what you are looking for even though technically the
new gear is flatter out to the highs and lows. Such is the case
with the BAE 1073MPL. Its response at the low end was very
apparent. On vocals, if your singer is a bit thin, the warmth at
250hz on down can add a “richness” to the vocals. Generally,
I prefer the BAE 312, which has a nice 8k and up clarity that
makes the vocal jump out at you without adding sibilance. On
a male vocal, I would definitely go to the BAE 312 first, but
on a female, I would lean to the BAE 1073MPL. Already, I am
saying you should own both. BAE should be happy with me.
Next, I compared the BAE 1073MPL to the classic 1073.
Although they were very close to each other, I again noticed
the 5k “bite” and the 250hz on down warmth. The classic 1073
was a little more musical. The term “musical” is probably a little
vague, but if you spend your life in a control room, it will make
sense to you. If you haven’t yet, give it time. Picking between
the classic 1073 and the BAE 1073MPL is like picking between
two pretty girls. You’re not sure why you like one over the
other, you just do. The BAE 1073MPL with a BAE 15 EQ will
run $1899 list and a classic 1073 will cost you $4000-$5000.
That’s quite a price increase for not much. I think the BAE gear
is a fabulous value at its price point.
On acoustic guitar, the BAE mic-pre was just what the doctor
ordered. The richness on the bottom and the 5k bite was
noticeable in a good way. No contest.
On piano, the warmth was nice, but I was inspired to add EQ
at the top. I ended up using a BAE 1073MPL on the low end
of the piano and a BAE 312 on the top. I used 2 AKG 414’s for
microphones. I wanted to use matching mics, so I could listen
to the units in a fair comparison.

