Cover Photo by Dimo Safari CHARLIE 18 WATTS What does jazz have to do with the Rolling Stones? Stones drummer Charlie Watts fills in the puzzle piece, and provides some insights on the band's latest tour and album. Plus, transcriptions of classic Stones drumbeats. by Rick Mattingly FREDERICK Natkin 24 WAITS Paul by Frederick Waits has put his stamp on the music of Stevie Photo Wonder, the Temptations, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. A left turn toward jazz followed soon after, including work with Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, and a host of other jazz greats. In this interview, Frederick discusses his career with such luminaries, plus work on projects like M'Boom and Colloquium III. by Jeff Potter DEEN 28 CASTRONOVO Laird Former Tony MacAlpine drummer Deen Castronovo is now with Bad English, a band that includes rock veterans Neil Richard Schon and John Waite. Here, Deen tells what's involved with by the job, and how he has handled his shot into the big time. Photo by Robyn Flans MD DRUM 32 FESTIVAL '89 Photos and highlights of our third Festival, featuring Dave Weckl with Eyewitness, Jack DeJohnette and friends, Vinnie Colaiuta, Danny Gottlieb, Gregg Bissonette, Liberty DeVitto, Chad Wackerman, Michael Shrieve and David Beal, Carl Palmer, and taiko group Soh Daiko. MD Trivia Contest 90 Win A Sonor Drumset! VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 EDUCATION CONCEPTS Jealousy And Gossip EQUIPMENT by Roy Burns PRODUCT 48 CLOSE-UP NEWS New Tama Hardware UPDATE ROCK 'N' JAZZ by Rick Van Horn 8 DEPARTMENTS CLINIC 44 EDITOR'S Subdividing And Evans Genera INDUSTRY Regrouping Time Drumheads OVERVIEW HAPPENINGS by Jonathan Mover by Rick Mattingly 4 56 45 106 Yamaha Peter Erskine READERS' DRUM SOLOIST Signature Snare Drum PLATFORM Dave Weckl: "Gdansk" by Rick Mattingly 6 Transcribed by Ronnie 46 REVIEWS Manaog ASK A PRO 86 ELECTRONIC ON TRACK 12 REVIEW 102 STRICTLY ddrum 2 IT'S TECHNIQUE by Rick Van Horn QUESTIONABLE Developing Your Bass 50 16 Drum Foot by Colin Bailey NEW AND DRUM MARKET 88 NOTABLE 124 112 MASTER CLASS PHOTO GALLERY Portraits In Rhythm: 128 Etude #21 by Anthony J. Cirone 100 MODERN DRUMMER EDITOR/PUBLISHER ADVISORY BOARD Ronald Spagnardi Henry Adler, Kenny Aronoff, Louie Bellson, Bill Bruford, Roy Burns, Jim Chapin, Alan Dawson, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dennis DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Isabel Spagnardi Len DiMuzio, Charlie Donnelly, Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, 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 Rick Van Horn Smith, Ed Thigpen. Reflections CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURES EDITOR Susan Alexander, Robyn Flans, On A Festival William F. Miller Simon Goodwin, Karen Ervin Pershing, Jeff Potter, Teri Saccone, You'll find our report on MD's Drum Festival Weekend in this issue— ASSOCIATE EDITOR Robert Santelli, Robin Tolleson, and what a weekend it was! Nearly 2,000 enthusiastic drummers from Lauren Vogel, T. Bruce Wittet. all across the country turned out to greet a lineup of some of the finest Adam Budofsky MODERN DRUMMER Magazine artists performing today. It was truly a drummer's dream weekend, (ISSN 0194-4533) is published brimming with highlights that extended from center stage to back EDITORIAL ASSISTANT monthly with an additional issue stage, and after hours as well. Cynthia Huang in July by MODERN DRUMMER There were so very many inspiring moments that it's difficult to Publications, Inc., 870 Pompton recall them all, and yet the high point of practically every performance ART DIRECTOR Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. is indelibly etched in my memory: Soh Daiko's spirited Japanese Taiko Terry Kennedy Second-Class Postage paid at drumming. Chad Wackerman's remarkable fluency in odd time Cedar Grove, N) 07009 and at signatures. Liberty DeVitto's presentation of what it takes to be a part additional mailing offices. Copy- of so many hit recordings. Danny Gottlieb's marvelous technical insight. ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR right 1990 by Modern Drummer Dave Weckl's precision and mastery of so many aspects of the Scott G. Bienstock Publications, Inc. All rights instrument. The high-tech exploits of Mike Shrieve and David Beal. reserved. Reproduction without the Gregg Bissonette's enthusiasm and blazing double bass drum work. ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER permission of the publisher is An opening solo by Vinnie Colaiuta that bordered on frightening. Jack prohibited. Tracy A. Kearns Dejohnette's intensity and incomparable inventiveness. Carl Palmer's gracious Hall Of Fame acceptance speech, followed by a dazzling EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ display of snare drum virtuosity. