Things I've Learned from Ringo Starr
NUMBER TWO IN A CONTINUING SERIES
Took the little woman to a 'rock' concert the other night. Kathleen Edwards was playing a sold-out show at the Aeolian Hall. She's one of those country/folk/rockers who get tagged 'alt-country' even though you can see her videos on the country-music video channel on the TV.
The opening act was 'Hunting Horns' - a very likeable foursome who described their sound as "chamber death folk." An apt description judging by their song titles - 'The Vulture,' 'Open Up Them Doors to Heaven,' 'I Know I'll be Delivered,' 'Ghost Town Waltz' and 'The Gravediggers Lament.'
And maybe it was because they were the opening act with limited set-up space on the stage, but something seemed amiss here.
NO DRUMS.
Of course, when you are a quartet comprised of a lead singer on acoustic guitar, a mandolin player, a stand-up bass and an accordian, well, maybe you don't need a drummer. Although that line-up kinda begs for some congas - or at least some cat in a beret slapping a pair of bongos. But at the moment, I didn't really think anything of it.
And then Kathleen and her band came out. She plays guitar and harmonica and sings. There was a lead guitarist and another fellow on guitar and keyboards. Only the three of them but they put out a pretty dynamic sound when the song called for it.
But again, NO DRUMS.
I paid $22 a ticket so I was a bit concerned. Ever since I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, every band I've ever seen had a drummer. Certainly the lack of a skins-thumper didn't affect the quality of the music being produced up on the stage. But still, I had to wonder - maybe some guy in a skinny tie with a ratty old snare drum might have added something. Then again, it might have made it worse. At any rate, I was pretty damn sure that when Brad Paisley comes to town in a day or two that he would have a drummer sitting behind a big set of drums. Maybe on one of those hydraulic lifts so everyone can see his late-set solo. Or maybe even TWO drummers.
So when we got home, I called up me old mate, Ringo Starr to get his opinion.
"Noooo, Sonny," came that familiar thick-as-mud Liverpudlian accent over the trans-Atlantic cable. "No, Brad isn't travelling with a drummer on his current tour."
"You see, Sonny - during a recession or depression or 'economic downturn' or whatever they're calling it these days, for a travellin' band, the drummer is the first to go. Or to be left behind, so to speak.
"Blimey, it's bad these days - oh sure, they want us there for the recording sessions but as for touring, the big acts usually just bring along a drum-machine. Their excuse is that it cuts down on space in the tour bus - especially those big bands who once used to be able to afford a timpani player. But really, it's just because at the end of the night there's only so much of a door to split and so they leave the drummer at home.
"It varies of course from band to band. And sometimes the whole rhythm section can be afffected. If the drummer is cuter than the bass player, he gets to tour and one of the guitar guys just takes up the slack of the bass lines."
Then in a typical moment of candor which reminded me why I love The Nose so much, Ringo admitted that this recent economic trend has even left its mark on his own band. "Ya, I had to lay off me own drummer from The Ringo Starr All-Star Band. A lad named Zak Starkey. Well, it's about time he got a real job anyway. Even the Max Weinberg Band had to lay off their drummer - and those blokes have a regular gig every night of the week. No Sonny, times are hard for us stick-men in this current financial climate."
... But then again - maybe this could be the best thing in the world for drummers. When life gives you lemons, make lemon meringue pie. So as a personal challenge and tribute to my old friend Ringo - I'm thinking of forming an all-drum band.
Lord knows there are enough out-of-work professional skin-thumpers out there, I should get them for a song. Nothing too ostentatious. We don't want to be like Buddy Rich. I'm thinking of a simple quartet - just like Ringo's first band.
So far I have it narrowed down to the one-arm guy from Def Leppard, that Neil guy from Rush, myself on bongos - and either one of the two 'Chris's from The Partridge Family or that black guy who played 'Sticks' in Potsie's band on 'Happy Days.'
Even got a name all picked out - The Four Skins.
Took the little woman to a 'rock' concert the other night. Kathleen Edwards was playing a sold-out show at the Aeolian Hall. She's one of those country/folk/rockers who get tagged 'alt-country' even though you can see her videos on the country-music video channel on the TV.
