“I never dealt with drum music as such, because ninety-five percent of it had nothing to do with what’s happening in the band. So many people have destroyed their careers by reading exactly what’s written […]
Category: very occasional quote of the day
Very occasional quote of the day: mesmerized
“The fault with most drummers is they get carried away, mesmerized by the sound of the instrument.” – Larry Ridley, Jr. Modern Drummer, July, 1981
Very occasional quote of the day: form
“It is easy to forget that the man who writes a good love sonnet needs not only to be enamored of a woman, but also to be enamored of the Sonnet.” -C. S. Lewis
Very occasional quote of the day: Joe gives advice
“When I was playing the Vanguard with Freddie Hubbard, I went back to the kitchen and Philly Joe was there. He said, ‘You’re playing good. You gotta kick Freddie’s ass, make his lips burn.’ All […]
Very occasional quote of the day: no such thing as better
“We have only to fight as well as the men who stayed and fought at Shiloh. It is not necessary that we should fight better. There can be no such thing as better.” – Ernest […]
Very occasional quote of the day: religion
“This is my religion. I take long breaks now when I don’t perform and I am not myself when I am not performing.” – Roy Haynes h/t Sheet Music Library
Very occasional quote of the day: feel gotten with respect
From Vernon Reid’s Twitter feed: Funk ain’t easy. Many ASSUME that it is. Swing is complex, but it doesn’t grant carte blanche over other styles. Every idiom has its nuances that demand respect & attention […]
Very occasional quote of the day: you call it swing
“You call it swing, but what I’m saying is it’s a rhythmic sophistication that causes a euphoric reaction, and on a folk level that reaction can go anywhere from sensual feelings, to partying, to dancing, […]
Very occasional quote of the day: electronics
“A kid who doesn’t have to whack the drums to me is kind of missing something. He is going to buy a bunch of pads and not even know what it is like to lay […]
Very occasional quote of the day: loud and meaningless
“A drummer can be very, very loud and that can be just totally meaningless. Sometimes it can be very, very loud and it can be extremely exciting. So, it’s really not a question of how […]
Very occasional quote of the day: privilege
“The only sensible way to regard the art life is that it is a privilege you are willing to pay for.” – Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
Very occasional quote of the day: artificial excitement
“I think there’s a tendency to overplay with most young drummers. Rushing is common in trying to force things to swing by playing on top a little bit. If things weren’t swinging by forcing it […]