On drums, I ended up with the BAE 1073MPL on kick and
low tom. I liked the BAE 312 better on overheads and hi-hat. On
cymbals, I’m not really looking for low end. It ended up being
rumble that I roll out anyway. On the kick, I loved the warmth
and depth that the additional 250hz on down provided, as well
as the 5k “snap”. It seemed that the kick was more present, even
louder, though I had the classic 1073 and BAE 1073MPL on the
same settings. I also felt the same way about the low tom. When
I tried it on snare, it was nice, but not as noticeable as the kick
and low tom.
You may think that I’m talking about other gear as much as
the BAE 1073MPL, but that is the point. With recordings today
using over 100 tracks quite regularly, small differences start to
be a big deal and changing the character of an instrument or
a vocal becomes more important every time you add another
track of information. Understanding these differences then
becomes vital.
“A SighT FOr SOrE EyES”
Let me go to the BAE B15 EQ, as I tested the gear together.
Right off the top, the B15 EQ is a top of the line, very musical
equalizer that I want to add to my arsenal immediately. I have
always been an API fan and for me to say that the B15 EQ
stands up to API 550A and 560A’s is a mouthful for me.
I have always thought that the API 550A 15kHz is one of
the sweetest EQ frequencies ever made. I can add 15kHz to
almost anything from an API 550A and I like it. It opens the
air and brightens an instrument without making it harsh or
too bright. 15kHz will make a vocal pop out without adding
sibilance. Well, guess what? The B15 EQ has a 16kHz boost
that is absolutely magnificent. In fact,
I liked it better on the female vocal I
recorded. Never thought I would say
that! I’ve spent 30 years preaching to
my assistants about 15kHz on an API
and BAE has matched and possibly
exceeded the air and musicality of a
classic piece of gear!
At first glance, I was intrigued by
BAE’s frequency selection. I would
describe the B15 EQ as being a love
child of the API 550A and the Neve
1084 yet, there are carefully selected
frequencies that are not available on
either classic EQ. 560hz was a great
choice. I loved that frequency as a
boost on a male vocal. I cut a lot at
400hz, so 560hz is not a frequency
I think about boosting often. I didn’t
like what 560hz did to a female
vocal, which I expected. 120hz was
a nice choice not often found on a set
frequency EQ. I loved that frequency
to boost and get low end to pop a bit
without making it muddy like 50-60hz
would do. But the 16kHz on the B15
EQ, spectacular! I can’t say enough
nice things about that frequency.
Also, I was surprised with the
amount of boost and cut you could
achieve with the B15 EQ. When
cutting, you can almost make
things disappear. When I boosted
5.6kHz, I almost ripped a whole in
my eardrums. Dangerous, but nice
to have… I’m one of those guys who gets in a car and
immediately wants to know how fast it can go. My ex-wife
called me immature. Oh well… Lol.
WhAT DrEAmS ArE mADE OF
To wrap things up. In a perfect world, I would have classic
1084s in pairs of two, BAE 312s with API 550As in pairs of
two, BAE 1073MPLs with B15s in pairs of two and API 560As
graphic EQs in pairs of two. If you hadn’t noticed I believe you
need everything in stereo pairs. The BAE 1073MPL and the
BAE B15 EQ are an excellent mic-pre and EQ. As good as any
of the best gear on the market. And because of price, if I was
just getting started buying recording gear, the BAE 1073MPL
and B15 EQ would possibly be the first mic-pre and EQ I would
buy. The BAE 312 is also an excellent choice for a mic-pre. So
buy two. Ha! Good luck with your recordings. You can’t go wrong
with BAE. www.baeaudio.com WEBFOOT
Skip Saylor is a 30-year veteran of the music industry. Early on he was taken under
the wing of such notable engineers and producers as Bill Putnam (Frank Sinatra,
Ray Charles), Jerry Barnes (Carole King, Merle Haggard) and Chuck Britz (The Beach
Boys). In his storied career, Saylor has worked with a wide array of artists including
Blood, Sweat & Tears, Joe Cocker, Cher, Ringo Starr, Michael Jackson, Tom Petty & the
Heartbreakers, k.d. lang, Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Elton John, Santana, Tupac and
Snoop Dogg, to name but a few, and has been involved in the making of eight of the
Top 300 selling records of ALL TIME according to Billboard Magazine. After decades
of being the owner of one of L.A.’s most respected studios and mentoring many now
world-renowned engineers and producers, he enjoys a rewarding career working at
his private L.A. studio (Julian Lennon, Soul legend Booker T. Jones, Mindi Abair, Icona
Pop, FIFA World Cup, Bobby Brown, Glasses Malone with Kendrick Lamar and other
notable artists and projects).
083
 gear2share

Zildjian 19” & 20” K Custom Dark Crashes

The best way to describe these two beauties would be: The 19” and 20” fit right in with the rest of the K Custom
bright sounding at first hit, with a quick and warm undertone family, though what I found here with these two was a more
that appears straight away. With exception to the obvious pronounced bell, making either cymbal an option to be used as
pitch variance, due to the one-inch difference in size, the a ride on a light jazz or acoustic gig. As a matter of fact, with the
characteristics are really, for the most part, the same. wide dynamic range of colors and personality, you could easily
They have what I would call a medium-short sustain, cover the gamut with having just these two cymbals on the gig
meaning–they get in, they get out and they don’t get in the way. to suit all your crash and ride needs.
As with most K’s, they’re tight sounding and explosive, with a
contained wash and spread, that builds up nicely, but doesn’t
get in the way or out of control.
An interesting characteristic to note is the wide dynamic
range that you have here, where you get an even and
balanced sound no matter how light or hard you
strike. Essentially, you get the same character
and personality in sound whether playing
pianissimo or double forte, the only real
difference is the volume, whereas other
cymbals (neither better nor worse) can
often give you a completely different
character when struck and played at
various volumes.
Both cymbals responded equally well to
wood and nylon tips, as well as a variety of
mallets, rods and brushes, although if I had to
choose a favorite, where brushwork came into
play, the 20” was a little sweeter sounding and
slightly more responsive.

