Quick viewing(Text Mode)

September 1989 Ern Drummer

September 1989 Ern Drummer

Cover Photo by Rick Malkin FEATURES TERRI LYNE 18 CARRINGTON Having begun her professional career at the age of ten, has recently enjoyed some high- exposure gigs, first with and most recently as the house drummer on The Arsenio Hall Show. She discusses the background that prepared her for those situations, and explains what went into her recent solo album, Real Life Story. by Robyn Flans TROY

Photo by Jaeger Kotos 24 LUCCKETTA Drumming for Tesla requires Troy Luccketta to conform to a basic framework, but within that he likes to experiment and come up with fresh ideas. Here, Troy recalls his formative years, revealing the positive attitude that helped him stay with it until he achieved success. by Teri Saccone

Wales BOBBY PREVITE 28

Lissa Besides making his own solo albums, Bobby Previte has by worked with such artists as Billy Bang, Elliott Sharp, Tom

Photo Waits, and John Zorn. Always looking to expand the boundaries, Previte explains the philosophies behind his innovative work. by Adam Budofsky Latin Percussion's 32 MARTIN COHEN When Martin Cohen couldn't find a good pair of bongos, he decided to make his own, thereby starting what was to become Latin Percussion, Inc. Today, 25 years later, LP is the leading manufacturer of Latin and ethnic percussion

Mauro instruments. Cohen reminisces about the beginnings of

Aldo his company, stressing the fact that meeting the needs of by has always come first.

Photo by Rick Mattingly and Adam Budofsky COLUMNS VOLUME 13, NUMBER 9

EDUCATION

ROCK 'N' ROCK CHARTS CLINIC Alex : EQUIPMENT "Finish What Ya Switching Gears With PRODUCT Winger Started" CLOSE-UP DEPARTMENTS by Transcribed by James 46 Morton Tama Snare Drums 78 by Rick Van Horn EDITOR'S ROCK 42 OVERVIEW PERSPECTIVES SOUTH OF Power Cradle 4 THE BORDER Footboard "Justice And by Rick Van Horn Advanced READERS' Independence'85" 44 Drum Workshop PLATFORM by Kenny Aronoff The Pink Mink Beater by John Santos 6 48 by Rick Van Horn 92 44 STRICTLY ASK A PRO THE JOBBING TECHNIQUE ELECTRONIC 12 DRUMMER Endurance And REVIEW Varying The Backbeat IT'S Control: Part 2 Yamaha RX-8 Digital Sound QUESTIONABLE by Joe Morello Rhythm by Simon Goodwin 60 by Paul Van Patten 16 94 54 CONCEPTS DRUM MARKET Drum Solos SHOP TALK 118 by Roy Burns REVIEWS Cymbal Rivets 68 by Colin SchofieId NEWS ON TAPE 90 BASICS 100 UPDATE The Click FROM THE PAST 8 by Mark S. Zonder Gretsch-Gladstone 76 PROFILES Drums INDUSTRY by Chet Falzerano HAPPENINGS PORTRAITS 98 102 Cornell Rochester by Robin Tolleson NEW AND 38 NOTABLE 106 EDITOR'S EDITOR/PUBLISHER MODERN DRUMMER Ronald Spagnardi ADVISORY BOARD Henry Adler, Kenny Aronoff, Louie Bellson, Bill Bruford, Roy OVERVIEW ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Burns, Jim Chapin, Alan Dawson, Isabel Spagnardi Dennis DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, Charlie Donnelly, , , Danny Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner, SENIOR EDITOR Mel Lewis, Larrie Londin, Peter Rick Mattingly Magadini, George Marsh, Joe Morello, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, Charlie Perry, Dave Samuels, MANAGING EDITOR John Santos, Ed Shaughnessy, Steve Festival Weekend '89! Rick Van Horn Smith, Ed Thigpen. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS If you've been reading recent issues, you've no doubt noticed the ASSOCIATE EDITORS announcements for our annual MD Drum Festival. What's par- Susan Alexander, Robyn Flans, William F. Miller ticularly exciting this year is that we've expanded the event to Simon Goodwin, Karen Ervin Adam Budofsky encompass a full weekend. On September 16th and 17th, some Pershing, Jeff Potter, Teri Saccone, Robert Santelli, Bob Saydlowski, of the finest drummers performing today will display their talents EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jr., Robin Tolleson, Lauren Vogel, at MD's Festival Weekend '89 in a combination of exciting clinic T. Bruce Wittet. and concert presentations. Cynthia Huang Our past two Festivals were sold-out events, with over 1,000 MODERN DRUMMER Magazine drummers in attendance—some from as far away as Alaska and (ISSN 0194-4533) is published Israel. Once again, we're expecting a sell-out crowd on both ART DIRECTOR monthly with an additional issue days, as drummers from across the country come together to Terry Kennedy in July by MODERN DRUMMER learn from an exceptional roster of talent. Publications, Inc., 870 Pompton We'll kick off promptly on Saturday with Chad Wackerman, Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR sponsored by Drum Workshop. Along with his outstanding work Second-Class Postage paid at Scott G. Bienstock Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at with Allan Holdsworth, Chad also holds the distinction of being additional mailing offices. Copy- the youngest drummer ever to work with Frank Zappa. The right 1989 by Modern Drummer straight-ahead, extremely musical drumming style of Liberty Publications, Inc. All rights DeVitto is next on the bill. Sponsored by Tama Drums, Liberty is ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER reserved. Reproduction without known worldwide as the driving force behind Billy Joel, a job Tracy Kearney the permission of the publisher is he's held since 1976. prohibited. Danny Gottlieb has played with Pat Metheny, John McLaugh- ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ lin, and , among many others. Danny's clinic, spon- Joan C. Stickel ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: sored by Ludwig and , should clearly prove why this versa- Modern Drummer Publications, tile player is in such constant demand. Next, MD poll winner 870 Pompton Avenue, Cedar ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Dave Weckl will return for his second Festival appearance. Dave's Grove, NJ 07009. inspiring clinic was a showstopper at Festival '87. Presented by Kevin W. Kearns MANUSCRIPTS: Modern Drummer Zildjian and the LP Music Group, Dave will close out Saturday welcomes manuscripts, however, cannot assume responsibility for with Eyewitness, also featuring percussionist . DEALER SERVICE MANAGER Crystal W. Van Horn them. Manuscripts must be accom- On Sunday, Premier Drums will offer us the talents of former panied by a self-addressed, Santana drummer Michael Shrieve and musical partner David stamped envelope. Beal. Both artists have been pioneers in the electronic arena, and MAIL ROOM SUPERVISOR MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drum- their dual clinic promises to be a real eye opener. The remark- Leo Spagnardi mer is available for resale at bulk able Gregg Bissonette will follow, compliments of Pearl Drums. rates. Direct correspondence to Currently with , Gregg is an articulate clinician CONSULTANT Modern Drummer, Dealer Service, and a great all-around player, with much to offer young, aspiring 870 Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, TO THE PUBLISHER drummers. NJ 07009. Tel: 800-522-DRUM or In 1989, the readers of MD voted Yamaha drumming artist Arnold E. Abramson 201-239-4140. Best Studio Drummer. If you've never seen Vinnie live and in action, this clinic will leave absolutely no doubt as to why he's at the very top of the profession. Finally, the SUBSCRIPTIONS: $25.95 per year; $46.95, two years. Single copies incomparable Jack DeJohnette and his trio, sponsored by Sabian, $2.95. Sonor, and Korg, will cap the weekend off with a concert per- SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: Modern Drummer, PO Box formance that's sure to last us all until next year. 480, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0480. Change of address: Allow at least In addition to all the great drumming, there'll be literally thou- six weeks for a change. Please provide both old and new address. Toll sands of dollars in valuable equipment given away. You can also Free Phone: 1-800-435-0715. expect to see a number of your favorite artists who'll be on hand POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Modern Drummer, P.O. Box to pull the winning tickets and sign autographs. 480, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. You'll find further information on obtaining tickets in this is- sue. Keep in mind that this is the last time the official order form will appear. Seating is limited, so be sure to order soon. Mean- A Member Of: time, I'll look forward to meeting with you in September for what promises to be the most memorable event ever staged by Mod- ISSUE DATE: September 1989 ern Drummer. See you there!

Magazine Publishers of America

MICHAEL SHRIEVE THANKS FROM ZILDJIAN came to the question-and-answer period). Michael Shrieve's cover story in your June I would like to extend a very warm mes- It's a challenge to write about percussion issue revealed him to be a drummer of sage of thanks to all the readers of Modern instruments month after month and keep it today, as well as a part of drumming his- Drummer magazine for the tremendous interesting and accurate, but he does it well. tory. I was at Woodstock and saw the phe- support shown to Zildjian in the recent We appreciate his sincerity in working with nomenal performance Michael did with Consumers Poll. I was simply delighted to us. Santana. I'm very impressed by the prog- see the results of the poll and really proud I have been a Modern Drummer fan since ress he has made since. He is obviously a to read all the enthusiastic comments. the first issue, and have found my back complete , displaying taste, versa- Encouragement like this can only inspire issues to be a wealth of reference informa- tility, and a sense of both what is contem- us on to even greater heights, and you can tion throughout my percussive experiences. porary and what is traditional. I enjoyed all be assured of our continued total dedi- Modern Drummer provides a much-needed reading about Michael, and I thank Rick cation to quality, of many more innovative service to all of us drum fanatics out here, Mattingly for the insightful interview. and valuable products, and of our commit- and you are to be commended. Keep up Gerald Ramis ment to having the best customer service the good work. Green Bay Wl in the business. Thank you all once again. Dave Patrick Armand A. Zildjian (on behalf of the team at) President - Solid Percussion, Inc. When "Get It On" by Kingdom Come first Norwell MA Watsonville CA hit the radio, I couldn't help wondering Editor's note: After such high praise, it's about James Kottak and his " THANKS FROM SOLID PERCUSSION somewhat embarrassing to report that a sound." But thanks to the excellent article We would like to express our thanks for typographical error occurred in the review. by Robyn Flans [June '89 MD], I now know your generous coverage of our Select Snare Select snare drums were reported to have that James is not only a well-educated drum- Drum line. [Product Close-Up, April '89 12 tuning lugs, whereas the drums actually mer, but a very versatile musician as well. MD] As you know, our name has now feature 10 lugs. We apologize for the mis- I'm sure he has earned the respect of drum- changed to Solid Percussion, Inc. Fortu- take. mers everywhere. nately, only our name has changed; all Barry McCutcheon product specifications and quality control JOHN RILEY Tucson AZ methods remain the same. We are a small I would like to thank you for your article group of dedicated craftsmen committed to on John Riley in your June issue. John is a What an inspiration! Your interview with making the best products possible. It is very tremendous player and a great person. It is James Kottak really got my blood pumping. rewarding for everyone here to see our work good to see that you recognized John, and I'm a 16-year-old drummer who plays in a recognized, and, indeed, "raved about" in you can rest assured that the title of "Mod- hard rock band, as well as jazz and some the leading percussion industry publication. ern Drummer" is well upheld by him. military percussion in my high school band. We have received an outstanding consumer The article on Michael Shrieve was nice, I live in a small town, with no clubs and and dealer response since the article was and the beautiful pictures and advertise- only the one high school. There really isn't published, which helps confirm your mar- ments contribute to a very appealing maga- anything for a drummer here. But James' ketplace strength. zine overall. In particular, I enjoyed the attitude is one that gives me hope. I could Our compliments go to Rick Van Horn Zildjian ad series that contained photo por- go on for hours about it, but I'll keep it for his thorough examination of all aspects traits of some of our greatest drummers: short. Thanks for the quality interview! of our products. He certainly put the drums , Alex Acuna, Steve Gadd, Bobby Coddington through their paces (and me, too, when it Paso Robles CA

Why is having a band so im- Steve Duncan, drummer for both musically and critically portant to John, who has had a the popular Los Angeles-based successful. very successful career going as Desert Rose Band, should be It may also prove beneficial a studio musician? "I think accustomed to success. After for Duncan's career. that's a good question," he all, he has worked with such shows received plenty of press says. "A lot of people would country notables as Roy coverage (by Entertainment To- love to be in the shoes I'm in Orbison, K.D. Lang, Johnny night and MTV, among others), and say, 'Oh, I just want to do Lee, and Roger Miller, as well and though Duncan was not in that.' But the more I'm in these as drumming for Rick Nelson's the spotlight per se, that hasn't shoes, the more I realize that Stone Canyon Band for five stopped the offers from coming I'm above what I'm doing. I've years. However, even he was in since the mini-tour. It also been a producer all these more than a little shocked hasn't stopped rumors of pos- years, and sometimes when when Desert Rose bandmate sible future Byrds shows, you go in and do a session for Chris Hillman called him up which, according to Duncan, somebody, you know the stuff last December. Hillman asked are a distinct possibility. "Chris is being handled incorrectly Duncan if he'd like to try his Hillman called after the last and the date isn't going well, hand at rock 'n' roll and date and talked about some and it's not because of you. participate in a little history. possible future dates—nothing You're sitting there observing, Hillman, Roger McGuinn, and concrete," says Duncan. "They John Robinson recently re- but you can't really take over. David Crosby were to reunite want to do the legal thing first, leased his first solo project This is an opportunity that for a three-concert mini-tour and get that out of the way. under the name of Bridge 2 Far everybody deserves, and thank under the name they had used But everybody was really (both the group and album God it's come my way again, in the 1960s—the Byrds. "It happy about it." name) on the WTG label, for a second time. This time, came out of the blue," recalls In the meantime, Duncan which CBS just initiated. though, I know what I'm Duncan. "Chris called about a has plenty to be happy about. "Mark Willamson and I met doing. When I was a little kid week before and said the dates He still has the Desert Rose through a mutual friend in Rufus, it was, 'Let's have a were booked and asked if I Band, session work, and when around two years ago, when I good time.' Here, we're could do it. I was so surprised; he's available he can step back was looking for a singer," John creating something, and it I just said, 'Yeah, okay, great!'" into his role as leader of the explains. "It didn't work out at works. I'm not going to give up The so-called "mini-tour" house band at L.A.'s presti- the time, and a year passed, studio dates, though. It's very was hastily arranged when gious Palomino Club. but last April we decided to try important to keep a variety, Crosby learned that Byrds ex- Duncan hopes his country it again. We got together five which is why I still do drummer Mike Clarke was fans will understand his foray songs, put a demo package television and film. It's a chal- touring with session musicians into rock. "I'm kind of a cha- together, and started submit- lenge sometimes to just push under the Byrds banner and meleon: I play any and every- ting it to record companies. your mind in that way." threatening to sue for exclusive thing," he says. "Anything "The music is pop rock, kind John's recent sessions in- rights to the name. Crosby done well has it place." of Winwood-ish, Foreigner-ish, clude , Ricky called McGuinn and Hillman —Richard Craig and Hall & Oats-ish," he con- Lee Jones, , Ivan and booked the dates to tinues. "All the tunes are real Lins, Eric Marienthal, half of establish the threesome's own melodic and are about love- 's recent project legal right to the name. Vince Santoro type things. We have a song (with Omar Hakim doing the Needing a drummer, since called 'I Must Be Blind,' which other half), , Larry Clarke was obviously out of is like a Foreigner ballad, and Carlton, Joan Baez, Debby the question, Hillman called which might be our first single. Boone, four tunes on Starship's Duncan. "I was truly honored Mark and I are responsible for new LP, Patti Labelle's to do it," he says. the writing of everything ex- contribution to the new James Honored though he may cept the ballad." Bond film, and lots of televi- have been, Duncan didn't Most of the basic tracks sion and film dates. have a lot of time to prepare. were recorded in John's own —Robyn Flans "We only had one night to re- 24-track studio at his home. hearse—about five or six "Then I took it to Oceanway B, hours," he recalls. "We didn't which is my favorite drum Steve Duncan even go over the bigger hits." room in the world, transferred While this may have been it, made slaves, and then over- sufficient preparation for dubbed drums," Robinson McGuinn, Crosby, and Hill- explains. "There are a lot of man, who had played these great players on the album, songs hundreds of times in the Drummer Vince Santoro has like , Mike Lan- past, it left Duncan to his own been working a lot this year dau, and Neil Stubenhaus. I devices. "I went through my since Rodney Crowell's re- played a lot of the keys and record collection and copped cording career has taken off. synth pads; I have a full synth everything I could from there," While Crowell has been a setup in my house. We he says. "I ended up doing successful and respected brought in background singers most of the tracks lick for lick. , he has finally from London, who Mark sings I did about 90% what was on achieved some notoriety as an with, which is nice because it the records." Despite this hap- artist, and even won this year's gives it a little different flavor, hazard preparation and the re- Academy of Country Music's and I used a horn section on union's decidedly non-musical Best New Artist award. And two tunes." cause, the shows proved to be generally, when a drummer works for Crowell, he also proach in how I play." wide array of pop styles that audience with one day's plays for Crowell's wife, He has, however, played on one cut hardly resembles an- rehearsal, the project is being Rosanne Cash. Rosanne Cash's successful other. "We used a mixture of released in Japan. With Jeff "I think Rosanne is really King's Record Shop album and live drums and drum ma- Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, and based more in pop than in supplied vocals to a few songs chines," Milan explains. "Gen- Carlos Vega sharing drum re- country," Santoro says. "And I on Crowell's Diamonds And erally, the way we recorded sponsibilities and Lenny Castro have to be dextrous enough to Dirt LP, and there are plans for was that we'd go in and put the on percussion (Porcaro and approach her stuff smoothly, him to work on Crowell's up- drum machine down first, and Vega also play some percus- whereas Rodney's stuff is real coming project. "I have to be then we'd sit down and think, sion), the session also featured honky tonk and driving to the myself on these dates," says 'What does the track need?' If Steve Lukather, Will Lee, David hilt. There are some ballads Vince, "but I think since the we decided that it would sound Garfield, Brandon Fields, and that are definitely easy-going, beginning, I've been trying to better with live drums, then I'd Joe Sample, making it an in- but when we're rocking, we fit in. I do have to play the play the kit. Then at times we'd credible musical event. really rock hard and raw. Since very country songs live, so I decide that the live drums Vinnie Colaiuta on Pat I started working with Rodney have to have an understanding weren't happening, so I'd just Kelly's latest record, a debut three years ago, I've had my of it, and I have to put forth maybe try the top of the kit— record for Ashley Maher, a first taste of country music, or the effort to be what Rodney perhaps cymbals and hi-hat— movie soundtrack that Chick even roots rock. I've been told wants me to be on all different to see if that would do the trick Corea has done, a couple of that 'honky tonk' is not really a kinds of songs." along with some programming. tracks for Paul Young, and a noun, but that it is an adjective. —Robyn Flans We really experimented quite a Japanese commercial with Ray I used to call a place a honky bit, and our producer, Chris Charles, and he recently played tonk, but it's a style of music, Kimsey, was great about letting out with Eliane Elias. just sort of loose, and Rodney Milan Zekavica us have a lot of input on every Jerry Marotta and Geoff does it real well," he says, cit- Britain's The Escape Club rose detail." Dugmore on Stevie Nicks' re- ing Crowell's "Crazy For Leav- rapidly up the American charts Milan originally came from cent solo offering. ing" as one of his favorites to with their single "Wild Wild Leeds in North Central Eng- Kevin Haskins on tour with play, and "Blue Moon With West" in mid-1988, eventually land, and started in a band Love And Rockets, supporting Heartache" and "Seven Year hitting the number-one posi- from that region. They were their recent RCA release. Ache" as two of Rosanne's tion and boosting sales of their signed to a major record deal Russ McKennon is the new songs he particularly enjoys album of the same name. as one of The Pretenders' drummer with Tower of Power. playing live. What's particularly interesting labelmates, but as he puts it, Paul Angers is the on-camera Working with both artists about this band is that their the band "vanished into drummer in Dick Tracy, the keeps Vince busy, but it's not music has cut sharply across obscurity." Realizing that the upcoming Al Pacino/ impossible, since husband and all four American radio odds of landing a great gig in flick. wife basically take turns going formats, yet in Britain, The Leeds were a long shot, Milan Denny Fongheiser on new on the road. "Every once in a Escape Club hasn't made a decided that he would be bet- albums by , while one will come out to see dent on the music scene. ter off relocating down south. Steve Thompson, Marshall the other," Vince says, "and in Milan Zekavica (half-Yugo- "I knew that if I wanted to find Crenshaw, Danny Wilde, Japa- that instance they might both slavian, half-Italian, yet very musicians of a greater variety, nese group Hot Socks, Gregg get up on stage and do a evidently a British-born drum- I'd better come down to Lon- Rolie, and Don Dixon, as well couple of numbers—if not, the mer) explains that the disparity don. So I packed up my things, as one song with Rodney whole evening back and forth, lies in 's singular radio hired a car, and drove down. Crowell for a film, and songs and that's really fun. But they concept. "In England, if Radio When I got here, I joined a for Patrick Swayze's new don't go on the road at the One plays your record, then it band called The Expresses, movie. same time because they're will happen for you. If not, where I met our bass player. Frank Tontoh playing with really centered around their you simply don't happen." The Escape Club eventually got Tanita Tikaram. family, which is one of the Milan and his buddies just together through repeated (Texas) Tim Root on Joe endearing qualities about the completed a coast-to-coast meetings at a rehearsal studio Zawinul's Syndicated, playing both of them. When one's on club tour in the U.S., winding we all used. We discovered we with Garth Hudson and Rick the road, the other is taking it up precisely on the first of all had mutual friends, and we Danko, as well as with Dr. care of the gang. They have the new year, while busily pro- hit it off pretty quickly. John. four little girls." moting the new single, "Shake "It's taken us five years as a David Kemper on all the Santoro commutes to Nash- For The Sheik." Previously, the band to get to this, so it's not Jerry Lee Lewis music on Great ville from his home in Virginia, group had recorded just one been overnight. I must admit, Balls Of Fire soundtrack; Earl where his roots are, which other album, which Milan de- we're very excited about it. We Palmer on non-Jerry Lee Lewis makes time scarce to work with scribes as being less than satis- hadn't really understood what tracks. his own singer wife in their factory in comparison to the an overwhelming success it Michael Blair on tour with basement demo studio. But he's latest release. "When we did was to have a hit in the U.S. Elvis Costello. not yet prepared to make the this record," says Milan, "we until we went out on the road Whirlwind is the perfect move to Nashville. "I don't be- actually made a record the there. It's a really nice feeling name for Danny Gottlieb's lieve I'm a Nashville player. For way we wanted to make it. We to have all the acceptance." second solo album, since that that matter, I don't believe I'm a thought, 'We're gonna make a —Teri Saccone is quite the description of his Nashville-type singer," he record with ten different cuts, life. Lately he has been admits. "I don't think I would ten different feels, ten different working with Elements, Dave get as much work as I would tempos and arrangements.' News... Mathews at the Osaka Jazz like if I moved there. I think I And that's what we did. As far How unfortunate that Los Lo- Festival, Randy Brecker, Chris look at things more like a rock as the overall project, we're botomy's recent recording Hunter in Hong Kong, Lew drummer, just because that's relatively happy with it." won't be available domesti- Soloff in Switzerland, doing what I've been. It's the ap- The album explores such a cally. Recorded in front of an

today! I have three questions regarding your have to do with the fact that Zildjian has ANTON FIG cymbals. First, I noticed that you recently changed their system of putting logos on switched the cymbal mounted above your cymbals. In the past, cymbals in the K se- left rack tom from a K Zildjian to an A ries had the K logo stamped on both the Zildjian. Why the switch? Second, I also top and bottom of the cymbal. Now, how- noticed that above your hi-hats you are us- ever, K's have the same "Zildjian" logo on ing what appears to be a piggyback ar- the bottom as the A series, with the K ap- rangement consisting of two splash cym- pearing only on the top. The A series, of bals. Could you please inform me as to course, has "Zildjian" on both top and bot- what these two cymbals are? Finally, what tom.] other types of Zildjian cymbals do you use 2. The piggyback cymbals are from my on the Letterman show? Spider days in '79 (a great rock band). Place Alan Topolski a 70" or 77" cymbal on a stand and put an Blissfield Ml 8" on top of it upside down (bell to bell). A. Thanks for the compliment! With regard Make sure the cymbals are quite loose with to your questions: nothing in between for maximum "trash" 1. A few years ago I switched from a 22" effect. K ride to a 20" K Custom ride, and have 3. I use the K/Z 13" combination hi-hats, been using that ever since. I don't remem- a 17" Rock crash and a 16" medium-thin ber ever using an A on the show. (Perhaps crash—both A's—and a 22" China Boy Low you saw a very old rerun when I did not with Brilliant finish (for no other reason have my own kit up there.) The Custom than it sounds great and is the surviving has a very pointed ride that doesn't spread member of an original set of Brilliant cym- much, a loud bell, and crashability. bals I used for the show). I hope this is of Q. Let me start by saying that you are one [Editor's note: Part of the confusion about some help to you. of the finest all-around drummers in music whether Anton is using a K or an A might

A. The I used on that tune was sible. One way to do this is by bringing a KENNY ARONOFF an old 5x14 Ludwig Aerolite drum with large variety of snare drums for the artist old rusty snares. I used a white-coated and producer to pick from. I am also will- Ambassador head on the top of the drum ing to tune them in any way that best fits and tuned it so that the drum had a perfect the music I'm playing. Sometimes I'm asked combination of crack and tone. It may to get the sound I get on John's records; sound like I tuned the drum up extremely other times it's the "fat, dry sound," or the high, but that's not how I get my snare "tight, choked sound." It varies, and that's sound on John's records. part of being a flexible and adaptable drum- Tuning a snare drum up real tight gives it mer. a lot of crack, but it also chokes the drum. I've just briefly touched on the subject of In other words, the higher you tune your my snare sound. As far as the drum line for drum, the less sustained tone you'll have the song goes, it will require more space and the more choked the drum will sound. than this department allows. Please see my For John's records, I like a combination of Rock Perspectives column in this issue, crack mixed with a lot of tone—and even a where I'll be able to outline the part I played slight ring (or, in some cases, a lot of ring). I in detail. In the meantime, I hope this bit of tune my snare up to the point where the information has helped you. Best of luck! drum is about to choke, and then I stop tightening, so the drum will have plenty of tone and a lot of crack. I'm always trying to find that happy medium. There are many other factors that affect your snare sound besides the drum itself and the way you choose to tune it. The Q. I would like to say that your drumming way you hit your drum and the feeling you TOMMY ALDRIDGE with John Cougar Mellencamp is the most put behind each stroke play important roles Q. In the June '88 issue of MD you talked creative, intense, and unique drumming I in the sound. The room the drums are re- about your Project Driver work with Rudy have heard in a long time. I consider you corded in, the mic's and their placement, Sarzo. Is there any way to get the LP? one of the most influential drummers the engineer, and the producer's entire Nicholas Capitano around. My question is: What type of snare concept all have an effect on your sound. Fort Ord CA drum did you use for the song "Justice And The combination of instruments and their A. That record was put out on Mike Var- Independence '85" from the Scarecrow sounds will also affect your sound. And ney's independent label, Shrapnel Records. album, and how did you tune it? Also, finally, the music itself—simple or com- It was a limited release, so you'll need to would it be possible for you to chart out plex, acoustic or electronic, etc.—will af- contact Mike to see if any copies are still the drum line from that song? fect your sound. available. The address is P.O. Box P, No- Tony Barajas On every session or album project I do, I vato, 94948. Alexandria VA try to serve the music the best way pos-

Q. I have long wondered what effects the Platinum and Brilliant 'air lock.' This will affect the sound of the hi-hats, but you should finishes have on the overall sounds of Zildjian cymbals. Zildjian be able to find a 'happy medium' where you like the sound and states in their catalog that the Brilliant finish provokes a warmer, have reduced the 'air lock' satisfactorily. Besides the fact that the more mellow sound. I would like to have a more complete de- drilling process is very tricky and you run the risk of cracking your scription of how a Brilliant cymbal will respond when used in a cymbal, you might find that you begin to hear a slight whistling highly amplified situation (i.e., whether it will lose cutting ability sound. One of the reasons that Zildjian's Quick Beats were devel- as far as high-end goes, etc.). oped with a flat bottom cymbal was to eliminate this whistling I would also like to know if Zildjian can make a cymbal with effect. It also improved their 'fast' and 'bright' characteristics. both Brilliant and Platinum finishes—first buffing (Brilliant), and "Finally, I'd like to apologize for not putting enough information then electroplating (Platinum)—and if so, what the results in the in our catalog. We've got so much to tell that sometimes it be- sound of the cymbal would be. The type of cymbal I'm posing comes painfully difficult to know what to put in and what to leave these questions about specifically would be a thin or paper-thin out. I can assure you that we're always trying to expand our 14" crash, but I wouldn't mind hearing about bigger crashes, rides, vocabulary to describe more effectively—in words—the many and and hi-hats as well. varied sounds of our cymbals. In the future, should you have any I have yet another question: Does MD or Zildjian recommend further questions about cymbals, please feel free to write to our that I drill holes in either cymbal of my 14" New Beats to facilitate Customer Service Department, c/o The Avedis Zildjian Company, quicker air displacement (like Quick Beats), or would that make 22 Lonswater Drive. Norwell, 02061." the cymbals structurally unsound? If it is recommended, where is the best place to put the holes, how many should be drilled, and Q. I am writing about Alex Van Halen's drumkit on the 1988 how big should they be? I periodically switch the top and bottom Monsters Of Rock tour. I heard that he had six bass drums and two cymbals whenever I get the urge to, but I mainly keep the heavy snares, but I'd like some more details. Could you give me a list of "bottom" cymbal on top so that the hi-hat is a little more tightly the equipment he used? closed when I am playing double bass and have the hi-hat clutch R.D. disengaged. Cedar Grove NJ I would like input from yourselves and from Zildjian on these A. According to Bill Ludwig III, Artist Relations Director for Ludwig questions. I think that my questions are ones that most drummers Drums: "On the Monsters Of Rock tour Alex had three kits on a would like to know the answers to, because companies never put circular, rotating riser, and it was quite awesome. One kit was enough information in their catalogs. Thanks for your time. acoustic, one had electronically triggered drum sounds, and one S.M. had electronic effects. Alex would rotate to play whichever kit was Coralville IA suitable for a given song. All six bass drums were Ludwigs, in A. We forwarded your questions to Colin Schofield at Zildjian. He special 32x22 sizes. They consisted of two 16x22 basses custom- provided us with the following answers: "The Brilliant finish is fitted end-to-end for Alex. He used 10", 12", and 13" rack toms, created on Zildjian cymbals by a high-speed buffing process car- and his floor toms were 16" and 18". All the drumshells were ried out by trained workers at the Zildjian factory, on specially Ludwig's six-ply Classic series," designed machinery. Though the finish was originally developed as a visual device to enhance the cosmetic appeal and reflective- Q. Perhaps you could help me out with a nagging question. ness of the cymbals, the resultant slight change in sound charac- Recently, I heard an instrumental piece played on the radio by a teristics were soon noticed, and many players began to find them band called the Markettes. It was the theme from the TV show most desirable. Batman, and the drumming was superb! I called the radio station "The change in sound characteristics is more apparent in certain to ask who the drummer was, but they said he or she wasn't listed models than in others. Words are so clumsy when trying to encap- on the record jacket. Do you know who this drummer is/was, and, sulate cymbal sounds, but we like to use the term used by Mr. if so, what he or she has been doing since and is doing now? Zildjian, who describes a buffed cymbal as sounding 'prettier.' The B.S. change is caused by the fact that the cymbals' tonal grooves Cambridge MA become smoothed out during the buffing process, so that the A. The Markettes was a studio group comprised of Tommy Tede- cymbal sounds a little less harsh—-or 'sweeter.' However, let me sco on , Ray Pohlman on bass, various other rhythm and say straightaway that in no way does a Brilliant cymbal have less keyboard players, and the inimitable Hal Blaine on drums. It was high-end or cutting ability. In fact, many heavy rock drummers put together by producer Joe Saraceno, who had hits with other (such as Tommy Aldridge, Joey Kramer, and Gregg Bissonette) studio-created instrumentals such as "Outer Limits," "No Matter swear by Brilliant cymbals because they feel that those cymbals What Shape Your Stomach Is In," and "Let's Go." actually cut better for highly amplified arena-rock. We obtained this information directly from Hal, who informed "Zildjian's exclusive Platinum finish is applied through a special us that although he is in semi-retirement, he is anything but inac- nine-step process. How well the Platinum finish (which is actually tive. He now lives in Palm Springs, California, and plays casuals in a special nickel chrome plating) will adhere to a cymbal is based that area. He also occasionally commutes to Los Angeles to do entirely on how clean that cymbal is. Consequently, all cymbals jingles. Hal's autobiography is due out by the end of this year, and that are to become Platinums are first buffed—in the same manner he's also planning on introducing a convenience product for drum- as the Brilliants—in order to make them as clean as possible. So in mers and other musicians in the near future. He enjoys hearing a sense, all Platinum cymbals are already Brilliants. They do from drummers, and welcomes correspondence at P.O. Box 4957, sound a little different from Brilliant cymbals; they tend to sound a Palm Springs, California 92263. little more 'metallic.' However, this effect is more noticeable in the heavier, larger crash cymbals (like Rock Crashes) and the heavier Q. I just purchased a Yamaha Tour Custom kit. What type of wax, ride cymbals (like Rock Rides). The slight change in sound is a cleaner, or polish should be used on the lacquer finish? Would it result of the fact that the ear is detecting the sound of the vibrating be good to use lemon oil on the interior of the shells periodically, nickel molecules in addition to the sound of the Zildjian alloy. I such as when changing heads? And finally, my drum room is more want to stress that a Platinum cymbal's sound is not choked or or less an attic. Is there any way you can give me a threshold for reduced in any way. "too hot" or "too cold" in terms of damage to the shells? "On no account would we recommend that you try to drill M.N. holes in your New Beat hi-hats. We'd rather that you try experi- Wellington KS menting with the angle of your bottom hi-hat cymbal to reduce the

