SEPTEMBER 1987 I'm Happy to Announce the Availability of Mod- Poll
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VOLUME 11, NUMBER 9, ISSUE 95 Features Columns Cover Photo by Leslie Burke EDUCATION JAZZ DRUMMERS' WORKSHOP Burke The Ride Cymbal by Peter Erskine 66 Leslie SHOW DRUMMERS' SEMINAR by Subbing A Broadway Show by Larry Spivack 68 Photo TEACHERS' FORUM Child Drummers by Brooke Sheffield Comer 70 DRUM SOLOIST Roy Haynes: "Snap Crackle" by Karl Sterling 80 ROCK PERSPECTIVES Recreating Beats by Kenny Aronoff 82 THE MACHINE SHOP Heavy Rock From Light Plastic by Clive Brooks 84 ROCK 'N' JAZZ CLINIC Styles are Related: Part 2 by Rod Morgenstein 92 TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Consumer Rights And Options by Clifford J. Sherry, Ph.D. 94 CONCEPTS Showmanship Features by Roy Burns 110 RICK MAROTTA EQUIPMENT He didn't start playing drums until he was 19, but within a few SETUP UPDATE months, Rick Marotta was being asked to do sessions in New Marc Droubay and Mike Clark 108 York. He talks about his work with such artists as Steely Dan, PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Jackson Browne, and Larry Carlton, and explains what is Joe Montineri Custom Snare Drums behind his personal style. by Bob Saydlowski, Jr. 112 by Robyn Flans 16 ELECTRONIC REVIEW Headset Microphones GARY BURKE by Rick Van Horn 114 JUST DRUMS 122 Currently working with Joe Jackson, Gary Burke's credits also include such diverse artists as Bob Dylan and Steve Reich. He discusses his training and experiences, and gives examples of the charts he had to play for Jackson's Will Power album. PROFILES by Jeff Potter 22 UP AND COMING The Smithereens' Dennis Diken by Brooke Sheffield Comer 36 STEVE WHITE PORTRAITS After studying with no less than Bill Bruford, Steve White was Ralph Pace invited to join The Style Council at the age of 17. He recalls by William F. Miller 42 his early training and talks about the group he formed, The Jazz Renegades. 26 NEWS by Simon Goodwin UPDATE 6 WILLIAM F. INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS 120 LUDWIG, JR. DEPARTMENTS Having been literally born into the drum business, William F. EDITOR'S OVERVIEW 2 Ludwig, Jr., traces the development of the American drum READERS' PLATFORM 4 industry from the early 1900s to the present. ASK A PRO 10 by Paul Schrnidt 30 IT'S QUESTIONABLE 12 DRUM MARKET 106 SEPTEMBER 1987 I'm happy to announce the availability of Mod- poll. Awards were given for Best Quality and ern Drummer's 1987 Equipment Annual. Similar Craftsmanship, Most Consumer Service Oriented, to last year, the annual will be distributed free of Most Innovative Company, and Most Needed charge to MD subscribers, and can be purchased at New Product. But more important than the major music stores, drum shops, bookstores, or awards was the feedback it offered the drum indus- newsstands for $5.95. try: feedback directly from the readers of Modern For anyone who may have missed our first Drummer—the most serious drumming audience Equipment Annual, the publication contains in the world. Companies are continually looking nearly every imaginable percussion item from a for input to improve their product lines and main- wide selection of manufacturers, along with prod- tain a leading edge. And feedback, particularly uct specifications and suggested retail prices. Com- from the drummers themselves, is the best source pany addresses are included, as well as informa- for gathering that information. tion on major music stores and drum shops across Obviously, there's no need to wait for a Con- the country. A feature article on the state of the sumer Poll to express your opinion. Let the com- industry offers equally important information for panies know how you honestly feel by writing all drummers. Our 1986 guide has been called the directly to them, by going through your local On most comprehensive listing of percussion equip- music dealer or drum shop, or by speaking to com- ment ever published. pany reps at clinics sponsored by individual firms. While I'm on the subject of equipment, let me If you've discovered real value in a product and it's Honest point out something that can be beneficial from the made your life as a drummer that much easier, tell consumers' standpoint as well as the manufactur- the manufacturer about it! Likewise, should you ers'. That "something" is called feedback. One find a distinct shortcoming with certain merchan- Feedback good example of feedback is when you write to tell dise, let the manufacturer know about that as well. us what you like or don't like about Modern When you do this, you supply that all-important Drummer That flow of positive or negative feed- feedback from which a company can draw. And, if back helps make MD an even more useful publica- in doing so, should just one company update a tion for drummers. It shows us where improve- valuable old product, redesign a poor one, or ments, adjustments, or fresh new ideas can be spring forward with a totally