084
085
cd/dvd/bookreleases

ALICE COOPER THE WARNER BROS. YEARS

Drummers: Dennis conway, Jim GorDon, allan schwartzberG, Pentti “whitey” Glan, ross salomone, craiG kramPf, Jan uvena, richarD kolinka
Alice Cooper has rattled the cages of the establishment with his hard-rocking music and theatrical stagecraft for
nearly five decades. Since his 1969 debut, Cooper has sold more than 50 million albums, headlined sold-out
tours, influenced countless artists, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. The set is
presented in a clamshell box and includes 15 albums: Pretties For You (1969), Easy Action (1970), Love It To
Death (1971), Killer (1971), School’s Out (1972), Billion Dollar Babies (1973), Muscle Of Love (1973), Welcome
To My Nightmare (1975), Alice Cooper Goes To Hell (1976), Lace And Whiskey (1977), From The Inside
(1978), Flush The Fashion (1980), Special Forces (1981), Zipper Catches Skin (1982), and DaDa (1983).

Indigo Girls One Lost Day

Drummer: Jaron Pearlman

One Lost Day is the first studio album from the iconic duo in four years. It features the first single “Happy
in the Sorrow Key.” Written by Amy Ray, “It’s not about death, but it’s about impermanence,” Ray explains.
“Its kind of the opposite of ignorance is bliss, and me saying I’m happier when I know the facts, and when
I know the pain, and I know all the sorrow in life and am faced with things.”

Elizabeth Kill The Other Side of Vain

Drummer: corey manske

This fourth full-length release from the LA quartet shows a markedly different direction from 2014’s
Throwing Shadows. The band has clearly grown and is decidedly more aggressive this time around.
“Dream Out Loud” has drummer Corey Manske flipping the beat and playing sparse parts that are more
composed than simply played. “Magic Hat” reveals Manske doing his best Bonham, including a tricky
drum intro. “Kill Your TV” is Hendrix influenced and “jammy,” yet still carries the dark message in the lyrics.
“Heaven Bound” is a great opportunity to hear Manske pushing the band and playing more aggressive.
The Other Side of Vain is insight to an “in the trenches” Los Angeles rock band in the modern era.

Chris Cornell Euphoria Mourning

Drummers: matt cameron, Josh freese, victor inDrizzo, bill rieflin, GreG uPchurch
When Grammy-winning, Golden Globe® nominated singer/songwriter and rock icon Chris Cornell was
about to release his 1999 solo debut on Interscope/A&M/Geffen Records, he was dissuaded from his first
choice for the title, Euphoria Mourning, and reluctantly dubbed it Euphoria Morning. Now, 16 years later,
Universal Music Enterprises is correcting that admitted misjudgment, re-releasing the re-mastered album
under its original name. Euphoria Mourning will be pressed on 180 gram vinyl and include a download
card featuring 320 kbps MP4 audio ripped directly from the vinyl.

DBUK Songs One Through Eight Drummer:

Also known as Denver Broncos UK, the Denver-based, gothic-Americana quartet plays a beautifully
haunting brand of stark acoustic-gloom that will inevitably send shivers down the spines of the most
seasoned fans. Having worked with an array of prominent musicians in the past, including members
of Devotcha, Tarantelle, and David Edwards of 16 Horsepower, DBUK lead-vocalist and celebrated
alt-country songwriter / storyteller Jay Munly’s voice is equal parts Peter Murphy and Nick Cave,
and contrasts beautifully with Rebecca Vera’s falsetto on a number of the tracks on “Songs One
Through Eight.” The album’s strings and percussion are intoxicatingly dramatic and are provided
courtesy of Auto Club members Dwight Pentacost and Slim Cessna respectively, all culminating to
create one of the more evocative releases the genre has seen quite possibly in years.