TLC

by Robyn Flans

Terri Lyne Carrington hasn't come across in her interviews. During second, more in-depth article in MD (May, 1983) left off just as our first brief meeting, her demeanor matched the one in the huge she was about to enter Berklee on a full-time basis. (She had gone press package her publicist sent. After reading the scads of mate- there once a week since she was 12.) By that time, Terri Lyne had rial on this drummer, I wasn't surprised by what greeted me at The formulated her approach and some strong opinions about the Arsenio Hall Show: She was courteous, but cool. focus of her musical career. But that was six years ago. What did surprise me, though, was when we met at her Glen- After reading these two articles and all the others in her press dale apartment and began to talk. After a while, Terri Lyne began package, I realized Terri Lyne and I needed to start from age 17. to open up and explain that she's never liked the way she's come She is no longer the same person she was back then; it wasn't across in articles. Considering that her career started at age 10, overnight or snap decisions that changed her focus, but a thing and that just recently there has been quite a lot of print about her called natural growth and evolution. Perhaps the biggest change first solo release, Real Life Story, there have been quite a few sto- for Terri Lyne has come with the expansion of her taste in music. ries to dislike. While she reveres the jazz masters and is grateful for the opportu- When I offered my analysis of her situation, she pondered the nities and support they've given her, Terri Lyne's appreciation of possibility. It wasn't that she was cool or distant, I suggested, just more contemporary music has grown. guarded. It takes a long time to know how to be inter- "I had a lot of great experiences playing with the viewed. There is a fine balance between allowing the founding fathers," she says. "I have complete admira- warmth to be seen and yet keeping a professional dis- tion and respect for those people. Clark Terry really tance so as not to be chewed up and spit out. helped me out a lot, and I played with the New When you've been in the public eye as long as York Jazz Quartet, with Dizzy Gillespie a couple Terri Lyne, you either become really good at it of times, and with Lester Bowie. I want to men- or frightened of the damage you can see it "You can't tion some people who helped me, like Lester causing. Bowie, Jack DeJohnette, and the McCoy Tyner Terri Lyne blames herself for much of the family—the people who really encouraged outcome and says it has to be her lack of just come out me. I played with Lester once for a week at communication skills that has led to her dis- the Village Vanguard. That was a really neat appointment in what has been written about of nowhere experience. Jack DeJohnette was a mentor. her. It's really both parties' responsibility, His family has been like a surrogate family though: her's to portray the person she and really helped encourage me. wants the journalist to see, and the jour- and expect to "My two main teachers were Alan nalist's to delve deeply enough to know Dawson and Keith Copeland, but I grew where she is falling short—and certainly hit the big up with people like Jack, Max Roach, and to not misinterpret her statements. So be- Papa Jo Jones. I grew up going over to cause of the many years of not communi- time. You their houses and talking music, but it was cating properly, many of Terri Lyne's never a situation where they sat down and statements were misinterpreted, thereby showed me anything. We just talked about creating a vicious circle. In her efforts to be don't get the history and things. If you know the his- clear to journalists, she has become careful tory of something, you understand it better. about the things she'll reveal and how to re- discovered in Those people were very important, and I veal them. But this has kept her true person- love them dearly, even though I'm not play- ality from being seen and written about, be- ing that kind of music right now. cause she subconsciously screens everything your closet." "I wanted to make a change," Terri Lyne she says. continues. "I really wanted to play something And she's certainly had a lot to talk about other than straight-ahead jazz. I felt that I was through the years. At 23, her career can already getting old doing that. Meaning no disrespect, I be analyzed in two parts. Her early years (5-17) was playing with people old enough to be my grand- don't just include the typical formative training (she father, and I wanted to play with younger people, had that too, most notably with Keith Copeland and something fresher. The music was becoming stale to me. Alan Dawson), but they include prestigious gigs with jazz I was fortunate enough to be playing with the masters, but masters. when you're playing traditional bebop and jazz, it's more like The first short article in Modern Drummer about Terri Lyne was being a classical musician because, even though you're improving written in October, 1977. She was just 12 years old, but had al- to a certain degree, your resources are all in a certain vein. Maybe ready performed with such luminaries as Les McCann, Buddy I'm all wet, but I really feel it's not probable that you're going to Rich, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Joe Wil- have very many more innovators in that area. It's been done. For liams, Helen Hume, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Nat Adderley. Her me, it's not breaking new ground, not that playing pop music is Terri Lyne Carrington Photo by Jaeger Kotos TLC's

breaking new ground, but for me it's something new." In reality, she's done four major auditions, the first being for She laughs now at the adamant jazz-purist statements she made Steps Ahead, the second for Wayne Shorter, the third for , as a teenager. "People change and grow, thank goodness. It was and the fourth for The Arsenio Hall Show. She has gotten two out just evolution. Isn't that great about life? Evolution is so prevalent of the four gigs. in everything. Everything changes; nothing remains the same." It was very exciting for Carrington when Sting called her after So she began to pursue other avenues. "At one point, David hearing a tape of her with Shorter that she had submitted to A&M Bowie wanted to hear female musicians. I didn't have anything on Records. "I was in L.A., getting ready to go to Europe for the week- tape of me playing anything contemporary, so I got a few people end to do one gig," she recalls. "He called me at Dianne Reeves' together and went into a little studio and just played some grooves. apartment and asked me some questions, and I told him I was It still sounds good to me today. I would have loved doing Bowie's getting ready to go back out with Wayne. He indicated that I could gig. I never got those kinds of breaks. Anybody who looks at me do both—fulfill my commitment to Wayne and do his tour. He thinks how fortunate I've been—and that's true, I am—but there said he really wanted me to play with him when I got back to New are certain things I would really still like to do, and that stuff York, so I started talking to his managers, and they set up the audi- doesn't come my way." tion at S.I.R. Terri Lyne begins to say that she's done a lot of auditions, but "While I was in L.A., I was listening to the Police records, and at stops and laughs, "It seems like a lot, but that's because I hate that time, only Sting's first solo record was out, so I listened to that auditions. I don't like being put on the spot. The biggest reason I and practiced some of the grooves a little bit. About a week later, don't like them is that if I don't get something, I don't want to feel the night I got back to New York, I got with his bass player, and like I'm inadequate. I feel that as long as I played well at the she gave me a tape of his new record. There are 12 songs on that audition, I can handle not getting the job. If I feel that I didn't do record, and I had to audition the next day, but I learned all 12 well or it didn't connect, but that I could do well, that bothers songs that night. She and I played about half of them together, and me." the next day I went to the audition. "We played almost all the songs on the new album at the audition," she continues, "and he called me back the day after and said, 'I have no reservations about hiring you, except I feel that your reggae playing is weak. I'd like you to come back tomorrow, and we'll concentrate on that.' The next day I went back, and once again, we did the songs from the record. Everybody else left, and we played some reggae stuff. I had been trying to play it the way it was on his records, but he said, 'Just play it the way you feel it,' and after he said that, it felt better. He said, 'Wow, this feels much better. What are you doing different?' He couldn't even tell what I was doing different. It was mainly a hi-hat pattern. I feel reggae a little more laid back than he feels it. I listen to Bob Marley all the time, and there's a difference between the hi-hat being on the 8th-note upbeats or the 16th-note upbeats. I like the 8th-note upbeat, a kind of half-time feel. The 16th notes make it faster. So he said it felt a lot better after I made the adjustment, and that's because I was more comfortable. But then I never heard from anybody, and somebody else got the gig." Actually, Terri Lyne hadn't expected to get the Wayne Shorter gig previous to that, either. "I felt Wayne hired me because I had a background like his," she explains. "I noticed from being on the road with him, we'd sing old songs together, whereas all the young people who he's had might not have known all of them. There was a foundation there with us. I think Wayne has more insight than a lot of people because I didn't play extraordinarily at that audition. I just played very basic. I think that was one thing he liked, though. I wasn't trying to bulldoze my way through the audition. At that point, I didn't have much confidence that I was going to get the gig, because other people had auditioned, and as I was walking in, a lady who worked with him was saying how great a couple of the other people had been," Terri Lyne laughs. She learned a lot about attitude from being with Shorter and cites the gig as one of her greatest musical experiences, although she admits it took some adjustment. "I guess what flipped me out

Kotos the most about the situation with Wayne was that I was not adapt- ing fast enough," she admits. "There were things in the band that

Jaeger weren't clicking sometimes, and I felt that I should have been able

by to evolve beyond that and not let that bother me. I told him he could fire me. I asked him to at one point. I said, 'I don't want to Photo Setup

Drumset: Yamaha Power Recording Cymbals: Custom (Terri Lyne has Zildjian. three sets: a cherry wood finish, a black finish, and 1.13" K/Z combination hi-hats a redwood finish Tour 2.14" medium-thin crash Custom set.) 3.17" dark crash 4. 20" K Custom ride Sticks: A. 6 1/2 x 14 brass snare 5.17" medium crash Vic Firth B. 10 x 10 rack tom 6.10" China-type C. 10 x 12 rack tom Harvey Mason D. 11 x 13 rack tom Hardware: model. E. 12 x 14 rack tom Electronics: Yamaha All Yamaha hardware, with PTT1 pads, PMC1 F. 16 x 16 floor tom HS-720 hi-hat stand and DFP- disrespect G. 16 x 22 percussion-MIDl could still your music, so 750 bass drum pedal. converter, do it and the if you want to Heads: Remo Falams-K series and RX5 drum song would send me home....' on snare, Pinstripes on tops of machine. sound really good. He looked at me and toms and batter side of bass Because the songs are said, 'It's only music,' and drum, clear Ambassadors on written like that, they're that changed my life. That bottom of toms. complete entities, and there sounds so deep, but it changed wouldn't be real solo places. my attitude toward music, which So we'd have to just pick a place in changed my life. After that, I played a the song and stretch that into a solo sec- lot better because I not only heard him say tion. We'd start with nothing and build and that, I employed it." try to tell a story. If you're not coming from a place The problem for Carrington stemmed from the simple fact that where you know about story telling, you'd have a problem. It's she had never played that kind of music. "I didn't want to sound hard to be real specific about this because it's personal. You just like a jazz player trying to play fusion or and those elements play. There are a bunch of approaches to telling a story, and that Wayne has in his music. Jazz players tend to have their hands everybody's approach is different. You start with a theme, you de- more developed than their feet. Developed may not be the right velop that theme, you move away from it, and you add drama. word," she considers. "They think more hand-oriented. Those are vague terms, but you have to incorporate that into the "The reason Wayne Shorter's music will work no matter who is music, and that's the creative process." playing it is because it's so well-composed, and the compositions Does Carrington like to solo? "That's a real good question, are featured. In a couple of the songs, there really wasn't much because Wayne could never get me to solo," she answers. "Dur- improvising. There is improvisation within the structure of the ing the first tour, I didn't solo at all. I didn't feel comfortable, I song, but somebody who is not the greatest musician in the world guess, although later on, during the tour in '88, I soloed and liked TLC

it a lot more, and with I soloed, and that was cool. way I played. I mean, all the basic things were there—the time and I know how to solo in the jazz idiom really well, but I haven't playing the music correctly—but I wasn't relaxed. quite figured out how to take a solo in a contemporary idiom yet, "There's a certain point where everything just flows, and any- and it's something that boggles me at times. One big difference thing I think of I can play, with the exception of certain technical between the two idioms is that your drum sound is different, so limitations. It just flows and it's so musical; it makes sense and it your technique and approach are different. The way I would play feels good. And then there are times when I just play the music a jazz solo on a jazz-sounding kit would have to be very different. and there's nothing extra. That night, it didn't flow. Max Roach If I play the same thing on a deeper-sounding kit where the drum- and Jack DeJohnette and all kinds of people were there, and I went head is tight, it's not going to work. The snare drum stuff is not into the dressing room all uptight and mad. People kept coming going to work. It just doesn't sound right; it doesn't feel right for up to me saying how good it sounded, and I wanted to say, 'That's me to do it. I'm a kind of total person; I can't just go on automatic. just because you guys don't know.' I'd say thank you, but there If it doesn't feel right, I freeze up and feel like I've never played the was always a 'but' after it. I was talking to Wayne about it later drums before in my life. and he said, The audience knows something we don't.' When "I like to build a jazz solo. I start off kind of soft and low and they hear something, you have to respect what they're saying as play something thematic. I don't like to throw a bunch of informa- much as your own opinion. Their perspective is different as listen- tion out; I like to build on one thing. If it's not happening, I'll drop ers. If I'm in an audience, I listen as somebody who supports it, of course. I think you should come to a climax at a certain point music and listens to it to enjoy it, not to analyze it. and then you're out of there. It's the same thing in other genres of "Well, I listen in different ways," she reconsiders. "I listen maybe music, but the technique they use is different, the sound systems as a drummer, as a composer, or just as a member of an audience. are different, the drum sound is different; it's all different. I learned If I listen as a drummer, I watch and listen to what the drummer how to mix the two better with Wayne Shorter, though." does, and something of that will rub off on me. If I listen as a Carrington learned another valuable lesson from Shorter: "There composer, I don't hear the drums. There are so many songs that are some basic things that shouldn't be in the picture, like arro- I've heard that I know the words to, but when it comes time to gance. On the other side, you can be too humble. That was my play them, I don't know what the drum part is on the record." problem. I always apologized for my playing—for not sounding Terri Lyne has done three tours with Shorter (1987-1988) and good. I still do. I did last night at a gig I played. If somebody enjoys played on his Joy Ryde album. "For me, the album was very you, you should say thank you and appreciate that you're en- controlled," she says. "I like that because, to me, Wayne Shorter joyed. I did this gig with Wayne at the Beacon Theater in New albums sound good forever. When you play live, he doesn't want York, and there were all kinds of people there who had never it like that at all, though. He wants you to go for it. On the albums, heard me play in that kind of situation, so naturally I was kind of there's more emphasis on compositions, and live, it's the musi- pumped. New York is a big market as far as industry people and cians who are being featured. There's nothing spectacular as far as all that, and I just wanted to sound good, but I couldn't stand the my drum work on the album, but the songs are nice," she ex- plains, citing her best recorded playing as 's recent release—"as far as straight-ahead stuff," Terri Lyne clarifies. "It's loose and free, which is what I like out of my recordings." Carrington says her jazz background has come in handy for the other genres of music she's been playing in the last few years. "It helps independence. Alan Dawson had this method of developing independence of all four limbs out of Ted Reed's Syncopation book. With that kind of development, when you start to play rock, the actual execution of it should be a piece of cake. That's as far as the bare minimum—the actual beats the average drummer plays. There are the extra things that they throw in, which I call the tricky things, and all drum- mers have their own little tricky things— their triplet stuff or the fast stuff that you can't analyze so quickly, which adds flair to that kind of music—whereas in jazz, it's not so much like that. You're playing simple time. It's not where you throw in a little trick to dazzle the lis- tener. That happens more in contempo- rary music, funk or whatever. I'm talk-

Photo by Jaeger Kotos ing mostly about funk because I don't way outofit,"shelaughs."I'valwaysbeenmor on thetom-toms.It'sbecausItouchedthemsome- with theirmouthsagape.Iftheywalkawadazzled you hadformaltraining.Iknowsomedrummerswho tional grip,butwhenIplayanythingotherthajazz technique. Inthejazz,playwithatradi- with: ajazztechniqueandrock,fusionorfunk and thebuzzrolltakmorprecedencover direction.' ButInevercouldrela x andjustothanhisgig.He than hisliveperformances.Hwantthperformance tobe drummer thissummer....'Hecalledmandidn'tasko audi- that withSanborn,whoseinstrumentalR&Bshhadneverplaye d Shorter. Sheleapedatthopportunityopladifferenmusic, the rightplace." chords, verysimpletriadicharmoniesthatjusfallin and acertainkinofbeauty.I'msuckerfopretty or impressed,it'snotbecauseI'vdon64thnote because Ididn'tpracticomakpeoplwalkaway drummers. but therearcertainbasics.Ifyoudosomethingall grip. That'showanybodygetfrompointAo for rock,butIhavemorcontrolwiththtraditiona something thatrequiresintricateandsubtlusofmy single-stroke roll. people whogrewupwithjazz,thdouble-strokeroll stroke rollisveryvitatowhathehavdo.For see drummersbeingotrickyintypicalrockmusic. ord release.(At 16,shemada16-trackrecordin g calledTLCAnd whole othermodofthinkingt o dthegigwithLutherVandross." experience didn'tpreparmfo r that;Iwouldhavetotakna to seeLutherVandross,andtha t wasorelaxed.IfeltheSanborn about needingioberealup.Hisrecordarmuchmortam e tion. Afterthesecondothirrehearsal,thoughhcallean d I good anDavid'sgreat,oitwaagreaexperience.Hecam e to before. since onofCarrington'sapproachetlifis,inherowwords born wheheofferedheragigsommonthsafteseeinwit playing fromtheheart,that'swhatIlikohear—tha how. Forme,that'simportantIt'alsoanicelazy haven't studiedaallbuwhoarestilreallygoo might nobeablodevelopthwayyoucouldif backwards andwrong,itmighhinderyouyou B—their technique.I'mnotinto'correct', left hand.Igemorepowerouofthmatchedgrip I usethmatchedgrip.Whensayjazz,mea always wanteditalmosoth e pointwheriwasfrantic.I kind oflayintR&B,smaybeIcanbegitmovi that really thoughtIwasgoingogetheaxe.Hsayinsomethin g hear WayneShorter,andIremembesayingtohim'Ifyounee d a "Just doit;jusplowinanwhatevertakes."Anshedi into heartfeltthings.Whenyoucatellsomeoneis For thosewhogrewupwithfusionrock,thsingle- Friends, featurin g KennyBarronopiano,Buste r Williamson never just'Let'srelaxandgroove. ' AfterIcameoffthroad,went I gotthegig,thought'Ohgoodthiswillgivmchanc e to up allthetime.Itwaskindofnerve-wrackingmbecauswhe n Terri Lynedidn'thavoauditionforDavidSan- After theSanborntour,TerriLyn e recordedherfirstmajorec- "I don'tdazzlepeoplwithmychops.That'smainl "There artwomainkindsftechniquethatIdeal "I wantedtobreakoufwhawasdoing,antheban s Carrington, onsaxonetrack.Thatprojecwasbasicallyde- confused. Ithinkindustrypeopl e getconfused,butheyneedo tried tofiguresomkinfsemi-direction.Ididn'wan ito describing heralbumas"contemporaryjazz.""It'basicall y a focused. do thealbum,asitypicalcomplaintfirstimoutbu t she out. Shewouldhavliketohamortimeanmone y to to competewith WhitneyHoustonorArethaFranklin . Itwasmore of asofterapproach.Ithinkthere' s alotofbeautyintherecord. without confusingthelisteners.Idon'reallythinklistener s get wanted tobeablmakvocaltracksaninstrumenta s That's whyIhadthesamrhythmsectionoallsongs . I sound likeabunchofsongsfromdifferentalbums . some werold,andjustideasthaweren'developed . I collection ofsongsthatI'vebeeworkingon.Somwer new, considers thatthoseconstraintactuallyhelpedherbecommor e pleased athowthe1989PolyGramrelease,RealLifeStory,turne signed toattracwork;only500copieswerepressed.)TerriLyn bass, andGeorgeColemanotenorsaxwithhedadSonny complete direction.Forinstance , onthenextalbumIwansing promote thproduct,soIunderstand . Tome,myalbutakeskind release ofthisalbum . "I'mnotarealsinger'ssinger . Iwasn'ttrying more," shesays,addingthat e hasbegunvocallessonsincth It's stuffthatIlikeolistento. While shhateshavingtolabelmusic,TerriLynconcede to "One ofthhardestthingsfo r meisgoingtobfindina

Photo by Jaeger Kotos Photo by Lissa Wales bass playerBrianWheatreplied:"Troy knew thatthebandwascomplete." tightened usupandwhenhe joined,we cal arrangementthatwedidn't have.He Luccketta. Hebroughtinasense ofmusi- that, whenfinallydiscovered,rocketed favorably. SoonafterTroy'sjoining, the Tesla inanupwarddirection,cofounder/ When askedwhatwasthemissingpiece Evidence supportsthatviewpoint quite group wassignedtoarecorddealwith a headlineactontheroad. outselling itspredecessor,has madethem est album,TheGreatRadioControversy , major label;theirfirstrelease,Mechanical of thepreviouslyun-credited inventorof made themaninstantsmash;andtheirlat- Resonance, scoredwellnationallyand the radio,NikolaTesla—built theirsound Tesla—who namedthemselves inhonor gins areinthebedrockstomp ofTroy's power isapervasiveelement, butitsori- on twobasics:melodyandpower.The playing. Hisdrummingdelivers anathletic tures thatleavealastingimpression.The latter makesitspresenceknownthrough sound withoutsacrificingrefiningtouches wailing guitarsandvocalsoversongstruc- Luccketta's otherspecialtyistheway in that givehisplayingemotionalrange. And which he fuses that sheer animal vitality band and father of five (four children are ments. "I've been really blessed," he ac- with solid grooving—making Tesla a "heady from his wife Linda's first marriage) since knowledges. "I've been so lucky; I really metal" experience! he was 20. He says that he's derived a have." The truth is that he's an exception- There's little about Troy himself that fits strong sense of himself and his values ally hard-working individual who has never any preconceived notions. With Tesla's through raising a family, which as he says given up, no matter what the demands or entry into "rock stardom," Troy leads any- "has provided me with a lot of things that I the odds leveled at him. Because of his thing but a "rock 'n' roll lifestyle." Aside lacked." positive train of thought and his passion for from the time he puts into his various musi- Troy's open and warm personality ex- music and everything that life has to offer cal projects, he's a fiercely devoted family poses his inner strength. But he's far from him, he's an absolute inspiration to anyone man. Not quite 30, Troy has been a hus- self-congratulatory about his accomplish- who has set personal or professional goals. by Teri Saccone Rock With A Twist

TS: You told me earlier that your mother one point, but I ended up leaving the band had set me up with the job, and although I was into rock 'n' roll when you were grow- right after I got married. knew nothing about banking, I thought I'd ing up, and some of the music that she Right after that I joined a band called try it. After The Works split up I had to listened to became a big part of your influ- The Works, which was really helpful to me make a decision about how I was going to ences. musically. I learned to think a lot more support my family. I went through the "am TL: I grew up on the music my mom was about what I was playing, because the I chasing a dream here? What's really hap- into, especially Creedence. They said so grooves were different than what I had pening with my career?" kind of thing. Since much, plus they had so many different experienced in the past. At the time, I was I wasn't sure about where the music path grooves to their music, and Doug Clifford into Joe Jackson and The Police, and what was leading me, I had to give my family definitely made an impression. My mom we were doing was on those lines, so I had some kind of security. was into Janis Joplin and Ike & Tina Turner the opportunity to familiarize myself with Anyway, I took the job, and I even had as well. I guess that music was the earliest areas that I hadn't been as comfortable with. two or three loans in the works for my exposure I had to rock. My musical prefer- Around that time, I got a call to join 415, customers. But the loans fell through, and I ences have changed over the years, though, which evolved into The Band was working on a commission basis, so I and I've tried to keep up with what's going once we got a record deal. I had been said, "Screw this. I am definitely, positively on. asked to join them earlier, but I never ended not a loan officer." So I left the bank after Drum-wise, I went through a big Tony up actually playing with them because I two months to pursue the 415 gig. Brock phase—I was really into Rod Stew- had previous loyalties to the other band. TS: As The Eric Martin Band, 415 had a art—and another influence was Leonard So, when the boat came around again, so measure of success. Haze [Y&T]. But Tony was probably my to speak—The Works had just broken up TL: We had Journey's manager working for number-one influence; I just went nuts over and 415 was in need of a drummer—I didn't us, and we went on to do an album for his playing. From Tony, I went to Jeff Por- want to miss it twice. Elektra Records, Sucker For A Pretty Face, caro—my Toto phase. I also got into Mark TS: Were you working a steady job to sup- which did respectably well—not phenome- Craney through his work on Gino Vanelli's port your family during all of this? nally well on a national level, but in the Brother To Brother, and Steve Smith is an- TL: Oh yeah. I had been customizing vans Bay Area, it did really well. We did a lot of other drummer who made a big impres- for a few years, working independently. touring, too, on our own and opening up sion. The list goes on and on. But during this particular time, I had gotten for bands like ZZ Top and Journey. The I try to listen to a little bit of jazz, but I a job as a loan officer in a bank, if you can Journey gigs were especially great for me think I'm more influenced right now by believe that. because I got to know Steve Smith, who Latin. I'm heavily into Latin. A friend of TS: A suit, short hair, the whole clean-cut helped me quite a bit. mine, Raphael Ramirez, used to be a per- look? TS: How did he help you? cussionist with Santana, and I sit in with TL: Definitely. And let me tell you, I was a TL: He gave me that extra bit of confidence him from time to time. He's been helping terrible loan officer. A friend of my wife's I really needed at the time, and he made me out a lot with Latin rhythms. I me feel really good as a person, and as really want to expand on what I'm a player. He probably didn't realize doing with Tesla, and this is something just how much he helped me. really different for me. I had actually met Steve one day— TS: Are you very goal-oriented? "This is this was before we toured with Jour- TL: Definitely. And my goals go far be- ney—and we ended up spending some- yond music. You can do anything you thing like 12 hours at his house talking want to do as long as you believe in the day drums, playing drums, and discussing yourself. I always try to go with my gut a lot about the business. When we feeling, and I try to do the best that I went out on the road with Journey, I can, whether it's playing or whatever. and age of felt comfortable enough to ask him TS: What was your first professional playing questions. At the time, I was band experience? starting to get into the Latin thing. I TL: In 1976 I joined a band called had been working out "Late In The Whisper. It was all original music, we no rules. Evening," which is a Steve Gadd Latin were out playing really good gigs, and groove number, and I was having some we even won the Bay Area Battle of problems figuring some of it out. Steve the Bands. Why not clarified any problems I had with that. After about a year and a half, I left to He always made time for me when I join a group called No Thanks. We wanted to talk, and during his sound- ended up spending about seven months incorporate checks, I'd always be watching and down in Memphis, Tennessee, where listening, trying to pick things up here we were playing the club scene. After and there. I'll always be grateful to we came back to California, the band him for the way he treated me. re-formed as Bennie & The Jets. We different At one point, he encouraged me to were doing a lot of shows locally, open- go for the spot in Bryan Adams' band. ing up for some big-name bands, and He just came up to me one night and we were doing a lot of songwriting and ideas?" said, "Troy, I have a gig for you." It recording. We were showcasing and was completely out of the blue be- were actually about to be signed at Sticks: DeanMarkle y 9R. Custom-painted Emperorsonfrontfbassdrums . bottoms oftoms . clear Emperorsontopsftom aswellon batter sideofbassdrums.Clea r Ambassadorson side, Ambassadorsnareheadbelow . Remo are DW. Heads: RemocoatedEmperor n snarebatter hi-hat, remoteanddoubl e pedal, Hardware: AllstandsareTama splash mountedabove 15. LPwindchimes 9. 18"crash Tower racksystem.Allpedals,including 14. 10"splashwit8 13. 18"crash 12. 19"rockcrash 11. 48" 8. 14"Platinumhi-hats(onremote) 6. 20"Zpowerride Titan series.TroyusesaTamPower 10. 20"mediumcrash 7. 20"PlatinumChina 5. 19"Platinumcrash 4. 12"Platinumsplash 3. 22"PlatinumChina 2. 12"LPRancan Cymbals: Zildjian. 1.14" rockhi-hats G. 16x24bassdrum H. 16x24bassdrum F. 16x8floortom C. 1x2racktom A. 61/2x14rosewoodsnare Troy Luccketta'sSetup E. 16xfloortom D. 13x4racktom B. 10xracktom Drumset: TamaRockstar.

Photo by Lissa Wales "You know, it's just like life."

