Monday, June 07, 2010

Monday music: drummer steals the show, has 'way too much fun

As a contrast with last Monday's touch o' cultcha....

Several readers (like Yurie Hwang) thought this one was noteworthy.

Me, I don't know how he's making contact with the skins with all those gymnastics.

24 comments:

Al said...

Does anyone else feel bad for the other band members?

al send

DJP said...

They are a bit unequally yoked.

David Kyle said...

The drummer was the show.

Merrilee Stevenson said...

This guy reminds me of Animal from The Muppet Show. Love it! (And the message of the song--not bad either!)

Gregg Metcalf said...

I've played the drums since I was 11 and now I want to quit.

Joe W. said...

Needs more cowbell...

DJP said...

He could definitely do that too.

Chuck said...

He terrifies me...that look of creepy intensity...

Philip said...

Looks like a frustrated Drum and Bugle Corp snare drummer... Can anyone say concussionist?!?

Bill Honsberger said...

play him the with cetera stuff instead of serafina...



there is no mercy

David Regier said...

I had a bunch of thoughts as I watched.

Double bass, one rack tom. Hmmm.

I feel sorry for his jacket.

He stayed on the beat, so I can't make my usual joke: So many drummers, so little time.

If you've ever seen Abe Laboriel Jr. play, he's an amazingly physical drummer, although unlike this one, it doesn't come across at all as self-conscious. I saw him with Paul McCartney, and he matched the groove (or ungroove [see Starr, Ringo]) of any of McCartney's drummers through the years, and with a physicality that was beautiful to watch. And he's a believer, to boot.

Last thought: I'm glad this guy's not on my worship team.

Mike Westfall said...

Thanks, Dan. I needed something to get me going on a Monday morning.

DJP said...

Yeah, David; I was reflecting that, if you simply listened to the song, the drummer wouldn't stand out. In drumming style, he's not a showboat. He's no Carl Palmer. It's all visual.

DJP said...

In fact, the converse is also true. Watch a couple of minutes without sound, and it doesn't match what you'd expect to hear.

Sound and performance don't match. Pedestrian, businesslike drumming; wild, over-the-top performance.

JackW said...

If you watch the other videos of this group you find out there are two drummers and they are understandably showcasing the percussion chops in a clownish manner. Entertainingly though.

Weird, but just last night I was watching video of Ginger Baker and comparing 1960’s Ginger to Y2K Ginger. He sure makes it look easy.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Grasshoppper boys LOVE the drummer.

We're wondering how fast he goes through a set of drums?

Question: at 3:36... a toilet seat?

So many questions about this band...

Julie

Rachael Starke said...

Wow.

Orthopedic surgeons aross America are watching that and smiling.

I wondered if perhaps he's played that song so many times he started doing that stuff to just not fall asleep from boredom. I had a good friend in high school who was a cellist in a string quartet. They did weddings and had to play Pachelbel's Canon in D what felt like every other week. The cellist line is the same four notes for the entire piece. She said she was often tempted to start making up all kinds of weird gestures, something, just to stop herself from falling asleep.

Mike said...

Julie

If you watch their rendition of Wipe Out you will see them make use of the toilet seat!

I can't believe he didn't drop a stick thru all that!

Aaron said...

pretty cool. Of course, I have zero musical talent so for me just playing an instrument in tune is cool. Playing it while looking like a monkey is just a bonus.

My favorite drummer was actually the one with Yanni during Yanni's performance at the Acropolis.

DJP said...

Mike, I'm glad you mentioned that one. I may need to feature it some week!

CLICK

Dudes definitely put on a show.

P.D. Nelson said...

I think my sanctification is in danger.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Oh, that was fabulous! More skill and less I-missed-my-Depakote-this-morning.

Fun!

SandMan said...

I wonder if he can only play half a set since he is expending so much energy per beat...

@Sir Aaron:

I always thought your comments made you seem cool... but now the Yanni comment confirms it. (This from a guy who also has no musical talent--I can whistle). I cannot tell you how many times I have been made fun of for liking his music. And that drummer you are talking about was extremely talented.

Aaron said...

@SandMan

While I was in College, I worked briefly at a mall store called the KCET Store of Knowledge. They had a gigantic screen where they showed various videos that they were trying to sell. One of them was Yanni, Live at the Acropolis. I listened to that video a hundred times and developed a taste for that (and the Three Tenors). Also, I went to Greece a couple years ago for work and actually got to see the Acropolis. It means more to me now that I've been there.

(For as much as I complain about the beaucracy of my job, I've had a great career now that I think of it, Praise God).