Faces You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (1970-1975)

Drummer: kenny Jones
Faces squeezed a lifetime’s worth of rock ‘n’ roll into just five years. But despite their relatively short time
together earned a spot on the short list of the world’s greatest rock bands. The YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE,
SING OR ANYTHING (1970-1975) CD set includes: The First Step (1970), Long Player (1971), A Nod Is
as Good as a Wink...to a Blind Horse (1971), and Ooh La La (1973), and features unreleased bonus tracks
included with each album. In addition to the studio albums, the collection also features a bonus disc that gathers
up nine essential tracks that didn’t appear on proper albums, including the 1973 single “Pool Hall Richard,” a
live performance of the Temptations’ “I Wish It Would Rain” from the 1973 Reading Festival, and “Dishevelment
Blues,” a song that came free as a flexi-disc in copies of the British music publication, New Music Express.

086
 cd/dvd/bookreleases

David Bowie of non-album singles, single versions & b-sides. It features a

Five Years 1969 – 1973 previously unreleased single edit of “All The Madmen” which
Drummers: mick WooDmansey, Terry cox, aynsley Dunbar, Tim broaDbenT was originally set for a U.S. release but was never actually
released. Also included is the original version of “Holy Holy,”
The first in a series of boxed sets spanning his career. which was only ever released on the original 1971 Mercury
The 10-album/12-CD box ($149.98), 10-album/13-LP vinyl single and hasn’t been available on any release since. The
set ($249.98), and digital download each feature all of the boxed set’s accompanying book, 128 pages in the CD box
material officially released by Bowie during the nascent stage and 84 pages in the vinyl
of his career from 1969 to set, will feature rarely seen
1973. All of the formats photos as well as technical
include tracks that have notes about each album from
never before appeared on producers Tony Visconti and
CD/digitally as well as new Ken Scott, an original press
remasters. Exclusive to the review for each album, and a
boxed sets will be Re:Call short foreword by legendary
1, a new 2-disc compilation Kinks front man Ray Davies.

Five Finger Death Punch Got Your Six

Drummer: Jeremy spencer

Guitarist Zoltan Bathory says: “I can’t wait to release this album. It’s jam-packed with some of our best work to
date, and lyrically Ivan dug deep and revealed a lot of his personal struggles. We live life in the fast lane as is,
so if you chose to burn the candle on both ends ... There will be hell to pay.” Fans can enter to win unique price
packages every Friday for 6 weeks leading up to the ultimate grand price on album release day, September 4.
Go to https://ffdp.pgtb.me/1lGDWQ for more info.

QUEENSRŸCHE Condition Hüman

Drummer: scoTT rockenfielD
Against the formidable obstacles of an ever-changing cultural landscape, the rise and fall of various musical
trends, and the near collapse of the record industry itself, Queensrÿche secured a triumphant legacy as one of
hard rock’s most respected and celebrated acts, selling 30 million albums around the world across a 30-plus-
year career. The much-anticipated new offering, Condition Hüman, sees vocalist Todd LaTorre deliver the
performance of a lifetime on what is now his sophomore recording effort with the band. Produced by Zeuss
(Rob Zombie, Hatebreed, Sanctuary) in the band’s native Washington, Condition Hüman is a new mountain
towering over many of the peaks and valleys of the hard rock landscape.

Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls

Drummer: nicko mcbrain
Recorded in Paris with their long-standing producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches
added earlier this year. However, the band decided to delay its release so that vocalist Bruce Dickinson, who was
recently given the all-clear from a tumor, would have time to recuperate sufficiently to join in the preparations for
the album’s launch. Because this 11-track album has a total running time of 92 minutes, it is Iron Maiden’s first ever
double studio album. There’s a broader split on the songwriting compared to previous Maiden records, with Steve
Harris contributing to seven of the tracks; six of them with Maiden’s guitarists and one sole composition. This is also
the first time since 1984’s Powerslave that an Iron Maiden studio album features two tracks written solely by Bruce
Dickinson, one of which is the longest song Maiden has ever recorded!