That phrase seems to come up Perhaps most importantly, though, ness is well-balanced by his enthusi- a lot when you speak to Bobby Previte has released two studio asm and love for the great music that Previte about music. And after pro- albums that, though they feature an has been created, and that could be longed conversation or listening to the ever-changing lineup and eclectic created—if not for a few misguided music he has recorded, you begin to selection of tunes, obviously are the ideas and stumbling blocks along the understand why. product of one man's unique vision way. If art is supposed to reflect life, then and style. Previte's latest album, Claude's Late Previte's music is like one of those Despite the diversity in instrumenta- Morning, features ten tunes of distinct multi-angled mirrors outside the fitting tion, melody, and rhythm that these mood and message, performed by his rooms of department stores. But in kinds of settings call for, Previte has "pocket orchestra," nine highly varied Bobby's case, each mirror you look no qualms describing himself as a instrumentalists playing harp, trom- into reflects a different outfit. The full drummer. It's just that he doesn't let bone and tuba, electric guitar and gamut of emotions and styles is that fact restrict his musical ambitions. banjo, keyboards, accordion, pedal accounted for in Previte's closet of As you will see, Previte can be pretty steel guitar, and acoustic and elec- musical ideas, and this drummer, vocal about some of the aspects of the tronic drums. Not quite a predictable through his music and words, would music business he feels can shackle lineup—but, hey, that's...uh...just like love for us to peek inside. musicians' creativity. Yet that uneasi- life, isn't it? In the relatively short time he's been on the scene, Previte's talents and ideas have been realized in a wide range of situations: He played the " I'm not trying to make for several years with Bobby Radcliff, has recorded and/or per- formed with artists and congregations a statement here, I'm as diverse as Billy Bang, The Presi- dent, The Buffalo Philharmonic, Tom trying to make music. Waits, Elliott Sharp, Wayne Horvitz, and John Zorn (himself a style-hopper to the nth degree), and has released So I don't care if it has an album with his own five-piece ensemble, which he has led for rules or not. If I hear a several years. In addition, Previte has composed and performed scores for dance, television, theater, video, and tune on a radio and it film (including the soundtrack to the motion picture Chain Letters), and has released an atmospheric, mostly elec- moves me, that's all that tronic soundtrack to the feature video Bought And Sold. ("The music was matters." the screenplay," Bobby specifies.) Photo by Aldo Mauro AB: You have three group albums—includ- the hi-hat, and the snare drum. I played a territories, I wanted it so that each drum- ing the quintet's record—that, though some set that has its genesis in the stuff I used to mer had his own turf. The obvious way to people are on more than one record, have do with Elliott Sharp, where I had a big do it was orchestrationally. By doing it this featured different lineups. Is there any ad- bass drum, and I stood up to play it. I used way, I thought we could come up with vantage you can see to having a constant a pedal, but I stood. I had two floor toms, much more interesting things. lineup? one on either side of me, and in the middle AB: On the liner notes you mentioned that BP: Absolutely. Lots of great music has come I had a mounted tom-tom facing sideways, most of the record was recorded live. from ensembles that have been together for with the shell facing me. This way I could BP: I wanted it to sound like a band, espe- years. I've had my quintet for years now, play both sides of the drum with both hands. cially on a tune like the second one on the and it's got a whole body of music. You I used two different heads on this drum and record, "One Bowl," which has numerous can really delve deeply into a composition tuned them differently. I wanted to get the tempo changes. The tune's slowing down if you've been playing it for years. And it sound of some enormous tom-toms on the and speeding up is kind of influenced by changes; it's wonderful to see the piece of record. It didn't really work out the way I Gamelan. Those people are incredible the music change and redefine itself all the originally thought; I had wanted to make a way they suspend the time and make it time. If the music has the space in it to record where the tom-toms had the bass really elastic. Some Latin bands do this allow itself to be redefined, it will redefine function. Jim Mussen, of course, also played too; they pull it and push it, and they're itself. electronic percussion, triggering a Casio together. And I wanted everybody to play AB: What else does the quintet offer you FZ-7 sampler and a Yamaha DX7 synthe- off of each other. You can only do that, in that your albums don't? sizer. my opinion, when you're playing together. BP: The quintet has an orchestration that AB: Where did the idea of having three Also I wanted to be able to perform the I've been writing for for years [bass, drums, percussionists originate? music live. So I wanted everybody to learn reed, brass, and piano]. It's nice to work BP: Number one, I wanted a lot of rhythm. the music and to know everyone else's parts, with all acoustic instruments; it's always Number two, the music was such that of- also. somewhat surprising what comes out. It ten I didn't even play; I had to conduct a AB: In a radio interview last year, the inter- also gives me the opportunity to play dif- lot in the studio. So it was good to have viewer mentioned that "First Song For Kate" ferently than I do on a lot of other projects. Joey there to keep the time and keep things "really was not ironic in any way," seem- We've been doing it for so long now that going while I conducted. Also, I played a ingly implying that some of your pieces are it's almost like fitting into an old glove. At lot of keyboards and marimba on the rec- trying to be ironic. Do you find that some this point the band has its own momen- ord. But basically the reason I used this people who come to your music think that tum. It's a lot of fun, and I don't have to go setup is because I've heard lots of things maybe you're trying to be tricky or sarcas- through changes to make anyone learn the with two drummers, and very seldom do I tic in any way? music. think it works; with two drumsets some- BP: God, I hope not! That interview was The groups I use for recording are some- times it ends up being a real mess. So just with David Garland, and I think he real- thing different, though. I heard this latest like when you have two horn players in a ized correctly that I wasn't being sarcastic, group, the nine-piece, in my head and band, and they have kind of their own and he gave me the opportunity to say that, wanted to record it, but obviously it's not something I'm going to be able to keep together steadily; it's pretty much impos- sible. But I do think I'm going to do an- other record with it. At first I thought it was just going to be one project, but now I feel it's something I can dig into. There's a lot I haven't explored with these instruments, a lot I haven't even touched. AB: On the jacket of the album, there isn't any indication as to who's playing on each particular cut. I'm mostly referring to the drums, because you also have Joey Baron and Jim Mussen playing. BP: I didn't just have two drummers bash- ing away; I split up the set in a certain way between me, joey, and Jim. The drumset itself is an assimilation of three different musicians: the bass drummer, the guy who played the cymbals, and the snare drum- mer. They turned the bass drum, invented the hi-hat, and lowered the snare drum, and one guy could play all three. AB: Exactly how did you split up the drums? BP: This is very privileged information here, [laughs] Joey Baron played a very small bass drum, like an 18", tuned wide open and very high. He also had all the cymbals, Phot o b y Aldo Mauro drums, andmyparentsweren'tabouog that Icoulddo.However,didn'haveany that intheirlife,ftheycaonlfinditan that. AB: Let'sgobacktyourbeginnings.You that istotalbull. fired me.They gotthekiddownblock AB: Withthosedrums ? drums forayear.Iwaactuall y inaband. and putabunchofthingsin t soiwould drum wasthehardest.Igotarea l thinbox would suspenfromplungers . Thesnar cymbals Ihadaluminumpie tinsthatI stuck arubberballontopfitandmade got acoahangerandwouniinto end sothatiwasorfa"v,"anthenI and Istuckthemtogethercrimpethe because Iwasodesperattplay.Fora another whim.SoImademyowndrums out andbuymeaset,thinkingthiswajus guitar, andIquicklyrealizethatthiswa young age,andbeinexposetothis we werlisteningtoallkindsfmusica come fromamusicalfamily.Itwasn'lik York, correct? were broughtupinNiagaraFalls,New that's whenIreallygetupset.justhink people trytojustiftheirmusicbrules— a tuneonthradianditmovesme— So Idon'tcareifhasrulernot.hea statement here,I'mtryingomakemusic. goes bysomeverdefinedrules. to breakalltherules,wouldbintereste AB: Maybeit'sjustsurprisingoafew truth. could writeacountrytune,totellyouth The factthaihascountryovertone didn't sidownandsay,"I'mgoingowrite BP: Yeah,unti l theygotagig,n pedal. AnditworkegreatFortom-tomsI spring. Ihadtherestofistickingup,an side. ThenIgottwopiecesflinoleum, real heavyirontype,andturneitoits bass drum,Igotanoldgarbagecanth play. Ithinkeverybodyhassomethinglike some reason,Ijustsadownandcoul not myinstrument,althoughIplaalittle BP: Right.NiagaraFallswaprettylimited baby, that'sit.That'allthatmattersWhen by rulesornot.I'mnottryingmakea BP: Ican'tspeakforothepeople,bui at leassuperficially,lookliketheyartrying people thatsomartists,likyourselfwho what Ihear.For"FirsSongKate," rattle. Itsoundscrazy,buplaye d onthose had plasticwastepaperbaskets , andfor I wasfortunateenoughtofindsomething now. Mycousinhadasetofdrums,anfor in termsofamusicenvironment.Idon't matters littletomwhethermusicigoing in somethinglikecountrymusic,which kind ofinteresting,perhapsasidelinet my daughter,andthat'swhatcameout. a countrysong."Iwasjustthinkingabou it. Iwouldn'tbesopresumptuouthink ring tosomething.WhateverIdo,it'sjus in beingsarcasticorironic,refer- no, Ineverreallydothat.I'mtintereste The firstinstrumenthaIplayedwasth About 25weekslater,myfatheropened that time? AB: Whatsorofstufdidyou listentoa every singleday,andIwouldhav e asched- you hadrealdrums? AB: Fromtherewhatdidyoudo,nowtha with alotofdrums,bugoodolse week tobuyadrumset.Iguesshefigured, and savetendollarsaweekfordrumset. them allafternoon.Idesperatelywantedto equipment othegig.Ijussaandwatche AB: Howoldwereyouatthispoint? AB: Soundsdepressing. who hadarealsetfdrums. one thingthatIdi d listentowasalofthe tural center,so wegotverylittljazz.Bu because Niagar a Fallswasn'treallycul- ule oflike,10minutestdthis , 15min- BP: Thebandfirethotherguyantook still use. good setofdrums—noastarterone here?" Itoldhimwassavingmoneyever buy mowndrums."SoIdeliveredpapers corner whiletheywalkedbantooktheir radio. Thatwastheonlymusic thatIknew, BP: Ilistenedtoalofpopmusi c onthe utes todthat.Iwareallyrigi d aboutit. really startedtoplay.Iwoulpractice learned aboutbusinessrighthere.ThenI me back.[laughs]Iguessshouldhav Rogers, whichIstillhavetothisdayand he rewardedmypatiencbbuyinga "This kidmustreallywanadrumset,"an my drawerandsaid,"What'sthi$250 play. SoItoldmyself,"OkaythenI'mgonna BP: About13.Iremembersittingonthe life. BP: Thatwasperhaptheworsdayofm form yourideas andthewayyouargoing that time? John Cage,peoplelikthat.Tomitwas jazz, andatthesamtimewestern What didyoulearnthere? AB: YouwentotheUniversityfBuffalo. these thingswercominginto myhead.I sician, inthesensthatIplaye d anwas the time.BythenIwasaprofessiona l mu- older drummers,likeCozyColandthos AB: Wereyouinvolvedinany bandsat studied drums.Itwasallmarimbaantim- was allsortofwesternpercussion.Inever where Ihadaverygooteacher.Buttha ensemble-like andwhicharastonishingly guy. IwaslisteningtoJohnCage'prepared drummers; Icouldn'tbelieveiwason Williams onMileDavis'FillesdeKilli- expansive. Atthesamtime,IheardTony all partofthesamthing;iwasjus everything sosmooth. a lotodwiththewayIplanow. was exposedtothat.Ikinfgoabasein believe everyon e hasaperiodwheryou paid. Thiswamyformative period.All BP: Oh,yeah.Iwasplayingi n bandsall avant gardemusic,likLouHarrisonand people. Mycousinhadafrienwhowas pani andbreakdrumsflowerpots. beautiful. Iwasinthepercussioensemble, piano pieces,whichareverypercussion stuff here."AtfirsIthoughiwastwo manjaro andthought,"Thisisomeother learned alotfromthewaythemad both swingandrockmusic.Ithinthathas BP: That'swhereIreallygotexposedo into thatkindfstuff.SveryearlnI

Photo by Aldo Mauro Photo by Dawn Woessner Martin Cohe n went throughwhenestarte d LatinPer- where shooting s werenotunknown,"h cussion. "Ididmymostimportan t research to staryourownpercussiomanufactur - clubs thatbegan at6:00inthemorning recalls. "ThenI wouldgottheafter-hours If you'veeverthoughtthaimigh t befun in LatidancehallsthSout h Bronx, ing company,considerwhatMarti n Cohe Latin Percussion's was anundercoverpoliceman . ButIgo after alltheotheclubsclosed up.Imean, affair goingwith Latinmusic.Theonlyprob- by, primarilybecaus e Ihadsuchalov and life.Alotofpeopleprobabl y thoughtI really shadareas—theseam sideoftown Latino intheseplacesthat,frankly , werein lem Ieverhadwa s gettingpaidforsomeof it wasprettybizarre.Ith e onlynon- was tobeabout.Itaughmre- that 'I'llpayyoutomorrow'meannever. the instrumentsImade,andsoonlearne ents tohicredit,includingVibraslap timbales, andCohenhasanumberofpat- day itssomewhacommonoincorporate company's activities,anoutgrowthfromthe Thailand, itsMartinCohewhocontin- as theleadingmanufacturerofvariety sourceful inbuildingthingsthattherewer education. Ittaughmewhathproduc old," Cohensays.Iprettymuchjust with LatinmusicwheIwasabout17year that particulararea? and Afuche/Cabasa.WhileLatinPercus- standard ofqualityforcongas,bongosan merchandise myself." a varietyofstylesandsoundintpop, the mainstreaminAmerica,andwhilto- ever getstarted?Latinmusichasnevebee early dayswhenheactualldideverything anniversary, LatinPercussionInc.stands would goto.TheywereheadeupbHer- that, whileIwasincollegetheystarted playing. ThemusicwasoinfectiouthatI stumbled intoBirdland,anCalTjaderwas tually, hegotthurgoparticipate."I of hiseveninginLatidancehalls.Even- gree, andgotajobwithcompanytha graduated collegewithanengineeringde- and ChanoPozo." So whatinfluencedCohenmoveint case inthmid-'60swheLPgotitstart. ues topersonallypresideoverallfth sion hastwolargefacilitieiGarfield, Latin instruments.Thecompanyhasseta no instructionsfor.Andittaughmehow by himself. bie Mann,andtherwoulbpercussion- having MondaynightjamsessionsthaI have neverlostmylovfoit.Shortlafte graphs Ihadtake n ofJohnnyPacheco's one piecofwood.Ibasedi t onphoto- traditional bongos,whichwere madefrom come from.SoIdecidedtmak e myown. embargo fCuba,andthat'swher e thgood any, becausethU.S.hadinitiate d an tried tofinapairfbongos,thereweren' wanted togeapairfbongos,"Martin rock, andjazzthatwasdefinitelynothe New Jersey,andamanufacturingplantin mic needlesandsyringes.Buthespenmos made medicalproductssuchahypoder- ists theresuchaCandido,JosMangual pair ofbongos.Bu t Ihadaloofproblems. bongos, congasandcowbells hadalways percussionist Ihadeverseen.Buwhen played asmallsetofbongosinfron made thbiggestimpressionome.H remembers, "becauseJosMangualhad I wasstillliving intheBronx,andIdidn't large band,andhwasthmostexciting Today, havingrecentlycelebratedits25th "But iwasaprice\hadopayform "It startedfromthefacthaIfellinlov Cohen himselfwasnotamusician.He But howdidanoperatiosuchsthi "I wantedtomakethemjus t liketh by Rick Mattingly and Adam Budofsky

have access to a lot of equipment, so I had these Latin clubs at night and getting I made for Carroll at least appealed to a to be very resourceful. I went to a sculpture charged up with all this excitement, and wider market, but at that time, there was supply store and bought some blocks of then I would come in the next day to this no such thing as using Latin instruments in mahogany, and I took them to a wood turner regimented, subordinate role as an engi- pop or ." on 125th Street who was able to machine neer. An engineer is not very important in Nevertheless, Cohen continued to expand them for me. That was the beginning of my industry; a salesman is more important. I his line. "I got involved with conga drums," learning process, because I knew nothing remember bringing in my first Vibraslap, he says. "The only way I could make them about machining, or about wood, or about and I struck the thing in a large office area was out of fiberglass, because woodwork- metalworking. My first discovery was that divided by cubicles. People were peering ing was beyond the capabilities I had. Fi- he cut and machined them on Friday, and over the tops of the cubicles in amaze- nancially, I was always conservative, be- on Monday they were a quarter of an inch ment, and in some cases anger. cause I was raised with the attitude that smaller. I didn't realize that it was wet wood "It wasn't long afterward that I quit my you have to pay your bills. So fiberglass and you have to dry it first. So he had to job. And I had no other means of support. was a way to make without the insert a piece of wood to accommodate At the time, I had designed a woodblock kind of tool and labor cost that would have that quarter of an inch change." with a curved top, and that was the only been required to go into wood-stave con- Cohen finished the bongos and subse- thing I had that I thought had any commer- struction." quently sold them. "By doing that I initi- cial potential. I had quit my job on a Wed- But how did the Latin community react ated a business," he says. "I started putting nesday, and on Thursday I was in New to these drums? After all, these are people bongos in stores on consignment. I was York City with this feeling of freedom—no who have a high regard for tradition. Were still maintaining a day job as an engineer, money, but freedom. I knew Carroll Brat- they willing to accept a conga that was not but I was getting a lot of satisfaction from man, so I went to Carroll's and he ordered made of wood? "I suppose I developed serving the needs of the Latin percussion- a gross of my woodblocks." some thick skin to survive the early ridi- ists. I had so much fun being among those Bratman was interested in building up cule," Cohen answers. "But I didn't have people on weekends. I never managed to an inventory of sound effects, so Cohen that much trouble. For one thing, there was learn Spanish, and most of the people who turned his attention away from Latin instru- a guy named Frank Mesa who had been performed that music didn't speak English. ments for a short spell. "At the time," Co- making fiberglass congas before I did. He So it was just through the love of the music hen says, "there was very little Latin influ- wasn't able to make very many drums, but that I was able to make any contact at all. ence in popular music, except for some at least there was a precedent. And then Insofar as I was able to make products for things Bob Rosengarden was doing in light Patato Valdez started using my fiberglass them that didn't exist elsewhere, they liked music. Stereo was evolving, and percus- conga, so that gave it a lot of credibility. me. But only for that reason. The cross- sion sounds made nice effects that they "But it was a non-conventional approach culturalization of Anglos and Hispanics could bounce from one speaker to another. to a conventional need," Cohen continues, wasn't happening at that time." So I started making sound effects for Car- "and so it was a tough sell. I had to work About this time, bongos began to go out roll—a pop gun, an anvil, the Flex-a-tone. extraordinarily hard against a bias that was of fashion in the pachanga bands, to be "That was the beginning of Carroll Sound; somewhat legitimate, because there is a replaced by the guiro. But just as that was he funded it and I made the instruments. certain brightness to a fiberglass shell. I happening, Martin met Specs Powell, who And Latin Percussion shared the same fa- argued that the ring that shell produced was the drummer on The Ed Sullivan Show cility. Looking back, the things I was mak- was not detrimental to the sound because and who was on staff at CBS. "He told me ing for Carroll didn't have that much of a the extra volume more than offset it. And to get out of the Latin dance halls and into market; I mean, how many places can you our LP conga developed a reputation for the recording studio where the real money use a pop gun? And yet, by comparison, it being loud. This was at a time when there was," Cohen remembers. "He asked me to didn't seem that LP had a prayer, because really wasn't any amplification going on, make him a pair of bongos and to put them my stuff was truly esoteric. The instruments so the volume of the drums was important. on a stand. And I said, 'You can't play bongos on a stand,' because nobody in the Latin scene played them on a stand. But he was so insistent that I devised a bongo mounting bracket that we sell to this day in a pretty much unaltered form. Previously there were mounting brackets, but you had to drill a hole through the bongo. My con- cept was to support it with the existing hardware." Meanwhile, Specs Powell introduced Cohen to another prominent studio drum- mer, Bob Rosengarden. "Rosengarden said to me, 'If you want to make some money, make a jawbone that doesn't break.' I had never seen a jawbone before, but I had heard one on a Cal Tjader album, so I asked people what it was. They explained that it was an animal skull that you would

strike, and the sound would come from the Woessner teeth rattling in the loose sockets. So I took that concept and invented the Vibraslap." Dawn Cohen was still working as an engineer, by

but he was becoming increasingly frustrated Photo with that job. "Here I was going out to Cohen photographing Marc "Inspector Clave" Quinones. Photo courtesy Latin Percussion, Inc. from theRoger s DrumCompanytomake were blackoxidtreated.Theyhadtob we had." fires andcarcrashes.Infact,atthelas we heardstoriesofourdrumsurviving thing asflightcasethatime.Mosguy our fiberglassshells.Therewanosuch 2,000 cowbells, " herecalls,"whicwas company abigboost."Igot acontract So Iendeduphavingtpainth e bells." find anyonewhowaswillingt o dthejob. oiled, butiwasarealnicefinish; afraid theblackoneswoulbrejected, copper coloredochromeplated.Iwas bells. Beforethat,cowbellswereither carrying apaperbafullofcowbells,"he guy whowouldshowupattheseplaces are peoplwhostillremembermasth primary researchintheLaticlubs."Ther a lineofcowbells.Asusual,hdidhi drums. Sodurabilitywasonefthsell could seeinthpicturwerthreLPconga apart byaterrorisbominCentralAmer- tional sense,justdidn'cuifortravel.Bu drums, whatevertheivaluewasinatradi- they boughtaarmy/navstores,which would carrytheircongasindufflebagthat Mambo bell,ledtadealtha t gavehis bells intoatankfheatedoil,an d Icouldn't process waverydangerous,puttin g cow- but icreatedanidentity. back homeandtailorthbellstothei photograph ofabusthathadbeenblow really wasn'tmuchprotection.Sowooden like gunmetal.Thproblemwasthatth needs. Iwasthefirstomakblackcow- ions ofthemusicians,andthenIwouldg laughs. "I'dpullthemoutogetheopin- ica, andtheonlythingremaininthatyou Frankfurt MusicFair,someonegavma One ofCohen'scowbellmodels , the Another productthaMartinaddedwas "Originally," Cohencontinues,"thebells "The otherthingwasthdurabilityof Carlos Santana,ChepitoAreas,andMartin. ent intermsofsales." elevators, soIgotsomefthatcuiwith while, thewirwouldbecombrittleand with alatticeofwiraroundthem.After just handfulsofproducts." with thisorderfromRogers,Inegotiated was aneedforinthewholworld.Up on it,andtherestishistory. MyAfuche/ wrapped beachainarounit,pu t ahandle great difficulty,rollediinto cylinders, something outofavailablematerials.Ihad at thetime,soIhadfinwaymak time, cabasasweremadofcoconutshell Cohen remembers,"Bobsaid'Alrightnow our name." sociated withhiscompanywagoofor of hisproducts.Shavingmycowbellas- Cohen forstillanothereason."Atthetim suppliers ofmaterialandservicetwork chance todsombignumbersange tirely self-financed.AntimeImadalittl "There wasthi pianoplayernamedChar- made thVibraslapforBobRosengarden," man wasknowtobeasticklerfoquality; sale ofthcompanytCBS.Anyway,Gross- my firstloanfroabank.Ialsogave until thatpoint,mybusinesshadbeenen- lie Palmieriwho wasasticklerfoalway new productsfromavarietyo f sources. Cabasa hasbeenmymostsuccessfu l pat- noticed atexturemetalontheinsidesf recording. Ididn'thavealoofequipmen it wouldinvariablysnapduringataken make acabasthatdoesn'break.'A refine andcreatnewproducts."AfterI he reallyrodherdoverthqualitcontrol Henry Grossman.Thiswarightbeforeth I madethatdeal,Rogerswaownedby in mybehalf.Priortothat,saleswere profit, Iputibackintothecompany.Bu more cowbellsthanIcouldimaginther Cohen continuedtogeinspiratio n for The Rogerscontractwaimportano Meanwhile, Cohenwascontinuingto which wasotouchy;ithadbeexactly do—I refinedtheconceptintomyAfrican where thChineshavanattitudof'ca ends ofbrokenpoolcues,andIremember tude, justlikewhenIwastoldthacouldn' wearing twocoatsandahoodesweat- was separatefromyhouse,other those days,itwasalwayacetylenweld- weld. ButIneverhadelectricweldingin wood thatIpickeuponthedockson derful sound.Imadethclavesfromrose- the thickness,andsoontmakthiwon- the rightcombinationofradius,arc Clave. Iworkedoutthedimensionsan what hehaddone—orwasattemptingo was lookingforathroatiesound.Seein do.' InAmerica,thenaturalreactiotoa force. IfoundwhatwanteinThailand, ties remaintoday. cility inGarfield,NewJerseywhereth tion, andabuildinginspectorshoweup that Iwasrunningamanufacturinopera- out ofmyhouse.Theneighborscomplained on adrillpressthatworkedwonderfully. drill press,butthawasalIownedo there wasnoyitcouldbdona engine lathatthtime,andIhaopro- were impossibltodo,"hcontinues.I with theproduct s themselves."Mysonand was moreinkeepingwiththphilosoph y I Thailand, Ifoundthatsameattitude , which turn ascrewodrillpress.Icouldn' t take fordable bythaveragworkingstiff.SoI of qualitywithoutmakingthepricunaf- able," Cohensayssimply."Itwouldhave bongo rimsandsideplateforcongas. shirt, weldingforhoursonendtmake Saturday afternoon." him tryingtohollowtheout,becauseh used tomakehisownclavefromthbut having oneofhissingerplayclavedur- a yeartoworkwit h thestaffjustondrum- problem seemstobe,'Wecan'dit.'Bu attitude ofqualityandanaffordabllabor place inthGarfieldlocation,actual administrative officesandshippingfacili- Cohen movedthecompanytoalargerfa- and chasemeout.That'swhenIgotth devised atechniqueofproducingthreads duce threadsfortuninglugs.Iwatoldthat been impossibletoofferthsamdegre no heat.Icarememberbeingoutthere ing. Ididallofthatinmygarage,which hardware," hesays,"andIlearnehowto limited equipment."Ilearnehowtomake ucts, hewasmakingthemhimselfwit used abansawtocuoutheopening, remember distinctlythatIdidn'havean ing thetunes,"Cohenexplains."Charli I gotthefactor y inThailandseveraltimes had intheearlydaysofmbusiness. " no foraanswer.Ihadtdit , soIdid.n my businesswabuiltona'cado'atti- had tofinaplacewhertherwasn "American manufacturingbecameunafford- manufacturing isnowdonenThailand. place inPalisadesPark."Afewyearlater, While productdevelopmenalsotakes Cohen wasnotonlydesigninghiprod- "I oftenhadtothingsthawatol "Eventually Ihadtomovethoperation But Cohenstillremainsvery involved head sorting," Cohen says. "To this day, non-Latinos probably never approach. "It's style of talking, that charms me. They are picking drumheads is one of those un- simply ethnic bias," Cohen insists. "The my weakness. I think the Latin is the most knowns that defies measurement. I spent Latino suffers from a prejudice on the part charming individual that God has ever cre- months trying to come up with some for- of people who are the masses in America, ated. He was born to be charming." mula, but in the end I realized that it comes and so that sound that intrigued me and And yet, this Latin charm has sometimes down to your hands. So I stand with people that I fell in love with never caught on in proved to be a hindrance when Cohen has and sort through heads, picking out the the mainstream. I could never understand tried to get an honest answer concerning a ones that are the best. That is one area it when I would play something for Anglos new product's sound. "The Latin musician where we work real hard to maintain the that excited me so much and they just didn't does not want to offend," Martin explains. quality." care. I realized I was not going to make the "When you ask a question that might elicit One aspect of LP's early success, ac- world dance to the beat of Latin music." a negative response, his inclination is not cording to Cohen, was due to the ever- Ironically, Cohen found that Latin Ameri- to do so because he doesn't want to offend growing group of artist endorsers he was can musicians were far more respected in you, even though you want the truth." able to gather. LP's first endorser was Wil- countries across the sea than in America. An exception to this rule and a solution lie Bobo, who Cohen was introduced to Holland is a vibrant market for LP, with to the problem for Cohen has been a multi- through a mutual friend in the early '60s at Germany being the company's biggest Eu- percussionist known to some as Inspector a club called Count Basie's in Harlem. "Not ropean market. Recently, the company has Clave. "Inspector Clave is a guy by the long after that I met Carlos 'Patato' Valdez, opened an office in London. "I personally name of Marc Quinones," explains Cohen. who has been with me ever since," Cohen believe the reason I have been so success- "Inspector Clave is devoted to one kind of recalls. "My early catalog was filled with ful in those countries, compared to Amer- music. I'm always complaining about him images of people who would endorse my ica, is the ethnic bias here. In Europe there not advancing beyond what he's playing, product, because I had my camera with is no Latin community, hence there is no but I have sincere respect and love for the me all the time. People were so pleased bias, and the music can be listened to on work he does. The Inspector Clave name is with the fact that I was introducing some- its own merits; it doesn't conjure any nega- something Richie Morales came up with. thing that added such an interesting color- tive imagery." 'Who's this guy, Inspector Clave? I play ing to music that they lent their image and Cohen continues to be mystified by this what I play and I don't give a damn about their name and put credibility behind my situation. "The Latin percussionist," he says, the clave'—because the kind of work Ric- product. Dizzy Gillespie was a great help "has an angle on life, a style of walking, a hie does has no relationship to the tradi- to me. There was a time when he carried three conga drums on the road with him, and he would play them when he wasn't playing trumpet. He just dug playing con- gas. He indirectly helped my business be- cause he used Latin sounds in his music. "Other musicians, like Grady Tate, Billy Taylor, , Charli Persip, and Thad Jones, brought my product into the mainstream. Latinos were not mainstream at the time, and to this day they aren't. There are very few of the players that I idolize that could work outside of their specialty. Patato was one of those crazy people who were able to do it." As the '60s progressed, so did the atti- tude toward different sounds and styles in popular music. Despite the fact that Latin musicians and styles never became enormously popular, some musicians, like Carlos Santana, were able to cross over from the Latin scene into the pop world, and did the company well by taking the LP name along with them. "Carlos Santana did more for me than anyone else in reach- ing the masses," says Cohen. "He endorsed my product for a period of time, though eventually he didn't feel comfortable be- cause he wasn't a conga drummer. But while he lent his image to my product, he gave credibility to it because he really crossed over into the rock field, and then it really started selling." Despite the exposure that a popular rock band like Santana could bring to Latin music, there still remained an extensive bias against Latinos and their music by a large segment of the public. Because of his closeness to members of the Latin commu- Cohen nity and his love for their music, Martin Martin

Cohen became aware first hand how preva- by lent this prejudice was, and has garnered an understanding of the Latin people and Photo their place in American society that most Bob Rosengarden and with an early pair of LP bongos.

Cornell Rochester

The challenge for drummers today is al- the rhythmic patterns on the drums, and ends. "The main guy you had to check out ready great: to be completely fluid in many trying to do a lot of inversions with the in town was Bobby Durham, because he different styles of music. But Cornell Roch- melodies and different stuff like that within used to play with Ella Fitzgerald. He still ester overcame an even larger obstacle— patterns. plays around town. When I was in high the gangland traps of ghetto life—to get to "Blood wanted you to improvise, but he school, I used to take lessons with Sher- his position among the "comers" of mod- also wanted you to play certain themes. If man Ferguson. Sherman was more into the ern jazz and funk. He's one of those who you had a melody, he wanted you to take educational vibe. I'd go to the club and see know how to stir up the rhythmic brew, but that particular melody and do different in- Bobby Durham and ask him to show me can also lay down the groove when it's versions of that. He wanted you to play it this or that. But Sherman had a program to called for. In the Syndicate, kind of like in an ostinato, and then you show you different things." Rochester pretty much has to have all the could start to improvise in there. He also It might be said that in high school, Roch- bases covered—and does. had different patterns on the bass drum to ester was slightly ahead of his time. "I For Rochester, playing with local funk create a kind of drone, and he had these wanted to play jazz—period—when I was bands and hunting hard for the elusive jazz drones hooked up to the drones he was in junior high and high school. But there gig finally paid off in 1980 with a ticket out playing on the guitar. That was very inter- was nobody playing any jazz around that I of in saxist Odean Pope's esting, but it was very difficult. Initially, I could really play with. That's the reason I group. Pope was already known in Europe didn't know what in the world I was doing. was basically concentrating on commer- for his work with Max Roach, and they He had just done a record, and was inter- cial music. It was like peer pressure: Every- found friendly audiences in that part of the ested in playing. I didn't have a lot of time body else was playing it. But the music world. to sit down and try to understand the con- was good too. I got the chance to really A few months later, Rochester ran into cept. But I'd get with him and try to learn check out Tower Of Power; we used to an old friend from Philly, bassist Jamaal- by asking him questions. listen to David Garibaldi and play along." adeen Tacuma, who was playing with an "Blood had to have certain things hap- To Rochester, drumming has been a lot Ornette Coleman-inspired named pening on the bass drum, and certain fills," of hard work, but it's been worth it. It's his James "Blood" Ulmer. The music intrigued Cornell continues. "Everything was very meal ticket, and a much-needed alterna- the drummer, and he not only ended up strict with him. When I was first there, I tive to the streets. "I grew up in the ghetto, playing with Ulmer, but with Tacuma's band was just reading a lot of the melodies that and I'm still here. I started out pretty good as well (after he split from the guitarist) and he had, like the horn parts, and playing the when I was younger; when I was ten years can be heard on Tacuma's Showstopper lines. That was okay, but he wanted the old I was going to different private music and Renaissance Man records. fills and the bass drum a certain way. A lot schools. But I fell into the gang situation, "Doing the festivals," says Rochester, of people in his band that have been doing and was heavily involved in that. We had a "you always see these different musicians. it for a while get to where it's a free type of band with the gang, and I used to play I had heard Blood's record here in Phila- thing. But for me coming into it, it was very music with them, but I got away from it. delphia, and I couldn't figure out what he rigid—very rigid, man. I still think about Ironically, that kind of strengthened me. A was doing. I'd never heard anything like that guy. I played with Blood not too long lot of the people that I grew up with in ele- that. That first record that he did with Ja- ago down in Texas, and he really has cer- mentary school used to be in music, but by maaladeen was something new. I played in tain patterns that you have to play or he staying in music they just lost interest in the North Sea Festival with Odean in '80 cannot play his guitar." the gang thing by the time they got to high or '81, and I checked him out. I didn't Rochester appears on UImer's Black Rock school. Since I had gotten into these other realize that the bass player and the drum- album (CBS 1982), but left soon after that street activities in junior high school, it mer, Jamaaladeen and Amin AM, were from to join up with former bandmate Tacuma. messed up my progress. They sent me to Philadelphia. I just went to the show and "I basically knew him from playing with a reform school, and I got back into music tried to figure out where Blood was com- lot of funk bands in Philly," Cornell says. during that time. ing from." "Jamaaladeen's thing was about total mu- "By being out in the streets and being The concept of "harmolodics," as played sic. On a drum level, he was coming from involved in a lot of things, I saw that it by Blood and crew, was a fascinating, but a funk-type thing, with jazz overtones. He definitely wasn't going nowhere. I've been unknown, territory for the drummer. "It was didn't need basic funk beats or straight- around a lot of rough people, and I can see 100% new to me," he says. "Basically I ahead jazz beats. He was kind of loose how messed up mentally and how low and was a jazz player. I wanted to go to New about that. He was into a lot of world mu- decadent they are. When I got back into York and play bebop. But I went to check sic, and his concept was that you can get music I could totally concentrate on it, out Blood, and a couple months after, they all these different people, put them together, because all my desire to just be crazy had wanted me to tour with them." and in some kind of way it will meet and been drained out. I'd experienced the He learned to like the music quite a bit. music will happen. His group wasn't really streets, and there wasn't nothing out there." "The most innovative thing I heard when into a lot of charts, so I had to try to ques- All of Rochester's influences, including we were in high school," says Cornell, "was tion what they were doing. I'm always in- the street, come into play on the album he Billy Cobham. He really made a major terested in trying to do something different. and Gerald Veasley did on Gramavision in change with his approach to the drums. they weren't really coming from the tech- 1985, One Minute Of Love: punk jazz, After that, the only guy that I think really nical aspect, so I had to take my technical rap, funk, bebop, "outside" stuff, silly stuff. tried to do something different was Ronald knowledge and try to analyze what they From there, Rochester wanted to continue Shannon Jackson; that was really interest- did and try to come up with the essence." studying composition, improve those skills, ing. I adapted some of it into my playing, Early in his career, Rochester found he and then work on a record of his own. But because Blood was into the amalgamation had to fill up a lot of space while playing in when he heard that Omar Hakim was going of the Eastern stuff and the blues—playing organ trios around Philadelphia on week- with Sting's group, he took the opportunity by Robin Tolleson

got down to the final thing in the studio, all of a sudden it just sounded like music. I'm still trying to figure this guy out. We just were playing these different separate parts and these different pieces, and I couldn't hear the end result. The last few times we got into the studio, I could hear it all come together, and it was un- believable." Zawinul Syndicate guitarist Scott Hender- son was initially skepti- cal when he heard that Rochester was joining the band. "When I heard I was going to be playing with Cornell, and that he had played with Blood and Jamaal- adeen, I was thinking, 'Uh oh, I'm going to have to pound my foot on the floor to know where 1 is.' It's one thing for a drummer to be artful and musical with his stuff, and an- other to have an attitude that's just, 'Let's see how weird I can play to screw the band up. Let's Photo by Aldo Mauro see if they can follow to discuss a gig with Joe Zawinul. "I asked "In the black clubs, they're more in tune my advanced figures.' So I wondered. But him if I could join his band when he came with Cannonball Adderley than they are when we played, Cornell was solid as a to Philadelphia, and he said he'd give me a with Joe's situation with . rock—a very tasteful drummer. I was real chance when he got things straightened They can't link the two," says Cornell. "But pleased to hear how he played." out. I've always been interested in African we've been hearing Joe's sound since we've As on his recent Dialects album, Zaw- music hooked up with that Arabic or Middle been growing up; this guy's just so heavy. inul works with drum machines and with Eastern stuff, plus the way Joe can hook it He gave us charts, and I don't even under- live drummers in the Syndicate. Rochester up with these rock beats interested me. stand what I did. The music was constantly didn't have much problem working with That's what attracted me to Blood—the evolving. One time I'd be playing this part, the sequencers: "It's not really difficult. It Eastern thing—and I had heard that Joe and another time I'd be playing a totally all depends on what you work on. If you Zawinul did that a lot. I went to a couple different part, because Joe's constantly work on double-stroke rolls, you're going shows, and wanted to get with him. changing the concept. When we were re- to get real good at double-stroke rolls. So "My project wasn't moving the way it hearsing, the material was changing so dra- for a while, I've been constantly working was supposed to," Rochester recalls. "I matically every day that a lot of times I with a metronome, and it's easy. In fact it wanted to write, study the piano.... So I didn't even know if we were playing the gets so easy that you become dependant told myself, 'In the meantime I've got to try same song. The tracks I did were all cool, on it. You want to hear it all the time. But to survive. Let me try to get a gig while I'm but Joe's constantly hearing stuff. And when that's definitely the direction I wanted to getting my writing together. If I can get he changes up the parts, the whole drum go into, because a lot of contemporary with Joe Zawinul, because this guy's a phe- rhythm and everything has to change. groups are going that way." nomenal writer....' I had seen Weather "First we jammed a lot," Cornell contin- Rochester was impressed by what Manu Report when they had Omar, and what Joe ues, "then we started playing the songs. Joe Katche and Peter Gabriel were doing with does is just very interesting, man. I have had me playing certain beats and certain drum machines and live playing on Ga- been benefitting, just by being with him." simple things with the drum machine. He briel's recent tour. "Joe is going to be doing Zawinul is still well-known in Philly be- had me playing these different parts, and I that, so I've been working in that direction. cause of his early work like "Mercy, Mercy." couldn't understand it, really. But when we I was interested in doing that anyway, be- cause I'm trying to play the keyboards a bals. That's why I need a lot of cymbals at little bit, too. Once I do get back into my one time. These sound like Zildjians, but a own projects, I would like to add certain little crisper." He uses different sticks for lines and play certain things while I have different occasions too. "I use 737s, 3As, the drum machines doing some other or I can use a 5A—just in that range." things." Rochester is basically self-taught on When recording and touring on the road, drums, and learned much of his reading Rochester has mostly played rented drum- skills from "shedding" with sax-playing sets. "I have a set of Fibes to practice on in friends in Philadelphia. "Horn players were the cellar, and I have a set of Slingerlands the only ones really into studying the stuff, that I used to use on gigs." He endorses because a lot of them went to college. I Sabian cymbals, and recently got unlim- never really studied technically, as far as ited access to their warehouse. "Different the way the drums "should" be played. I situations call for different types of cym- wasn't into alternating sticking and that kind of stuff. I'd just read different rolls and played them my own way. Even the way I was holding my sticks was causing a lot of problems with my playing, so I've gotten a lot of that straightened out." Rochester has recently corrected a couple of flaws in his attack that he feels will make him a more powerful and accurate drum- mer. "I switched over to matched grip, be- cause I felt I had more control. I also real- ized that my arms were really extended away from my body, and I wasn't comfort- able or relaxed. Now I have my arms a little closer to my sides, and it's made a world of difference. It's just unbelievable that I had been playing that long like that. I just have much more control. I can use more dynamics. I can play rudiments on a pianissimo level, on up to forte." Tama Snare Drums

separate tuning lugs on the batter head, and 10 on the snare side. Tama's theory— explained in detail in their flyer—is that when an even number of tuning lugs are placed in the traditional manner, the spot at which tension is greatest is a tiny point in the exact center of the head. This occurs because the lines of ten- sion run directly across the drum from lug to lug. (Visu- alize a huge asterisk on the Mattingly top of your drumhead.)

