Influences?

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 12:20 am

So let's pony up some names here, gang. Who were they people that made you wanna take a couple of sticks and bang 'em on something (and don't say your older sister!)? I'll go first:

No particular order:

The Classic People Who Made Me the Freak I am Now:
-Stewart Copeland (HUGE)
-John Bonham (HUGE)
-Steve Gadd (HUGE)
-Bill Bruford
-Zig Modeliste (HUGE)(drummer for The Meters, natch)
-Keith Moon

Those I Have Grown to Love:
-Ringo
-Charlie Watts
-Jeff Porcaro
-Omar Hakim
-Manu Katche

Newer People I Think Are Doing the Best Work These Days:
-Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney: if you haven't heard Sleater-Kinney, they RAWK. Three women who have as much rauscious "git down" as any guys I have heard. They should be top of the pops).
-Matt Chamberlain (Critters Bugging. He is apparently the first-call guy these days, did the last Bowie album. Critters is avante-garde jazz fusion, think maybe Naked City, except they forgot to take all the fun out of it, so it's great listening).

Yup, I'm done, Who's Next? (Gee, is that a reference...?) Doc

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 7:53 am

Tony Royster Jr?
That is incredible!!!!

I am not a drummer but the ones make me dream of:
Neil Peart, Simon Philips, Cutter Beauford, Stewart Copeland, Omar Hakim...

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 8:46 am

This will certainly date me but my first influences were Gene Krupa, Louis Bellson and Buddy Rich. After that Joe Morrello and other mainstream jazz drummers. I love all of the drummers already named. One drummer who was my primary influence in studio work was Russ Kunkle. He had a particular feel with ballads that continues to just blow me away. I've never heard anyone else do what he does with the slow grooves.

drbam

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 7:18 pm

Drbam,
Can you tell us more about Russ Kunkle? I love his name. David

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2003 12:51 am

Whoops, I forgot to mention Herb the Ginseng Drummer from Primus. "Frizzle Fry"- last great progressive rock album? Doc

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:21 am

>Drbam,
Can you tell us more about Russ Kunkle? I love his name. David<

Kunkle was a first call studio drummer in LA for a long time. His peak was during the '70s and 80's. He was one of the players that would be contracted to do the sessions and the follow up tours. He played on most of James Taylor's records - Fire and Rain being a classic of course, and he also worked with Carole King, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, etc. A track that really illustrates the "feel" I referred to in my earlier post is Bob Seger's "Like a Rock." To me its just amazing! Listen to where he puts the back beat in relation to the rest of the drum kit - just behind everything else but never dragging. The result is that it pulls the listener more deeply into the groove. At least that is how I experience it. Smile

drbam

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:28 am

This will date me as well....... but it had to be Gene Kupra and Buddy Rich......and little Rick Arnez as a child - I'll never forget that little boy on his dads show behind a kit........ amazing child he was...... although my mother swears i was hand drumming on everything since i was a baby.......

As far as more modern influences today - David Garabaldi and Neil Peart....... and in that order.........

Rod

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 6:48 am

Yay, something I can finally chime in on. Very Happy

Phil Collins - During Peter Gabriel-era Genesis.
Daniele Iacono - http://www.ezrawinston.com/

I also really like Lenny White's drumming on Return to Forever's "Romantic Warrior" CD.

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:54 pm

Whoop, lookout! RTF- a fusion guy. Do you like Omar Hakim? He did a Weather Report stint. David

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 7:48 pm

Yeah, I'm old! So what!
----Jazz favorites
Buddy Rich (big influence)
Louis Bellson (big influence, damn dbl kick)
Art Blakey (WOW rhythm patterns)
Philly Joe Jones (classic and classy)
Jimmy Cobb(classic and classy)
Al Miller (Great jazz drummer, great teacher)
..newer jazz faves
Terri Lyn Carrington (style like no one else)
Billy Cobham (sometimes weird always interesting)
Steve Gadd (rock solid, always there)

Rock drummers

John Bonham
Mitch Mitchell
Ginger Baker (okay, but he invented some great stuff)
Neil Peart (always great, but you gotta respect an artist that cares enough to reinvent himself after he reaches the top)
Doane Perry (I just like his style)

----Hand drummers
Mamady Keita (the world's greatest djembe master)
Fomadou Konate (only second to Mamady)
Madou Dembele (catching up to those guys above)
Laurent Camara (makes the difficult look effortless)
Michael "Babatunde" Olatunji (introduced America to West African Percussion and invented a verbal language for it)

I've had the priviledge of studying with a few of the drummers on the above list and I owe them "big time"!

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:55 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by David_Doc_Herbert:
Whoop, lookout! RTF- a fusion guy. Do you like Omar Hakim? He did a Weather Report stint. David

Actually, I'm mainly a prog guy, so I get into Carl Palmer and Bill Bruford, too. But to me, the epitome of prog drumming seems to be Phil Collins. That's just my opinion though.

As for fusion, I'm pretty much limited to RTF and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (I'd have to break that CD out again to know who was on it). I would like to branch out more here, but I really don't know where to start.

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 3:04 am

Billy Cobham on RTF?
Phil Collins definitely had some skills. David

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 8:10 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by David_Doc_Herbert:
Billy Cobham on RTF?

Not on the "Romantic Warrior" CD, which is the only one I have. Like I said, I'd like to branch out more...

Quote:

Phil Collins definitely had some skills.

Indeed. :c: My personal favorite album so far is probably "Selling England By the Pound". Some excellent composition on that album, especially with Firth of Fifth.

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 5:19 pm

Billy Martin from Medeski, Martin and Wood.
He Rules!
Regards,
mIchAEl

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:40 pm

Michael P,
If you like Billy Martin, and MMW in general, check out Zig Modeliste and the Funky Meters. They HEAVILY influenced MMW. I recommend the 1967-70 period- "Look-a-pie-pie", etc. You are probably already on to them. BTW, welcome to RO. David

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