December 1992
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VOLUME 16, NUMBER 12 MASTERS OF THE FEATURES FREE UNIVERSE NICKO Avant-garde drummers Ed Blackwell, Rashied Ali, Andrew JEFF PORCARO: McBRAIN Cyrille, and Milford Graves have secured a place in music history A SPECIAL TRIBUTE Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain may by stretching the accepted role of When so respected and admired be cited as an early influence by drums and rhythm. Yet amongst a player as Jeff Porcaro passes metal drummers all over, but that the chaos, there's always been away prematurely, the doesn't mean he isn't as vital a play- great discipline and thought. music—and our lives—are never er as ever. In this exclusive interview, Learn how these free the same. In this tribute, friends find out how Nicko's drumming masters and admirers share their fond gears move, and what's tore down the walls. memories of Jeff, and up with Maiden's power- • by Bill Milkowski 32 remind us of his deep ful new album and tour. 28 contributions to our • by Teri Saccone art. 22 • by Robyn Flans THE PERCUSSIVE ARTS SOCIETY For thirty years the Percussive Arts Society has fostered credibility, exposure, and the exchange of ideas for percus- sionists of every stripe. In this special report, learn where the PAS has been, where it is, and where it's going. • by Rick Mattingly 36 MD TRIVIA CONTEST Win a Sonor Force 1000 drumkit—plus other great Sonor prizes! 68 COVER PHOTO BY MICHAEL BLOOM Education 58 ROCK 'N' JAZZ CLINIC Back To The Dregs BY ROD MORGENSTEIN Equipment Departments 66 BASICS 42 PRODUCT The Teacher Fallacy News BY FRANK MAY CLOSE-UP 4 EDITOR'S New Sabian Products OVERVIEW BY RICK VAN HORN, 8 UPDATE 68 CONCEPTS ADAM BUDOFSKY, AND RICK MATTINGLY Tommy Campbell, Footwork: 6 READERS' Joel Maitoza of 24-7 Spyz, A Balancing Act 45 Yamaha Snare Drums Gary Husband, and the BY ANDREW BY RICK MATTINGLY PLATFORM Moody Blues' Gordon KOLLMORGEN Marshall, plus News 47 Cappella 12 ASK A PRO 90 TEACHERS' Celebrity Sticks BY ADAM BUDOFSKY 146 INDUSTRY FORUM AND WILLIAM F. MILLER 16 IT'S HAPPENINGS A Valuable Lesson QUESTIONABLE BY CHRIS ADAMS 50 ELECTRONIC REVIEW 20 112 AROUND Trigger Perfect DRUMLINE Profile s Acoustic Drum THE WORLD Triggers 132 CRITIQUE Buleria For BY RICH WATSON 60 PORTRAITS Drumset Chris Hughes BY WOODY THOMPSON 54 NEW AND 140 1992 BY GEOFF NICHOLS NOTABLE INDEX UPDATE 136 ROCK CHARTS Terry Bozzio: 148 DRUM MARKET "Sling Shot" TRANSCRIBED BY GLENN DEITSCH 150 DRUMKIT OF THE MONTH JAZZ DRUMMERS' WORKSHOP Creating Variety When Trading 4's BY TERRY O'MAHONEY EDITOR/PUBLISHER Ronald Spagnardi ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Isabel Spagnardi Remembering Jeff MANAGING EDITOR Rick Van Horn FEATURES EDITOR William F. Miller Obviously, the tragic and untimely loss of Jeff ASSOCIATE EDITOR Adam J. Budofsky Porcaro has been devastating to all of us in the drumming community. Over the years, MD spoke EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Justin J. Cordes with Jeff on four occasions. Perhaps a few of his ART DIRECTOR Scott G. Bienstock thoughts taken from those MD interviews will ART ASSISTANT remind us of what Jeff Porcaro was all about, and Lori Spagnardi hopefully paint a poignant picture of this most tal- ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Tracy A. Kearns ented member of our drumming family. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bob Berenson "I wouldn't recommend dropping out of school like I ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Joan C. Stickel did. But from my experience, going on the road at 18 did a lot more SALES AND MARKETING Crystal W. Van Horn for me than school." DIRECTOR "At this point we're calling ourselves Toto. We have a lot of offers right CONSULTANT TO THE Arnold E. Abramson PUBLISHER now, and it looks like it might happen." MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: Henry Adler, Kenny "Gadd, Mason, Marotta, Purdie, and Keltner. They're the guys doing Aronoff, Louie Bellson, Bill Bruford, Jim Chapin, Alan Dawson, Dennis it today. I wouldn't put myself up with any of those guys." DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, Charlie Donnelly, Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, Danny Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner, Peter Magadini, —July'78 George Marsh, Joe Morello, Rod Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, Charlie Perry, Dave Samuels, John Santos, Ed Shaughnessy, Steve "There's not one record I can listen to that I've done, without getting Smith, Ed Thigpen, Dave Weckl. bugged at how I played." CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Robyn Flans, Simon Goodwin, Rick "In this business, you have to put up with temperaments sometimes, Mattingly, Ken Micallef, Matt Peiken, Teri Saccone, Robert Santelli. but you should never have to put up with abuse." MODERN