Rick With an odd number of

by lugs, the lines of tension run along a series of trian- Photo gular patterns, creating a The emphasis placed on the snare drum in 11-lug model featured separate lugs for the larger area in the center at which maxi- a drummer's setup has never been greater top and bottom heads, while the larger sizes mum tension and response occurs. (Visual- than it is today. Many drummers now em- used single tubes. These lugs are simple ize a large 11 -pointed star.) In other words, ploy more than one snare drum on their and easy to work with. They also minimize a larger "sweet spot" is created. kits, and studio players often carry a dozen the additional mass added to the shell, thus It sounded good on paper, but would it or more to sessions. In recent years, the helping to maximize shell resonance. sound that good on the drum? Yes! After popularity of different sizes has shifted, All of the drums were fitted with Tama's following the tuning steps listed for the 11- going from "standard-sized" 5" drums in Cam-lever snare throwoff. The piccolo lug snare, I found that the snare sensitivity the '50s and '60s to 6 1/2" and 8" drums in model is a shortened version, mounted at a and power of the drum was equal over a the mid- to late '70s, then back down in slight angle so that nothing extends above much larger area of the playing surface size until the piccolo revival that began the playing surface of the drum. (I like this than you would find with most snare drums. just a few years ago. As music has diversi- touch.) The tension knob is easy to reach The full tone and crispness of the drum fied, so has the demand for widely differ- and operate, and the throwoffs on all our was impressive, and tuning sensitivity was ent snare drum sounds and characteristics. test drums worked smoothly and easily— dramatic. (A little tuning effort went a long In response to this demand, many com- although not with total silence. There was way.) I had to attribute much of this to the panies have expanded their snare drum a bit of snare buzz when the snares were 11-lug design. It sounds a bit crazy at first, lines, promoting new shell designs and applied. but when the principles are explained (and materials, new tuning systems, hardware On the larger drums, the full-size Cam- you can hear how they apply), the idea innovations, etc. And no company has been lever throwoff has one annoying design makes a lot of sense. busier at this than Tama. Picking up Tama's feature. The lever that operates the throw- Of course, a good deal of the drum's most recent snare drum flyer is an educa- off extends up and past the knurled tension excellent sound was also attributable to tion in the science of snare drum design. knob, hiding the knob between the drum- the solid-maple shell. As with Noble & It's also like browsing through the Sears shell and the lever. It is virtually impossible Cooley and Solid Percussion snares, this catalog. This company offers no fewer than to operate that knob with the snares on; drum is a solid piece of maple, without three major series of snare drums, each of one must throw off the snares in order to plies. A solid body resonates with a single which features several sub-lines. And each tension them. This, in turn, makes fine- fundamental tone, maximizing its projec- of those sub-lines offers a variety of models tuning the snares an aggravating process. I tion. The Tama solid-maple snare demon- in different sizes, with different hardware appreciate the artistic design of the throw- strated that principle wonderfully. The options, etc. Tama is into snare drums in a off, but I think a more practical one would sound was warm, clear, and distinct, with big way. expose the tension knob for easy access. more than adequate volume. And the drum We tried nine snare drums for this re- Other than my disagreement with the just felt nice to play on. It featured Tama's view. From the Artwood series we tested throwoff design, I must say that all of the Steel Mighty Hoops and 20-strand wire the new 11-lug solid-maple snare in a 6 1/2" drums tested were manufactured beauti- snares held with tape. depth, and 3 1/2", 6 1/2", and 9" all-maple fully. Initial construction, machining, fin- The other three drums from the Artwood plywood-shell snares. From the Power ishing, and assembly were excellent on series were all 8-ply maple shells, fitted Metal series, we tried 3 1/2", 5", and 8" brass each and every drum. With that in mind, I with die-cast hoops. The 3 1/2" maple proved drums, along with 3 1/2" and 6 1/2" bell brass want to move on to the individual charac- to be the most versatile of the three piccolo models. teristics of sound and function that came to drums we tested; it had the greatest practi- In terms of physical description, let me light in the testing process. cal tuning range (from reasonably low to save time by saying that all of our test pistol-shot high), with a warm, dry sound Maple Snares snares featured Ambassador heads top and and lots of crack. Naturally, as would be bottom, and were fitted with Tama's Two- The drum I was most eager to try was the expected with any piccolo drum, snare way tube lugs. The piccolo drums and the new 11-lug model. This drum features 11 sensitivity and sticking response was ex- the entirtest)was9"deepsnare.Ihad jection. The maplshellkeptsnaroverringoa The 31/2"piccolotendedtplayahigher for today'sdrummewhohatcuthrough tionally brightandlouhighs,anecessit day's currentshallow-drumtrend,thidru on italowvolumeandstillgegoo was adrumthatdid,indeedhavepower suited fora"fatback"rock'n'rollbackbeat expected apowerful,resonantdrumwith this group(andwamyfavoriteoverallfor sound, withimpressivedeptforitssize. duced asizeable,well-roundewood-drum application.) way ithandleditsel f inbothsoftandlou jected arounder,morefull-bodie d sound, wood snares.Hethoughttha t theypro- of thebrassdrumhadthisamcharacter- other's "projection.")Aamatteroffact,all tremendous amountofring,requiringabi drum forthiscomparison.)Italsohada we triedcertainlywerlouancutting. that, sinceIfoundthatththrebrassdrum vast wallsofsound."Ihaveagrewith are popularbecaustheyproduc"excep- the backbeatwas—andhowloud!Into- sound tobackupthecrispness.WhenI deep drums.YetwhenIreallylaidintoit,i snare sensitivityandcrispness.Icoulpla and depth,butthaalsohaanunexpecte and reallylittleelse.WhatIdiscovere "cavernous")—in otherwords,adrum of theattackrcrispnesssnar the piccolos,usofaFattnersound- ceptional. (Iwouldliketoadthanall situations. Itseeme d asthoughitwoulbe The 5"drumwasthonly ofthissize while thwoodsnareswerabi t moredry. application; onedrummer's"ring"ian- sioned tothesamdegree.(IuseaNeary bers commentedonhowclearanprecise used thedrumonygig,banmem- had anunbelievably"meaty,"full-bodie snare sound—ararthingwithextremely lots andofdepth(Tamadescribeit minimum, whileaffordingplentyofpro- "standard" amongourtestgroup.Ipro- "thin-sounding" toworkwellinourroc sound. Thishelpedtoovercomemyband' matically, withoutsacrificingthesharpness brass snarea"meatier"tha n thatofthe much ringisdesirabledependonyour more mufflingformyclubsituation.(How pitch thanthemapldrumdidwheten- is animpressiveexceptiotothrule. initial feelingthatthepiccoloswertoo Fattner servedtodropthedrum'spitchdra- increasing theversatilityofdrum.Th modifying diskwentalonwaytowards in ourentiresurve y group,andIlikethe istic. Drum Torquetoseequaltensioneach The drumthatsurprisedthmosin Tama's literaturestatethatbrasshell The 61/2"drummightbeconsidereda My bassplayerdescribedtheton e ofth Brass Snares

Photo by Rick Mattingly drummer whoplayedawidevarietyf the tensiondowabito found thatthedrumstarte with apistol-shotcrack."I group—especially the31/2" you shouldprobablyconsiderwooin- down abit,theytendedtosounlittle dous depth,evenithe8"size.Whetuned the brassdrumdidnothavwatremen- styles andvolumelevels,butcoulonly an excellent"compromise"snarefor could notexplainuntilIre- tration—a piccolotthe found thatIhaadrumwith colos. Iactuallyhadtobring degree asthothertwopic- when tensionedtothesam out incrediblyhigh-pitched snares athemostdistincamongourtes stead ofbrassinthefirstplace. you wantawarmer,deeper-soundingdrum acteristics Tamaclaimforbrasshells.If sloppy. Butthisiconsistenwiththechar- afford onesnardrum.Ththingthat actually came closerin a drumthatcuts,yeoffers every styleofmusic.Butfor acter mightnolenditselfo drum forallapplications, the bellbrassshell:"high avoid chokingthedruman "powerful andthroaty,yet piccolo. ThenotImadth standing option . piccolo wouldbeanout- body aswell,thebellbras because that"throaty"char- I can'tsayiwouldbeth resonance...long sustain... ing depthandbodythatI max—yet withanunderly- incredible crackandpene- kettle. ButafterIdidthat, having itsoundlikeasoup night Iusedionagigwas low fundamentalfrequency." read Tama'sdescriptionof The 61/2"bellbras s snare I wouldhavetodescribthbellbrass Bell BrassSnares drum tosoundlike.Iwasfaandeep- tuned upintoahigherrange,withsatisfac- tuned downabitgavegrowling"fat- for thelugbolts,asopposedtomortradi- sounding (farbeyondwhatonewoulex- sound towhaIexpectethe9"mapl were absolutkillers,thankstothbell terns. Rimshotsonbothbellbrassnare tory snarecrispnessforquickstickingpat- drums quiteheavy.(Thpiccoloweighin tional rimswith"ears." back" sound.Itcould,howeveralsobe pect ohearfromthasizedrum),andwhen brass rims.Thesearsolidcircledrille 3mm-thick shells—makethbellbrass Those rims,bythway—alongwith

Photo by Rick Mattingly at 13 pounds, as compared to 7 1/4 pounds for the maple version. The 6 1/2" bell brass tips the scales at a hefty 18 pounds.) But that weight and solidity seem to give the Power Cradle drums that extra body that they possess. Conclusions And Prices There can be no denying that bass drum power from the foot to the beater—and, ul- playing has gained more and more atten- timately, to the bass drum. Quality drums don't come cheap, but tion in the past few years. The emphasis According to Alan, "A precise and effec- Tama's drums are certainly competitive in that rock music places on a dynamic bass tive footboard facilitates a drummer's de- today's high-ticket-snare drum market. The drum part has led drummers to seek out velopment of bass drumming prowess. The suggested retail list prices for the drums various methods of improving their power Power Cradle places emphasis on the ball reviewed are: 6 1/2" Artwood 11-lug solid and accuracy on the bass drum. Most try to of the foot, affording the drummer a stronger maple, $629; 3 1/2" Artwood 8-ply maple, develop better technique on their existing and quicker beat. The tailor-made 'sweet $449; 6 1/2" maple, $499; 9" maple, $559; equipment. But one drummer, by the name spot' increases accuracy and comfort." This 3 1/2" Power Metal brass, $449; 5" brass, of Alan Barca, decided to apply his ener- is a pretty lofty claim. But I have to say that $469; 8" brass, $549; 3 1/2" Power Metal gies toward improving the physical means Alan has a valid concept, based on the bell brass, $1,099; and 6 1/2" bell brass, of playing the bass drum—namely, the testing that I did. $1,299. Certain drums are available with pedal. The Power Cradle footboard sent to us different rims at extra cost. Alan's idea was to improve on the foot- for review was attached to a Drum I was impressed by Tama's snare drums. board—or, more accurately, to replace the Workshop CX-5000 front end. Although our Considering that these were only nine footboard entirely. In its place, Alan cre- test model was a prototype, subsequent drums out of many that are available, you ated the Power Cradle, a footboard that production models also use the DW equip- can see why I said that Tama is into snare incorporates a sling-like metal plate de- ment. However, the footboard alone is also drums in a big way. I enjoyed playing on signed to swivel in a forward-and-back mo- available for user-fitting to virtually any every drum they sent. Again, not every drum tion within a larger metal frame. The basic existing pedal. would work for every purpose, but that's concept is that the cradle accommodates To get an idea of what the Power Cradle what a variety line is all about. the ball of the foot, moving forward as the footboard is, imagine a 1/2"-thick rectangu- —Rick Van Horn foot does, thereby maintaining contact and lar steel frame, about 10 1/2" long by 7 1/2" transferring every bit of down-and-forward wide. The front of the frame is attached to The Pink Mink Beater

new concept, and the results are dramatic. SPL's—in conjunction with the fractional Rather than try to describe the Pink Mink increase in air compression within the beater in every detail, I'll ask you to refer to drumshell—"result in a longer period of the photograph. What Gary's beater does resonance of the surrounding air, which is combine a large, flat striking surface, a allows the ear or a microphone to perceive carefully calculated beater-to-shaft angle, the presence of lower tones which can be and a durable nylon composite material to accounted for electrically, but would nor- create a fairly heavy and very powerful mally be lost to the ear perceptually." Basi- beater. The odd shape of the beater comes cally, what Gary's hi-tech jargon means is as a result of having material removed from that the weights cause the beater to hit the

Rick Mattingly immediately behind the striking surface (to drumhead harder and longer, resulting in

by reduce heat build-up from friction caused more power and lower fundamental tones by the beater hitting the head), and from from the drum. Photo having horizontal tubes bored into the I worked with a prototype of the beater beater head—more or less perpendicular (shown in our photo). Even though it seems This device was originally to be presented to the steel shaft. It is these tubes—and a bit crude when compared to subsequent in our Shop Talk department, because when what goes inside them—that really makes production models, it performed exactly as we received it, it was not yet a commer- the Pink Mink beater hi-tech. Gary said it would. I found that it produced cially available product. Its inventor, Gary The tubes are designed to accommodate a tremendous amount of impact power Minker, was, at that point, "shopping" for a specially calibrated pairs of weights that without my having to do all the work, and manufacturer for his new beater design. slide back and forth inside when the beater it did, indeed, get a deep, booming sound However, Gary has subsequently deter- is played. These weights provide a secon- out of my drum. The nice thing about that mined that he is the best person to make dary impact that follows the initial pedal- was that I noticed no corresponding lack of and distribute his Pink Mink beater. induced impact by about 1/1000th of a attack; the flat nylon striking surface (about Don't let the cute name fool you. It's second. This additional impact keeps the the size of a half-dollar in area) kept the merely a catchy marketing device to help beater against the head longer—eliminat- "highs" in the sound, while the impact du- promote what is probably the first com- ing the normal "bounceback" effect ob- ration caused by the internal weights puter-assisted-design, hi-tech bass drum tained with most beaters. Gary believes that pushed the "lows" out as well. It took a beater ever. Up until now, beaters were by eliminating that bounceback, more en- while to get used to the feel of the beater basically just clubs of one form or another. ergy is transmitted into the drumhead, re- (which is a bit heavier than most others), A wide variety of materials have been used, sulting in greater drumhead compression but that is the case with any new beater but the basic concept has remained the and the production of higher Sound Pres- one might try, and I was soon very com- same. Gary has actually come up with a sure Levels (SPL's). In turn, these higher fortable with it. Footboard the drive chain of the CX-5000 by a 2 1/2"- a tremendously solid long extension. The rear of the frame (which feeling under my foot is actually open) is attached by hinges to a when I hit the bass base plate (on which the entire assembly is drum. But it took me mounted). In the middle of the frame is quite a while to work slung the metal "cradle." The cradle is at- up any amount of speed tached to the sides of the frame by means on the pedal. There is a of axles, and can be adjusted forward or lot of mass to the over- backward (in three positions) by means of all assembly, and so the removable set screws. (Adjusting the posi- pedal was not particu- tion of the cradle within the frame has a larly quick on the return great deal of effect on the leverage of the stroke. (Part of this may footboard.) The cradle itself can also be have been due to the immobilized by large set screws, making it DW mechanism's circu- stationary within the frame, and thus turn- lar chain-drive action; ing it into a somewhat more traditional I'm more used to an ec- footboard. (This defeats the entire purpose centric-cam pedal that of the design, but some people might still is a little faster on the find it more comfortable to play this way.) uptake.) This is another The first thing I discovered about the area in which I feel con- Power Cradle was that it took some getting fident that more time used to. There was no heel plate to rest on, spent with the pedal and no footboard to slide up and down on would overcome my with the "glancing" motion that I'm used to limitations. using. Once my foot was in the "cradle," it One obstacle that pretty much stayed there. (Of course, that's time could not over- the whole idea.) Although this felt awk- come is the sheer size Mattingly

ward at first, I have to admit that I could of the footboard-and- Rick

immediately sense the direct transfer of pedal assembly. A 7 1/2"- by power from my foot to the pedal. There wide bass drum pedal was no energy lost to wasted motion; as is just too massive to fit Photo my foot went down and forward, so did the comfortably into many of today's compli- about the only fault I could find with it. It cradle under it, keeping me in complete cated setups, considering the number of isn't going to win any awards for aesthet- contact with the pedal at all times. At first, I tripod legs, additional pedals, cables, etc., ics, but the scientific principles on which it found myself only being able to play in a that are on the floor in the area immedi- is designed are sound. It does provide a di- heel-up manner, since I had a tendency to ately behind the bass drum. I realize that a rect transfer of energy from the drummer's approach the cradle more like "stirrups" certain amount of size is necessary to ac- foot to the beater (and the bass drum) in an than a footboard. But as I worked with the commodate the mechanics of the cradle, extremely efficient and powerful manner. pedal, I was able to accustom myself to it but I see no reason why the cradle itself It's very different, but if you aren't locked in a more traditional approach, and even needs to be as wide as it is (just under 6"). in to "tried-and-true" technology and are play fairly lightly in a heel-down manner. I A survey I took of several drummers re- willing to give something new a try, the say fairly lightly, because the leverage pro- vealed that the average drummer's foot is Power Cradle footboard is definitely worth vided by the Power Cradle's moving frame around 4" wide (with shoes on). Allowing checking out. A complete pedal (including is tremendous, and the resulting whip-ac- for those above average, even a 5" cradle the DW CX-5000 front end) sells for tion of the beater was hard to control at width would be more than adequate. This $119.00; the footboard alone is available first. This pedal is designed for power, not could bring the overall footboard size down for $59.00. Contact Insight Percussion, 1160 for subtlety. (I'm sure I could have achieved by a full inch. It would still be pretty big, Burnham Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43228, both with a bit more time.) but at least it would be a bit more practi- (614) 878-7831, for more information or to From the outset, the volume afforded by cal. place an order. the Power Cradle was impressive; there was Honestly though, the footboard's size was —Rick Van Horn

I found the the noise caused by the slid- to tailor the distance that the weights can moment, a list price has not yet been deter- ing weights hitting each end of their tubes slide, and thus vary the action of the beater. mined. a bit distracting. Gary has informed me Additionally, five calibrated pairs of weights As we went to press for this issue, Gary that on production models, acoustic damp- will also be included. Given the combina- Minker informed us to watch for the Pink ening material will be fitted at the ends of tion of weights and end caps, over 700 Mink beater in retail drum shops around the tubes to prevent this problem. He also distinctly different adjustments will be pos- Christmastime. In the meantime, further informed me that where our prototype had sible. Hardened steel shafts will complete information on the beater can be obtained only a pair of bolts closing off the rear of the construction. And, as you might have by writing directly to Gary at 4271 122nd the tubes, the production models will come guessed, where our prototype was made of Drive North, Royal Palm Beach, Florida, with three pairs of screw-on end caps of a standard white nylon material, the com- 33411. varying lengths. These caps (also fitted with mercial versions will, in fact, be pink, and —Rick Van Horn the dampening material) will allow the user will be marketed in a pink bag. At the by Rod Morgenstein Switching Gears With Winger Photo by Rick Malkin

After several years of playing jazz-rock fusion with the and the Band, I am now a member of Winger, a melodic, hard rock (some say heavy metal) band. Drumming in this band is both demanding and satisfying in that in addition to pounding out the "basics," I'm also encouraged to take chances, stretch out, and "break the rules." The following musical examples are taken from several Winger songs off our recent album (Winger, Atlantic 86867-1), and run the gamut from "the basics" to "stretching out." This beat is from the chorus of "" and is pretty much straight-ahead and basic.

Also basic in nature, this example is taken from the verse in "Hungry" and has syncopated 16ths on the bass drum punching with the line.

On "Poison Angel," the bass drum and snare stay fairly close to this pattern, but the cymbal part varies throughout the song between quarter notes, off-beat quarters notes, and doubling with the bass drum.

This beat is from the chorus of "" and is played very slowly. Measure four displays the kind of fun I have with this tune from start to finish.

Also from "Headed For A Heartbreak," the verse to this song is characterized by a random broken 16th-note pattern on the hi-hat.

This is the beat to the first verse of "Purple Haze." (Yes, it's a cover of the original by .) Also from "Purple Haze," this beat is a dressed up version of the last example. It employs ghost strokes and playing both the body and bell of the cymbal. Play the accented cymbal notes on the bell of the cymbal.

These are the last two measures of "Purple Haze." Notice the six-note groupings of four tom, two bass drum notes, which happens four times in a row, creating an unusual effect.

The following is from the verse in "Seventeen." The beat is highly syncopated and plays off of the very funky guitar and bass lines.

This example is taken from the instrumental section at the end of the guitar solo in "Seventeen." In measure three the drums go into the backwards mode, stressing upbeats instead of the usual downbeats. "Justice And by Kenny Aronoff Independence '85" Photo by Rick Malkin

I recently was asked a question by Tony was at the other end of the room talking to someone and suddenly Barajas through Modern Drummer's Ask A turned around and said, "Hey, what's that you're playing? Keep Pro department concerning a drum line in playing that beat." He liked what I was playing so much that it the song "Justice And Independence '85," became the basic beat to the song. I wasn't trying or even aware of which I recorded on John Cougar what I had been playing. This was the original beat that John liked Mellencamp's Scarecrow record. In order so much: to answer this question properly, I felt I needed to write an article about not only the drum line, but all the other drum parts related to it, because everything I played in the song was based on that basic beat. So instead of just writing out the drum line, I thought it would also be important to know how and why I came up with the part in the first place. I wasn't into the beat as much as John was, so I went home and Sometimes when you try real hard to come up with a unique practiced playing the song over and over again until I came up beat or the perfect beat to a song, you can't find it, and then other with many variations to it. I basically experimented with the beat times when you're not trying at all it just comes real easy and until I had developed a vocabulary of ideas that all related to it. naturally. John likes a natural approach to music, especially when These ideas helped me enjoy playing the song much more and we're coming up with parts to a song. For example, when we were also helped make my parts—and therefore the song—more inter- rehearsing this song, it just wasn't happening. We had spent a esting. Measures 7 - 18 are an example of how I played many couple of days trying to come up with the right groove and parts to different variations of the beat without changing the feel or groove the song. I remember at one point at the end of one rehearsal I was of the song. If you look at measures 7-18, you'll notice that each off in another world daydreaming about something as I was play- measure is actually a bit different from the measure before. These ing the drums and "Justice And Independence '85." John slight variations of the original beat helped keep the groove excit- ing and interesting, without detracting from the basic beat and groove of the song. Another important part to this song was the drum fills I played in measures 6 and 24:

Just like the basic beat to the song, these fills came naturally. Sometimes I have to think a lot about what fill is best for a particular section in a song, but in most cases the first idea works best. I don't try to think about fills so much when I'm playing the drums, but more about the song, the lyrics, and the correct groove for the song. The fills will in most cases fall into place if you're thinking about these three things first. John wanted a drum break or solo after the second chorus (measures 61 - 64). I got my ideas for the solo from the drum fills I had already played in measures 6 and 24. Four measures is a long time for a drum solo on a pop record, especially when John doesn't like solos to begin with. So, I had to think about what I was going to play. However, this was all happening in rehearsal, and he wanted me to come up with a part immediately. The most natural thing for me to play was something related to the fills that I had already played in measures 6 and 24. As a matter of fact, the solo was like an extension of the fills in measures 6 and 24. Instead of playing a one-measure fill, I kept going and extended it for four measures. After rehearsal, I went home and practiced my solo by playing the song over and over again until I felt it fit in the groove of the song. I added different accents to the snare part and added hi-hat and bass drum parts to the snare line, but mostly I tried to play what felt natural and not be so academic or technical. The next part in the song that came after the drum solo was a break-down section (measures 65 - 84). It also featured drums. I played this break-down part on my 12" power tom and with my hi-hat (with foot). In this section, John wanted to build from the 65 - 84) were all related to each other. Each part that I was playing drums by adding other parts to the drum part or drum line. (Meas- at the time was influenced by what I had just previously played. ures 65 - 68 were guitar and drums; measures 69 - 72 vocals and The drum solo or break-down section (measures 65 - 84) was tambourine were added; measures 73 - 76 brass was added; and influenced by what I played in the snare solo section or drum line in measures 77 - 83 snare drum, cowbell, and bass guitar were (measures 61 - 64); the solo section or drum line was influenced added.) The break-down section ended with a simple one-meas- by my snare fills in measures 6 and 24; and these fills were ure drum fill (measure 84) that went into the solo section. influenced by the basic beat and groove I was playing to start with. The different parts I discussed in this article (basic beat of the I always try to establish a beat and feel for a song first, and once I song and its variations, the fills in measures 6 and 24, the snare have done that, everything else falls into place. It's usually a good solo in measures 61 - 64, and the break-down section in measures starting point.

After discussing all of the different sections of the song, I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at the overall form of the song.

Here is the transcription of "Justice And Independence '85."

