Not if you're Carl Palmer, it isn't.
Thanks to reader Philip Priddy for the suggestion.
Now, for bonus points: why does this have me thinking, of all people, of Charles Spurgeon?
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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18 comments:
CHS had one "drum" as well... and he beat it faithfully.
al sends
oh, and CHS could take that drum and make it sing like a choir.
al sends
Is the connection that Spurgeon could - and, I'm sure did - preach a whole sermon on just one word of Scripture?
I'll withhold authorial commentary until more folks have woken up and weighed in. More funnerer that way.
What is most amazing is that this guy got his start playing pots and pans outside his apartment.
Okay, I made that up but it would have been a nice story.
He took the one object of his affection and played it skillfully and elaboratly, and ended it all with a crescendo and a bang. Also...no bells and whistles.
Fun post, especially considering that Palmer once had a huge stainless steel drum kit, complete with chimes and tympani.
Just as Spurgeon could make a sermon from the whole Scripture kit, or mine each single verse for the gold therein.
BTW, my verification word was "ingstoke." How very British.
Because of the little-known fact that Spurgeon once contributed a killer synth solo to an ELP album?
Because he could be quietly stating the truth or shouting it from the rooftops but it was always with the same one-minded, effective focus?
CASEY WINS -- something! Something non-material. But killer comment!
Drums have always been and always will be my favorite instrument!
Actually, you're all good, but Al pretty much nailed it right off the bat. Here's how I'd say it:
Spurgeon basically limited himself one "drum," but he made it do things nobody else could have. He was a Gospel virtuoso. You don't really miss much when you say that the Gospel is all he talked about - whether formulating the Gospel correctly, understanding the Gospel correctly, preaching the Gospel correctly, embracing the Gospel correctly, or enjoying all the wonderful sweetness of the Gospel. With Spurgeon, it was basically all Gospel, all the time.
Now I've said that this was both a strength and a weakness. Of course, with Spurgeon you face the same thing you do with saying anything about N. T. Wright, in this regard: if you've only read 12341234 pages of his work, someone's always read 12341235 pages, and is sure that the one you didn't read undoes everything you just said.
So I've read a LOT of Spurgeon, and he is by far my favorite preacher to read. He comforts me, feeds me, encourages me.
But he also leaves a lot of Scripture unpreached, and a lot of truth untouched. I haven't come across his sermons on marriage issues, parenting issues, and on and on. One's in a difficult position, making this argument, because he's left superficially vulnerable to "< gasp! > You don't think the Gospel is sufficient?"
But I'd just meaningfully tap the Gospels and epistles and all the rest of the Bible, and waggle my eyebrows, in response. The Gospel underlies all, but all is not reducible to it.
Dan, I wonder if Spurgeon's focus might have been driven in part by the Downgrade Controversy? When the Gospel itself and the authority of Scripture was under heavy attack, that's where he focused his fire. I am just making a guess or assumption, but it seems logical.
Must you always depress me with posting of people with serious talent? Serifino, Palmer - it just doesn't end.
To bad there is no gospel of drumming - because my need for help is a great gulf which I can't even begin to cross.
I'm late to the party, but I would say
Singular Focus.
Julie
Dan. I just want to thank you for not posting a drum circle.
It's amazing...Carl Palmer was 17 when he started out with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown in 1967. Everybody's getting older except me.
"I bring you... fire!!!"
I didn't know Palmer was with Arthur Brown.
Cool! I can go to bed now!
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