DRUMMER magazine (ISSN 0194-4533) is published monthly by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc., 870 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Second-Class Postage paid at Cedar "I copied Gordon and Keltner, and all these guys I dug. After a while, Grove, NJ 07009 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 1992 by the accumulation of all the guys becomes your own thing." MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. "I was never meant to be a legitimate studio drummer. I just walked in, played, and had fun." EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: MODERN DRUMMER Publications, 870 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ "You must always have a real good sense of a tune—verse, chorus, 07009. Tel.: (201) 239-4140. bridge, dynamics—and just keep good time and be as simple as possi- MODERN DRUMMER welcomes manuscripts and photographic mate- ble." rial, however, cannot assume responsibility for them. Such items must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. "The best thing for drummers is to have fun. Even if you're falling apart inside, you have a great outlet to express your emotions." MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is available for resale at bulk rates. Direct correspondence to Modern Drummer, Dealer Service, P.O. —February '83 Box 389, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. Tel.: (800) 334-DRUM or (815) 734- 6013. "I'm tight and nervous playing too loud and too fast. People don't see SUBSCRIPTIONS: $27.95 per year; $49.95, two years. Single copies me do a lot of that because I'm not really good at it." $3.95. "I'll play anywhere, whether it's in the studio or in a club. Hopefully I SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: Modern Drummer, P.O. Box play in the studio like I play live, with the same excitement." 480, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0480. Change of address: Allow at least six —November '88 weeks for a change. Please provide both old and new address. Toll Free Tel.: (800) 551-3786. "Just before I got through the door of my first session, I was so ner- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Modern Drummer, P.O. Box vous, I threw up right in the corner." 480, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. "Whatever gift God gave me—for whatever reason—I've always tried A Member Of: to use it to its full potential." Audit Bureau Of Circulations —November '90 Membership applied for. Jeff Porcaro to happen in this lifetime." sound I ever heard—and he smiled when Editor's note: Response to the news of Jeff Jeff and Jimi, crank it up—we'll all be he played. We got to hang out between Porcaro's untimely passing was immedi- listening! shows, and he was always complimentary ate and substantial. MD's offices received Greg Rule to me—putting his arm around my dozens of phone calls within the first few Keyboard Magazine shoulder and making me feel strong. days following the announcement, and lit- Cupertino CA We'll never know why Jeff was taken at erally hundreds of cards and letters over such an early age. God has other plans the ensuing weeks. Many readers wished for him. We should all grow and learn to convey their condolences to the Porcaro from Jeff's strength and have a special family, and we were happy to forward At about 12:30 this morning I learned of place in our hearts for him. their correspondence. Others simply the passing of Jeff Porcaro. I realized how Ray Marchica needed to express their own feelings it felt to lose an idol as I shed real tears. New York NY regarding this tragic loss. Here is just a I'm sad to say I had never realized how sampling of those sentiments. much Jeff had touched my life until that moment. It is with a touch of bittersweet sentiment that I will remember the sto- I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to ries of Jeff in the studio with Rickie Lee the Porcaro family. Jeff was the king of I can vividly remember the feeling I had Jones. And the story of his getting sick tasteful drumming, and such a humble, when I first heard Jeff play fourteen years before his first session will continue to unassuming person. Thanks for all the ago. Shivers ran through my hands as I remind me that if the Session God could wonderful grooves, Jeff. You will be sorely tried to imagine what it must feel like to be nervous, it's okay for me to have cold missed. play with such strength, such subtlety, feet, too. Jim Maddox such completeness. Jeff inspired me to I want to express my deepest sympathy Valdosta GA study, to listen, to search for that elusive to the Porcaro family and the members of blend of gentleness and power. As I grew Toto. I can only imagine the loss you older, I developed my own style of drum- must feel, and though it is small consola- ming—but Jeff's touch of inspiration was tion, I feel it as well.