Category Archives: Revisiting My Life in Music

The Joyful, Continuing Path of a Musical Self-Education

Posted on June 25, 2017 by

  SKF NOTE: I found a monaural cut-out copy of John Coltrane’s Africa/Brass album in a drugstore on a wire display rack filled with cut-out albums. Africa/Brass is the John Coltrane Quartet with a big band. That was my introduction … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , ,

Rethinking Customers Who Acted Stupid

Posted on April 17, 2017 by

SKF NOTE: Thinking back on my years as a professional drummer, there were very, very few times I snapped in anger at customers. The common thread involved someone mistreating my drums because they were drunk, showing off, or just lacked … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , ,

Music Interviews and the ‘Me Too’ Syndrome

Posted on December 7, 2016 by

SKF NOTE: These last few weeks I’ve started digitizing my drummer interview audiocassettes. That is, I’m recording copies of the interviews to my MacBook from a cassette deck. As I do so, I’m discovering, or reminding myself, of interview “do’s” … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , ,

Scott K Fish Mel Lewis Interview 1978

Posted on August 17, 2016 by

SKF NOTE: In this earlier post I wrote of how pivotal a moment was my meeting and interviewing Mel Lewis. This interview was notable for another reason. It was published in the April 1978 Modern Drummer along with my Carmine Appice … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , ,

The Making of a Joe Morello Ad

Posted on August 16, 2016 by

SKF NOTE: The making of an in-house ad for Modern Drummer. Here’s a nice letter from Joe Morello written to me after I had been MD‘s managing editor for one month. Joe was among the drummers I interviewed MD when … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tracking the Elusive Crisp Snare Drum

Posted on May 13, 2016 by

SKF NOTE: It was years and years before I found someone who could — and did — explain how to tune a snare drum to get the crisp sound of Joe Morello, Ed Thigpen, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones, Max Roach … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Freelance Writing: Today and Yesterday

Posted on April 17, 2016 by

SKF NOTE: One aspect of the pre-internet days I miss, and have not yet replaced, is paid freelance writing for music magazines and newspapers. Freelance writing was a great way to sharpen researching/writing skills. A great way to record for … Continue reading →

Posted in Revisiting My Life in Music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment