December - Jayson Brinkworth

THE BLACK PAGE
DECEMBER 2008
LEGENDS EDITION 3
Godfathers Of Drumming
Liberty DeVitto
THE BLACK PAGE
December 2008
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9
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WORKING DRUMMER’S
BOOTCAMP
Feature Interview:
Liberty DeVitto
Diversity is Longevity
by Jayson Brinkworth
Profile: Ricardo Melendez
Guerrilla Drum Making
Holiday Grooves:
by Ryan Carver
The Final Word
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Sean Mitchell
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Editor in Chief
Jayson Brinkworth Writer
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Writer
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Featuring
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Saga, Doc Walker, Amanda Falk
Designed to get every drummer in shape to face any
freelancing challenge, the
Bootcamp is a complete run
through of almost anything
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a tough business, learn how
a pro stays impossibly busy.
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W
hen I think about my introduction to drumming, there are two very vivid memories.
The Buddy Rich vs Animal drum battle and
the Glass Houses album. If Buddy and Animal introduced me to drums, Liberty DeVitto introduced me
to music.
When I was a kid, my dad used to crank up his
Hi-Fi and throw on the old Glass Houses album.
(Yeah, this was the 80’s) Who didn’t love that album? Front to back a musical masterpiece. And behind it all, relentlessly pushing that groove as if to
drive the band forward, is Liberty. The man in the
driver’s seat. I would listen to that record for hours
and emulate Liberty’s playing, even though I didn’t
have any lessons yet. But it didn’t matter; the music
felt so damn good. The best that my coordination
could handle at the time was to nail the 2 and 4. I
would try and stay up at night when my folks threw
a party and hope to heck dad would throw on that
record. I loved the pulse of “It’s Still Rock and Roll
to Me.” And the groove on “You May Be Right”?
Fuggetaboutit!
When I was offered a chance to interview Liberty
DeVitto I was extremely nervous. Here was the guy
who made me want to play drums. Hands down the
first drummer to influence me. And in meeting Liberty I was not disappointed. That man can play, period. What a musician, never mind drummer. Here
is a guy who can lay it down so hard that, as we
watched him play, all three rows in the theatre were
blinking on his 2 and 4. The power he has is inhu-
Liberty DeVitto
by Sean Mitchell
Photo: www.scottmoorephoto.com
man, but he exudes musicality. For Liberty, there
is no greater gift than the gift he gives to the song,
and that is so evident in his playing. Even if he has
to lay back and play the brushes, Liberty is in for the
long haul.
As a drummer interviewing a legend, I wanted to
blurt out, “Dude, I freaking play drums because of
you!” But instead of freaking the guy out, I maintained my composure, did the interview, and had
the greatest 25 minutes of my life. As an added bonus, Liberty was interviewed by a camera crew right
after our interview, and the host happened to ask
about the old Billy Joel albums. I sat and listened as
Liberty described the songs and the soundtrack of
my life as an eight-year-old kid.
In listening to that interview and the one he and
I shared, I realize that Liberty has taught me so
much more than the huge 2 and 4. He has taught
me that it’s not the sticks you choose but what you
choose to do with them that makes you who you are
as a player. That it doesn’t matter what you bring to
a tune as long as you remember that it is always
about the tune. It’s the song that is your mark on
history, not how well you played a buzz roll.
In his selfless career Liberty has and continues
to give so much to the music industry, so much so
that when my children are eight years old, I too can
play Glass Houses and create new memories of
our own. In doing something Liberty loved--playing
drums--and by giving to the music, he actually gave
so much more. Thanks, Liberty.
Liberty, you’re working on a really interesting
book with Jules Follett about New York City
drummers. Tell us about that.
man who sings on Saturday Night Live, so if we get
a Saturday night gig, Christine can’t do it (laughing).
It’s that kind of band.
Jules loves drummers, first of all. She’s been photographing groups and stuff like that for years, and
she says that it’s the hardest to take a picture of the
drummer. The drummer is always up on a riser, so
when you’re standing in front of the stage, he’s high
up. There’s so much stuff in front of the drummer
like cymbals and drums, you can’t see his whole
body… you barely see his face, you know. So she
decided to do a coffee table book on drummers because a band is only as good as the drummer. The
drummer drives the whole thing, and he doesn’t get
the recognition that he should. I mean, I feel we’re
kind of like the bottom feeders of the music world
(laughing) because we don’t have any melody and
we can’t copyright anything. So she’s giving us all
this recognition of being the middle of the band, the
whole centre of the band. She’s actually gone around
getting guys in a studio or in casual situations, just
sitting in chairs. She went to Shawn Pelton’s apartment where he practices and took pictures of him
there. She went to a Letterman rehearsal and took
pictures of Anton Fig there. Stuff like that.