Yamaha RX-8 Digital

The Basics The initial 46 pages of the 152-page ever, I did feel that the RX-5-derivative snare The RX-8 drum machine, Yamaha's most manual are written in English; French and sounded cheesy in light of the other four recent model, sports quite a few features German versions are included as well. I samples. Maybe this contrast is what that have not been incorporated in any of found it to be concise yet very thorough, Yamaha had intended. Of course, personal their previous models. With the RX-8, you easy to follow, with detailed examples of interpretation is a subjective area; what have the capability of constantly altering the tasks at hand. Finally a manufacturer sounds good to me may not sound good to the panning placement of each instrument has managed to relay all the pertinent and you. I do feel very confident in saying that within the stereo field, while routing any necessary information to the user in an or- the other four snares are terrific, though. voice to either the stereo outputs or either ganized fashion. Also included is a sample that Yamaha of two individual outputs. Also available is calls "rim." This title is a bit unclear, since The Voices true two-note polyphony per voice, on each it actually sounds very much like a cross- and every beat. Almost every voice in the RX-8 possesses stick on the snare's rim. Anyway, it also Effect detune and effect expansion para- a higher degree of clarity and sheer bril- sounds quite nice. meters are new as well; we'll cover those liance when given an A/B comparison to Yamaha's research and development staff in depth later. And one of the most impor- the current Yamaha flagship, the RX-5. Of obviously did some serious homework in tant features is the improvement in the the 43 different samples, 24 are drumset- regard to tom-tom samples. You are given sound quality. The RX-8 boasts 43 16-bit based sounds. The remaining 19 voices are two sets of four toms; each set contains its digital samples, which boosts it a step up percussion and DX-type electric bass, ma- own distinct tonal qualities, and both sets from any of the other Yamaha rhythm pro- rimba, and orchestra-hit samples. are absolutely devastating. Toms 1 - 4 range grammers. Included are five different bass drums, from medium-high to medium-low in pitch Don't let the RX-8's light weight and ranging from a dry, deep, and powerful while sounding wide-open with a good deal compact size (only 8"x13") fool you. As "thud" to a smaller-sounding kick with lots of ring. I really liked these toms; they con- soon as you begin listening to the two song of attack, as well as variations on gated tain a certain semi-gated, metallic flavor demos included from the factory, you'll drums. All five drums sound quite power- that contributes to their aggressive, biting realize that this futuristic-looking little black ful and have their own unique timbre, giv- timbre. Set number two contains toms 5 - box is a real powerhouse. The front panel ing you a wide range of possibilities to 8. These are tuned from medium-low to has two rotary-type dials: one for volume, choose from. I especially liked B.D. #1 very low and sound warm, dark, and rich. and the second for tempo. Twelve soft rub- (dry and punchy, with a lot of attack) and They are a very nice contrasting comple- ber "voice-pads" are surrounded by 30 data- B.D. #4 (a deep, gated kick drum). ment to set number one. entry pads, as well as a 2x16-character You also have five snare samples at your For cymbals, the RX-8 is outfitted with backlit LCD. Although the voice pads are disposal, which cover a broad timbral spec- hi-hats (open and closed), rides (cup and not velocity-sensitive, they are much more trum as well. These drums include: one edge), and a single crash. They sound pretty comfortable to play on than those of many RX-5-derivative snare, another that sounds good, though not that much better than (or other drum machines on the market. The like a field drum, two different gated snares, different from) the 12-bit cymbals found on Yamaha approach to programming volume and a fifth drum that has some "effect- the RX-5. The percussion voices are: hand- and most other types of performance data detune," flanging-type processing with clap, cowbell, tambourine, shaker, congas is through the use of detailed—yet easy to gated reverb. There are some very power- (high muted, high open, low), bongos (high learn—editing modes. ful and cutting snare sounds here. How- and low), timbales (high and low), agogo Rhythm Programmeby Paul Vanr Patten bells (high and low), cuica, and whistle. voice, this function allows you to create pansion and effect/detune. Effect/detune For tuned DX-type keyboard voices you some incredibly powerful custom-tuned adds a special effect upon a chosen voice. are given a marimba, an orchestra hit, and drumkits. The samples retain a high degree What happens is that a second, slightly two bass guitar samples (pull and thumb of their initial timbral character when being detuned version of the same voice is played slap). These percussion and tuned voices edited in this manner. You can tune a tom- simultaneously, thereby giving a semi-flang- sound clean, bright, and sharp, as one tom down an interval of a perfect fifth, and ing effect. You can program three varying would expect from a 16-bit sampling rate. the resulting new version will still sound degrees of "detune" per voice. I found this like the original—only much deeper. Yet new parameter to yield some rather un- Voice Edit you can still easily come up with some usual-sounding effects, particularly when My descriptions of these voices are only exciting new sounds as a result of "pitch- applied to an orchestra hit that had been for the factory default tunings/settings. stretching" a sample. reversed and lowered in pitch from the You're not limited to these; the RX-8 gives An alternate pitch for each voice may default tuning. Effect/expansion sends this you the option of re-tuning any voice within also be programmed and stored along with detuned version of your chosen voice to the voice edit mode. You can also tailor the normal tuning you have set up. This is two different sides of the stereo field (over- each sound further with any of the six sub- useful for creating points of emphasis within riding the base pan setting that you have modes, which are called JOBs. a pattern. For example, let's say that the previously set up). Each JOB allows you control over one of snare backbeat found on beat 4 would With any of the six parameters I've men- six different parameters, per each voice. sound nice if it were enhanced or empha- tioned, experimentation is the name of the The six parameters are: Voice Level (vol- sized, in comparison to the same snare game. With some time spent in learning ume), Pan Setting, Pitch, Polyphony (on or backbeat on beat 2. Your alternate pitch what they can do for your programming, off), Effect/Detune, and Effect/Expansion (on (either higher or lower) can be written you'll be surprised at the new dimensions and off). With these six variables, you can on beat 4 by simultaneously pressing present in your patterns and songs. But you alter the ways in which a given voice will "Pitch" and the snare voice pad while writ- don't have to stop there, either. You are respond when written into a pattern, or ing the pattern. When programming an en- also allowed to further tailor these sounds when played in real time. tire tune, this function can save you quite a within each pattern, along with using some The Voice Level of each instrument is bit of detailed editing. more new editing facilities. Let's move on individually set within a range of 00 (no The fourth function found in the Voice to the pattern and song-writing modes. output) to 63 (maximum). I found it best to Edit mode is poly (on/off). This is a new Real Time Write set each voice to approximately 50, in or- feature, not previously found within the der to allow some headroom for writing in Yamaha clan of drum machines. By turning This method of writing lets you create accents. The accent level is also set while this function on for a voice, you will achieve and/or modify your patterns by manually in Voice Level edit. This accent level has a true two-note polyphony, which allows the playing the voice pads in real time. There limit of -63 to +63, but is only functional voice to have two distinct strikes or attacks are three sub-JOBs that need to be set up within the range you have set up for the on the same beat. For example, suppose prior to actually recording a pattern. The voice's overall volume. Once you have you want to have double cymbal crashes first is the length of the pattern, which can reached the available range limits for ei- on beat 1 of a measure. You would like one be from 1/16th to 32/16ths long. The sec- ther level or accent, an exclamation point crash to be high-pitched and panned hard ond sub-JOB is quantization, or auto- (!) appears in the LCD to inform you that left; the second cymbal is to crash at a correcting of your performance. For those the maximum range has been met. This deeper fundamental pitch and be panned of you who are unfamiliar with what quan- exclamation point shows up in this same right. Up until the RX-8, this would be tizing is, the RX-8 will automatically re- manner within all JOBs and sub-JOBs. It's a almost impossible from a Yamaha drum align all incoming notes that you are pro- useful feature that makes both pattern and machine. (Actually, it could be programmed gramming/playing into your pattern down voice editing easier. on an RX-5, but would take a complicated to the nearest subdivision that you have The Pan Setting is the second parameter series of button-pushing to accomplish, specified. The available quantize rates are accessed through the Voice Edit mode. Here since all previous Yamaha models were as follows: 1/8th, 1/16th, 1/32nd, 1/12th, you are given 15 location points within the mono in output format.) 1/24th, and 1/48th. The third sub-JOB is stereo field in which to position each voice. The poly mode is also useful when using the click level. This is a programmable vol- A setting of 1 pans the voice hard left, 8 is samples with long durations (i.e., cymbals) ume range of 00 - 63 for the RX-8's internal dead center, and 15 is hard right. This fea- in rapid succession. On a mono drum click track, or metronome. Triggering sounds ture is of great benefit for those of you who machine, the second crash will abruptly within the RX-8 while in Real Time Write is wish to create a unique mix for your re- cut off the first, which sounds very unnatu- easily accomplished via a MIDI controller cordings, as well as for setting up unusual ral. With the RX-8, the two crashes will such as an electronic drumset, an Ocfa- stereo imaging for your tom-tom fills. overlap, blend, and fade together in a more pad, a synthesizer, or any similar MIDI- You are given a full two-octave range in realistic way. The poly mode is especially based instrument. which to change the pitch of each voice. nice if you want to write advanced patterns A very useful feature for writing melodic Adjustments are measured in increments of and songs that feature complex melodic and harmonic structures within a pattern is 10 cents, with 100 cents equaling a chro- lines and/or contrapuntal voice-weaving. the Multi Key. This function allows you to matic half-step and 1200 cents equaling an This new feature is a valuable improve- spread a chosen voice across all 12 voice octave. The RX-8 allows you to venture ment that can help add realism to your pads, within a two-octave limit. Writing one octave above and below the factory programming. melodic marimba and/or supportive bass default tunings. Since you are starting off The final two parameters found in Voice lines are a cinch with this. You can also with 16-bit samples of each and every Edit are also new, and are titled effect/ex- write in parts with very diverse accent ranges via this Multi Key function. Use of pattern, each sign turns into a dot that rep- very realistic parts are at a bit of a disad- Real Time Write functions will save you a resents that particular voice currently being vantage. considerable amount of programming time. used. The Step Write mode is where you There are a few ways in which to crea- accomplish the majority of pattern editing, tively get around these limitations, to a Step Write which we'll cover a bit later. degree. But instead, I wish that Yamaha The Step Write mode for writing patterns The length and quantization sub-JOBs had included the capabiIity of writing longer is accomplished in a simple step-by-step are two areas that I feel can leave users patterns, as well as higher quantize rates fashion. There are two sub-JOBs here, somewhat stifled in their attempts to freely and/or an "off" function. The RX-5 includes which are the quantization and pattern capture their musical ideas. As previously both options, and from my own personal length functions. While writing a pattern stated, you are given the option of writing experience with the RX-5 on many ses- using Step Write, the LCD window will in increments of 1/16 to 32/16 beats long. sions, I've found them to be almost invalu- give you a graphic screen displaying a se- Writing an effective musical passage, sen- able. Although I have not written any soft- ries of"-" signs. These signs represent each tence, or phrase often requires a pattern ware for the internal architecture in a drum subdivision within your pattern. For ex- four to eight bars in length. Being limited machine, I can't imagine that it would have ample, if you have a bar of 4/4 time quan- to two-bar phrases costs the user excessive cost much to have included these func- tized to 1/16th, you'll have 16 of these "-" programming time in finding adjacent tions. signs in the window. If you then decide to empty patterns in which to continue writ- Pattern Editing re-quantize to 1/32nd, the screen will dis- ing, requires tedious extra button-pushing play two consecutive groups of 16 "-" signs. to set up the next pattern, etc. Those spon- This is where the real fun begins. It is As you enter the chosen voices into the taneous, creative sparks can quickly be here that you are able to shape a whole extinguished when faced with the hassle of range of parameters for each and every locating and re-programming a continuation attack, of all voices, inside of all patterns. of pattern #1, and of pattern #2, and so on. Are you unhappy with the tuning of the The second limitation I disliked was not snare drum in pattern number 50? Is the being able to turn the quantization to "off." bass drum accent on beat number one in For truly realistic-sounding programming, pattern 55 too strong? Do you now wish you'll probably want a very slight variance you had programmed both the effect and somewhere within your songs. To accu- reverse functions on the cymbal crash in rately record those necessary nuances of number 57? No problem! Any and all of your playing/programming style, you really these voice parameters are easily edited need to be able to turn the auto-correct while in the Pattern Step Write mode. function to either a very high quantize rate, A feature of the RX-8 that I've never en- or to an "off" position. Since the RX-8 has countered on a drum machine before is 1/32 and 1/48 as its highest rates, those fully programmable panning for every in- who desire the option of trying to achieve strument, per beat/per pattern. You say that the agogo part in the chorus would sound incredible if you could just add some life to it? Well, try to imagine this: an agogo bell part that gradually lowers in chromatic half steps, while decreasing in volume, as well as dancing around the stereo field. Once again, no problem! It's all in here! You can really create some wonderful ste- reo imaging with this feature. I'm going to bet that this will soon become a standard feature on almost every new drum machine after the RX-8—especially when users dis- cover how hip it is. It gives your patterns some real life by adding a sense of move- ment, as opposed to stagnant, lifeless drum beats where each instrument is permanently fixed in the same stereo field position. You can choose to erase a single beat of any instrument, or opt to remove the voice entirely from a pattern. Simply erasing the whole pattern is yet another option. Copy- ing a pattern to another pattern location is also standard. As with most other machines, the RX-8 will keep tabs on the available percentage of memory remaining. Once you have become familiar with all of the vari- ous modes, JOBs, and sub-JOBs, writing and editing a series of patterns is a real breeze. Song Mode A song is a sequence of 1 to 999 "parts." A part may be any one of the following: a pattern, a repeat beginning or end, a tempo change (accelerando or ritardando), or a volume change (increase or decrease). You can program up to 20 songs, each utilizing 999 parts. External Memory RX-8, I would have to label it as a definite As with the Pattern Write modes, the winner. The sounds are terrific, there are a The Cassette and Card modes are de- Song Write mode also contains a series of lot of new and very useful features, and it signed to let you save and load data to and sub-JOBs. These seven functions are: Song delivers advanced programming in a user- from the internal memory. Traditional cas- Select, Edit Song?, Set Attribute?, Clear friendly format. In-depth pattern editing settes may be used, however, the RX-8 will Song?, Copy Song?, Clear All Songs?, and coupled with creatively planned MIDI fa- Used Memory. Their descriptions are all only function in the Card Mode with a cilities allow the user a wealth of interest- self-explanatory, with the exception of Set Yamaha MCD 32 RAM card. Data trans- ing and unique programming opportuni- mission and reception is accomplished once Attribute?. This is simply where you title ties. your song, as well as set up its initial tempo. again through a series of JOBs. The RX-8 Even with a couple of desirable parame- will also transmit to another RX-8, as well The Song Mode itself is pretty straight ahead, ters missing from the Pattern Write modes, as a MIDI bulk data storage device. All. while offering you options to help create as well as a very limited supply of RAM standard time-functioning modes are fully songs that work in very musical ways. memory for pattern writing, you still get a implemented, including internal clock, After spending a considerable amount of very big bang for the buck. It was only after MIDI, and Tape Sync applications. time with this machine, my main criticism working with this machine for two weeks is with its lack of internal memory. With all Overall Impressions that I learned of its low retail price of of the RX-8's creative features at my dis- $495.00. posal, away I went at programming. I al- In summing up my overall opinion of the most felt double-crossed when the entire pattern memory was used up in approxi- mately 26 2-bar patterns in 4/4 time. I have to admit to using the electric bass voices for bass lines, three patterns with orchestra punches, and a few melodic marimba phrases—with drum and/or percussion parts happening throughout. (This drum machine really lets you write some nice stuff.) But maxxing out the entire pattern memory in just 26 patterns? It just seems odd that Yamaha would give the RX-8 so many wonderful editing features and parameters, while loading up the machine's internal memory with 20- song capability. It seems much more logi- cal (from a programmer's viewpoint) to give more RAM memory to the Pattern Mode, and less memory to the Song Mode. This, in turn, would give the user much more freedom to compose with all of these well- implemented features. MIDI Modes The MIDI Mode parameters are relatively extensive for a machine in this price range. There are seven JOBs here, which include the usual receive/transmit channel assign- ments, channel messages (on/off), as well as individual MIDI note assignments per voice. There are some interesting ways that you can use these features to maximize the potential within the Pattern Write modes. Let's say that you are not using a few of the voices within a song. You can then turn off the individual volume settings for each of these instruments from the stereo outs. Since no volume is being produced by them, you can use these voices to transmit on/off MIDI messages to specifically trigger external synths, tone generators, drum machines, etc. The RX-8 will also function in the "Pitched Note" mode, like its bigger brother, the RX-5. Here, any voice may be chosen to be controlled over a full two- octave range by an external MIDI control- ler. This is especially effective when in the Real Time Write mode, in order to write melodic phrases with ease. Pitched Note mode would also lend itself very nicely to live use; the newer generation drum ma- chines are becoming quite attractive for use as sound modules. At age 10, he couldn't imagine what it would feel like to play the world's greatest drums. Now he can. Manu Katche by Joe Morello Transcribed by Keith Necessary Endurance And Control: Part 2 Photo by Rick Mattingly The purpose of these exercises is to help develop an even sound while playing different sticking patterns. Always try to make it sound like you're playing the pattern with one hand. The basic exercise consists of one bar of 8th notes, followed by a bar of 16th notes.

To expand on this, repeat only the 16th-note bar. The 8th-note bar is only played once, at the beginning of the exercise. Continue repeating the second bar on up to 30 repetitions. Be sure to play each complete pattern at least four times before adding another bar of 16ths. Here's the idea with three bars of 16th-note repetitions.

Now try all of the following exercises, using the same repetition format described above. It's important that all of these exercises be practiced with a metronome. Start at around quarter note = 72. Don't go for blazing speed at first. Playing smoothly and evenly is more important than playing fast. Stay relaxed, and try to keep the sticks in constant motion. If you feel any tension, don't be afraid to slow down. This next section goes a little further. Here we have a bar of 8th-note triplets, followed by a bar of sextuplets. Begin at about quarter note = 66. Expand on these in the same manner described earlier. This final section deals with odd times. This is great for developing the speed and endurance of your single-stroke roll. Note that when you start expanding on the 8th-note triplets, the sticking will sometimes reverse. Also, take note of the accent on the first and last beat of each measure.

Here are a few suggestions for further variations on these exercises: 1. Play all the exercises without accents at first. 2. Play at all volume levels. Try everything from extremely soft (ppp), to extremely loud (fff), and stay relaxed. 3. Play with accents on every count. Vary the dynamic level between the accented and unaccented notes. 4. Play the exercises with brushes. This is a great exercise for wrists and fingers and will improve your control with sticks. 5. Practice all the exercises starting with the left hand. Any questions on this series of articles may be directed to Joe Morello c/o Modern Drummer Magazine.

Photo by Jaeger Kotos thing. Iwasn'tsureforawhilifwas trading andJoniMitchell,wheretisn' vibe, acertainmood.Greatsingingisgreat of tryingtgeacrossacertainkind formance wasn'tasgoodthothers.I to pickaleasfavoritetrack,iwouldproba- Than Woman'and'RealLifeStory.Ifha enough ontheretlepeoplknowIca A lotoftimesI'mjusmarginalabouy going tohavesomeonelssinthsongs, vocalist, it'suptohowyointerpresome- singing. It'sjustameanocommunicate; about beltingandgrowing-up-in-church but IalsolikethvoicesfJoanArma- trice Rushen,whoCarringtoncitesa tured mealittlsdrummeroninstru- one ofthnon-vocalsongs,though.Itfea- seemed tomakesensaviden although Ilikeallofthem.'Mor play thedrums,likon'ObstaclIllusion.' recordings, butI'mveryproudofthisone. but Istartedlikingthewaysounded. commercial music." although shedefinitelyhasamor e exten- We havsimilarjazzbackgrounds , too attitudes andviewonhowsomething Carlos Santana,JohnScofieldWayne Gerald Albright,DonAliasHiramBullock bly be'MessagTrue'justbecausthper- It's moreaboutthmusic.Ithinkdid it's interpretation.Ifyou'renotarealstrong sive backgroundthanIdo,especiall y in should be,sothatworkeou t realwell. nect inideas,andsheIhavsimilar particularly bighelpontheproject. Shorter, GroverWashingtonJr.andPa- mental trackmoresothanthothers." Story, TerriLyn e leftforEuropwithNiels Keith Jones,GregOsbyDianneReeves Henning Orsted-Pedersen, whoshede- Lan Doky,Bra d Berg,anbassistNeils The albumfeaturessuchmusiciana "My favoritetracksarthvocaltracks, "I'm veryproudofthealbum,actually. "There arpeoplwhoagreandcon- Shortly aftertherecordingofReal Life everybody hasadifferentsenseoftime, tive, andIlikeforitobablbreath feel itis,andtheyjusplay.Timesrela- flows. Ilikepeoplwhoknowwherthey with wimpybassplayers.Ihaveanexpres- time. Ifyouhavetothinkabouth, to playmusicwithouthinkingabouthe the time'sgoingtobe.Thwholobjeci to worryaboucomingbackinrwhere so thatyoucandsomethingannohave and toconnectime-wiseisveryimportan she lookforinabassplayer?"Tome, scribes a"technicalvirtuoso."Whatdoe with acousticbassplayerafartimei far aselectric.It'moredifficultoplay Cox asfaracoustic,andKeithJone and notbesostraighwheridoesn' sion thattimeisnebulous,wherjus to L.A.fromNew time desirtomov the summerof'88, jazz, theridcymbalorhi- electric bassplayerwithmorecontempo- of afeel.Thetimisimportantthere,too a lotofquarternotesinvolvedanyou concerned, becauseplayingjazztherar players Ireallyenjoplayingwith:Anthon budge atall.Therarcouplofbass to anenviron- wanted toreturn years—began to for thepastfiv York—where sh Carrington's long- with thebass;playingacoustic but it'stwodifferenthings.Playingwith have toconnecallthosquarternotes. it's notrealnatural.Idon'likeplaying change." tition isthegreat- where thcompe- two placestbe there aronly chusetts]. Tome, grew up[in closer tohowI approaches." bass. Soit'stwdifferent rary stuff,thebassdrumhatohookup Playing withelectricbassplayerimore to smanygreapeopleandreall y enjoy- That's myjoinlife,beingable tobeclos ents. I'manonlychild,andIhav e alotof family center.I'mvercloseto mypar- emotionally whenspeakingof change forTerriLynto ous: NewYorkor est, ifyou'reseri- Medford, Massa- ment thawas nag ather."I had beenliving hat sohookupwiththe her family."Ihaveaverystron g make, though.Shefillsup move acrossth countryisamazing.Some- have familiesin thatway.Topackupand relatives whoareverysupportiv e ofme. L.A. Iwasreadyfora ing them.Isee alotofpeoplewhdon' While inEuropover It wasn'aneasy touched them It's becauseI because I've notes onthe impressed, somehow." done 64th walk away "If people tom-toms. it's not There wasacertainsensofsecuritythatI four hoursbycaawafromfamily. five yearsIwainNewYork,only times Ijustsibackandlooait.Forthe tioning. week TheArsenioHallShowwasaudi- about Carrington.TheweekTerriLynar- that day,ArsenioHallhadbeeninquiring could stayinherL.A.homewhilsh go, shephonedPatricRushentoseif could othat." cally, sotheauditionwernotsame. done, musically.It'snotthesammusi- Arsenio HallandtheotherauditionsI'v versation, Rusheninformedherthatjus with theguestartistswe'vplayed The mostchallengingparofthgiisno are required.Itwasjust,'Playafunkgroove on aauditiowhereyourminimumskills rived toscououLosAngelewathe Maynard Ferguson,BranforMarsalisan play aLatingroove,thisandthat.' looked foraplacetolive.Duringthacon- having alotoftimeprepare,andplayin Nothing specialhappens,inmyopinion like Ashford&Simpson,WhitneyHouston fully abigrockgig.Ihavedesir e toplay that cameoth showwasDavidCrosby's. came myway.Onoffavorit e bands Arsenio HallShow.Iwasthinkin g ofhope- matrading ison e ofmyfavoritartists,and I likethatfolkvib e withthrock.JoanAr- in arockband,eveheavymeta l gig,ift The dayshdecidedwouldgivita "You can'tcompareauditionsbetween .Youreallwantobe never havedreameditwoul beThe able toplaytheirmusicwell,s have ahigh-visibilitygig.Iwoul d that's challenging. feel andgrooves. 2:15, anditvariesdepend- fer toit,bubasicallyit's "Rehearsal iscalledfor "My goalthisyearwato tune that'stricky,I'llre- ing onwhetherthere'sa there's asectionofthe guest band.Mosofthe ence point,andif tunes thehousband sketch justforarefer- use acharts plays arefromali- brary oftuneswe ing. SometimesI'll repeat. Ifwehav new songs,natu- when I'mnotread- rally we'llrunover of it.Iplaybetter them, butwe don't donew memorize most songs everyday. grooves, andyou The gigishalf but it'sreallyjus reading andhalf There archarts, not. Idon'treally read thatmuch.

I like Steve Winwood and Peter Gabriel. like David Sanborn and , and I is the first woman to occupy Modern Drum- "The obvious advantages of doing a show miss playing with a band where you're play- mer's cover. She is reticent about talking like this are that you're on national TV, so ing original compositions. We're playing about being a female because some of the it helps your career; you have steady in- covers. But I look at it as a different step larger publications she's been in have come, whether it's big or small, so you and different playing. The gig goes beyond wanted to glamorize the situation of being don't have to worry about next month; you music; it's television. It's different. I feel a female in a male-dominated field. But I meet a lot of different people, so you can that Arsenio was looking for women, and wanted to talk about the issue of physical be well connected for when the time comes not to sound arrogant, but deep down I felt power. Let's face it, women aren't as... later on; and it's work, it's a gig. The disad- there was no one who could do that gig "...strong as men," she agreed, finishing vantages are that you can't go out of town, any better than me, although I always set my sentence. "They're not built the same you may not always like the music—be- myself up for not getting something so I way. But I'm not exactly frail. I have rela- cause you have to play so many different won't be disappointed. There might be tively large arms, and it's not even the arms styles—and you don't get to play that much. women who have more experience play- as much as the control in the wrists. The But I work up a sweat when I want to," she ing rock and funk, but if a jazz guest comes way you study is important. I once heard— smiles. "I enjoy doing the show, for the on, like Nancy Wilson, I have to be able to and I tend to believe this—that when you most part, although I must admit that I am do all kinds of things, so it's more about start developing your muscles at a young missing other things a little. I've played being a well-rounded player." age before you're fully developed, if you're with really great musicians over the years, Speaking of being a woman, Terri Lyne doing something that calls for specific muscles, you develop those to where it becomes a part of your natural ability. Be- cause I started so young, I don't have to warm up as much as other people I know. I know some people who get real stiff and lose their chops if they don't practice. If I don't play for a month—although that hasn't happened for a long time—I can practice for 15 minutes, go through some exercises, and be right back up to par." Terri Lyne says no one ever tried to dis- courage her because of her gender. "So often when I do an interview, they ask me a question like that. The women—unlike you—who aren't so involved with the love that musicians share for each other and the care and concern that they really have, don't understand that—especially in the jazz world—if they feel somebody really has some talent, they want to help them. People who don't understand that can't understand why I didn't get discouraged," she says, explaining that she feels basically one gets back what one puts out. "I think people allow barriers to be put on them. I don't want to sound like I'm insensitive to people who really do have barriers put on them, because I know that it's really tough for some people, and the choices are diffi- cult about how much to bend. Everybody's not strong-willed, and if you're a woman in a male-dominated world and you're soft- spoken, they're going to attack you more. I don't get attacked too often because people don't feel that they can do that to me, for the most part." It's evident after spending time with Terri Lyne that somehow she has managed to turn the disadvantages of her sex into ad- vantages, even though neither of us knows quite how to express how. The disadvan- tages still exist, however, even though she doesn't want to dwell on them; the reality is that a woman has to overcome a preju- dice every time she walks into an audition, and there are simply not as many auditions for a woman. "The first way to overcome that preju- dice is to be comfortable with yourself," she advises. "Be yourself completely, and don't try to be something that you're not. I don't think you ever do really get as many auditions, because there are so many people who wouldn't think about hiring a female drummer. They consider their music too were looked at in your household—all of that everybody wants to be around, people serious, and they're not looking for a look, that comes into the picture. It just really who are neutral where nobody cares if and women aren't taken seriously as play- comes down to the person and her outlook they're around or not, and people nobody ers. on life. The bottom line is that people have wants to be around. There are a lot of men "The thing is," she stresses, "you can't to like you in this business. If you have an who are great at, say, playing drums, but just come out of nowhere and expect to hit attitude about being female or what you're who don't work because they're assholes. the big time. The women I respect have not getting because you're female, even if Naturally, you practice and do whatever to come through the ranks. They've climbed it's justified, it's an attitude that could turn be good at what you're doing, but you and built and have some kind of solid foun- some people off. You have to let it go. You need to try to be that person who people dation in what they're doing, and people have to be good and really back it up. I'm like and want to be around. I don't mean have heard about them through the years. not going to say you have to be better than superficially try to be that, but really create For instance, rec- men, but you have to be good at what you enough value in your life or circumstances ommended me to Arsenio Hall. He heard do. You can't be 'good for a girl,' ever. I that it shows. When you do that, every- me four years ago in Sweet Basil's with the don't respect that and no one does. If you're thing comes together: The gigs come, New York Jazz Quartet, not playing any- good and your disposition is good, people people like you, and they think you're thing like the kind of music I would have to will like you. worthwhile." play on The Arsenio Hall Show, but he "There are three kinds of people: people remembered me from that. Then when he heard that I was playing with Wayne Shorter and David Sanborn, he knew I could handle it. You don't just come out of nowhere. You don't get discovered in your closet. The women I respect have paid a certain amount of dues. Look at Sheila Escovedo, who played with everyone and their brother before she became Sheila E. "It depends on your comfort in being female," Terri Lyne goes on. "It doesn't stop at drumming. If anything, it has to do with the person, the human being herself, and how she conducts her life. Whatever way you are by nature is how you are in business and how you are musically. It goes into so many different things—how your father or mother treated you, how females Drum Solos by Roy Burns

Drum solos are fun. They are fun to listen that would be played in a , a con- drumset and play on the glasses, tables, to, fun to watch, and fun to play. In a way, temporary rock group, or a show or con- and chairs in the nightclub, gradually going drum solos are an art form in themselves. cert group of any style. Gene Krupa's solo around the room and returning to the The reason for this is that they are almost on "Sing, Sing, Sing" is the "classic" of this drumset. Black lights were used to make always unaccompanied, improvised solos. type. Recorded in the late '30s with Benny the drumsticks glow in the dark. Wearing There are three basic types of solos. Coodman's band, Gene's use of tom-toms funny hats and developing comedy rou- Number one is the style of solo where the in this solo influenced drum solos for years; tines occurred in some of the blatantly drummer solos on the structure of the song any feature solo in virtually every band commercial bands. by playing around the melody line. The started with the floor tom. Critics would often attack feature drum entire group knows the song so well that Gene developed other types of solos solos for these reasons. From their point of everyone, including the drummer, knows when he left to start his view, it was entertainment, but not music. where the melody is at all times. Bebop own band. For example, "Wire Brush The late once said, "The only drummers are probably the best at this style Stomp" was on every juke box in America people who know what's happening with of soloing. Therefore, I refer to this ap- in the very early '40s. Gene's solos were so drum solos are musicians." Yet other musi- proach as the "bebop solo." rhythmical that people could dance to them. cians were sometimes jealous because Number two is the melodic solo, where He also had an unparalleled sense of form, drummers like Buddy received a lot of at- the drummer solos over a line played by with a structure for each solo. He would tention. In many cases, the best drummers the bass player and/or a vamp (or on-going improvise within each solo, but always stay became "stars," and were paid more money rhythmic figure) played by piano, bass, or within the form. "Drum Boogie" was a great than other musicians—especially during the guitar. Again, this type of solo is usually example of this. It was a simple solo in a big-band era. This love/hate relationship heard in jazz groups. The most famous solo way, but it kept the time and feel solid with drum solos exists to this day. of this type is the one played by Joe Morello throughout. Gene was also a master show- I recall reading a comment about an Art on "Take Five" with the Dave Brubeck man, and more than any other individual Tatum record many years ago. Art was the Quartet. Although many drummers do this brought the drummer to featured status with greatest of all solo piano players; alone at a type of playing on occasion, "Take Five" is bands and with the public. This status even- keyboard, he was the master. When an- regarded as a classic by almost every drum- tually led drummers to adopt a "free" solo other famous piano player did a "Blindfold mer. style, which means the solo has no exact Test" for downbeat magazine, he gave this Number three is the feature drum solo number of choruses or measures. Drum- response after hearing a recording of Art mers could play whatever they wanted to, playing at a very fast tempo. He said, "I with virtually no restrictions. Soon, tempo can't rate this record until you tell me how and style changes within solos became many cats are playing." Art Tatum was that commonplace. This was a logical and nec- great. And yet, a reviewer in another maga- essary evolution, because as drum solos zine, writing about an Art Tatum solo al- became more and more popular in the '40s, bum said, "I can't give this a good rating '50s, and '60s, they also became longer because I don't like solo piano." I felt this and longer. For such long solos, more vari- was an unfair approach. The critic should ety was required—as opposed to the origi- have said it was good or bad "for solo nal Gene Krupa tom-tom solo. piano." This same attitude, sadly enough, On the negative side, this "free," fea- is expressed by critics and other musicians tured style of solo also became the most (including drummers): "I just don't like drum abused type of solo—at least by some per- solos!" Well, my response is, "Then don't formers. Playing more and more to the listen to them!" audience, bandleaders encouraged drum- I like drum solos. As to which type of mers to become more and more entertain- solo approach is the better one, I can't say. ing. Gimmicks became more frequent. It depends on what you like and what kind Twirling drumsticks and throwing them of music is being played. I like solos in all high into the air and catching them in of the styles discussed. I like good drum rhythm was one of the first audience-pleas- solos. What is a "good" solo? Well, my ob- ers. Some drummers would leave the servation is that the best drummers play the best solos. If that sounds too easy, let me put it another way. I have yet to hear a really good solo by a drummer who did not play well with a group. Drummers who keep good time, know what to leave out, have a concept of dynamics, and have a true understanding of their instrument—as well as their own capabilities—will always play the most interesting, musical, and im- pressive drum solos. Let's face it, there is nothing more excit- ing and fun than a really great drum solo. So, go for it!

the road. And even my decision to keep on roofing all this time is not a regret of mine. In fact, I don't regret any- thing I've ever done up to this point, because I've learned so much from everything that I keep each experience as part of my learning process. TS: How did things work out for you in the beginning?