Peak Experience Jazz Live at Lucy’s

Drummer: kenDall kay
Since 1997, various musicians have made joyous live jazz together at “Lucy’s Place,” the music room of the
bassist and his wife. On one particular December day in 2014, the ensemble’s founder Mike Peak and five other
musicians gathered for the Orange County Chapter’s 14th annual Jazz Affair. For the first-ever record of the
ensemble’s live jazz, it’s quite captivating. The enthusiasm of the musicians for the material — nine jazz and pop
covers, and originals done tongue-in-cheek, and differentially at the height of drama — and of the appreciative fans
in the audience clearly whooping it up at all the right licks make this live album something special. The music and
musicianship are top-notch, the arrangements are twisty-turny (“Cry Me A River” turns out both bluesy and spicy),
and the jazz focus is given the same amount of enthusiastic response as a Justin Bieber concert.

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cd/dvd/bookreleases

Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds Of Fire

Drummer: bIlly Cobham

Audio Fidelity is releasing the classic fusion album Birds of Fire by the Mahavishnu Orchestra as a
limited edition Hybrid 4.0 Quad SACD. Birds of Fire is Mahavishnu Orchestra’s second album and is the
last studio album released by the original Mahavishnu Orchestra line-up before the group dissolved. A
remarkable example of precisely choreographed, high-speed solo trading - with John McLaughlin, Jerry
Goodman, Jan Hammer, Billy Cobham’s machine-gun drumming and Rick Laird’s dancing bass.

FRANK SINATRA Ultimate Sinatra

Drummers: Irv Cottler, GreGG FIelDs, FrankIe Capp, sol GubIn, alvIn stoller, Johnny blowers, sonny payne, buDDy rICh

The defining voice of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra enjoyed a legendary recording career that spanned
six decades, beginning with his earliest session in 1939 and culminating with his last in 1993, for his
world-renowned, multi-platinum Duets and Duets II albums. In celebration of Frank Sinatra’s centennial
year, new, career-spanning collections of the entertainment icon’s timeless music have been compiled.
Both CD and digital editions also feature previously-unreleased Sinatra recordings.

Terri Lyne Carrington The Mosaic Project: LOVE and SOUL

Drummer: terrI lyne CarrInGton

This album presents Carrington leading a rotating cast of superb female instrumentalists and vocalists that
includes Oleta Adams, Natalie Cole, Paula Cole, Lalah Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Chanté Moore, Valerie
Simpson, Nancy Wilson, Jaguar Wright and Lizz Wright. Carrington juxtaposes her salute to female artists
by paying homage to various male artists who have either influenced her professionally and/or informed
her musicality, such as Nick Ashford, George Duke, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Luther Vandross and Bill
Withers.

P.O.D. The Awakening

Drummer: noah bernarDo
The evocative album, produced by the band’s long-time collaborator and friend, Howard Benson (My
Chemical Romance, Kelly Clarkson), features 10 tracks and special guests Maria Brink from In This
Moment and Lou Koller from Sick of it All. Long known for carrying the hard rock torch with a positive
message, P.O.D. are looking forward to sharing The Awakening with fans around the world. The
album travels on a journey based on the good and bad choices of a central character, exploring the
consequences of his decisions. “The Awakening is meant to be listened to in its entirety,” says P.O.D.
singer and lyricist Sonny Sandoval. “Every song ultimately explores a character dealing with life, making
mistakes, fighting, trying. But we also live in a singles-type world, and it works on that level, too.”

Rock Candy Funk Party Groove Is King

Drummer: tal berGman

Groove Is King, an aural kaleidoscope that mashes up funk, rock, dance, electronica, jazz and R&B into
14 original tracks and 2 covers full of space, texture, and virtuoso musicianship. Included is a bonus DVD
with over 50 minutes of in-studio footage. Powered by a lineup of world-renowned players, the group
came together for the sheer fun of making music—and a mutual love of genre-blurring grooves, they
are: album producer Tal Bergman (drums), Joe Bonamassa (guitar), Ron DeJesus (guitar), and Mike
Merritt (bass).

