Category Archives: Backgrounder Interviews

I did a number of backgrounder interviews in the early 1980s for a five-part feature series I wrote for Modern Drummer magazine called, “The History of Rock Drumming.” These interviews were never published until now. This blog category is set up so Life Beyond the Cymbals readers can have access to all the backgrounder interviews in one place.

Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side B

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: If you’re coming to this Tape A Side B before my posting of Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side A, the rest of the info in this post is the same as the info in … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Backgrounder Interviews | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side B

Frank Briggs Interview – Do Your Best Always (Circa 1983)

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: I recently uncovered this circa 1983 interview with drummer Frank Briggs. Edited slightly, I’ve retyped my original introduction below, followed by scans of my original transcript, complete with proofreaders marks. I don’t remember to what magazine I submitted … Continue reading →

Posted in Backgrounder Interviews, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Frank Briggs Interview – Do Your Best Always (Circa 1983)

Sheila E – I’m Improving (1985)

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: I interviewed Sheila E in 1985 for CREEM magazine. These pages are from that interview, but instead of the narrative story published in CREEM, these are Sheila’s words organized almost as a letter or a column. I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Backgrounder Interviews, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sheila E – I’m Improving (1985)

Neil Peart – My Antipathy Toward Machines

Posted on September 15, 2019 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: As of this writing I don’t remember where or when this interview with Neil Peart took place. The latest reference I’m finding is to the Rush song Prime Mover which was released in 1987. When I figure out … Continue reading →

Posted in Backgrounder Interviews, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Drummers Played a Major Part Creating Motown Music

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: This is part of a phone interview on May 12, 1982 with Motown’s Brian Holland. It’s important readers understand how little information existed at this time on Motown’s drummers. Their identities were not well-known. Once the principal drummers … Continue reading →

Posted in Backgrounder Interviews, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Drummers Played a Major Part Creating Motown Music