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: An event like this also inevitably produces those special moments Joan C. Stickel Modern Drummer Publications, 870 Pompton Avenue, Cedar where the admiration of one artist for the other—and the obvious Grove, NJ 07009. comradery shared among all drummers—becomes even more evident: ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Vinnie Colaiuta sitting on the floor behind Jack DeJohnette, delighting Bob Berenson MANUSCRIPTS: Modern Drummer to every rhythmic flurry. Gregg Bissonette completely absorbed in welcomes manuscripts, however, Dave Weckl's flawless execution. Joe Morello checking out all the cannot assume responsibility for younger players from an offstage position, sporting a smile of approval. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER them. Manuscripts must be accom- Jim Chapin's backstage dissertation on the finer points of the legendary Crystal W. Van Horn panied by a self-addressed, Tiny Kahn's drumming style for all to appreciate. Palmer and Morello stamped envelope. sharing technical concepts tapped out on a back-room countertop. MAIL ROOM SUPERVISOR MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drum- After hours? Well, there was a whole other show going on here: Leo Spagnardi Hanging out in the hotel lounge until 2:00 A.M. on Saturday night mer is available for resale at bulk with some of the wilder members of our industry. (You guys know who rates. Direct correspondence to you are!) Listening to Zildjian's Lenny DiMuzio tell classic Buddy Rich CONSULTANT Modern Drummer, Dealer Service, 870 Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, stories as only he can. Gregg Bissonette's side-splitting Rodney TO THE PUBLISHER N) 07009. Tel: 800-522-DRUM or Dangerfield monologues and Charlie Callas impressions, which made Arnold E. Abramson 201-239-4140. everyone's attempt to have a relaxing dinner a challenging experience! On a serious note, my sincere thanks to all of the performing artists, along with our good friends at Drum Workshop, Tama, Ludwig, Paiste, Zildjian, Premier, Pearl, Yamaha, Sabian, Sonor, Korg USA, and the LP SUBSCRIPTIONS: $25.95 per year; $46.95, two years. Music Group. Festival '89 would not have been possible without their Single copies $2.95. interest and support. My deep appreciation also to every member of SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: Modern Drummer, P.O. Box the MD staff who worked so hard all weekend long, with special 480, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0480. Change of address: Allow at least thanks to Festival Coordinator Rick Van Horn, who somehow has six weeks for a change. Please provide both old and new address. Toll successfully managed to piece it all together for the past three years. Free Phone: 1-800-435-071 5. As for the nearly 2,000 young drummers who attended, you really POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Modern Drummer, P.O. Box couldn't have asked for a more attentive, well-behaved, and enthusiastic 480, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. group. Meeting with so many MD readers, and noting the inspired expressions on their faces as they headed for home Sunday night, was the perfect cap to an extraordinary weekend. Thanks for coming, A Member Of: everyone. Personally, I can't wait to do it all again! ISSUE DATE: February 1990 Magazine Publishers of America FESTIVAL WEEKEND '89 Wire Hi-Hat is correct in stating that the you're quite correct in saying that a 90- I just felt I had to write to thank you and drop clutch does have a trip lever coming degree bend upwards would cause prob- tell you what a great two days the MD out at an angle that makes it clumsy to lems. In that event, a 90-degree bend down- Festival Weekend was. Seeing so many store in a trap case. But Rick's suggestion wards would do the trick, but that might diverse and talented drummers—and hav- of giving the trip rod a "90-degree bend run the lever afoul of the rest of the mecha- ing the opportunity to meet some of my upwards" can't work, because to release nism below. My concept—which I appar- personal favorites—was any drummer's the lower half of the clutch, you must press ently did not make clear—was that the lever dream. down on the existing lever. A 90-degree should be bent upward, and that whatever Perhaps the most important part of the upward bend of the release lever would it took to facilitate that should also be done. event was the educational experience that necessitate an odd movement to release Basically, this would mean moving the lever I felt I took home with me after the Festival the lower half of the clutch: an outward to the other side of the mechanism, so that was completed. I believe that I am an im- pull that would cause stick jams between as it was tripped inward, toward the cen- proved drummer because of it. I also had the lever and the central shaft of the hi-hat. tral shaft, the release hook would be moved the pleasure of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Spag- As most drummers know, that could cause outward, thus dropping the lower section." nardi, and I owe Gregg Bissonette a per- a lot of problems.