The opening act was 'Hunting Horns' - a very likeable foursome who described their sound as "chamber death folk." An apt description judging by their song titles - 'The Vulture,' 'Open Up Them Doors to Heaven,' 'I Know I'll be Delivered,' 'Ghost Town Waltz' and 'The Gravediggers Lament.'
And maybe it was because they were the opening act with limited set-up space on the stage, but something seemed amiss here.
NO DRUMS.
Of course, when you are a quartet comprised of a lead singer on acoustic guitar, a mandolin player, a stand-up bass and an accordian, well, maybe you don't need a drummer. Although that line-up kinda begs for some congas - or at least some cat in a beret slapping a pair of bongos. But at the moment, I didn't really think anything of it.
And then Kathleen and her band came out. She plays guitar and harmonica and sings. There was a lead guitarist and another fellow on guitar and keyboards. Only the three of them but they put out a pretty dynamic sound when the song called for it.
But again, NO DRUMS.
I paid $22 a ticket so I was a bit concerned. Ever since I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, every band I've ever seen had a drummer. Certainly the lack of a skins-thumper didn't affect the quality of the music being produced up on the stage. But still, I had to wonder - maybe some guy in a skinny tie with a ratty old snare drum might have added something. Then again, it might have made it worse. At any rate, I was pretty damn sure that when Brad Paisley comes to town in a day or two that he would have a drummer sitting behind a big set of drums. Maybe on one of those hydraulic lifts so everyone can see his late-set solo. Or maybe even TWO drummers.
So when we got home, I called up me old mate, Ringo Starr to get his opinion.
"Noooo, Sonny," came that familiar thick-as-mud Liverpudlian accent over the trans-Atlantic cable. "No, Brad isn't travelling with a drummer on his current tour."
"You see, Sonny - during a recession or depression or 'economic downturn' or whatever they're calling it these days, for a travellin' band, the drummer is the first to go. Or to be left behind, so to speak.
"Blimey, it's bad these days - oh sure, they want us there for the recording sessions but as for touring, the big acts usually just bring along a drum-machine. Their excuse is that it cuts down on space in the tour bus - especially those big bands who once used to be able to afford a timpani player. But really, it's just because at the end of the night there's only so much of a door to split and so they leave the drummer at home.
"It varies of course from band to band. And sometimes the whole rhythm section can be afffected. If the drummer is cuter than the bass player, he gets to tour and one of the guitar guys just takes up the slack of the bass lines."
Then in a typical moment of candor which reminded me why I love The Nose so much, Ringo admitted that this recent economic trend has even left its mark on his own band. "Ya, I had to lay off me own drummer from The Ringo Starr All-Star Band. A lad named Zak Starkey. Well, it's about time he got a real job anyway. Even the Max Weinberg Band had to lay off their drummer - and those blokes have a regular gig every night of the week. No Sonny, times are hard for us stick-men in this current financial climate."
... But then again - maybe this could be the best thing in the world for drummers. When life gives you lemons, make lemon meringue pie. So as a personal challenge and tribute to my old friend Ringo - I'm thinking of forming an all-drum band.
Lord knows there are enough out-of-work professional skin-thumpers out there, I should get them for a song. Nothing too ostentatious. We don't want to be like Buddy Rich. I'm thinking of a simple quartet - just like Ringo's first band.
So far I have it narrowed down to the one-arm guy from Def Leppard, that Neil guy from Rush, myself on bongos - and either one of the two 'Chris's from The Partridge Family or that black guy who played 'Sticks' in Potsie's band on 'Happy Days.'
Even got a name all picked out - The Four Skins.
posted by Sonny Drysdale at 11:02 AM
4 Comments:
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Sorry Pops, my fave song is 'I Know What Boys Like.'
from the soundtrack to that Best Movie which I talk about you know ... down there.
Stink. I wish I'd seen Kathleen Edwards. Another time I hope.
However, your dialogue with Ringo made up for it.
I don't play drums, can't afford them, but if you need someone to thump a walking stick on various kinds of wood (for that authentic wood shop sound) let me know.
Cheers,
GAH
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