SKF NOTE: Fred Below is arguably the father of Chicago electric blues drumming. Any one who wants to know how to play drums in a Blues band needs to listen thoroughly to Fred Below.

This July 9, 1982 interview was published in Modern Drummer‘s September 9, 1983 issue as, “Fred Below: Magic Maker.”

In this excerpt, I ask Below what he does to keep his mind, body, and spirit whole. In response, Below doesn’t miss a beat. (No pun intended.) Early in his career, a conductor in the US Army band gave Below advice about creating a healthy “pressure valve” to ease the rigidity that can plague musicians. Especially people who try to do nothing but music 24-hours a day.

As you will hear in this excerpt, Below took the band conductor’s advice to heart.

I recorded this interview at my MD desk in New Jersey using a suction cup mic on a telephone land line connected to a small audio cassette recorder. Mr. Below was on a land line in his Chicago home.

Among my drummer interviews a few are the drummer’s only known full length interviews. Fred Below is included in that group.

Part A of this full interview, plus several excerpts from the full interview, are on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@scottkfish4292