Fred Below: Becoming a Professional Drummer

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: This is an excerpt from my interview with drummer Fred Below, arguably the father of Chicago electric blues drumming. Mr. Below recorded with Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, the Aces, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, and other pivotal blues musicians.  The interview was published in Modern Drummer‘s September 9, 1983 issue as, Fred Below: Magic Maker.

I was at my MD desk in New Jersey using a suction cup mic and an audio cassette to record this interview. Mr. Below was at his Chicago home.

All of my Modern Drummer interviews were recorded on audio cassettes. The Fred Below interview is one of two I’ve digitized. (The other interview is Roy Haynes.) My goal, as time permits, is to digitize them all, and to offer excerpts to the public. I think music writers often err in digitizing full interviews, running an hour or more, and uploading only the full versions for public listening.

Let’s face it. Even the best interviews have dead air, small talk, and uninteresting talk. So, just as I do with my written word excerpts on this blog, I will post the best of the audio excerpts.

This is Fred Below explaining his decision to become a professional drummer.

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From There to Here: Revisiting My Life in Music

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Scott K Fish

From There to Here: Revisiting a Life in Music
by Scott K Fish

Scott K Fish's writing space circa 2012

Scott K Fish’s writing space circa 2012

A new friend, a musician, upon learning of my Modern Drummer past, can’t believe it. “No! You were managing editor of Modern Drummer?” His reaction surprises me. I think, “Well, somebody has to be managing editor of Modern Drummer.”

I was hired as Modern Drummer‘s managing editor in 1980, part of a MD‘s transition to nine issues a year from six issues. I stayed exactly three years. October 1980 to October 1983.

My friend asks, “How did you get that gig?” My short answer: “The publisher was looking to hire a drummer who could write. I fit the bill.” That answer usually works to change the topic of conversation. But my new musician friend is still curious and keeps asking detailed questions. He is like a little kid. In response to every question I answer, he asks, “Why?”

Also, I was on the phone recently with a Maine State University professor interested in my speaking to a class of music majors about a career, or supplemental career, in music journalism.

How do I condense a half-century of my musical life into brief remarks that might help college students? Thinking about that, and also coming up with answers for my musician friend, has me remembering people and places – influences – for the first time in a long, long time. Some days it feels like I’m solving a 1000-piece music career jigsaw puzzle.

I knew very early – age six – I wanted to play drums. Around age 18 I also wanted to be a writer. Not just a music writer. A writer. How did I get from there, to Modern Drummer, to here? Looking back over those 58 years – can I recall moments – good and bad – that might help aspiring music journalists and drummers?

There’s one way to find out. And Life Beyond the Cymbals blog is the perfect place to post pieces of my story, my jigsaw puzzle. I will commit to at least one post a week until the puzzle is complete. As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

–end–

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John Densmore: Elvin Jones Was My Idol

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Scott K Fish

One-On-One With Doors Drummer John Densmore (Part 2)
Jim Clash Contributor – 1/23/2015 @ 5:04PM

densmore_2

JC: You weren’t a straight 4/4 drummer. There was a jazzy, bossa nova feel. Who were your early influences?

John Densmore: Elvin Jones was my idol…. And I saw all the great jazz drummers. Stewart Copeland…says, ‘Me, John [Densmore] and Mitch Mitchell, the Jimi Hendrix drummer, are jazz-rock drummers,’ and he’s right. He says John Bonham [Led Zeppelin] was more of a titanic rock drummer, a giant heavy sound with big emphasis on the bass drum. Me, Stewart and Mitch were more about the hands, and fills – not just doing a 2/4. Examples of those fills were in Light My Fire, The Music’s Over and The End.

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Remembering My Uncle Bob Fish

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Scott K Fish
L to R: Uncle Bob Fish, Cousin Gregg Fish, Scott K Fish
L to R: Uncle Bob Fish, Cousin Gregg Fish, Scott K Fish

Remembering My Uncle Bob Fish

Speaking of drums, this is a detail from a family gathering photo taken in 1955. L-R in that photo, I’m on the right, age four. My cousin Gregg Fish is next to me. To Gregg’s right is his father, my Uncle Bob. Bob Fish sparked my lifelong love of drums through his own drumming, his record collection, and the talks we had about drummers. Ten years after this photo was taken, Uncle Bob died. He lived in Massachusetts, and I lived on Long Island, NY. We saw each other on holidays and probably other family visits. But, on balance, and especially compared with today’s connectivity with social media and smart phones – our time together was very, very brief. It is worth us adults remembering what a powerful impact we can have on kids, for better or worse, even for a lifetime.

– end –

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Street Drummer: Stay in School; Dumb Won’t Impress Anyone

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Scott K Fish

Faces of Capitol Hill | Joe the street drummer
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2015 – 2:01 pm by Tim Durkan

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Photo Credit: Tim Durkan

“Do what you have to do to stay off or get off the streets, really. Stay in school and get a job because being dumb won’t impress me or anyone else. If it’s a good musician you want to become then just do it. Nobody starts off being great. You got to have the passion and drive and be willing to practice 10 hours every day. If your’e not any good after 6 months, it might be time to try something else. That’s what it took for me.”

“I wish that I had found art and music earlier in my life, that I had started drumming sooner,” Joe said. “I’d like this passion of mine to help get me off the streets and into my own (music) studio where I could record and help others do the same. Drumming supports me right now and helps my child — maybe not a lot but even being able to afford a pair of shoes for her is a good thing. Music is my reason to get up every morning and I enjoy doing it — entertaining people. It gives be a sense of pride even though I’m on the streets — it’s my everything.”

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