Backstage with the Marshall Tucker Band. Photo by D. Paul Graham

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Backbeats, Fills, & Syncopations …..

Iwrote about this when the movie was released 10 years ago on September 20^th and it’s  worth discovering again. I watched it for the first time on a flight from SEA to SAV.  On a whole number of levels, ‘Whiplash’ is movie that is disturbing, probing, and challenging to watch. The movie’s pace, editing, and acting kept me glued to the screen. I’m admittedly an enthusiastic hack drummer at best, but boy do I love to play. Among a lot of other things, “Whiplash” made me think about some of the songs I wish I could drum along with better. This morning’s M5T shares 5 drummers and what I think are the toughest songs to drum to. It’s worth the time to stream Whiplash and to watch these classics drummers and songs on YouTube.

1. RICHNESS.  The Buddy Rich Big Band – anything this guy played. Rich’s speed and seemingly effortless use of energy made him arguably the world’s best drummer. His theatrical showmanship, rapid rolls, and aggressive technique made him a jazz virtuoso. Trying to play along to any song or solo by Rich leaves me exhausted, confused, and thinking I should take up knitting with my drumsticks. If you’ve never seen or listened to his “Live in The Hague 1978” or “Live at Montreal Jazz Festival in 1982”, both are drumming treats.

2. FULL MOON. The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Trying to follow and keep up with the chaotic brilliance of Keith Moon makes me want to kick my drums off stage and drive a Lincoln into a Holiday Inn pool. Unconventional and explosive playing, with little use of the hi-hat and thunderous use of a double bass kit, all contributed to Moon’s larger-than-life drumming style.

3. MORE MORELLO. The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Joe Morello’s drum solo on “Take 5” still leaves me breathless as he builds the solo and then transitions back into the fluid 5/4 meter of Brubeck’s ageless classic. Morello used complex and often odd time signatures that perfectly melded into the jazz that he played.

4. BEAST CALLED BONHAM. In Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times”, John Bonham did more with a single bass pedal than most drummers can do with double bass drums. This was the first track on Zep’s 1969 debut album, and I’ve been trying to figure out Bonham’s triplets on my bass peddle since I first heard the song. Heavy, loud, and thunderous best describe Bonham’s powerful style, yet he had an incredible sense of groove that gave the band it’s unique feel.

5. PROGRESSIVE PEART. Rush’s “YYZ” and “Tom Sawyer” round out my list of hardest-to-drum-to songs. In my opinion, second only to Buddy Rich, Neil Peart is still at the top of my list of the world’s best drummers. The ebb and flow of Peart’s wild time signatures, crazy fills, changing tempos, complex arrangements, and inventive use of technology make these Rush classics very tough to play. He pushed musical boundaries with his tight, disciplined, and theatrical playing. Peart’s innovative solos were as brilliantly composed as the deep and profound lyrics that he wrote for the band.

Here’s to a week of playing to the beat of your own drum in whatever you are doing!

For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T™.  He continues to enthusiastically use his steering wheel as a drum kit.

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You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com

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