Joe Satriani Shockwave Supernova

Drummer: marCo mInnemann
It would be easy to call Shockwave Supernova a “masterpiece” or “the last word on guitar” from the world’s
most commercially successful solo guitar performer. Satch, however, sees it much more personally. He
has consistently advanced the artistry of the instrument; an effort he dedicated himself to on September
18, 1970, the day his idol Jimi Hendrix died. Recorded late last year at Skywalker Sound in Lucas Valley,
CA, Satriani assembled the dynamic trio of world-class musicians who had recently been part of his
global tour; renowned keyboardist and guitarist Mike Keneally, a veteran of several Satch outings and
recordings; along with drummer Marco Minnemann and bassist Bryan Beller. “I couldn’t have asked for
a better band to help bring these songs to life,” says Satriani.

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 cd/dvd/bookreleases

Ringo Starr Ringo: With a Little Help

by Michael Seth Starr
MSrP: $32.99
Ringo: With a Little Help traces the entire arc of Ringo’s remarkable life and career and, in time for his
75th birthday, paints the most vivid picture yet of the most famous drummer the world has ever known.
Born in 1940 as Richard Starkey in Liverpool, he rose from a hardscrabble childhood – marked by serious
illnesses, long hospital stays, and little schooling – to emerge, against all odds, as a locally-renowned
drummer. Taking the stage name Ringo Starr, his big break with the Beatles rocketed him to the pinnacle
of worldwide acclaim in a remarkably short time.

Glen Campbell ... I’ll Be Me

A new documentary film about the country/pop superstar produced and directed by filmmaker James
Keach (Walk the Line). In 2011, music legend Glen Campbell set out on an unprecedented tour across
America. They thought it would last 5 weeks, instead it went for 151 spectacular sold-out shows over a
triumphant year and a half across America. What made this tour extraordinary was that Glen had recently
been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The film documents this amazing journey as he and his family
attempt to navigate the wildly unpredictable nature of Glen’s progressing disease using love, laughter
and music as their medicine of choice.

Pat Metheny The Unity Sessions

This concert was filmed as they wrapped up a 150-date world tour, with an intimate studio performance
filmed in at 5 Angels Theater in New York City. Featuring new performances of songs from the Grammy-
winning Unity Band record, the expansive Unity Group KIN(←→) recording, and touchstones from the
entirety of Metheny’s illustrious career, these are essential performances that serve as a rare visual
documentation of some of the best music of Metheny’s ever expanding career. As well as the amazing
full concert itself, The Unity Sessions include an insightful filmed interview backstage with Pat Metheny
and the band.

The Rolling Stones From The Vault: The Marquee - Live In 1971 DVD+CD
A sought-after, rare club performance from The Rolling Stones in 1971 filmed at London’s iconic Marquee
Club will finally see the light of day, after almost two decades of being stored away in an attic. The show
was an intimate, rare club appearance and very little footage has been released, until now. Part of the
“From The Vault” series of live concerts from the band’s archive, The Rolling Stones From The Vault:
The Marquee – Live In 1971 is a must own DVD for any Stones fan, featuring carefully restored footage
and sound mixed to perfection by Bob Clearmountain, including 5.1 surround sound on the DVD and SD
Blu-ray formats.

I Dream Of Wires
a filM by robert fantinatto & JaSon aMM
I Dream of Wires is a documentary about the rise, fall and rebirth of the machine that shaped electronic
music: the modular synthesizer. Exploring the synthesizer’s history, the film reveals how innovators like
Robert Moog developed the first room-sized prototypes. It shows the meteoric rise in popularity of the
synthesizer - later made obsolete by a flood of cheap knockoffs. And it tracks the phenomenal resurgence
of the high-end modular synthesizers being used today by a whole new generation of musicians, many
of them at the forefront of EDM (electronic dance music). Musicians including Trent Reznor (Nine Inch
Nails), Gary Numan, Carl Craig, Morton Subotnick and Vince Clarke (Erasure) talk about their passion
for the modular synthesizer and how it influences their music.