unique idea as a result incorporated into the magazine. of that feedback, then we've all gained from it, Another good example of healthy feedback haven't we? Keep this in mind as you browse occurred a while back with Modern Drummer's through the new Equipment Annual or anytime Consumer Poll. We asked for your opinion on for that matter. major manufacturers and their products in that EDITOR/PUBLISHER ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ronald Spagnardi Tracy Kearney Susan Alexander, Chip Deffaa, Robyn Flans, Simon Goodwin, Jeff Potter, Teri ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Saccone, Robert Santelli, Bob Saydlowski, Isabel Spagnardi DEALER SERVICE MANAGER Jr.,T. Bruce Wittet. Sharon M. Leary SENIOR EDITOR MODERN DRUMMER Magazine (ISSN 0194- 4533) is published monthly by MODERN Rick Mattingly CIRCULATION DRUMMER Publications, Inc., 870 Pompton Leo Spagnardi Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Second-Class MANAGING EDITOR Crystal W. Van Horn Postage paid at Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at Rick Van Horn Tara Shah additional mailing offices. Copyright 1987 by Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. All rights ASSOCIATE EDITORS reserved. Reproduction without the permission of Susan Hannum SALES PROMOTION MANAGER the publisher is prohibited. William F. Miller Evelyn Urry SUBSCRIPTIONS: $22.95 per year; $41.95, two years. Single copies $2.95. MANUSCRIPTS: Modern Drummer welcomes EDITORIAL ASSISTANT manuscripts, however, cannot assume responsi- Cynthia Huang MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY bility for them. Manuscripts must be accompa- BOARD nied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Henry Adler, Carmine Appice, Louie CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Allow at least six Bellson, Bill Bruford, Roy Burns, Jim weeks for a change. Please provide both old and ART DIRECTOR Chapin, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, new address. David H. Creamer Charlie Donnelly, Peter Erskine, Danny MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is avail- able for resale at bulk rates. Direct correspon- Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner, Mel dence to Modern Drummer, Dealer Service, 870 Lewis, Larrie Londin, Peter Magadini, Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Tel: 800- George Marsh, Butch Miles, Joe Morello, 522-DRUM or 201-239-4140. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, Charlie Perry, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mod- Kevin W. Kearns Paul T. Riddle, Ed Shaughnessy, Steve ern Drummer, P.O. Box 469, Cedar Grove, NJ Smith, Ed Thigpen. 07009. ISSUE DATE: September 1987 LARS ULRICH erature, it is nice to see a magazine that industry is geared towards the manufac- I would like to thank you for your great gives the "little guys" exposure along with ture of a (by and large) uniform sound in article on Lars Ulrich in your June issue. the "big guys." its efforts to sell the maximum number of Lars is definitely one of the most innova- Dave Penna units (i.e., records). tive drummers in the metal scene today, Valley Stream NY Acoustic drums are difficult to record, and he blows away the boring and predict- take a long time to set up and EQ, and are able playing of the drummers in many limited by the drummer's ability to play. other "metal" bands. Metallica sets an Modern computer technology, on the example for those who play music that ONE READER'S PERSPECTIVE other hand, is capable of sampling any comes from deep inside. Since first subscribing to Modern Drum- desired sound and reproducing it at any I'd also like to compliment you on your mer nine years ago, I have read about a pop tempo or rhythm—all in perfect time. great magazine. You keep an open mind— number of controversial issues, the most This saves space, time, and money—all of which is unusual. recent of which seems to center on the so- which makes economic sense. It also Carl Moller called electronic revolution and its adverse allows non-drumming composers to Sterling VA effect on the drumming profession. I record rhythm tracks without having to would like to put this issue into its proper use drummers. I want to thank you for your article on I believe it is this philosophy that has Lars Ulrich. Lars has a definite style to his perspective. Electronic drums, and in particular resulted in the proliferation of electronic playing and has affected the way I play. drums. While this has appeared alarming One item that I found to be incorrect in the computerized drum machines, are a logical consequence of today's pop music to some of the readers and name drummers interview, however, was Lars' comment whose opinions have been expressed in the regarding Dave Lombardo, formerly of trends—especially the disco craze of the late '70s. Pop and rock music, in general, pages of MD, it is not clear that it will nec- Slayer. Dave uses double-bass work as essarily be detrimental.