Drum Solo's

You forget Iron Butterfly's In-a-Gadda-da-Vida (baby). That's when I decided I'd had enough.

Herman

I think excessive solos are pretty tasteless, and a case of 'drummer willy comparisons'...

Sure, there have been a few decent 'drum solas', but these days I'd rather not have to sit through them. Especially jazz poofta 'drum solas'...

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

I'm the same about drum solos that appear to be there just to satisfy the drummer's ego.

When is it best done? When it's done in the same manner as other solos - when the band is supporting in background, and drummer is taking the lead for a change.

Best example? "Child at Heart" from Live, where the guitarist and the bassist lay the rhythm, and the drummer vamps on top of it. Great stuff.

I've heard that Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" was originally meant to be a simple piece that bookends a solo from drummer Joe Morello; they weren't planning on creating one of the most popular jazz pieces of all time. Has anyone else heard the same? Either way, here's a solo where both the pianist and the bassist lay the rhythm and the drummer vamps on top of it.

Cheers

Keith.

I always thought the drum solo on Pentangles eponymous album (I think that track is called 'Pentangling')was very well interleaved with the rest of the track on this marvelous album.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

Terry Bozzio.

Doesn't occupy a whole side though.

Paul

I could listen to Micky Hart for a whole evening never mind 20 mins. Amazing.

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

One of the greatest drummers that ever lived. Check out some of his solo stuff its awesome!!

NB

quote:

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Originally posted by Keith Mattox:
There's good and there's bad.

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Exactly, as with pretty much everything else in the world. Discernment is mandatory.

P.S. Garyi, why the apostrophe in "solo's"? Do they possess something invisible or unwritten?

Sorry Fred my Grammer is equally as bad as my spelling.

I don't deny that drummers have talent, I am just arguing its not music, thankfully in general Zappa managed to keep the drummers under control, its not an instrument so one dosen't require a solo, espcially one thats 20 minutes long.

And the drummers duel, whats that all about, no really what?

quote:

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Originally posted by garyi:
I don't deny that drummers have talent, I am just arguing its not music ...

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Again, I would urge more discernment. I acknowledge that listeners have been subjected to more than a few self-indulgent drum solos over time, but it must be determined strictly on a case by case basis ... sometimes it is music, and sometimes it isn't.

if you're into this kind of thing Gary, check out the solo on Bursting out 0 Jethro Tull live". Barriemore Barlow beats the skins mercilessly for, oh, well... a while anyway.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A99kxlfae5cqt



Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Garyi wrote:

"I ask because I purchased Deep Purple's made in Japan, a whole fricking side of this album is a drum solo, great."

And there is of course the part where the singer and guitarist have a "duell"!
Actually the only song that is listenable for me is "Black Knight" and it's not on the original LP, it was a flipp side on a single (somewhere) in those days. Nowadays it can be found on the 25 year remaster something.

I think Ringo Stars solo on "Abbey Road" is tastefully short.

JohanR

quote:

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Originally posted by garyi:
I ask because I purchased Deep Purple's made in Japan, a whole fricking side of this album is a drum solo, great.

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On "The Mule". But it isn't great (unlike the rest of the album, which is tremendous fun). In fact it's down there with Bonzo's "Moby Dick" effort from LZII as one of the most tedious I've ever listened to

quote:

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So am I alone in believeing the drum solo is the worst abuse of precious vinyl grooves or one's and nought's?

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I think the case that the above is the stereotypical view, and though not a universal truth stereotypes often do have a measure of truth and substance behind them. But there are some great ones. Check out B'Boom on Crimson's "THRAK", for example.

It's crap joke time...
bloke is on holiday on a Pacific island paradise, gets off the plane, drums can be heard. "That's pretty cool", he thinks, but they never go away, even at dinner at the hotel. He asks the waiter if the drums ever stop and is told, "No, drums must never stop, or terrible things will happen!". That night he's kept awake by incessant drumming, more drumming at breakfast, so he asks the manager if it ever stops. "No, drums must never stop, or terrible things will happen!"; "But surely that's a local superstition, this is the 21st Century we're living in now! Have you ever *tried* to see what happens if the drumming stops?".