Photo by Lissa Wales TL: It was a really strenuous situation in cause I was happy playing with Eric—I was the beginning because we were rehearsing in love with that guy's voice, just as I am six days a week, 10 to 12 hours a day, no with our singer's, Jeff Keith, who's sort of a exaggeration. I mean, we knew that we male Janis Joplin. In any case, I didn't want were going to get a deal no matter what. to leave that band. Of course, I couldn't We started showcasing, and we were foresee that down the road we would lose rehearsing so much that I had to quit my our record deal. job at Nocturne. That's when my friend TS: Did you get other offers between the Richard taught me how to do composition bands you mentioned and Tesla? roofing. I mastered the trade to the degree TL: Before Tesla I got an offer to audition that, eventually, I worked for myself. I for a major, major band, but I declined learned a great deal about business and because I wasn't into it on a musical level. entrepreneurship from Richard. My heart wasn't there, period, and if my TS: Tesla recorded Mechanical Resonance heart's not into it, I just can't do it. Who and The Great Radio Controversy with pro- knows if I would have gotten the job any- ducer Steve Thompson—who is primarily way, although I had the opportunity to associated with dance music artists like check it out. I didn't want to tour with Madonna. What was that experience like? someone as a hired hand because I would TL: I feel that our producers—Steve and have had to take time away from my fam- Michael Barbeiro—are the best guys for ily. A lot of those kind of opportunities are this band, and I have had the opportunity only about earning money when you get to work with a lot of producers over the down to it, especially compared with being years. Even when Tesla was demo-ing, we part of something that's a real band like worked in the studio extensively with dif- Tesla. But I can find other ways of making ferent people; we did four different ses- money without compromising myself or sions with four different producers. So we what's important to me. For me to leave had a feel about what was right, what was my family and go out on the road, it has to wrong, and how we should record as a be really worth it. group. The first album was recorded raw TS: How did you become involved with because we recorded as a unit. The rhythm Tesla, who at the time were going by the tracks were live, then we put some solos name City Kidd? and vocals over them. That's really the ex- TL: I had gotten to know Dwayne Hitch- tent of how we worked on that album. ings from Eddie Money's band when we TS: You're credited with co-writing a wealth toured with them, and he had recom- of material on the first album. mended that I check out this Bay Area band TL: Basically, the way it works is that Jeff called City Kidd. I was working with a stage writes all the lyrics; it makes sense, since company called Nocturne—Neil Schon was he has to sing the words. I get to write a co-owner of the company—building stage some of the music, as far as ideas for song sets for artists like Rod Stewart. structures go. We work it out to where we Anyway, I went to Sacramento to check feel it's fair: a writing credit for composi- out the band a couple of times. The third tion versus an arrangement contribution. time, I took my wife to get her opinion. I On that first album there are also songs was thinking, "Am I kidding myself, or is that are truly band compositions, like "2 there something here for me?" I really liked Late 4 Love." On "Before My Eyes" I got what I saw, and I really tuned into each credited because of the break-down sec- individual member while I thought about tion I wrote for that. But if I had to single what I could contribute to the band. I looked out one song that I wrote as a whole, it at the situation—and I know that this is would have to be "We're No Good To- going to sound a little corny—but I knew gether." I was on the piano just messing immediately that this band was going to be around, Frankie [Hannon, guitar and key- big. I always try to go with my gut feeling, board] was on the drums, and Jeff was and my first impression was that the band singing, and I just started playing some would get a record deal. chords. Jeff was getting so soulful, and I When I first joined City Kidd, I got into said, "Wait a minute. Let's work on this." roofing, which I still do when I'm not on So we kept on playing, and before we knew it, it was a song. I can't take full credit for that song, though, because it was the band that made it happen. In fact, no matter who gets songwriting credit, it's really Tesla as a unit that makes a song a Tesla song, so we all deserve credit. On that one, I came up with the chords almost by accident. I just stumbled upon the melody, and we all just brought it together. TS: You also wrote "The Way It Is," on the new release. TL: I'd say that I even had more writing responsibility on that. I wrote that along with my friend Mike Marnell, showed it to the band, and we recorded it. I was really happy when it made it onto the album. TS: Going back to the first album, I want you to comment on the declaration on the sleeve, "NO MACHINES." That's a con- cept that seems pretty self-explanatory, but does that extend to your drums as well? I also noticed that on the video for "No Way Out (Heaven's Trail)," the phrase is printed across a flag during the last frames of the clip. TL: To clarify the shot in the video, it doesn't really have any significant meaning. The video people put that in there. The original reason "NO MACHINES" was written on Mechanical Resonance was a reference to Queen. Not that I'm comparing Tesla to Queen, but Queen were doing some pretty heavy stuff, and they used to have the words "NO SYNTHESIZERS" on their records. Since everybody is taking advantage of the machinery available, the record company wanted us to make the statement that we're not doing that. Personally, I'm not intimidated by ma- chines, and in fact I own an RX-11 drum machine. When I'm at home, I need the drum machines, especially for song writ- ing. I'll never incorporate machines into what we play live, because I'm real tradi- tional, and I'm into playing everything myself. TS: And you don't use machines in the studio either? TL: No, it's all real drums—no electronics, nothing. TS: Your hi-hat approach is one of the dis- tinguishing factors of your style. You have a tendency to play triplets on them rather than straight 8ths. TL: I do try to put a little twist in things just to enhance the song. I adhere to the phi- losophy of playing strictly for the song and to complement what Jeff is singing. I don't want to step on him—or anybody else, for that matter. I think I know a little bit about, technique—at least I'd like to think I do. [laughs] TS: On "Modern Day Cowboy," you played triplets on the ride rather than just quarter notes. TL: Or I'll do a dotted 8th/16th thing. I can play things real straight and real hard, but I think that as far as rock is concerned, too many drummers limit themselves to just that. Come on, this is the day and age of no rules. Why not incorporate different ideas? You're probably going to be hearing more percussion out of me on the next record. I had some percussion on this record, using a cabasa and conga. But we have to be careful because we are a rock 'n' roll band, and we have to watch how we incorporate other things into our music. At the same time, I won't limit myself when it comes to experimenting. It's a fine line between what does and doesn't work, because this is a 2 and 4 type of format, and for the most part, less is more in rock 'n' roll. I get to open up and play some polyrhythms, and that comes directly from listening to Gadd, Porcaro, Smith, Paice, and Brock. TS: You leave your hi-hats kind of loose on songs like "Little Suzy," giving it that really "wet" sound, like Bonham used on "Rock And Roll." TL: I spend a lot of time listening to Bonzo, so that's probably where it comes from. I think that all of my influences have con- tributed to my technique, but I just try to sound like an individual. There have been so many inspirational drummers who I've been affected by over the years, that it in- evitably comes out. A lot of the time, it's the little things you play that will really spice up a track. TS: With The Great Radio Controversy being Tesla's second recorded effort, did you find any outstanding differences recording-wise between it and the first album? TL: My objectives were captured more so on the second record than the first. I feel I definitely played better on this one. I knew from the first one what I didn't accomplish, and I attempted to get those objectives—at least some of them—included on this one. I took more chances, and if I had some- thing to say, I said it. TS: Can you cite an example of a track where you are particularly satisfied with the results? TL: There's a track called "Makin' Magic" that I'm proud of because the phrasing is really unorthodox throughout the verses. I never had any of it worked out in advance; it was completely spontaneous. The beat is so broken up that actually, when I first tried it, it was just an accident, but when I heard it on tape I thought, "Wait a minute. This is going to work." There are also some things that I did on "Yesterday Is Gone" that's all single bass drum, yet there's a section in there that people swear is double bass. I don't try to think about what I'm going to do too much; I don't try to be clever with my playing. At the same time, I some- times get bored with straight 2 and 4. So I do try to be creative, but it's not as though I'm trying it just for the sake of being crea- tive. It always has to work for the song— that's the priority—and it can still sound like a 2 and 4 part; it just might have that little extra twist. TS: Do you tend to follow the bass or the rhythm guitar? TL: I take it upon myself to lead; I really don't follow anyone. In my headphones, I have some of Jeff's guide vocals, very light guitar, and bass; that's it. Again, the whole of me, I can figure it out. I can't just whiz the last few years? I ask that because most process is pretty spontaneous. I'd say that through it, though. I admire people who heavy rock players have a larger setup than about 35% of what goes down has an open can do that, and I wish I'd had the time you do, and I wonder if you've stripped it enough structure that I have room to move over the years to spend on Sightreading. down at all. about the tracks and come up with things But I had so much going on with the family TL: As a matter of fact, my kit is actually right on the spot. and trying to keep everything together that bigger than it has ever been, and that's just TS: Do you have a double bass pedal or an I just didn't have the time. One of the pay- because of the number of cymbals. I've extra hi-hat live? offs from all this—the success of the band— tried to make it a little bigger because in a TL: Live, I do have an extra hi-hat, and is that financial security will allow me to concert situation, I think it's merited. I re- with the exception of "Makin' Magic," spend more time working on my drum- cord with just a couple of toms. Plus I've which I use a double pedal on in the intros ming goals, and to work with some of those switched to smaller drums; I prefer the way to the verses, it's single bass. drum books that I've bought over the years. they record rather than the really big drums. TS: How do you work out ideas in the TS: I've heard you refer to yourself as a TS: Are there any groups or artists that you'd studio? "pocket player." How do you determine like to play drums for? TL: Well, it's usually just a spontaneous when to push the beat, when to play be- TL: I'd like to play for Neil Diamond. I love procedure as far as getting things down the hind it, and when to stay in the pocket? his music. way we want them. Everything on the sec- TL: It really depends on the track and how TS: I wouldn't think that would be the most ond album was usually recorded between you determine what will work for the song. challenging drum format. the first and third takes. We usually cap- They say that Bonham was a behind-the- TL: Drumming-wise, you can save all that tured what we were going for on the very beat player, but there are tracks where you challenging material for a solo or for your first take. "Be A Man" was one song that hear him just pushing it to the max—"Rock own projects and have fun doing that. But I was an exception in that we spent a little And Roll," for instance. Yet he's still right want to do it because I love that music, more time on it because we weren't sure behind it. It's funny how people differenti- and I'm such a big fan. The guys in the where we wanted the timing: either a little ate that. "Be A Man" was a song that I tried band think I'm nuts, and so does my wife, more up front, or a little more in the back. I to play behind the beat. It sounds like it but I'm really into it. Elton John is another just tried to play it right in the pocket where wants to push, but it stays right there. "Lazy one: If I had the chance to work with him it wasn't pushing or pulling, but just right Days, " is another one. I'd do it in a second. I love what Nigel there. That was one song where I had the TS: On this tour as well as the last one, Olsson did with him; I'm definitely a fan of parts in my head and I knew what I wanted your kits are artistically exquisite. his. But as you've noticed, I'm a fan of a lot to play: I wanted the drum tracks to build. TL: A friend of mine who I used to play in of people. I could go on and on.... My time is pretty good; we don't record Whisper with, Scott Paine, is an excellent TS: You just did your first drum clinic. How with a click track. artist and designer, and he came up with did that go? TS: And the drum tracks were recorded the designs for both kits. I tell him what I TL: I've wanted to get started doing clinics, live on the new album, as they were the want, and he creates the actual design and and I guess the first one is always the hard- first time out? hand-paints everything. est. I did the first one up in Washington. TL: It was recorded about as close to live in TS: Has your actual setup changed over The way I'm working my clinics is that the studio as you can get. Sometimes I even think it could be a little rawer. But it seems to come across to people as being a big, raw sound, and that's important to me. For the most part, it is recorded that way. I should clarify that on Mechanical Reso- nance, "Little Suzi" was recorded with a click track; I had them put a cowbell in my headphones. And on "Modern Day Cow- boy"—this is unusual in that I haven't heard many bands do this—we would use a click in the verses, then we'd pull out the click on the choruses. I'd know where to push and pull. I do that in my playing because I don't want to be too sterile. So we ended up clicking on the verses because we didn't want that part fluctuating. Everything on the last album, though, was recorded with- out a click. TS: Previous to this band, did you always record without a click track? TL: No. I worked on my time quite a bit with the help of my friend Steve Bellino, who's a drummer and who played with . I spent many hours over many years with this guy—he taught me how to sight read—and we used a lot of books and really worked on it. He helped me tremendously in a lot of aspects of my playing. TS: Is there any book that particularly helped you? TL: Books have been really important in my development, and one in particular was Syncopation by Ted Reed. I'm not a great reader, although if you put a chart in front they are free. I just want to make sure that band together for him—three female vo- came about because he wanted Tesla to do everybody gets their money's worth, and if calists, one male, a bass player, a guitarist, a surprise appearance. There wasn't any they're free, then they have to get their Mike, and me. We just completed a four- advertising for the gig, but somehow word money's worth. [laughs] I had about 45 song demo tape, which I've just submitted got out that we were going to play, and we kids there and I had a blast. I was nervous to Geffen. We'll just have to wait and see had to pass on the whole idea. So from only for the first 15 minutes, then it was what happens from here. there, I put this together by calling up dif- fine. But I'm not in it for the money. If I can I'm also doing a rap record with my kids ferent people from different bands who were teach somebody something, I think I get far called "Football Fever," which was really in town: two of the guys from Def Leppard, more out of that than I could from any fun to put together. I've got all the music a couple of people from Y&T, U.F.O., and financial gain. done; we just have to put the football calls Jefferson Starship, plus everyone from Tesla TS: I know that you're really active with down. was there. So I took all these guys and I outside musical projects. What are you TS: What about the All-Star Jams that you split everybody up into mixed groups, so currently working on in addition to Tesla? organized? we were all playing with different people. TL: I'm working with my friend Mike Mar- TL: Between touring for Mechanical Reso- It turned out wonderfully. nell, putting a band together for him. He nance and recording The Great Radio Con- After the first one turned out so well, we does a lot of advertising jingles, and in the troversy, I had some time off. I hooked up did some more of them with people like past, I've played on some of the albums with someone from a Bay Area magazine and Paul Gilbert. I had a he's done with soap-opera actors. Now he's called The Informant, and we organized really good time, to say the least, and the asked me to produce his album, so I put a some shows that we called Ail-Star jams. It crowds seemed to respond really well to the shows. TS: You had mentioned to me that you have plans to open a restaurant. Are you still going to do that? TL: Yes, but I'm so busy right now that we've had to postpone things for a couple of years. If I start putting time into the res- taurant, that means it will take away time from my music, and right now things are progressing so well for me musically that I think I'd better take advantage of it and finish what I've started. But we've got all the ideas for the place worked out; it's just plotting it at the right time. It's something that Linda and I have talked about, and it's something I can look forward to in my later years when I can settle down a bit more. I know it's going to happen; figuring out when is the hard part. TS: You seem to be very self-confident. Have you always been this way? TL: I've learned that you put your own limitations on yourself. It's hard enough to be out on the road, dealing with everyday life; you have to believe in yourself. There have been times in the last two years where I've had trouble coping with things. I can think of one incident in particular where I found myself getting caught up in the wrong kind of situation. That really got to me. But I'm a lot better now because I've learned to deal with the road. There may be things that I see that I don't agree with, but I've learned to cope with it. I'll tell you some- thing, if you don't learn how to deal with it, it will eat you up. I've discovered that life on the road be- comes whatever you want it to be, what- ever you let it be. It can be a learning experience—something real—or it can be plastic. It's up to you as an individual. I know what's important and what isn't. I know I'm real and that the things that are really important to me, like my morals and my values, are real, too. I feel that I'm growing up out here—you learn fast—and that there's still a lot of room for growth. I've done a lot so far, but this is still only the beginning. I know I have a lot more to do to make a better life for myself and my family, and I'll never stop until I get it right.

The Click

Have you ever listened to some of rock 'n' constant pulse, it is vital to have rock-solid rock time with the snare falling on 2 and 4. roll's earliest recordings and thought to time. With the click, one can never be ac- Play a triplet-feel fill at the end of the phrase, yourself that the drummers' timing seemed cused of having bad time. A click should allowing three beats per quarter note in- a touch off or that some of the fills seemed be as standard a piece of equipment as the stead of four. Sitting down and writing out rushed or blurred? Well, in the early days, kick and snare. the fill will help you figure out exactly where drummers were not using click tracks to In the studio a click is a must for the each stroke in the fill should go in respect record. Notice I said using, not listening to drummer. Most of the time, only the drum- to the quarter-note click. You will be able a click. Contrary to the opinions of some mer uses the click—since the rest of the to lock in and play the off-time fills with people—most of whom have never spent a band follows the drums. It is common for precision. It will make the mixing of differ- great deal of time with a click—once mas- the click to be recorded on the tape. This ent time feels seem more natural and tered, the click can almost be ignored as makes it very easy to go back and overdub smooth. you tune into it without really thinking about and correct parts. If you are in a studio that The mechanical side of a click is fairly it. Using a click track is much like riding a has a limited number of tracks, the click simple. You need a drum machine or a bike: In the beginning, it takes a bit of time will not be recorded. It is up to the drum- click box. There are various kinds on the and patience to learn. But after you have it mer to count the band in with stick clicks, market today. In a live performance, the down, you can jump on and off the bike at taps on the hi-hat, etc. During breaks in volume level of the music is high, so the will. Such is the tale of the click. songs, it is important to have some kind of audible click provided by these machines The click can be used in a variety of meter going to keep the band together. will most likely need to be amplified. Five ways. Most commonly, the click will con- Many offbeat-sounding breaks and sound to 15 watts of power is all that is required. tinue from the start to the finish of the song. effects can be overdubbed and edited onto No large amplifiers are required to power This is done by adding one or two meas- the tape, making it sound as if the band headphones. There are a few different kinds ures of click to the beginning of the song so had recorded it that way. If this is to be of headphone amplifiers on the market. that you can settle into the tempo before duplicated live, you need a click to keep These are not very expensive. leading the rest of the band in. steady time. Example: You have come to There are a variety of headphones to In a live situation, the click is sometimes the end of a chorus, and the band is going choose from. A standard set of home-style used for only a couple of bars in the begin- to stop on the downbeat of the next meas- phones will work just fine, but most drum- ning to set the tempo. A small flashing light ure. For the next bar you are going to trig- mers don't like the feel or look of these. A is used to set the pace. This system works ger a backward cymbal sound from a pad. pair of Walkman-style phones looks and well for intro purposes, but is very difficult Ahead of time, you have edited your sound feels better. The little yellow phones are to use throughout the entire song. Because so that it will fill up exactly one bar at your about the size of a dime and lock into each you must make visual contact with the flash- predetermined tempo. The sound effect is ear. There is no head-piece connecting the ing light at all times, it's very easy to slide impossible to count; all you know is that it two sides, just the wires that go into each off time. It's also very distracting to try to lasts exactly one bar. With the click, you phone. If you run them from behind and catch up with the light. You spend most of will know exactly when the downbeat of either run the cord down your shirt or (bet- your time and energy doing this instead of the second bar will occur, and you'll be ter yet) use a safety pin in the middle of concentrating on the song. The flashing- able to bring the band back in with a snare your shirt to hold the wires, no one will light technique is most effective in a tune hit on 4. Without the click, you are guaran- ever know you have them on. When the that might not have a constant tempo teed complete disarray and confusion phones are locked into your ears correctly, throughout. You might want to be able to among the band members. This can prove it is very hard for them to fall out. The push and pull the song a bit, thus not keep- to be quite embarrassing. safety pin secures the cord and frees your ing a constant tempo. The light will be When you start using an audible click, it arms while playing. These phones also act used as a reference point to keep you in is common to keep the volume fairly loud. as ear filters and keep out much of the the ball game. It's like a security blanket. At this point you harsh loud sounds, enabling you to hear If you have ever had the problem of play- are still devoting more attention to listen- the click without disturbance. ing your 45-minute live set in 38 minutes ing to the click and less attention to play- A drum machine gives you the ability to and wondered why, the click is your solu- ing. This is to be expected. The day of your select what actual sound is used for the tion. Obviously, if this is happening, your first session is not the time to start using a click. If a rimshot or cowbell is too harsh, tempos are rushed. With your adrenaline click. Practice is the key to using the click you might use a closed hi-hat or conga pumping and the excitement level grow- successfully—as it is with most other facets sound. This is not a feature found on click ing, this is a common problem. The click in life. Once the click has been mastered boxes. The volume of the click is adjusted will make sure everything is played the and you are comfortable with it, you can from the drum machine. Changing the click way it was planned and rehearsed. Most reduce the volume. This saves on aspirin; a pattern is also an available option. If you songs don't fall into the groove when not loud click can give you a nasty headache. have a slow ballad and a quarter-note click played at the tempo at which they were Once you've spent a great deal of time is too far apart to properly lock into, try written. Drum fills and grooves take on with the click, you'll notice that even when using 8th notes instead. Using 16th notes completely different feels and sounds when playing without it, the click is ingrained in with a closed hi-hat sound is a good pat- played faster or slower than designed. The you. It becomes part of your playing. You tern to create movement and stability. Pro- click will also keep that slow ballad from will have a much better sense of time and gramming a pattern with quarter notes on lasting an eternity. of the feel and distance between notes. the hi-hat and cowbells on the "and" of It is highly recommended that a click Grooves become much stronger and pre- each quarter note gives you a better groove track be taken to auditions. The first item cise. Flurries of 32nd notes and different to play against. Remember, no one will that drummers are judged on is time. Be- time changes will tighten up and not sound hear the pattern you have programmed cause much of today's music is based on a so free-form. Example: Play straight-four except you. by Mark S. Zonder

The most outstanding feature when us- ing a drum machine for a click is the ability to also use it as a sequencer for percussion or drum parts. In fact, a drum machine is a sequencer in many ways. As a sequencer, the drum machine can either play its own sounds or trigger other sound modules via MIDI. Specific patterns need to be pro- grammed in the drum machine to create tracks. Each track represents an individual song. Of course, there is no room for im- provising or stretching certain parts. The song must be played exactly the same from start to finish every time, since the ma- chine will only play what you have pro- grammed. As stated before, the track should have at least one or two bars of just click to set the tempo before starting the song. With the push of a button (or better yet, a footswitch), you will be in complete com- mand of starting the song. If your band uses sequenced keyboards, the drum machine can be driven by the main sequencer to ensure linked tempos. Taking the MIDI Out of the main sequence, or the MIDI Thru of any of the keyboards, you run the line into the MIDI In of the drum machine. You must put the drum machine into the MIDI Sync mode. This will allow the main sequencer to dictate to the drum machine what tempo to play. What happens if this great setup goes haywire? A power failure, sequencer glitch, or an incorrect tempo or track setting can ruin the performance. Certain unforeseen problems can also arise when using ma- chines. I actually had the bottom of a drumpad come loose and fall directly on top of the main on/off switch, bringing all of the machines to a quick stop. Try to be prepared for things like this to happen. With the aid of a footswitch, all of the linked machines can be stopped with just one step. You're better off stopping the se- quencer and playing the song without the click than trying to chase it. There is noth- ing worse than listening to a band when each member thinks the song is in a differ- ent place. Even though your great percus- sion part might not get played that night, better safe than sorry. When used correctly, the click track can be the drummer's best friend. I never leave home without it! Transcribed by James Morton Malkin Rick by

Photo Alex Van Halen: "Finish What Ya Started"

This month's Rock Charts features Van Halen's hit, "Finish What Ya Started," from their album OU812 (Warner Bros. 25732). Alex Van Halen uses three time-keeping themes here: 1. an interesting interplay between a non- repetitive stick-on-rim ride pattern and shifting bass and snare rhythms (measures 1-16, letter F), 2. straight 8th- note rock through the verses and choruses, and 3. a two-handed 16th-note hi-hat pattern on the bridge (letter E).

to express yourself. Later on there are I think there's a danger changes, but the changes are minor com- learning in a university: Eve- pared to the changes that happen in that rything gets institutionalized. period, when you would run to a drummer To me, as soon as it is insti- and embrace everything that he was doing. tutionalized, it's almost AB: Do you think there's sort of an intellec- equivalent to death. Jazz was tual thing when you're older, like, "Well, if such a vital music, such a I run in this direction too fast, it might seem music of its time. It lived in contrived"? a context. And that was a BP: No, I think it's just impossible for me to very revolutionary time, es- do it now. I play the way I play, and I'm on pecially for black people. my own personal search. I can admire the Now to put it into a univer- beauty in everyone's playing, but that sity and say, "At this chord doesn't mean it's correct for me. It's just you play this scale, and at like life: The older you are, you learn what this chord you play this you don't like and do like. You might ap- scale, and blah, blah...." preciate something, but it doesn't mean AB: Doesn't that have some- you're going to do it. thing to do with the teach-

AB: What do you think you learned differ- ing angle, though? Does a Mauro ently in a college atmosphere than you teacher have to make some- Aldo by LISTENER'S GUIDE Photo Q. For readers who would like to listen to albums that best represent your drumming, which ones would you recommend?

Album Artist Label/Catalog# Pushing The Envelope Bobby Previte Gramavision 18-8711 Bring Yr Camera The President Elektra Musician 60799 Nine Below Zero Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, Bobby Previte Sound Aspects 014 Voodoo The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet Black Saint 01 09 Fractal Elliott Sharp Dossier ST7515 Spillane John Zorn Nonesuch 791721 Covert Action Tom Varner New Note 1009 Pliant Plaint Marty Ehrlich Enja 5065

Q. Which recordings do you listen to most for inspiration?

Album Title Artist Drummer Label/Catalog# Mingus Ah Um Charles Mingus Dannie Richmond Columbia Jazz Masterpieces W-40648 Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares Various Nonesuch 79165-4 Petrouchka Igor Stravinski/ Robert Craft Conducts Out Of Print Filles De Kilimanjaro Tony Williams Columbia PC-9750 lonisation And Other Works Edgar Varese Out Of Print Disraeli Gears Cream RSO 823636-1 Concerto Grosso Vivaldi/ in D min, Op. 3 #11 London Soloists Ensemble Nonesuch H-71052 Blue Joni Mitchel Reprise MS-2038 would have if you decided to hit the clubs thing "studyable"? Is there a way to hint to New York. right out of high school? people into ideas without forcing it down AB: What was the scene like in Buffalo? BP: Well, to tell you the honest truth, I their throats? BP: It was small, not like New York. If you think learning on the street is far superior. BP: I just think universities, by definition, are in the bebop scene in New York, it's But it depends on your goals, okay? If your are bastions of safety. They kind of have to unlikely you'll know guys in the bluegrass goal is to learn the craft of music and make be. I hear far too many people playing the scene. But in Buffalo there weren't that it a career and go out and make money at same thing, not because they can't play many people. I knew a lot of musicians— it, well, then maybe you should do it as different things, or express themselves dif- some who would play metal music, some scientifically as you can. But most of the ferently, but simply because they think, acoustic beboppers. People were very sup- people who have been the innovators, or "This is what I should do." And I think in a portive. have really played the greatest music, have large part that's from being taught that "This AB: Do you miss that atmosphere? been the people who would've done that is what you should do." There's nothing BP: Yeah, I miss the intimacy of it at times. whether there was a school or not. They you should do. You do what you come to But there was very limited music. There were driven; they found what they needed find to do. And in a real sense, you have to were only certain things that you were al- to find—whether it was Charlie Parker let it find you. lowed to play, and if you deviated, people crawling up to the rafters as a kid to watch AB: Did you come to New York right after were not interested. I couldn't deal with Lester Young play or the kids sneaking into college? that, and after a while I realized I had to Madison Square Garden to hear their fa- BP: No, I spent time in Buffalo after col- get out. vorite drummers—whatever. People who lege. I was part of the scene there, and AB: When you came to New York, did you are really driven will find the ways and musically I kind of grew up there. I was have projects waiting for you? means to learn what they need to learn. there until 1980, and that's when I moved BP: Oh, no. I put all my drums in my Ford Mustang, and just came. I knew one per- wanted to play with because I didn't know BP: It's a headache, yeah. Whether I worry son when I came. My wife and I stayed at anyone. It took me a while, then I decided about it is another matter. I don't think the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, and I would to start my own music again, so I sort of re- about it when I'm writing music, ever. I just call people. This was before I knew formed my band with New York players. don't ever think about what it is going to how things worked in New York. That first AB: You've received a couple of grants over do in "X" market. I can't do that; it would year was incredibly rough. I'd go out and the years. What's involved in seeking grants? be against myself. I can only write what I hear music, and sometimes that would be BP: What's involved in seeking grants is play and hear. Then later, maybe people worse. It's kind of a curse being a musi- being good at seeking grants—simply and will like it—and I sincerely hope that they cian: Music can massage your spirit, but if utterly. If you know the game, and know do. The point is for someone to be moved, you are not playing, it can be incredibly how to write a really happening proposal, to give something to someone that they frustrating—and I wanted to play. Slowly it and how to sound like your music is "im- can use, perhaps. But it has to be some- got better as I began to meet people. portant" and on the cutting edge of "to- thing that comes from me. If I write some- AB: Did you gravitate downtown eventu- day's new music," then you'll get some thing that I think someone can use but that ally? grants. If you fit into their little categories isn't the information I want to give, what BP: The person I knew, Elliott Sharp, lived of what they should fund, they'll give you have I done? It's just false. downtown, and he was kind of into that grants; if you don't, then you don't get any AB: Do you consider yourself a drummer scene, and so I naturally fell into it. Also grants. But sometimes it has nothing to do above and beyond any other instrument? there were a lot of musicians there doing with the quality of your work. There are BP: Absolutely. things that I liked to do and that I felt were plenty of fantastic people out there who AB: How does that cause you to approach happening. But I never lived down there; can't get grants because they don't fall composing a little differently than if your I've lived up on 91st Street for eight years. into their little categories. Again, it's the or- main instrument were, say, piano, or saxo- AB: How did you know Elliott? ganization, the government. What is the phone? BP: He was in Buffalo for a while. government going to fund? Who's making BP: If I were playing saxophone, I'd know AB: What were the first projects you worked those decisions? You always have to ask what was idiomatic to the saxophone, what on? yourself, "What do they know?" I just want was conducive to the saxophone, a lot more BP: I basically worked with three people— to say to all the young drummers out than I do now. I would probably tend to Elliott, John Zorn, and Wayne Horvitz. Then there, if you don't get a grant, don't feel write saxophone music, just like pianists I got all kinds of other gigs—a country band, discouraged at all about your music. It mostly write piano music. you name it. Then I started to record with doesn't mean that your music is not good. AB: Well, your music isn't exactly "drum Elliott, John, and Wayne. But all along, I In all probability, it may mean your music music." had been writing music, which I've been is great. BP: That's true, it isn't really "drum music." doing for about 15 years. I had a band in AB: Your music is not something that can I see where you're leading now. Some- Buffalo that put out a self-produced record. be easily labeled. Is that a problem at all as times I write on the drums, but I write from But when I came to New York, I had to far as your worrying about a record com- a rhythmic base only infrequently. Usually establish myself first. I didn't think about pany being able to market it? Is that a con- I either hear something in my head and starting a band; I didn't know any players I stant headache? then I find out what it is, or I write on the piano or guitar or marimba. This is all part on the instrument—a willingness to try has the kind of mind that I want, as op- of learning about composition. Good com- anything. posed to somebody who just has craft and posers make it their business to learn about AB: Do you like to be surprised? has the kind of mind that is jailed by the instruments so that they know what instru- BP: Oh, yeah. That's the great thing about craft. And a lot of times that unfortunately ments can and can not do, and might be writing music for people. I mean, I have a happens. You get so much knowledge; able to do. This is just a lifelong area of computer here. I don't want to write music knowledge can sometimes be a bad thing study—to find out what the instruments do for the computer because the computer if used wrongly, like, "Well, you can't do individually, what they do together, their basically does what I tell it to do. The beau- that." Don't tell me you can't do that; just ranges—and that is all orchestration. Be- tiful thing about playing with people is that do it, and see. Don't reject things out of yond that, the great lesson from Duke Elling- they are constantly surprising you—you hand. ton is to find out what the particular play- know, just like life. Sometimes they sur- You do have to know how to deal with ers you are working with can do on their prise you in ways that you're not so happy different people. On Claude's Late Morn- instruments. That's very important also. about; sometimes they surprise you in a ing I have a nine-piece group of wildly AB: Are there any qualities in general that way that you're thrilled about. And that's different personalities and skills. I have some you look for in your players? the exciting thing about playing with people who can read anything, and some BP: I look for dangerousness, a willingness people. people who can't read anything, but who to do something that might not have been I look for craft, too, although ultimately might be great improvisers. Good part read- done before, or might not have been done I'll choose someone who has less craft but ing is a skill that is sometimes overlooked— taking that written part and giving it life. Ultimately, notes on a page are notes on a page. The player is the one who gives it life, and some people are just terribly good at that. You say two words to them, and they know what you want and just tear that note from that page and there it is. You have to know how to use those people and how to deal with them on a personal level. Because if you don't, you're really going to be sorry. And that's just experience. AB: Tell me a little bit about other projects you've done: soundtracks, dance, theater.... What do you like about those that's differ- ent than doing your albums? BP: It gives me parameters to work in that aren't incredibly open. If I see a video, and the writer or director says, "I need a piece of music three and a half minutes long, and here's the emotional quality that it has to communicate," those restrictions will make me write in a different manner than if I'm just writing something for myself. That's exciting because it gives me a form in which to work. AB: Each of the several different sound- track projects that you have done has a different instrumentation: One was for pipe organ, one was more electronic. Were those particular requests from the filmmakers? BP: Sometimes, it depends. For the pipe organ piece, which was for Michael Di- Paolo's video Seven Circles, I believe he specifically asked for that. But for the elec- tronic record, Dull Bang, Gushing Sound, Human Shriek, which goes to another one of Michael's videos, Bought And Sold, he didn't even have the film shot when he came to me for the music. He had a story board, and I had worked with him before, hours a day until I'm done." fluenced by the people around you. You're so I knew his work fairly well, and I knew BP: No, it's not. Although it would be nice always in flux, or you should be, I think. what kind of emotional territory he wanted sometimes to be able to do that. Also, in My favorite people are those kinds of to get at. the real world it's quite a bit different; we people. That's the beauty of music. AB: Did you think in terms of the piece of all have to make a living. But that's not the AB: How important is technique to creat- music having to work as a cohesive whole only reason I do it. I enjoy very much play- ing good, viable, interesting music? so that you could put it on record later? ing with other people, especially other BP: It's as important as what you want to BP: No, because at first I didn't think I was people who are sympathetic to me and do with it. Technique, in and of itself, means going to put it on record. But I enjoyed the whose esthetic is somewhat close to mine. nothing. Technique applied to what you music and thought it would be enjoyable AB: Does it help feed your own compos- want to say on your instrument and what as a record also, that it would stand as ing? you want to feel means everything. Once music alone. BP: Absolutely. After I write something or you figure out the places you want to go, AB: What is it like working for someone after I move in a certain direction, I know then you acquire a certain technique to get like John Zorn, as opposed to doing your sometimes where that comes from. Not you there. The blind seeking of technique own records? anything specific—it's not like I'm playing is a completely empty exercise. What is BP: When you're a sideman, you are at the this rhythm. But it's a general feeling that I that going to teach somebody? Who wants composer's disposal. John's music is very see come from other people, which, again, to play like Steve Gadd? He's a great drum- open in a lot of ways, and I'm allowed to is just like anything else in life: You're in- mer, but who wants to play like him? create lots of things. Sometimes he'll just say, "Previte, do something here," and I'll do something. If he likes it he'll keep it, if not, he'll say, "Do something else," or he'll tell me to do a specific thing. Sometimes I'll come up with something that he likes, and sometimes not; it's trial and error. But you are very much at the composer's dis- posal. It's their music and their vision, and if you disagree with it, you disagree, but you must find what the composer is after and hopefully put a piece of yourself into it, which I think most great composers want anyway. If you can find that middle ground, then that's the best thing. AB: His music shifts so quickly from style to style. On his album Spillane, for ex- ample, there's country, bebop, blues. Were there any styles there that you hadn't played in a while? I would imagine that you don't get to play too much blues. BP: Actually, I played blues for three years with a very good blues guitarist and singer named Bobby Radcliff. I stopped doing it a couple of years ago, but I did it for years and played it all the time. No, I love play- ing blues, it's a really beautiful form. AB: Did you find any trouble shifting into those modes so quickly? BP: No, I didn't really find any trouble. But I don't want to say that, "Now I'm playing the essence of blues in this section; now I'm playing the essence of bebop." It takes years to play a beautiful blues solo, or a beautiful bebop solo. I'm pretty versed in many forms, so I can at least approximate. I leave it for someone else to decide whether I'm really playing it or not. AB: Do you tour with other people's bands at all? BP: Oh, sure. AB: You're pretty much doing all kinds of things at once. BP: Yeah, it's a wide world. AB: So it's not like, "Here's a project now that I'm going to immerse myself in 15 I don't mean to say that one should never But it's just simply this: I don't mind en- I do the same thing for my 14" floor tom. imitate. The imitation phase is very impor- dorsing the quality of drums. What I don't Now, when I'm playing acoustic jazz or tant while learning music, and it should want to endorse is the idea that you must bebop or something like that, I will per- be. Because when you're young, imitation buy 50 million drums, or all the latest tech- haps use my smaller bass drum and turn is a very time-honored and valuable tech- nology, regardless. There has to be a rea- the toms over so that the Ambassadors are nique. But you must get away from it even- son why you want this. You hear a sound, on top. tually, that is if you want to find out what's so you need this tool—fine. But the blanket AB: What about those two tiny drums you in your heart. If you want to be Steve Gadd idea that you need all this stuff before you have mounted on a stand to your left? or have Steve Gadd's gigs, then sure, maybe even play a note—that is wrong. BP: Those are an old set of Ludwig bongos. you can decide to pattern yourself after I'm not saying that in all circumstances These are the cheapest you could possibly him, and you'll sound like him—sort of. playing lots of drums is bad or wrong or buy. They're made out of masonite or some- AB: How about equipment? anything like that. Please don't misunder- thing like that, but they sound so good. I BP: Again, just like technique, it's only stand. What I'm saying is that there is a don't know if you can even buy them any- important insofar as you get what you want tremendous emphasis on equipment and more. No self-respecting bongo player out of it. Young drummers have to remem- technique that I think is way out of bounds would buy them, but I did. I modified them; ber this: Instrument companies make money and proportion to making music. The im- I raised the rims up so that I can play them from people buying equipment. It is to their age that is given to kids is, "If you have all with the sticks more. They're real bright, advantage to have people buy as much this equipment, you can be this drummer." and they sound kind of like clay drums, equipment as they can. One thing all young You can't be this drummer; it's not that which is why I really like them. They don't drummers have to understand is that equip- easy. Even if you wanted to be this person, sound like bongos, though; they're drier ment does not mean you are going to be a you can't be this person by putting on his and brighter. great musician. Buying one more tom-tom clothes. You have to wear your own clothes. AB: Is there any particular cut on the al- does not mean that you're going to be "plus That's what it really is about. bum that you used them on? one" as a musician. In fact I really feel that AB: Given all that, what sort of equipment BP: On "The King So Far" I used them in a lot of times it works in the opposite direc- do you use? conjunction with a clay drum sample that tion. The more sounds you have, the less BP: [laughs] Well, my main set is a Gretsch, Jim Mussen played. We played off each likely you're going to be able to work on which I use Pearl hardware on. I kind of other on that particular cut. rhythms. Go out and play a gig on a snare have a modular set. For instance, I have AB: How about cymbals? drum and a bass drum and try to make two different bass drums—a 22" and an BP: I use Paiste Sound Edge hi-hats. When every song different. Limit yourself in that 18"—and I have the same holders on both I first got them, I thought they were too way, and then I think you're really going to of them. I have 10" and 12" tom-toms, each bright, but now I'm used to them and really discover something. I think sometimes it with one head a coated Ambassador and like them because I get a nice "chick" stunts your growth when you go out imme- the other a Pinstripe. So when I'm playing sound. Plus they've mellowed out a little. diately and buy a bunch of drums. rock music or any other heavy-volume I've got an old 20" Zildjian Ping cymbal. This is a very unpopular attitude; I proba- music, I will use the Pinstripe as the batter, You'll never find another cymbal like that bly just killed my endorsements. [laughs] tune accordingly, and use my big bass drum. one; it's got just enough spread. I also use an 18" crash with rivets in it and an 18" AB: There is something one would seek in time to listen. When something is placed Wuhan China. I used to have a cymbal that New York, though. You came to New York in front of your face fifty million times a I'd keep drilling holes in to stop all the yourself. day, whether it be a commercial, or televi- cracks. It was my first cymbal, and before BP: I came to New York to play with great sion, or MTV, or a big ad in a magazine, my first gig, it rolled out of the back of a musicians, because I knew there were a lot you've more of a tendency to give it a station wagon and a car ran over it. I man- of them here. chance. You kind of gravitate toward that. aged to bend it back into shape, but that AB: Would you say there is more of an It's very difficult to make up your own put the cracks in it. It really got good about openness to new ideas here? mind—in every aspect of life, not just mu- seven years ago [laughs], but then it started BP: Oh, I don't know. I think there is just sic. Corporate America, commerce marches to deteriorate as the cracks got bigger. It more of everything, so there is more open- on. sounded like a China cymbal, so when I ness. There's a lot more closed-minded- AB: Is there a way to kind of avoid this, like decided to buy a China to replace this ness too, because there is just a lot "more." not watching TV or listening to commer- cymbal, I tried to find one that didn't an- AB: Do you get to be a fan of music? cial radio stations? Do you find yourself nounce itself so much. I also bought a BP: If there's something I really want to intentionally staying away from certain Wuhan gong the other day, which I always hear and I have the time, I'll go down to a media? wanted. I should also mention that I use club and hear it. I hear most of my music BP: No, because I like a lot of pop music. I Vic Firth sticks; they've been so nice to me. when I play festivals. Phones aren't ring- think there are some really great things. AB: Let's go back to New York for a min- ing, and I don't have anything to do except But I just try to keep my own path. I try to ute. We're constantly hearing about "the listen to music. I hear a lot of music over- be open to things but I try not to be bullied New York scene," or more particularly, "the seas actually. into things, because I think that's danger- Eastside scene." But if you listen to five AB: Do you find that people are more open ous. Dogma is dangerous, no matter where different records by five different artists from to different kinds of music overseas? you find it. the area, it's hard to come up with one BP: They're open to some things and they're One thing that I do have to say to young blanket statement describing them. Is there closed to some other things. It's just differ- drummers or young musicians is that the any validity to describing the New York ent. Sometimes I feel the audiences are too opinions expressed in this interview are scene? giving: "Everything from New York is great," only those of Bobby Previte. [laughs] This BP: I don't know if there is. That's some- which it isn't. A lot of things from New is the way I work and think; it doesn't thing that journalists do, because they have York are garbage. So that's a tough ques- mean you should run out and do the same to find something to write about. So they tion. I can't really say they are more open. things I do. If something I do or say makes like to put things in this bag or that bag and In a way, I think for the kind of music that I some sense to you, then maybe you can try discover things: "Oh, I've discovered that do there is more of a market for it there. I it or see what it's like. Ultimately, you just this music is very much like this music, think they are less inundated with the in- have to make your own decisions in your and you can see the thread there...." Well dustry of music there. Here, the music in- own mind. Know what is right for you and that's fine, that's their gig. My gig is to dustry is an incredible corporate giant. what you want to get out of music. make music. So I don't really concern my- There's only so much people can hear, only self with it. so many records you can buy, only so much