Popular Hits – Cajón Play-Along Arranged by Ed Roscetti

hal leonard MSrP: $16.99
If you want to hone your skills accompanying guitar and vocals on the cajón, this is the book you need! Listen to
the professionally recorded demo tracks to hear how the cajón should sound, then play along with the separate
backing tracks. The price of the book includes access to audio tracks for download or streaming. Features 8
coffeehouse favorites arranged for acoustic guitar, voice and cajón: Brave (Sara Bareilles) • Bubbly (Colbie
Caillat) • Don’t Know Why (Norah Jones) • Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) • Mean (Taylor Swift) • Strong Enough
(Sheryl Crow) • Sunny Came Home (Shawn Colvin) • The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson).

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090
 CaughtintheaCt

Kenneth “Chip” Wilson Allen

Gear: Yamaha, Zildjian,
Sabian, Kelly Shu, Promark.

Bootsy Collins & Basement Jaxx

Location: Hollywood, CA.
Venue: Hollywood Bowl
Date: 28 June, 2015

Nathan “Tugg” Curran

Oli Saville Gear: Premier, Sabian,
Gear: LP, Sabian, Vic Firth, DW.
Protection Racket,
Roland.

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CaughtintheaCt

Troy Luccketta
Artist: Tesla
Date: 7 July, 2015
Venue: Meadowbrook
Location: Gilford, NH.
Gear: Tama, Zildjian,
ProMark.

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 CaughtintheaCt

Todd Sucherman
Artist: Styx
Date: 7 July, 2015
Venue: Meadowbrook
Location: Gilford, NH.
Gear: Pearl, Sabian,
Remo, ProMark.

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 inmemoriam

VIC FIRTH
AN AMERICAN CLASSIC
By Stan Hall
On July 26, 2105 the drumming wOrld lOst One Of its mOst belOved
members with the passing of the dapper, charming, and
multi-talented Vic Firth. A respected and admired classical
percussionist, quality stick and mallet maker, and successful
business tycoon (not to mention pepper mill manufacturer and
snappy dresser), Vic covered a lot of bases over his seven-
decade percussive career and did it with style and panache.

Born into a musical family (his father was a professional

trumpeter), four-year-old Firth started on his musical path by
tackling the cornet, which soon became a sonic disaster (“I had
the worst embouchure you ever saw in your life”). Looking for a
proper musical fit for his son, Firth’s dad decided to have young
Everett (Vic’s real given name) take lessons in music theory and
on clarinet, trombone, piano, and percussion. Despite the fact
that his father wanted him to be a French horn player, Firth’s
natural talent showed brightest on percussion, so he dropped
the other lessons to concentrate exclusively on his newfound
instrument.

And at that point, “percussion” for Everett primarily meant
“drum set” and all that jazz. This was the forties, and the
youngster – doubtless with images of Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich
and Dave Tough in his head – initially wanted to kick a big band,
not put on a penguin suit and play symphonic music.
for $150 – that’s the summer home for the symphony. Suddenly
I heard things that I’d never heard before and it opened up a
whole new world of music and challenge…That’s what kind
of turned me around.” Although he still kept a drum set in his
basement for years, he never sat down behind a kit after that.

