Thank You, ‘No Name’ Drummers

no_name_drummerI am thinking of the “not famous” drummers I’ve seen and heard, whose names I never knew or I’ve forgotten, from whom I learned one idea for evoking drumset sounds I used from then on.

There was the show band drummer at a Moline, IL night club. He took the metal looped back end of one of his drum brushes, placed it softly on his ride cymbal where the cymbal bell ends and the playing surface begins. Lightly pulling the wire loop across the cymbal toward him, the drummer produced a metallic shimmering sound. Perfect for a quiet ending to a song.

I had never seen that done before.

Another drummer, holding a wire brush vertically, moved it toward his cymbal until half the wires were above the cymbal, half below it. The drummer then gently moved the brush up-and-down, creating a one-hand roll effect. Again, a nice ballad effect.

A “no name” drummer taught me how to tune a snare drum, with no muffling, to produce a crisp, open-but-not-overringing sound.

I’m sure there are several other instances. Multiply my experience with the millions of drummers worldwide who have also learned, and are learning still, from “no name” drummers. Wow!

Thank you, “no name” drummers.

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Joe Wong: How Do Drummers Navigate Through Life?

SKF NOTE: I tip my hat to Joe Wong for his podcast series, “The Trap Set.” I’ve listened only to Mr. Wong’s Sheila E interview and some of his John “Drumbo” French interview. The production is first-class and what I’ve heard so far are interesting, knowledgeable exchanges between Wong and the drummers.

Plus, I think his goal with these drummer podcasts is right on: “[T]he craft of drumming is irrelevant to the show. I wanted to know answers to how people navigate through life.”

Reporter Piet Levy’s “No one interviews the drummers” statement is completely wrong, but we should not hold that against Joe Wong. I look forward to listening to more of “The Trap Set.”

Local Beat
Musician Joe Wong’s podcast gets drummers talking
By Piet Levy

Joe Wong

Joe Wong

No one interviews the drummers. Practically the only time they’re prominently featured in an article is when the drummer is the frontman, like Ringo Starr or Don Henley.

…”The Trap Set” isn’t shoptalk.

“Drummers have an interesting temperament I can relate to, but the craft of drumming is irrelevant to the show,” Wong said. “We address issues I tend to think about, like how to raise a family when touring all the time. I didn’t want to believe that being great in the arts has to come with the exclusion of anything else that makes you a person. I wanted to know answers to how people navigate through life.”

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D.J. Fontana, W.S.Holland, Richie Albright Receive Legends Series Award

Nashville honor set for local drummer
John Andrew Prime, jprime@gannett.com 2:27 p.m. CDT July 9, 2015

D.J. Fontana

D.J. Fontana

D.J. Fontana, a Shreveporter and one of the rock world’s legendary drummers, will be honored in Nashville this weekend.

Fontana, who was drummer for rock legend Elvis Presley during the singer’s pioneer years, will be honored Saturday with the Church’s Chicken Legends Series Award.

Fontana will be one of three top drummers honored at the Music City Center during the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)/World’s Fastest Drummer World Finals. Those drummers are W.S. Holland, who played with Johnny Cash, and Richie Albright, who worked with Waylon Jennings.

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Mickey Hart Invites Fans to Play in the Band

SKF NOTE: What an uplifting video from Mickey Hart. Great idea. Well done!

Mickey Hart Drums Along With Fan-Made Playing In The Band

Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart has shared a special video featuring a collaborative take on the band’s classic Bob Weir-lead song “Playing In The Band.” Hart recruited Deadheads from across the globe to contribute to the video montage.

Published on Jul 3, 2015

“Without the fans there would be no us.” – Mickey Hart

To celebrate the extraordinary “long strange trip” so many of us have taken with the Grateful Dead over the years, Mickey Hart wanted to “give thanks” by inviting Deadheads everywhere to “play in the band.”

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Scott K Fish On the Road Today, 7/6/15

I am traveling today, by car and by air, on a mission that could be life changing. I am okay. But I welcome prayers and good thoughts from those inclined to give them.

Thank you.

Scott K Fish

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