Cymbal Rivets

Having worked for the Zildjian company and easy method of ensuring that your riv- you have too many rivet holes. Not only for several years now, I've had the advan- ets are evenly placed and away from the will too many holes cause the cymbal to tage of learning a lot about the history of trademark imprint in the cymbal. (Use the choke, but the combined weight of the riv- cymbals from people who were there when numbers in the diagram as a reference.) It's ets themselves will cause further choking. it happened. Sometimes, little clues turn a good idea to mark the positions on the This choking effect will be less apparent in up just in the way that someone will refer cymbal with a marking pen before you start a heavier, larger cymbal, but we still advise to something. For example, I used to won- drilling. that you never go beyond eight rivets. der why Armand Zildjian would talk about First, find the trademark imprint on the Hi-Hats putting nails in a cymbal, only to learn that cymbal. Thinking of the cymbal as a clock that's how the practice of putting rivets in a face, turn the cymbal so that the trademark The idea of putting rivets into the bottom cymbal began. is at the 3:00 position. Mark your starting hi-hat cymbal is nearly as old as hi-hats Back in the primordial days of drumkit point (1) at the 12:00 position. Mark your themselves. There are many possible posi- development, drummers would bang nails second point (2) directly opposite your start- tions for the rivets, depending on how much into a cymbal to produce a "sizzle" sound. ing point. Now place points (3) and (4) extra "swoosh" you want from the hats and As with many cymbal developments of the equidistant between (1) and (2). Finally, how long you want the rivets to vibrate time, Avedis Zildjian took the ideas of the place the last two points by marking point after you close the hats. Most often, we'll drummers and turned them into Zildjian (5) directly opposite point (3), and point (6) install eight rivets, in four groups of two, in products. Thus, the concept of putting riv- directly opposite point (4). the middle between the edge of the bell ets in cymbals was born, and for many and the edge of the cymbal. The closer years Zildjian offered a standard to the edge the rivets are placed, the "sizzle" cymbal. This was a 20" me- less they will reverberate and the less dium-thin cymbal with six rivets. The dramatic the effect will be. cymbal was chosen for its combina- What Are Rivets Made Of? tion of ride and crash/ride qualities prior to the installation of the rivets. Does it really matter what rivets Nowadays, Zildjian doesn't offer a are made of? Yes! The material from standard sizzle cymbal model, but the which the rivet is made and—most company will put rivets in any cym- importantly—its hardness determine bal to order. (Swish model cymbals both the quality of the high-end "hiss" do have six rivets as standard.) From the rivet produces and how well the time to time we get an order for a rivet will "dance" on the cymbal. generic "sizzle" cymbal, and so we Zildjian rivets are made from nickel- use a 20" crash/ride with six rivets. plated hardened steel, and the speci- fications were developed after many Installation years of experimentation. Putting rivets into a cymbal involves Popular Configurations And drilling the holes, ensuring that the Modern Tastes holes are in the correct place, and in- serting and securing the rivets. These One of the most popular and are all important areas that I will cover commonly requested rivet configura- below. But let me first say that, frankly, tions is a line of three rivets about 3/4" Zildjian does not advise that you do the To secure the rivets themselves, the ends apart, about 1" from the edge of the cym- drilling yourself—unless you are very ex- can be flared with the use of a tapered bal. Originally developed by Louie Bellson, perienced at this operation or have plenty punch or ball peen hammer. it creates a more subtle sizzle effect. It also concentrates the sizzle sound in one area of old cymbals to practice on. Drilling the Swishes And China Cymbals holes and making sure that they are in the of the cymbal, and of course leaves more right place is not a simple thing to do. If you are putting rivets into a China room on the cymbal for your stick. Peter If you do insist on doing it yourself, then cymbal or a swish and you play the cym- Erskine often uses an 18" ride with this first and foremost, do not rush. Allow your- bal inverted, then remember to install the rivet configuration, and Marvin "Smitty" self plenty of time. We recommend using a rivets upside down. The best position for Smith has a similar configuration in a 22" drill press, as it will be more accurate when the rivets is about 1" from the edge of the ride, except that his rivets are mounted in a it comes to lining up the holes. Most im- cymbal. They shouldn't be exactly in the 3/4 " triangle instead of a straight line. portantly, use only a very, very sharp bit. A bottom of the groove of the turned-up edge; In recent times, adding rivets to heavier dull drill bit will be too slow, and you place them just slightly out of the groove cymbals has become popular. Some drum- might end up heating the cymbal too much towards the edge. mers are looking for more stick definition at that point. This might retemper the cym- from their sizzle cymbals, and they desire Numbers Of Rivets bal, causing it to weaken and eventually the sizzle sound more as a contribution to crack. More than six rivets may be installed in a the "wash" or "undertones" of the cymbal. A rivet hole should be 3/16" in diameter, cymbal, but Zildjian recommends no more Riveting a heavier cymbal gives a similar and the ideal position is 1" to 1 1/2" from the than eight. If the rivets are removed from effect to the three-rivet grouping mentioned edge of the cymbal. The diagram shows the cymbal, the original tone and durabil- above, however it is a little different. It's as Zildjian's suggested configuration for a stan- ity of the cymbal will be practically the though the sizzle sound is separate from dard six-rivet setup. The following is a quick same. However, this will not be the case if the rest of the cymbal's sound. Dennis by Colin Schofield

Chambers has six rivets in a 20" K Custom, which gives a very unique sound. Another option that is popular today is mounting rivets in a flat . Hav- ing just three or four rivets can produce a very nice effect. From time to time, Zildjian receives re- quests to put rivets into the bell of a cym- bal. This is not advised, as it really doesn't produce too much of an effect, and the effect it does produce is not considered desirable by very many people. Celebrity Rivets Of Interest Probably the most interesting use of riv- ets I have witnessed in recent times is Char- ley Drayton's 12" splash, which contains 12 rivets, evenly spread out near the edge of the cymbal. He puts this inside his 15" hi-hats, resting upside down on the bottom cymbal. The effect is quite striking, adding a very "trashy" quality to the sound of the barely closed "slooshy" hi-hats that he goes for. Not a lot of people would necessarily want this effect, as the hi-hats sound really trashy, but in the context of Charley's play- ing the concept works exceptionally well. And finally, that strange cymbal that Steve Gadd can often be seen using to the right of his ride cymbal is an old 14" K that has, believe it or not, about 50 rivet holes in it, but only four actual rivets, in a very strange configuration. But it works for him, which proves once again that rules are made to be broken. I hope that this article has given you some ideas about using rivets with cym- bals. I am indebted to a number of people here at Zildjian for their insights, especially Lennie DiMuzio, Leon Chiappini, John King, and Kevin Goodman. Remember that rivets will not make a bad cymbal sound good, but can add a different and interest- ing quality to a good cymbal. Advanced Congaby John Santos Drum Workshop

The following exercises should open new ave- nues of expression for those who play conga drums. The exercises are written in "2-3" clave, and each can stand on its own as a basic sup- porting rhythm on two drums. However, you should also consider them as points of depar- ture; use your imagination and creativity to alter and "customize" them, or to simplify them when necessary. You'll also find these versatile rhythms to be excellent The next example is a "laid-back" groove and probably will be in the development of dexterity and coordination. most effective at medium tempos. The following symbols refer to the musical examples: H = Heel (full palm) T = Toe, Touch, or Tap (fingers) S = Slap O = Open Tone B = Bass Tone This first example is a combination of the Puerto Rican Bomba with the Rumba and the Songo of .

The following example is derived from the traditional Cuban "Conga de Comparsa" rhythm.

The following example is based on the style of Rumba known as Guaguanco as it is played in Mantanzas, Cuba.

The last example is a modern way to approach the "Mambo" sections of Salsa arrangements.

The next example is a variation of the straight-ahead Tumbao traditionally used in a great deal of Latin dance music. In this version, the left hand gets a monster workout and the right hand has an unusual figure at the end of the second measure. Here an open tone on the low drum is immediately followed by a slap on the high-pitched drum.

Varying The Back

I often start these columns by pointing out necessarily all the way through a number, the edge, depending on how much "ring" the all-embracing nature of the jobbing but in places. A tom-tom backbeat can you require. For certain Latin effects, play drummer's work. We have to be prepared make an interesting contrast, but it can also as tight to the edge of the drum as possible. to play a wide variety of musical styles, give a mellow sound that fails to drive the (fig. 2) This gives a maximum of "rim and often in quick succession. And due to lim- music like a snare drum "crack" does. It ring" as opposed to "body," and gives an ited budgets and available space, this usu- should be used with caution, rather than interesting contrast to the more standard ally needs to be done on a basic acoustic for the sake of change. drum sounds we're used to. kit, without the benefit of a sound board. When we tune a snare drum we usually Still in the realms of utilizing the rim, Different styles might imply different drum experiment a bit with various ways of strik- there's the "rim-click." Here the stick is sounds, but assuming that we're working ing it. But our main concern is to get an actually rested on the drum. One end re- with acoustic equipment, we're restricted acceptable sound when we play it in our mains resting on the head, while the other as to the number of sounds we can sum- usual manner, combined with the correct strikes the rim. (fig. 3) The easiest way to mon up. There's a temptation, therefore, to amount of tension to give us the degree of achieve this is to allow the heel of the hand have one "catch-all" sound we know we stick response we feel most comfortable to rest on the drumhead also. By far the can work with, and leave it at that. But with. The most common way to play a best sound is produced when the stick is when we perform songs with different char- snare drum for a backbeat is to hit it dead reversed so that the tip remains in contact acters, often the character of the sound on center. Dead center is actually the deadest with the head, and the butt strikes the rim. original recordings, which the audience is spot on the head. Many people get their You can experiment with the best place to used to hearing, will be different too. The "perfect" sound this way, but if the drum is rest the tip, but I find the most satisfying most significant percussive sound from the struck anywhere else, it can give off un- sound can be obtained a couple of inches listener's point of view is usually the back- wanted overtones. A really well-tuned drum in from the edge. beat, so it makes sense to try to vary this in will sound good anywhere on the batter The "cross-stick" gives us a sound some- accordance with the music we're playing head. So it makes sense to have a drum where between a rimshot and a rim-click.

Figure 2 Figure 1

to help give credibility to our band's per- that is suitable for getting more than one The tip of one stick rests on the surface of formance. sound. If we want a more "ringy" sound the drumhead, while the second stick strikes Let's dismiss any electronic gadgets that from a drum, we can play it between the the first one. (fig. 4) This is a standard trick allow us a choice of sounds at the press of center and the edge. And if this feels more used by show drummers for an isolated a button. This is not to say I've got anything comfortable for the style of music we're "pistol shot" effect. The obvious drawback against them. They can be very useful. The playing at the time, or we get a sound is that both hands are needed to execute it. point is that with electronics the sky is the nearer to what's on the original record, However, it's sometimes possible to work limit; and the problem becomes not how then so be it. this into a rhythmic pattern, and it's worth to vary the sound, but which sound to Getting a different sound purely by strik- remembering that we have this sound in choose. (That would be a suitable subject ing the batter head in a different place is a our vocabulary. for a book rather than a modest article!) very straightforward concept. We can Having established that there are a vari- What I'm talking about here is getting switch between sounds from one note to ety of sounds we can get from the snare different sounds from the snare drum. Back- the next, if necessary. Similarly, we can drum, it's worth considering how these beats can be, and sometimes are, played play rimshots—the shaft of the stick hitting sounds can be enhanced within the con- on other instruments. If you're copying the the rim of the drum while the tip hits the text of the kit as a whole. The most com- drum part from a record, it's worth check- batter head. (fig. 1) As with a straight hit on mon method of adding to a snare drum ing that it actually is a snare drum back- the drumhead, a rimshot can be played backbeat is to play the hi-hat with the foot. beat you're hearing. You'll sometimes hear with the tip of the stick striking dead cen- If we're playing a ride rhythm on a differ- it done on a tom-tom, for instance—not ter, or somewhere between the center and ent instrument, such as a ride cymbal or beat Sound by Simon Goodwin remote hi-hat, we can either add a "chick" nothing wrong with playing a flam if that's can also be taped to the rim, or held with or a "splash" sound to the snare drum note. what you intend. But an accidental flam on bulldog-clips. In this way, "cloth" dampers If we're playing the ride on a closed hi-hat, the backbeat—particularly if played be- can be removed or replaced quickly, which we can accent the backbeat by simply tween two drums—can seriously muddy- of course they can't if they're actually taped emphasizing that particular note in the ride up the feel of a song. to the head. pattern, or we can allow the cymbals to Of course, the sounds we can get from a Another standard way to get a different open slightly to give more ambience to it. snare drum can be altered by changing the sound is to use different sticks. You might Another interesting option is to leave the basic sound of the drum we start with. Re- have one type of stick you feel particularly backbeat out of the ride pattern altogether. tuning between numbers is usually imprac- comfortable with, but for different styles of This allows the snare drum to stand out tical because of time, and because it's diffi- music, different drum sounds, and different starkly from the cymbal rhythm, giving it a cult to be precise. However, it's possible to degrees of volume and attack, it would be particular type of emphasis. Alternately, we change the damping on a drum as you go shortsighted not to experiment with alter- can use an accent in the ride rhythm to act along with very little effort. Some snare natives. There are heavy sticks, light sticks, as an "echo" to the backbeat. If you're drums are fitted with internal dampers that and everything in between. There are wood playing 8th notes on the hi-hat, you accent can be adjusted quite easily. In the ab- tips, nylon tips, and synthetic sticks of vari- the "an" after 2, after 4, or after both. sence of an internal damper, you can ob- ous makes. These can be held in various In addition to enhancing the backbeat tain a variety of external ones. These have ways, and they can subtly, or not so subtly, with (or without) the hi-hat, there are plenty been considered more practical in recent alter the sound of a drum. of other choices! Similar things can be done years, because unlike the internal ones, they When we stop to consider all the various in the way of accents on the ride cymbal. don't press the head against the direction ingredients that go into making a simple The cymbal bell can be added to good of the stick's stroke. This means that the backbeat, it makes us realize that there is effect, too. Then there's the possibility of drumhead moves away from the stick at an art to it that we should never take for

Figure 3 Figure 4 having a tambourine mounted on the kit, the time of impact, and the damper only granted. There are all these variables in and using that in conjunction with the snare "bites" as the head regains its natural shape. tuning and damping—the way we hit the drum. To get away from metallic sounds, Many factory-built external dampers ei- drum, the tools we use to hit it with, and the bass drum can be played in unison ther clip onto the rim of the drum, or are whatever else we may or may not be doing with the snare drum on the backbeat. This held in place between a tension bolt and elsewhere on the set to enhance that sound. idea should be approached with caution, the rim. Most dampers of this sort have Any of the choices within any of these though, because it can make the music feel adjustable tension, controlled by a wing- groups can be combined to give you the ponderous. But it's been used in some nut on top of them and a choice of angles, sound you want! How you use them de- music and reggae, as well as in heavy metal. which means they can be swung into dif- pends on your ears and your personal taste. Also, if you can free a hand from the ride ferent positions. A popular home-made The important thing is that we should play pattern, there's no reason not to play a method is to cut a ring of plastic from an the sound we want to be playing, not just a tom-tom and snare drum simultaneously old head so it can rest around the perime- particular noise because it's there. What- on the backbeat, if that works for your ter of the existing head. The width is a ever backbeat sound we do use should be music. matter of taste, but about 1 1/2" seems to be consistent within that song. Experiment with One small word of warning: If you in- a favorite size. This can be removed and different sounds, but when you've got them, tend to strike two surfaces simultaneously, positioned quickly by having it taped to use them as if you mean to use them. Es- be sure that both hands are together. This the rim on one side, so that when it's "off," tablish the sound for a particular number is harder than it might seem. It's so easy to it hangs at the side of the drum ready to be and stick with it. And above all, be sympa- get a flam effect without meaning to. There's flipped onto the surface. Pieces of cloth thetic to the needs of the band. tional styles. But clave is the bible, the That philosophy of getting noticed has guideline, that all salsaros live by. I've extended into other areas as well. Take the known Latin musicians to walk out of re- Jam Block: "All of our market research told cording sessions because someone asked us that they should be black," Cohen says. them to reverse the clave. "But working against our research, we made "Marc never has to strain to play in clave, them in red and blue. That way, they get and he never had to practice it. It's just recognition from the audience. The color something he grew up with. He has ex- has not been an obstacle because the prod- traordinary hearing as far as values and uct sounds so damn good." sounds. What he pushes for is so elusive, Though Martin Cohen isn't as reckless so subtle—the colorations in things like today as he was in the past ("I don't take handbells. We call on him to be the keeper chances anymore; sometimes they back- of tradition and to see that it is translated fire," he concedes), advertising has not into our product. Moving iron and steel become any less important to the com- around to make them sound better—the pany's survival. An important part of LP's, answers are not that clear. We are dealing promotion is their catalog. As with every with a lot of gray areas, very subjective promotion photo that LP sends out, Cohen judgments on overtones. We don't have a is the person behind the camera. His inter- spectrum analyzer, we just do it with In- est in photography is almost as strong as spector Clave's ears." his love for Latin music, to the point where One recent product that Inspector Clave this "hobby" has resulted in the building of had a lot to do with was Block, a photo studio and facilities that a small which is essentially a woodblock made of advertising agency would envy. "Our prod- plastic. As Cohen explains, "This small, uct-photography skills have been very finely skinny guy, Inspector Clave, broke every honed," Martin says. "There is such an woodblock we gave him, because in Latin enormous amount of work that goes into dance halls they really pound them. So he this, I could take on any industrial account. helped us test the 7am Block for durability, It's ridiculous what I have in photo studio and he was the one who made sure that we and art room capabilities." got the pitch right." Cohen sees himself as quite a perfec- That type of attention to detail has helped tionist when it comes to LP's product ad- Cohen introduce non-traditional products vertising, and cites one ad photo where a to Latin musicians. "Latins are some of the tiny piece of gaffer's tape was left on a most conservative people I have ever met background flat, and can be seen reflected when it comes to trying new things," Co- in a timbale shell—at least, he can see it. hen says. "They really have a strict adher- "Just a small detail," Martin admits, "but ence to a certain rhythmic makeup, and now every time I see that picture, I see that that's what they stay with. With the Jam flaw in it. Every time you do a good job, Block, it still amazes me that I'm able to you kind of want that job a little better the get Puerto Rican timbale players to stick a next time, and then you loose sight of the red piece of plastic on their drums. It's only fact that if you didn't do it quite as good, it by virtue of the sound being so correctly would still be okay. If our catalog wasn't as tuned to their needs that they will buy into exquisite as it is, it would be just as fine." it." As good as the LP catalogs look, the real As important as quality is to a product's success of the company has come from the success, promotion can be just as crucial. products that are represented by that cata- Martin Cohen has been well aware of this log. Cohen strives to offer as complete a fact, at times going beyond the bounds of selection of instruments as possible, even if what some people would consider "nor- some of them have a very small market. mal" advertising techniques, one example One such product is LP's line of Bata drums. being his infamous "Beautiful Bongos for Not only are they not in the mainstream of the Beautiful People" ad of the early '70s, instruments, but Cohen has actually in- which contained female nudity. "I've done curred hostility from some people for mak- some things that may have offended a few ing them at all. "There is a religion that people, but the one thing I've done is get surrounds Bata drums," Cohen explains, noticed," Cohen emphasizes. "Sometimes "and there is an ongoing resentment to my it has taken a while to get over the flack I involvement with it. There are people who have gotten because of one of my cam- feel that I am trying to commercialize some- paigns, but I got noticed. And really, when thing that they hold as sacred and secret. you don't have much money to spend, "What's interesting, though," Cohen sometimes you have to depend on shock continues, "is that when I went to Cuba in or controversy. And the old adage is that '79, I went to the home of the now-de- 'As long as people are talking about you, ceased grand Bata master, Jesus Perez. As that's really all that counts.' At that time, opposed to the secrecy that surrounds the when I didn't have an advertising budget, I Bata in America, here there were no se- needed as much public relations—good or crets. He opened a closet containing his bad—as I could get. I needed people talk- sacred drums, which he kept separate from ing about me. Everything was a personal his secular drums, and let me look at them. crusade—making sure I was getting printed He said, 'Would you like me to play for by the right publications, and just cooper- you?' He and his son played, and he in- ating with the publications or people who vited me to record it. wanted to print my photographs." "But in America, there is all of this se- crecy. I've been largely guided by Patato, times driven me to the limits of my pa- but he's not a true Bata player. I've had tience, but the music has never lost its at- three generations of LP Bata drums, and traction for me. I'm told that I still don't have the sizes "For what I do and the skills I have, there exactly right. But I've always met with re- are other industries that could reward me sistance on the part of the practitioners, more substantially. And some of my better who simply refuse to give me the correct employees could probably draw bigger dimensions. paychecks in other environments. But the "There is absolutely no commercial value draw of music is special to us. When I to making Bata drums. Nobody knows how needed sales people, I didn't bring in sales- to play them, and nobody's going to teach men; my sales department was filled with you how to play them. But we offer them musicians. just to be complete. We have several prod- "This isn't an easy business," Martin says. ucts that we don't make any money from, "I set out to do something great, and I had but we do it just to have a comprehensive such enormous energy when I started this catalog. If I made a better Bata drum, it business. I would spend all day cutting up would hardly be worthwhile, but I will keep wood, welding, finishing, photographing, trying because I want to be complete and I writing copy, doing promotion, and then I want to be authentic. And I think this is would do the club thing at night. It sounds what keeps a company vital. Not every- like I was leading a very full life, but to do thing you do is bottom-line oriented, but it all of that, there is a whole side of life that makes a complete package." you have to give up. I have no social life; I At one point, Cohen's desire to be com- don't go on vacations. The people closest plete led to the building of a recording to me are the musicians, because they are studio in his house where some of his fa- the only ones who fit into my schedule. vorite musician friends could come by and But that's how you achieve mastery of all record. "I grew to regret that move," Co- these things, by personal sacrifice. hen reflects. "From that studio, along with "My son, Wayne, is now making that using Ralph MacDonald's recording stu- same sacrifice. He's 24 years old, and he dio, I made 16 albums that were all essen- works 60 hours or more a week. He's in tially failures. If it takes 16 records to real- here sometimes at 6:30 in the morning, ize that you're a failure...," he laughs. "I he's never out before 8:00 at night, and was just so in love with having all these he's often here on Saturdays and Sundays. great players in my house. The company I'm very proud that my son is willing to was making money, but it was all going take on this crusade. Sometimes it's just into the making of these records and creat- easier to turn your back on it, but the prob- ing this facility that I really didn't need. lems don't go away. We've since dropped most of the records "And there have been problems," Cohen from our catalog, but five of the educa- admits. "I learned that subtle changes in tional ones continue to sell. I get a great manufacturing could be disastrous. But the deal of satisfaction from having Puerto Ri- philosophy of the company remained to can percussionists tell me that they learned make something worthwhile. I had seen to play from my records—records produced David Brown's name on the label of an by this Jewish guy in Hillsdale, New Jer- Astin Martin car, and that told me that sey." someone named David Brown had de- If Puerto Ricans have learned to play signed that car, and that he had put his from Cohen's records, it's because he has name on it to be accountable. So I put my kept himself plugged into the mainstream name on the LP labels for the same rea- of what's happening in Latin music. "The son—so that somebody would always know mainstream is not at NAMM shows," Co- who to complain to if the product failed. hen asserts, "but in Central Park and the "On a personal level, I am still very close Bronx, and in dance halls and jazz clubs. to the Latin musicians, and I still have to It's something I make it my business to be a satisfy their needs. If I hear a complaint, I part of. I spend a lot of nights going to have to respond to it. I can't always respond clubs to hear people perform, and there as quickly as some people would like, are nights that, frankly, I just don't feel like because I have to do volume and going out. But I can't not be there. It would production. In the early days, people would just be unacceptable. I know that a lot of come to my house at some really companies hire artist-relations people, but inconsiderate hours and want me to there is no one I could hire who would be machine something, or try to make a bongo the heart and soul of the company. I mean, louder. But I responded. I was available. I I enjoy it, but I just turned 50, and I'm still never put up any restrictions as to when doing what I was doing when I was 21. people could come to my house. I don't And some of those scenes can be rough. know of any other person in the drum But I feel duty-bound to go, to be part of industry who is that personally involved the scene. with the musicians. But being deeply, "I guess the essence of my company was personally involved with what musicians best expressed in a line I used for advertis- do has kept the vitality of my company." ing, 'A Lifetime Of Commitment,' because over half my life has been dedicated to this cause. And I have never lost my interest in the Latin rhythms. The people have some- Gretsch-Glad

handed thread. This facilitated both a clockwise tensioning from the top and... 6. Simultaneous Tensioning Of Both Heads At Once. The third socket of the key turned both rods together. Inasmuch as the top rod thread was right-handed and the bottom left-handed, the result of turning both was a turnbuckle effect, tensioning both heads at the same time. 7. Finger-tip Tone Regulation. In- cluded on Gretsch-Gladstone snare drums, toms, and bass drums, two fea- tures made this tone control unique: Rather than an adjustable screw-type mechanism, the pads were spring-loaded, and applied on or off via a cable from the lever mounted on the base of the throw-off. The second feature was the pads themselves. Rather than the more commonly used felt, Billy used a rubber suction-cup type of pad. The resulting tone quality for snare drums was: "Ex- treme delicacy and crispness of tone for recording and broad-casting...full power when you want to 'pour it in'"; for tom- toms: "From true Oriental tom-tom to Talk with any vintage drum collector, and Gadgets While Drumming." Seven improve- characteristic Indian drum effect...A new the names of three drums will inevitably ments to the snare drum were cited. In the aid to flashing showmanship"; for bass come up: Slingerland Radio Kings, Ludwig article, Billy Gladstone said that the reason drums: "Full tone, semi-tone, or completely Black Beauties, and Gretsch-Gladstones. he invented his drum was because the old muted tone in a second!" Two of the three have been highlighted in drum was not adequate for "the new me- The snare drums were stocked in a stan- various publications, but the true unsung dium of radio and the new sound systems." dard 6 1/2x14 size, however, custom sizes hero is the Gretsch-Gladstone. Fortunately, Billy's seven improvements appear on could be ordered. Finishes included dark the inventor, Billy Gladstone, has been pages five and six of the 1939 Gretsch mahogany, duco ebony, white, or two-tone, acknowledged for his versatility as an in- catalog: at a price of $95. Pearl finish cost an addi- credible performer, as well as a prolific 1. Perfected Snare Control. "Lightning tional $15, while optional gold plating was inventor. (See October, 1981 Modern Drum- fast and smooth as silk in action, here at $5 more. This was a lot of money in 1939, mer's "Tribute To Billy Gladstone" and "Billy last is a throw-off that actually operates by and even the Gretsch catalog stated that Remembered.") The drums, however—pro- a mere tap of the drumstick...in a natural, the "price may seem prohibitive." (A Black duced under the partnership of Billy Glad- easy motion, without changing your grip." Beauty cost $64.50, while a Radio King stone and the Fred Gretsch manufacturing 2. Positive Throw-Off. Many early throw- was $53.) But according to Duke Kramer, company—have received little more than offs accomplished only a partial disengage- who was vice president of sales at the fleeting attention. ment of the snares, allowing some snare Gretsch Chicago branch at the time, "It Unlike Radio Kings or Black Beauties, response. was simply an expensive drum to manu- whose popularity could have been attrib- 3. Stick Rest. "The projecting lever of the facture, what with the complex mecha- uted to either endorsement (by Gene Krupa) throw-off forms a natural rest for your drum- nisms. Even the elaborate key was expen- or sheer good looks, the Gretsch-Gladstone sticks." sive. At the time, Gretsch believed in pre- featured unique custom-design elements. 4. Separate Tensioning Of The Batter senting new, different, and exciting drums, These included three-way tensioning Head Alone. One socket of the three-way regardless of the price." (whereby either or both heads can be ten- key adjusted the batter head by turning the The Gretsch-Gladstone snare drum was sioned from the top tension rods) and single outer portion of the top tension rod. This offered in a second configuration, with two- nodal tube lugs (making less surface con- rod engaged the lug via a right-handed way tensioning and minus the Gladstone tact with the shell). These design elements thread. finger-tip tone control. Oddly enough, are being applied once again on the eso- 5. Separate Tensioning Of The Snare though it was tensioned like any other snare teric snare drums of today. Head Alone. The second socket of the key drum (either from the top or from the bot- How did Gladstone re-invent the drum? tensioned the snare head by turning the tom), the tension rods were formed with Gretsch-Gladstone snare drums were pre- inner portion of the top tension rod. Inside the characteristic two-step top. The rod, sented by the Fred Gretsch manufacturing the lug, this portion engaged the lower ten- however, was one solid unit. Since it did company at the New York Musical Trades sion rod with a sliding blade and slot dif- not require a special key, this top was ap- Convention in 1937. Metronome magazine ferential. (Billy used a hex rod and socket parently only a decoration. The two-way covered the event in their September 1937 on the drums he later produced.) The lower model was offered at $72.00 for standard issue in an article titled "Gladstone Invents tension rod engaged the lug via a left- finishes and $82.00 for pearl. stone Drums by Chet Falzerano