"We have tried. If the drumming stops, bass solo starts!"

ba-boom, tssss!

Pete.

I saw the Wadaiko Drummers of Japan a couple of years ago and they were awesome.

The show was nearly 2 hours long and consisted of virtually nothing but drums, along with some Japanese stringed instruments and flutes.

The sheer physical force of the sound was astounding. The whole hall was reverberating and you could feel the air pressure from the largest drums in your chest.

It was a fantastic experience.

Steve.

quote:

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Originally posted by Stephen H:
I saw the Wadaiko Drummers of Japan a couple of years ago and they were awesome.

The show was nearly 2 hours long and consisted of virtually nothing but drums, along with some Japanese stringed instruments and flutes.

The sheer physical force of the sound was astounding. The whole hall was reverberating and you could feel the air pressure from the largest drums in your chest.

It was a fantastic experience.

Steve.

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Sounds like Kodo to me. Was it them?

To everyone on this forum - when Kodo come your way: see them. There is no excuse.

Cheers

Keith (who's seen Kodo somewhere around 13-15 times)

Hi Keith,

It was Taiko drumming, but the group was actually
the Wadaiko Yamato drummers. Very similar to Kodo.

Wadaiko Web Page

To everyone else, I second Keith. If you get a chance to see either group - do it. They are simply stunning.

Regards,
Steve.

Generally inexcusable of course and fortunately now rare. The exception that proves the rule is Airto Moreira and his amazing tambourine solos. Don't know of a recorded example but the live show with Flora Purim usually includes one. The idea of such a thing is laughable but this just makes the execution even more astonishing!

duncan

that reminds me of the time I saw King Crimson live (Mexico City, 1996 IIRC)... the syncronised drumming "solo" (there were three drummers) was mind blowing.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Stop it, stop it all of you.

I am not talking about going to live shows. Fair enough Gilmour forgot the words when I saw Floyd live and I thought it was great!

I am on about bonified music CDs/records, and yes even live CD/record recordings. These shows normally last 2 hours or more. More than enough time to not put in a bloody drum solo.

nice

There's a beautiful piece of music that happens to be an extended drum/percussion solo by Trilok Gurtu on John McLauglin's Live at Royal Festival Hall.

"I am on about bonified music CDs/records, and yes even live CD/record recordings. These shows normally last 2 hours or more. More than enough time to not put in a bloody drum solo."

Surely there's plenty of time for a drum solo and still leave you with 100 minutes of music

p.s. Its not only the rest of the band that use it as a fag/drink/whatever break. Have you ever tried to get a drink from the bar during 'The Drum Solo'? Its impossible as its usually three deep at the bar!

p.p.s. The only drum solo I actually enjoyed was by Jon Hiseman

One of my favorite jazz records is an album called "Rich versus Roach". It has Buddy Rich and his band in the left speaker with Max Roach and his band in the right speaker. It was recorded in the late 50s, and there is no panning of instruments. Basically every song is a drum war with a few horn or piano duels. A great record. (On the Mercury label for those interested.)

Gary, to put "Tales" in perspective, remember that Alan White had big shoes to fill when Bruford quit. The drum solos on that record were comforting to us fans who thought Yes had made a mistake of hiring an unknown drummer. In fact, I remember being blown away by the drumming (and cool synth sounds) of that record.

And speaking of Bruford, when he was last in town, some nut in the crowd kept yelling "BRUFORD!!!!--DRUM SOLO!! Finally, Bruford got fed up and did the most wailing drum solo I've ever heard, climbed on top of his drum kit and yelled back at the clown "NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!" I would love to have that on record; spontaneous drum solos are better than the Peter-Criss-same-every-night type solo.

Ron The Mon,
Needle-Freak

Kodo are solo drum [nothing but drums]
versus drum solo [one person].

Actually Kodo [saw them in the Barbican
London] also use flutes.

For good drumming records try ...
Samul Nori [Korean]
Steve Reich -- Drumming [but really just
the first movement]

James

Jeff

you're not the former ex-pat kiwi-in-london formerly of MTVNE, are you?

best

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

You have been reported to the Keith Waterhouse A.A.A.A.