You can find these kids a dime a dozen, Rac. The thing that disturbs me about this kind of thing is where is the blood, sweat and tears?! Where's the time? Or what aspect of playing the drums sheds light on these questions? Sure, there was lots of practice I'm sure. But just because someone is an exceptional rock player doesn't mean they can cover the musical spectrum. It only means that they play rock really well. That's how I see this chops-fest drumming fad that people seem to get caught up in.
These kids come out playing this stuff and they are immediately branded as great players when in fact it says very little as to how well or even if they can actually PLAY at all. The spectrum to making music is so broad. I believe that the highly underrated task and effort needed in learning to be a spoke in the musical wheel takes considerably longer than this kid's been playing.
Don't get me wrong, I think what he and other kids like him have accomplished is wonderful. But there still has to be some rational perspective. Youtube's got a million of these.
Posts : 780 Join date : 2008-07-15 Age : 69 Location : Philadelphia, PA
Yes today with these kids, it's all about the chops, I have even ran into some who can't and won't do double stroke rolls, because everything to them is in the single roll chop thing, for instance my churches drummer, all single roll chops, no real good snare work. and this has become the excepted way of playing for the young and some old. I just like the way Tony plays for some reason, because I can really feel him. I remember being at a tent revival and there were 2 drummers taking turns, and they were trying to out chop the other.
Posts : 861 Join date : 2008-02-13 Location : Honolulu, Hawaii
I quote; Where is the Music?
I've not kept up with this trend amongst youngsters in the battle of the drummer syndrome, but I can see how this kind of competition can be detrimental to musicianship and professionalism in the industry. It seems to have started as being cute, seeing how little they are on a set of drums, yet evolved into creating a mass production of mini-monsters having no sense of being true musicians - Now it's all about being a little pompous bad ass, pardon my hawaiian, I'm-better-than-you attitude rather than how can I serve the music and be a contributer to my fellow musician as a whole. This, however, never seems to surprise me being we live in a society that honors individualism over how a community, as a whole, functions on a social level.
The meat of my commentary:
D, Spanky, Pete, Woof, uncle Suss, Ted and others who's been part of Boomer's and Pete's site over the years have always been aware of this kind of abuse to the art of drumming. I've always felt that this site stood for the quality of musical craftsmanship that is so characteristic of Mr. Billy Cobham (Boomer). We've voiced our opinion among others who thought other wise who may have been victimized to the prostitution of musicianship in musical arenas abroad. That is why I am so so much and feel prevelidged to have being a part of this great site for drummers and musicians....I can go on but I'll stop here with that.
A word of advice to our younger drummer friends: If you are between 5-18 years of age, please and I can't over emphasize this; Take into serious account of what's been said on this site. I would say, outside of a mere 10% who disagree and along with it's irrelevant topics, we are about the music and how we contribute as drummers can either compliment and enhance music by how we see and approach it. It is not about being the superman of chop, which I feel is the tempting area to pursue, but more on the perpetuation and preservation of an artform known as drumming. Yes, practice technique, reading but most of all "guard your hearts" towards being sucked into the prostitution of our skills to the Superman Drummer mindset. Yeah, it may get you fame on YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook etc., but it will leave you empty in terms of being known for what you can contribute as a overall musician to the industry - and that's serious business whether you will live or die as a musician. We need to regain back that which was lost and succumbed to the commercial whore of the 21st century Superman Drummer era. I've decided to end it here cause I can go on.
And finally, in my most recent replies I can't help but to have my two little furry friends say it like no other. This video was produced during the dawning of the drummer's competition era and says it better than I can. So I leave you there....And like a weeping prophet I ask; What are we evolving into and where is the music...where is the music...where is the music?
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