Though the catalog said that the model struction was of four-ply was offered to those whose "budget doesn't maple, as Gretsch elimi- run just now to the 'full-feature' model," nated the use of glue rings. Duke Kramer qualifies further that "some Tubular lugs were used on drummers didn't want the three-way tun- all drums. The snare, bass ing. They didn't mind turning the drum drum, and smallest tom over." This was Gladstone's chief objection lugs were mounted with a to standard snare drums. Ted Reed, life- single nodal post, while the long friend of Billy Gladstone, wrote in larger tom lugs had two MD's "Tribute To Billy Gladstone": "Billy posts. Toms and bass drums would tighten the top head, but didn't care were equipped with to turn the drum upside-down in front of wooden hoops. Though the 6,000 people (at Radio City Music Hall) to toms did not have vent tighten the bottom." holes, the three-way snares Both snare drums were available with and bass drums were 12-strand wire or gut snares. The butt plate vented by utilizing a of the gut snares was unique in that each threaded tube to mount the strand could be adjusted individually. Six spin-on key. The two-way set screws tightened against the gut strands snare drums were vented as they passed through the butt bracket. with a grommet mounted Curiously, with all this concern over with the familiar circular elaborate tensioning, the Gretsch-Gladstone Gretsch badge. Gretsch- bass drums were single-tensioned. Like the Gladstone badges were ei- two-way snare drums, the player-side ten- ther tacked on or the logo sion rods of the bass drum had the decora- was stamped onto the tive two-step tops. Within the tub lug, it shell. Snare batter rims simply screwed into the audience-side ten- were also engraved with sion rod. A spin-on key was supplied, but "Gretsch Gladstone" (some with only one socket. Both heads were also including "Registered equipped with the Gladstone tone controls. Trade Mark Pat. Off"). Tone Standard sizes were 12x26,14x26,12x28, controls also had "Off-On" and 14x28, with prices ranging from $100 stamped on the shell or on to $127.50. a tacked brass plate. All Toms were offered in either single-ten- drums were numbered in- sion models (with tacked-on bottom heads) side the shell (with the exception of some Weiss all played Gretsch-Gladstones. Were with a single tone control, or separate-ten- bass drums that were numbered on the these artists compensated for their endorse- sion models with double tone controls. badge). ments? "Absolutely not," says Duke Kra- Single-tension toms were offered in 6 1/2 x 10, Who played and endorsed these drums? mer. "Gretsch didn't pay for endorsements, 8x12,9x13,12x14, and 16x16 sizes. Sepa- Most notably, Chick Webb, Jo Jones, Shelly ever. These guys just wanted to play rate-tension toms were sized 9x13,12x14, Manne, Dave Tough, and O'Neil Spenser Gretsch-Gladstones." Considering the state- and 16x16, with prices ranging from $25.50 of John Kirby's orchestra. Also, Charlie Car- of-the-art features of these drums—even by to $66. rol of Al Donnahue's orchestra, Cesar Cam- today's standards—it's not difficult to un- Shell construction was of three-ply maple era, Frank Kutak and August Helmecke of derstand why. with glue rings on early models. Later con- Goldman's band, Joe Sinai, and Sammy SUPERDRUMMING played. The musical examples are long enough to establish each Proscenium Entertainment groove effectively without overdoing it. Each musical example has P.O. Box 909 a corresponding pattern written out in the booklet that accompa- Hightstown NJ 08520 nies the tape, so you can learn by watching, listening, and/or Time: 53 minutes reading. Price: VHS $19.95/Beta $24.95 From a production standpoint, the video is well-constructed. Talk about an eclectic grouping of Two basic camera angles are used: one full-front when Jeff is drummers—Louie Bellson, Simon addressing the viewer, and one overhead from Jeffs left when he is Phillips, lan Paice, Gerry Brown, playing. The latter angle clearly reveals Jeffs work on the hi-hat , and Pete York—all and all the drums, while a split-screen inset of his bass drum foot together on the same video? Well, covers his pedal work at the same time. You don't miss a thing. Superdrumming brings these gen- One point should be made in the interest of accuracy. Although tlemen together for about an hours' the liner notes indicate that this is a 60-minute tape, I timed it out worth of superior drumming. at almost exactly 30 minutes. In a way, I almost didn't mind, since Watching the different approaches there isn't a moment wasted, and since this 30-minute tape con- of such a diverse group of play- tains more solid information and inspiration than many 60-minute ers—on the same tape—really tapes I've seen. But the fact remains that the tape isn't as long as it opens up your thinking about is stated to be. drumming. Besides being solid as a rock on everything else he plays, Jeff The drummers on Superdrum- Porcaro is the absolute master of the shuffle feel. He proves this on ming should be known to most this video by playing several shuffle patterns that display surpris- MD readers. On this tape they play two songs apiece with a band ing variety and multiple applications. This is by no means an all- made up of some very talented European musicians, led by key- encompassing video, but if you want to learn how a studio giant boardist Brian Auger. All of the tunes feature at least one drum does what he does best, it's here for you. solo. (The hot licks on this tape are too numerous to count.) Some —Rick Van Horn high points on Superdrumming include Louie Bellson and trading solos on "Heart Attack Tango," Gerry Brown's DAVE SAMUELS groove playing and soloing on "Can You Dig It?," and the tune MALLET KEYBOARD "The Last Roundup," which features short solos from each of the MUSICIANSHIP drummers. Also appearing on this tape is percussionist Nippy STEPS TO EXCELLENCE Noya, who shows his great chops on congas and other percussion Volumes 1 and 2 toys during "Collapse Calypso." Masterplan Originally produced for European television, Superdrumming 2515 Santa Clara Avenue, was videotaped at the century-old Staig/lllerkirchberg cathedral in Suite 103 West Germany. The sound and camera work is excellent, with Alameda CA 94501 some great overhead shots of the drummers. The tunes themselves Time: Vol. 1, 45 minutes; are the only weak aspect of the tape, but the drumming makes up Vol. 2, 30 minutes for any so-so compositions or arrangements. If you're looking for Price: $49.00 each; some soloing inspiration, this tape is a good place to start, espe- $90.00 for both (VHS/Beta) cially for the price. Dave Samuels is among that hand- —William F. Miller ful of people who are equally strong as performers and teach- JEFF PORCARO ers. While this video stresses his Star Licks Master Series educational abilities, there is also Noma Video some performance mixed in that 2340 Sawtelle Boulevard shows off that side of Samuels, Los Angeles CA 90064 too, while putting the teaching Time: 30 minutes examples into solid perspective. Price: $44.95 VHS only The first tape covers the basics of mallet keyboard percussion (also available on audio and is aimed at beginning to intermediate players. The second cassette for $14.95) tape goes into more depth, and is directed at intermediate to ad- This is one of the best, most un- vanced performers. Each tape is broken up into a number of pretentious videos I've run across segments, each of which focuses on a single point. The tapes are in a long time. Its quality is de- very well organized, and the format allows one to approach this rived from the fact that Jeff Por- material as a series of lessons. In addition, these tapes can be used caro keeps the subject matter lim- along with the two books Samuels has written, A Musical Ap- ited to what he does as well as or proach To Four Mallet Technique For Vibraphone. (The two vol- better than anybody else around: umes are also available from Masterplan, and are $14.95 each.) locking down a groove in a musi- Topics covered in Volume 1 of the video include holding four cal and interesting manner. Jeff mallets, opening and closing the mallets, striking the bars, playing adds a few educational tidbits a single line while holding four mallets, sticking techniques, using about grip, hi-hat and bass drum the pedal, and dampening techniques and applications. While a technique, and the use of accents lot of the information is very basic, even a somewhat advanced and dynamics, but his primary focus is on how he creates and player might pick up some pointers here, particularly towards the plays his patented grooves. He demonstrates straight 8th- and end when Samuels demonstrates a variety of dampening ap- 16th-note feels (including samba variations), and shuffles. With the proaches. aid of Michael Porcaro on bass and David Garfield on keyboards, Volume 2 includes material on chord scales, visualizing scale Jeff explains how he creates his drum patterns—breaking each one shapes, modal scale studies, and harmonic qualities of scales. A down clearly—and how those patterns affect the music being nice feature of this volume is that Samuels demonstrates a lot of his points by performing with a mallet ensemble. This is especially helpful during the discussions concerning the chord/scale relation- ships. Overall, this is an excellent use of the video medium. Being able to hear Samuels explain a technique, see him do it, and also hear the resulting sound is far superior to reading about a technique in a book. Gary Burton has often over-simplified the technical de- mands of mallet keyboard instruments, saying that you merely have to strike the bar and the sound is there. While that's true to a point, there's also more to it than that, as this pair of videos from Dave Samuels makes quite clear. —Richard Egart

CHET McCRACKEN AND Star Licks Master Series Noma Video Inc. 2340 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 Time: 60 minutes Price: $44.95 VHS only (also available on audio cassette for $14.95) In this very low-key, almost ad-lib video, Chet McCracken (of Doobie Brothers fame) and Ches- ter Thompson (Genesis, Zappa, Weather Report) consult their years of playing experience and pass on what they've discovered about basic drum tuning, plus a few tips on playing technique. Most of the tape concerns meth- ods of getting the right sound from the drumset—muffling, heads, tuning, holes in heads, various bass drum beaters, etc.—with both Chet and Chester giving their indi- vidual, and sometimes differing, views on each subject. Several times it is emphasized that there is no "right" way to do any of these things, only what's right for the individual drummer. At the end of the tape, Chet explains and demonstrates some basic beats, including turning a paradiddle into a groove by spread- ing it out on the drumset, and playing double time while keeping the time steady. Chester then shows some of his methods of getting around the drumset easily and logically, notably using a para- diddle to reverse directions. Since both drummers are (or were) in double-drummer bands, one might expect some tips on playing in this type of situation, but the topic is not touched upon. Chet and Chester do play briefly to- gether, though, during the intro and exit of the video. A modest little tape with modest goals, aimed at the beginner level, there are probably still some tips here that intermediate drummers could use. —Adam Budofsky of Slingerland drums and marching IN MEMORIAM: percussion instruments. MURPHY JOINS Robert Cotton, HSS vice president, an- FRED EDLUND nounced that the formal introduction of DRUM WORK- The percussion industry was shocked and those Slingerland products that will be ' saddened to learn of the death of Fred immediately available, and those that will SHOP'S TEAM Edlund on May 7. Fred was the drum be added to the line in early 1990, will be Drum Workshop has announced that sales maintenance and support technician at at the upcoming NAMM show in Chicago. specialist Dave Murphy has joined DW's Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The Slingerland products will be available in-house sales staff. Murphy spent the past He died while driving to work, apparently for shipment from HSS distribution centers four years as national sales manager for a the victim of a heart attack. in Ashland and in Mountain View, Califor- Los Angeles-based percussion distributor, Fred was the motivating force behind, nia. For more information, call HSS at and three years as the drum department and the on-site guide for, MD's feature (804) 798-4500. manager/buyer at Pedrini Music in Alham- story, "Drumming At Disney World" in the bra, California. Also active as a free-lance December 1987 issue. That story covered percussionist in the Southern California the activities of the literally dozens of DRUMS area, Murphy is the timpanist and principal drummers and percussionists performing percussionist for the Crystal Cathedral and regularly at Disney World—all of whom FOR LUNCH "Hour Of Power" orchestras. relied on Fred for their technical support and "special needs." Fred's tireless efforts and creative imagination provided unique instruments, short-notice repairs, and other essential services to drummers performing hundreds of shows per week over a huge geographic area. He was also called upon to provide support to the hundreds of outside artists—from rock drumkit players to marching percussion lines, and from African tribal drummers to Japanese Taiko troupes—that performed at the park each year. He handled each and every request with skill, efficiency, and an unflagging good humor. He considered every drummer and percussionist on the Disney property as a colleague, and offered veteran drummers and novices alike his total concern for their musical well-being. He was also an active player himself, performing at various locations in and around the Orlando area. Since he was responsible for maintain- ing the supply of new equipment, replace- The Yamaha Communication Center ment parts, and expendable items for all Showroom in New York City was the site YAMAHA Disney drummers, Fred was also known for the second in a series of noontime and respected by many members of the drum clinics. Featured artists were percussion manufacturing industry. Karl Horacee Arnold, Richie Morales, Mickey LAUNCHES ROCK Dustman, of Pearl International, referred Curry (shown in photo), Buddy Williams, to Fred as "the real heartbeat of everything and Dave Weckl. There was no admission SCHOOL that was percussion-oriented at Disney fee for the clinics, which drew large World. He was the pulse that kept every- crowds, including many passers-by who PROGRAM thing happening smoothly. He was also a were drawn in by seeing a drummer Yamaha Corporation of America has estab- tremendously nice man, and his loss is a wailing away in front of Yamaha's 57th lished a new educational program called blow to all of us." Street window. According to Steve Rock School, specifically for aspiring rock Ettleson, who coordinates these events, 'n' rollers. According to Yamaha, Rock "One of our goals with these series is to School combines classroom musical in- HSS ANNOUNCES spotlight some of the great players who struction with the excitement and learning have not had a lot of clinic exposure. The experience of live, on-stage, student rock AGREEMENT WITH clinics are also helping make people band performances. aware of our Communication Center." The Rock School's specially trained teaching SLINGERLAND next Drums For Lunch series is scheduled staff will use the Yamaha 27-week curricu- for the week of August 21-25. For further lum, presented in three 9-week modules. DRUMS information, contact the Yamaha Commu- Teachers will identify musical abilities of Horst Mucha, president of Hohner/HSS nication Center, 142 West 57th Street, students and place them into bands for re- Inc., and Fred Gretsch, president of New York, NY 10019, (212) 265-1111. hearsals and performances. In Rock School Gretsch Enterprises and Slingerland 101 the emphasis is on instrumental tech- U.S.A., have announced their signing of niques and ensemble playing, while the an agreement that names HSS Inc., of 201 course focuses on performance, ar- Ashland, Virginia, the exclusive distributor ranging, group identity and image, stage

presence, and the business of music. Both (Hirschi H.S., Wichita Falls), Greg Sawyer Estes, Andy Galeon, Bob Zimmitti, Bobby sections include weekly band rehearsals, (Haltom City H.S.), Jeffrey Peebles (Trinity Previte, Chuck Bonfante, Danny Gayol, which create the realistic performing envi- H.S., Euless), Mike Newhouse (Newman Dave Beyer, Frank Briggs, Gordy ronment that Yamaha says gives Rock Smith H.S.), Tom Fesler (University of Knudtson, Jim Varley, Lou Clemente, Pat School its unique format. Texas, Arlington), Bill Olson (Baylor Uni- Mastelotto, Rock Deadrick, and Todd For information on attending Yamaha versity), and Jeff Moore (University of Lane. Rock School, contact Yamaha's Music North Texas). Vic Firth announced their new endorsers: Education Division, (714) 522-9122. Door prizes were awarded to those in William Calhoun, Ron Riddle, Hunt Sales, attendance, and included merchandise Soko Richardson, Matt Chamberlain, Russ from Mike Balter, Pearl, Remo, Silver Fox, McKinnon, Steve Samuel, , MARTY HURLEY and Zildjian. A special prize was awarded Victor Agnello, Greg Haver, Chuck to the person who traveled the greatest Bonfante, Tad Leger, and Dante Renzi. CLINIC distance to attend (Lee Jackson from Kyle, now endorses Premier Lone Star Percussion of Dallas, Texas re- Texas, over 200 miles away). Following a drums; James Kottack now uses Pearl cently hosted clinician Marty Hurley on question-and-answer period, Marty Hurley drumsticks; and Rod Morgenstein endorses one of the stops on Pearl's 1989 National concluded the clinic by playing the snare Electro-Voice N/DYM mic's. Clinic Tour. Marty is the percussion in- drum solo "Connecticut Halftime." structor and arranger for the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois, as well as the director ENDORSER NEWS REPRINTS of most of bands at Brother Martin High School in Chris Whitten, who will be Paul McCart- New Orleans, Louisiana. The event was ney's drummer on his upcoming world held at Lake Highlands High School (the tour, recently asked Zildjian for "a Ringo MD Feature Articles site of the annual Festival of Drums and ride cymbal—just like the one he used on Bugles competition). the classic Beatle tracks." Chris explained and columns ARE Instead of a traditional clinic, nine snare that the special Ringo ride cymbal sound drummers performed for Marty in a is needed on many of the numbers in the available! Call the master-class setting. The participants program, and after some quick R&D, included Matt Bender (Shackleford Jr. Zildjian flew over an 18" K Heavy Ride H.S., Arlington), Derek Linders (Newman (with rivets) to Chris, special delivery. office for a Smith H.S., Carrollton), Duncan Tilford New endorsers for Paiste include: Alan price quote

series. All Mapex products carry the "5/2" NEW CYMBALS NEW MAPEX warranty: five years on drums, plus two on hardware. Mapex Percussion Technology, FROM SABIAN DRUM LINES P.O. Box 748, Effingham, Illinois 62401, Challenged by the growing demand (217) 342-9211, Fax: (217) 347-0316. among drummers for exciting special effects, Sabian has redesigned its range of cast bronze AA Chinese cymbals to capture the sound characteristics and TWO NEW appearance of traditional Oriental instruments. VIDEOS FROM DCI Prompted by the success of its recently DCI Music Video has announced the re- debuted 13" Fusion Hats, Sabian has also lease of two instructional drum videos, expanded this series of cross-matched Everything Is Timekeeping, featuring Peter pairing to include louder, more powerful Erskine, and How To Play Drums From 14" versions. Consisting of either an AA Day One, With Jim Payne. Everything Is (machine-hammered) or HH (hand-ham- Timekeeping features a great deal of per- mered) top, coupled with a heavy formance by Peter's trio, which includes unlathed HH Leopard bottom, 14" Fusion Mapex Percussion Technology has intro- John Abercrombie on guitar and Marc Hats, according to Sabian, deliver clear, duced several series of astronomically Johnson on bass. The topics Peter covers tight metallic notes, making them ideal for named drumsets. The Saturn Studio series include independence, grip, ride cymbal both stage and studio applications in features a combination of four plys of technique, brushes, soloing, and playing virtually any style of music. Sabian Ltd., maple and three plys of selected hard- in various styles, such as jazz, Latin, and Meductic, New Brunswick, CANADA wood in a seven-ply shell construction, an shuffles. The video also includes an exer- EOH 1LO. Tel.: (506) 272-2019, FAX: eleven-step lacquer finish, and Pro-lok cise/transcription booklet. (506) 328-9697. hardware. With all the features of the How To Play Drums From Day One Saturn Studio series, the Saturn Stage was designed to introduce the complete series is available in a wide choice of beginner to the drumset. According to metallic coverings. Mapex also offers the DCI, using a unique system developed by Mars series—which features nine-ply Jim Payne, the viewer will learn to play mahogony shells and double-braced simple beats almost immediately. Proper hardware—and the entry-level Venus grip motion and technique are covered, and traditional drum notation is also Proteus also features Midi Patch, a pow- explained. Nine songs are provided to play E-MU PROTEUS erful modulation and control structure along with. DCI Music Video, 541 Avenue functioning much like a digital patch bay. of the Americas, New York, NY 10011, DIGITAL SOUND MidiPatch gives the user real-time access (800) 342-4500 or (212) 691-1884. to over 40 of a sound's parameters, either MODULE from a keyboard, other MIDI controller, or E-mu recently introduced Proteus, a 16-bit, from Proteus's internal LFO's and enve- SOFTWARE PACK- 32-voice digital sound module that uses E- lopes. For more information, contact Jim mu's new generation of custom VLSI (Very Rosenberg at E-mu Systems, Inc., 1600 AGE FOR 2 Large Scale Integration) technology. Ac- Green Hills Road, Scotts Valley, CA Ddrum's new 2.0 software package for its cording to E-mu, Proteus combines 95066, (408)438-1921. ddrum 2 provides 4MB of memory—twice Emulator III sound quality with a high level that of the previous software version. The of creative control at an affordable price. new package, along with the new assorted Proteus contains four megabytes (inter- NEW PRO-MARK Percussion 3 (included in the package) will nally expandable to eight megabytes) of give the user 50 of "the best and most high-quality 16-bit samples STICKS AND PAD realistic drum sounds available." More selected from the Emulator MIDI control features have been added to III sound library and stored the package, including the ability to store in ROMs for instant access. MIDI channel and MIDI note number Samples include pianos, setups for each drum of the ddrum 2 in organs, strings, horns, each drumkit that you program. Eight , basses, drums, and different MIDI devices can now be Latin percussion. controlled at one time by sending program- Proteus contains 192 mable program change messages from sounds and has the ability to each of the ddrum channels. Ddrum has literally take these sounds also added the Drumhead Vibration apart and reassemble them Algorhythm, which the company says into an almost limitless number of entirely Pro-Mark has introduced a new nylon-tip makes the pads and sounds respond better. new sounds. You can combine parts of one version of its Maxxum 400 (15 3/4" long), For further information, contact Chris Ryan sound with another or with any of a Maxxum 412 (16 1/4" long), and Maxxum at ddrum, 25 Lindeman Dr., Trumbull, CT selection of digital waveforms also stored 419 (16 1/2" long) drumsticks. Previously 06611, (203) 374-0020. in the Proteus front panel. available onlv with wood tips, the

Maxxum series drumsticks are 16mm in diameter (like a Pro-Mark 26). The taper is short and the bead is large, which, according to the company, makes the Maxxum series sturdy and very long- lasting. The Maxxum series is made in the U.S.A. from select American hickory. Pro- Mark has also released a Bobby Rock model American hickory drumstick. The stick is 16.5 mm in diameter (slightly larger than the Pro-Mark 28), 17 1/2" long, and available only in wood tip. Also new from Pro-Mark is their own version of the "Gladstone"-type practice pad. Made of composite rubber material, Designs created specifically to put out in- is easily replaceable and will outlive each the pad is designed to sit on top of any 14" structional videos. Future drumming performance. For more information, con- snare drum or on any flat, smooth surface. videos will feature Scott Travis of Racer X, tact John French at Duratech Music Prod- The pad comes as a standard part of all Ken Mary, Steve Ferrone, Richie Morales, ucts, Rt #3, Wright Road, Thomasville, Pro-Mark SK20 snare drum kits, or may be and Will Kennedy. Silver Eagle, Inc., 6747 NC 27360, (800) 637-6166. purchased separately. Pro-Mark, 10707 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406-5870, Craighead Dr., , TX 77025. (818) 786-8696 or 988-1334. NEW LP ITEMS To give a sampling of some of the SILVER EAGLE DURALITE products that the LP Music Group offers, the company has created the Mini VIDEOS DRUMSTICKS Catalog. Within its color pages are short Silver Eagle Designs, Inc. has released a Duratech Music Products' Duralite drum- profiles and photos of their percussion series of new instructional videos, includ- sticks feature an ultra-bright LED housed instruments and accessories. LP says that ing one each by Vinnie and Carmine Ap- inside a high-impact transparent polycar- the Mini Catalog, which is free, is an easy pice. The videos are being produced by bonate drumstick. When lighted, Duralites way to become familiar with the types of Silver Eagle Productions and Backstage are clearly visible to the audience in an products the company offers. Productions, subsidiaries of Silver Eagle arena/concert setting. The battery supply Also new from LP is a lower-pitched

ning conga player. The SHURE BETA SERIES conga is made of DYNAMIC MIC'S Siam oak, features a rounded rim for comfort, and has a pitch about midway between a conga and a bongo. LP Music Croup,160 Belmont Ave., Garfield, NJ 07026, (201) 478-6903, Fax: (201) 772- 3568. version of their 7am Block. Jam Shure Brothers Incorporated has an- Blocks feature a raised striking nounced the introduction of two newly surface and are made of a syn- designed high-performance microphones. thetic material called Jenigor. The Shure Beta 58 is intended for use in Each Block has three mounting demanding vocal applications, while the locations and comes with a heavy- Beta 57 is designed for the miking of gauge steel mounting bracket. musical instruments, particularly drums, New to LP's conga line is the cymbals, horns, and instrument amplifiers. Ricardo model, which the com- According to Shure, the Beta 58 and pany has designed for the begin- Beta 57s gain-before-feedback capability maximizes PA and monitor output when system receiver. the 207 VHF. Both of the new systems onstage sound levels are extremely high. The Nady 20? VHF is a diversity wire- use Nady's patented companding circuitry Shure attributes this capability to the less system that uses True Diversity cir- for a dynamic range of 120 dB and audio mic's' "true supercardioid" polar patterns, cuitry to eliminate the possibility of with freedom from overload distortion. a result of totally new transducer technol- "dropouts" during reception. The Nady Nady Systems, Inc., 1145 65th Steet, ogy and special three-stage directional 101 VHF is a wireless system on the VHF Oakland, CA 94608, (415) 652-2411. tuning networks. Shure Brothers, Inc., high-band without the diversity feature of Customer Services Dept., 222 Hartrey Ave., Evan- ston, ll 60202-3696, (800) 257-4873 (in Illinois, [800] 624-8522). NADY WIRELESS SYSTEMS Nady's 101/201 wireless systems are now available with a choice of popular headmic's, including the Audio Technica AT-73, the AKG 470, or the Nady HM-1 with a Crown GLM- 200 element. The 101/201s are shipped complete with specified headmic', body- pack transmitter with minum XLR connector, and

A. Yamaha's Steve Ettleson reports that he I look forward to hearing more about some subbing for Anton Fig in the Blues has had great success with Windex as a John Riley in the future, and wish you at Brothers in Europe, then going to Israel cleaner for Yamaha drums. It's non-abra- Modern Drummer continued success in with Lew Soloff to play the Red Sea Jazz sive and removes all dust and grease from appreciation for helping to unite the family Festival. RCA Novus has also recently re- the shells and the chrome. Yamaha's drums of drummers. leased an Elements album called Liberal feature a very high-gloss lacquer finish, so Alan Johnson Arts. that's what you're cleaning; you're not get- Greenwich CT David Drubin contracting and gigging ting anywhere near either the paint or the for Frankie Avalon. wood—even on the interior of the shells. EVELYN GLENNIE Alvino Bennett on the road with Sheena For that reason, lemon oil applied to the I just wanted to congratulate Lauren Vogel Easton. He is also on Tim Heintz's new insides of the drums would not be particu- on her excellent article on Evelyn Glennie. album. larly beneficial. A bit of paraffin wax ap- [May '89 MD] It is well-written and shows Ron Riddle doing European and State- plied to the bearing edges periodically Evelyn as she really is—a dedicated musi- side tours with Blue Oyster Cult. might, however, since Yamaha's bearing cian and deep-feeling person. She is a Butch Miles playing the Dick Gibson Jazz edges are raw, sanded wood and receive wonderful credit to the percussion com- Party in , September 1-5. no finish coating. munity, and to life. Thanks to Lauren for He can be heard on recently released Con- The greatest potential for damage to shells writing the story. cord album A Real Swinger with Flip Phil- in terms of exposure to temperature ex- John Beck lips, and new albums with tremes is from rapid change—going from President - Percussive Arts Society and the American Composers Orchestra (a hot to cold or cold to hot very quickly— Urbana IL tribute to ). rather than from prolonged exposure to any Ronnie Cooke on tour with the Bellamy given temperature. Obviously, you would TRIGGERING TIP Brothers. not want to leave the drums out in bad I discovered a cool trick for triggering from "Rob the Drummer"—Robert L. Gott- weather unprotected, but if set up in your acoustic drums with an Octapad ll. Set the fried—recently toured the USSR with his attic, they should be safe from damage un- MIDI note for the trigger input to zero, anti-substance-abuse program. less the temperature ranges to tremendous which is not assigned to any sound on your Kenwood Dennard spent the month of extremes. A good rule of thumb would be drum machine. Then, use the velocity June touring Europe with Jonas Hellborg. to judge whether the room is too hot or switch mode to trigger the desired note by Kenwood has recently been working with cold for you to practice in. If so, perhaps setting the desired note as the second level guitarist Pat Martino. some sort of heating or cooling system might of velocity. By doing this, all the low-level Mark Schulman touring with Richard be indicated. In most cases, covering the garbage will only be triggering MIDI note Marx, as well as working with . drums with a blanket to protect them against 0, which has no sound assigned to it. This He has a Silver Eagle instructional video cold (and accompanying dampness), and works surprisingly well. coming out on the marriage of acoustic making sure that the attic is well ventilated One thing that should be mentioned is and electronic drums, emphasizing trigger- to protect them from heat build-up is suffi- that trigger attachment and placement is ing and programming. cient. Since Yamaha's Custom series drums critical with any acoustic trigger setup. As George Lawrence recording Jimmy Davis are not covered, you need not be con- a general rule, triggers must be glued to the & Junction's second album on Chrysalis. cerned with heat loosening, bubbling, or heads with GE Silicone Seal. Any play in Gary Burke on the road with Joe Jackson otherwise damaging any plastic covering. the trigger will show up in poor triggering. in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and . Heavy heads also help. The sound you may Sly Dunbar in the studio preparing the lose by using a Hydraulic head on the bass next Sly & Robbie album. drum is negated by the clean, accurate trig- Stix Hooper has a new solo album called ger you gain from your electronics. Lay It On The Line, on Artful Balance Rec- Peter Erskine (and his children), Vinnie Co- Mark Andes ords. laiuta (and his wife), Steve Smith (in his Brooklyn NY Dave Samuels recently appeared in con- library), Dave Weckl (flexing his shoulders cert with the Manhattan Marimba Quartet. in a Mr. Olympia outfit), and Dennis Cham- Paul Wertico on new Pat Metheny album, bers. Letter From Home. Joe Franco on recent albums by Fiona, Emmanuel, Blues Saraceno, April Lawton, Vinnie Moore, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Rush, and Taylor Dayne. Ricky Sebastian on Herbie Mann's new album, Opalescence.

next month in ADVERTISER'S OCTOBER'S MD... INDEX

ABK Rocks ...... 75 AKG Acoustics...... 113 Aphex Systems...... 115 Aquarian Accessories...... 70 Mike Balter Mallets ...... 112 Sam Barnard ...... 114 Beyer Mics...... 91 Calato/Regal Tip ...... 96 Canasonic Drumheads...... 112 Corder Drum Company ...... 91 DC1000 Percussion ...... 110 DCI Music Video ...... 57,103 ddrum...... 107 Drummers Collective ...... 63 Drum/Keyboard Shop ...... 81,104 Drums on Sale ...... 116 Drumstix ...... 119 Drum Workshop...... 40,69 Malkin Dynacord ...... 105

Rick Evans Products...... 71,73,110

by Explorers Percussion ...... 91 Geoff Farr Signature Series ...... 53

Photo Chas. E.Foote, Ltd...... 101 GC Music ...... 101 General Medical Co...... 119 Great American Drumstick Co...... 68 Gretsch Drum Company ...... Inside Back Cover Grove School of Music ...... 93 Imperial ...... 119 JACK Jemm Company ...... 48 Latin Percussion...... 66 Ludwig Industries ...... Inside Front Cover,47 Manny's Music Store ...... 84 Mapex Percussion...... 17 May EA...... 65 DeJOHNETTE MD Back Issues ...... 106 MD Drum Festival ...... 88/89 MD Equipment Annual ...... 111 MD Library ...... 109 Musician's Institute ...... 74 Noble & Cooley...... 114 Paiste ...... 36/37 Pearl International ...... 13,14/15 PAT Percussion Paradise ...... 56 Precision Drum Co...... 119 Premier Percussion USA ...... 5 Pro Mark...... 62,120 MASTELOTTO Proscenium Entertainment ...... 56 Remo ...... 67,72,85 Resurrection Drums ...... 71 Rimshot America ...... 83 Sabian ...... 86/87 Sam Ash Music Stores ...... 84 "Set The Pace" Pedal Practice Pads...... 116 RICHARD Shure Bros...... 7 Solid Percussion, Inc...... 108 Sonor Percussion ...... 11 Tama ...... 9,40/41,97 BAILEY Thoroughbred Music ...... 77 Tropical Productions...... 119 Vater Percussion ...... 40,77 Vic Firth, Inc...... 1,67,83 Veri-Sonic Drum Sticks ...... 104 Waddell's Cymbal Warehouse...... 40 Glenn Weber Drum Studio ...... 685 Steve Weiss Music ...... 85 The Woodwind & The Brasswind ...... 116 Plus columns by: Yamaha ...... 6,58/59 Zildjian ...... 117,Outside Back Cover Peter Erskine Joe Morello Joe LaBarbera and much more... don't miss it!

Top View