A GO-GETTER FROM THE GET-GO STUCK WITHOUT STICKS

Even in the early stages of his musical career, Vic showed
an aptitude for business as well as performing. At the age of
fourteen he started a 12-piece dance band of his own, fronting
the group on vibes and drums: “I ran the whole kit and caboodle.
We had a professional booker out of Concord, New Hampshire
that booked dance halls all over New England because that’s
what they did in those days: you didn’t come and listen to the
band, you came mostly to dance. We were a really busy, very
active group and well known in the New England area.”
He also demonstrated show business savvy by changing his
professional name from Everett to the sleeker, more urbane
“Vic” because, in his opinion, “Everett Firth sounded like a skin
disease. Vic is easier to say. So that name stuck from the band
era and through my professional life.”
Vic’s musical interest soon switched from dance bands to
symphonies, courtesy of the Ethelbert Nevin Club (and he
thought the name Everett was a clunker!). Vic recalled: “There
was a group in Maine–the Ethelbert Nevin Club – that every year
provided one scholarship for some student from Maine to go to
Tanglewood. The only one that fit the credentials was a drummer,
and that was me. I got the scholarship and…went to Tanglewood
094
Despite his long and successful career as a symphonic
percussionist, Vic was more widely known by other drummers
as a stick/mallet/brush maker supreme. Ironically, Vic never
intended to be a stick maker; he only started making sticks
because he couldn’t find ones suitable for his personal needs,
and it grew from there.
Vic first found himself in need of special sticks when
performing a piece for flute and percussion by Ingolf Dahl: “I had
a million drums and sticks and it was a difficult and challenging
piece. Basically, there were no sticks that just fit what I needed
for the small drums and the light cymbals. So I thought, let’s
make something thin and with a small tip.”
Soon after successfully making several different kinds of
specialty sticks, Firth decided to make standard models as well,
which resulted in his SD1 model that he subsequently used in his
teaching. He attributed his success to his special combination
of skills: “I got into making sticks because I had a knowledge –
having played both kit and classical – that most drummers didn’t
have. Then I had some talent in the engineering direction…I
knew how to cut a drumstick. I knew how much taper it should
have, the way it should be in the center and the back and the tip.”
GROWING THE BUSINESS
While teaching at the New England Conservatory of Music, Firth
initially only made sticks for himself and his students until he got a
call from Morrie Lishaun, who ran the original Frank’s Drum Shop
in Chicago. Morrie had learned of Vic’s drumsticks by word of
mouth from guys who had studied under Firth at the Conservatory
and, as they travelled around, would go hang out at drum shops in
the towns where they happened to be performing.
Vic had no intention of going into the stick making business,
but Morrie convinced Firth to make him a dozen pair to sell, and
the ball started rolling: “Suddenly I heard from two or three drum
shops, and I had a business going.”
It was, in Vic’s words, “a peanut business…couldn’t have been
more rudimental,” but as small as it was, the business grew
steadily. In an effort to diversify his woodworking business, for a
while Vic also made high-end pepper mills, wooden bottle caps
for Jose Cuervo tequila, caps for perfume bottles, wooden fruit,
and vacuum cleaner spindles, but “the stick thing grew so much
that we needed everyone and all the factory space to make
drumsticks.” The wisdom of that decision is underscored by the
fact that 80,000 sticks is a normal day’s run at the factory now.
FIRTH’S FIRSTS
Vic Firth was also the first stick manufacturer to pitch pair his
sticks and also guarantee them against warpage, to the great
consternation of many of his competitors. Most of them claimed
it couldn’t be done, given the fact that wood is a naturally
occurring material subject to all sorts of property variations. In
fact, Vic recalled that one of his competitors called him “an idiot”
for even trying. Firth also claimed to be the first stick maker to
design and successfully market a signature stick (the Steve
Gadd model was the first in a long line of signature models).
At the 1997 Modern Drummer Festival, Vic was invited to
perform as part of the “Percussion Originators Ensemble,”
whose five members had distinguished themselves in the
world of percussion both as drummers and as major business
forces. The other four ensemble members included Ron
Spagnardi (Modern Drummer magazine), Herb Brochstein
(ProMark drumsticks), Don Lombardi (DW drums), and Roy
Burns (Aquarian drumheads). While his fellow drummers each
performed on drum set, Firth chose to play four tympani and an
equal number of Roto-toms, adding a unique and refreshingly
melodic dimension to the group’s performance (http://www.
drummerworld.com/Videos/originators.html).
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
In 2010 Firth sold his company to a fellow New England-
based percussion manufacturing giant, the Zildjian cymbal
company in what both parties agreed was a win-win situation.
Vic’s decision was based on a lifetime of experience in the
music world, and he saw long-range benefits for both his
company and his family: “We [Firth and Zildjian] were on the
same wavelength as far as music was concerned, as well as
quality and product approach. It’s been great. We operate with
complete autonomy, and couldn’t have picked a better partner.
So when I croak, they have to worry about the headaches that
my daughters won’t have.”
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