Where did you learn to play?
Tell me about your NY project The NYC Hit
Squad.
We play once a month or something like that because the guys in the band are all from other bands.
There’s me and Ricky Bird (Ricky Bird played with
Joan Jett and The Black Hearts). We started this
[project]. We were playing somewhere once and
he started to play this little funky R&B song and I
said,” You know, why don’t we start a band in New
York?” So we put this thing together and we’ve had
Will Lee come through and play bass. We’ve had
Hugh McDonald from Bon Jovi’s band play bass,
but then he went out with Bon Jovi. Now we’ve got
Muddy Shews who plays with Southside Johnny
and a bunch of guys like that. And Christine Ohl-
“Two and four, man.
That’s where it’s at.”
I’m self taught. I tried to take lessons, but I wanted
to learn how to play like Ringo and it was 1964. The
jazz guys were the ones that were teaching then
and they hated the way Ringo played. When I was
a kid, I wanted to play drums when I saw Ringo on
TV. Actually, I tried to play drums when I was in
the sixth grade, which would have been… I was 12
years old… it was ’62, but I couldn’t do the buzz
roll for the “Star Spangled Banner,” and the music
teacher said, “Put down the sticks, you’ll never do
anything with the drums.” So it was like, how was
he to know that I was going to be a bad drummer
if I just couldn`t do that buzz roll? He was actually
a bad teacher for saying that to me. So when the
Beatles came out, it was then I said, “I want to do
that,” and it wasn`t to play the buzz roll, it was to be
in a band if it made girls fall over. So that`s how I
started, playing 2 and 4. Everybody loved it. I don`t
really care if other drummers like me – the way I
play. I want guitar players and bass players and
keyboard players and singers to like the way I play
because I found out a long time ago the odds of me
going into a recording studio with another drummer
are really small.
Give me your take on the “schooled versus nonschooled” topic?
Let me start by saying this, I don’t think a drummer
should take lessons at least for the first 5 years because you have to learn groove and feel; you have
to listen more than read. When you buy a book and
you learn notes off a book, it’s stiff; it’s just whatever’s written down there. You’re just playing it with no
feel, no nothing. I do a thing in the clinic where I’ll
show them how I learned to play and I’ll show them
what I used to do when I was home and I was a
kid and I would take “Hide Your Love Away” by the
Beatles, and I’d play to that. Because I’m playing to
the timing of John’s voice, the way he sang ‘cause
that’s where that emotion is—in his voice rather than
just notes on a page. Then later, learn paradiddles
and stuff like that because nobody really uses those
things except in drum festivals.
You were with Billy Joel for over 30 years. How
have you branched off and redefined Liberty
DeVitto?
I’ve been doing a lot of clinics. The thing is when
I was a kid and I saw Buddy Rich, I felt very insecure in my playing. The first clinic I ever saw—and I
saw Dom Famularo play—I was very insecure in my
playing even though I had gold albums on the wall
and everything because I don’t play like that. So my
clinic is to tell kids, “Look, you don’t have to play like
that. If you can’t play like that, that’s fine. Two and
four, two and four, man. That’s where it’s at.”
Any plans for a new book?
I am writing a book. It’s a basic book because I’ve
noticed that a lot of drummers today are listening
to Dave Weckl and stuff like that, and they’re going into stores and they’re buying their videos, and
there’s nothing wrong with that. But, I think in rock
‘n roll, the basic beats that you play you take with
you for the rest of your life. Those are the beats that
you play. The difference between a young kid learning just a basic 2 and 4—and hearing that same
2 and 4 on an AC/DC record—is just the way the
guy’s playing it. I mean, he’s playing the same thing
that the kid first learned. It’s time for them to get
back to basics again; it’s time for kids to learn from
the beginning again. I feel fortunate that I grew up
when the Beatles were out. Ringo played a song.
He was a song writer’s drummer; he played songs.
I like music better than I like drums. I love the drums
but I like music better.
How did the Billy Joel band line-up come to
be?
I was in a band called Topper at the time. There was
me, Russell Javors, Doug Stegmeyer and Howie
Emerson. That was Topper, and Doug got called to
play bass on the Streetlife Serenader Tour. Billy already had out Piano Man and Streetlife Serenader.
[Billy] was living in LA. Doug gets called to do that
tour. On the tour, Billy tells Doug, “I’m thinking about
getting rid of the band that we tour with now and
moving back to New York because I want the same
musicians that play in the studio to play with me on
the road.” (At the time, Billy was using studio musicians and then taking different guys on the road).
So Doug said, “Well, I know a drummer.” And I had
known Billy since I was 16 years old. We played
in the same club but in different bands. [Billy] said,
“I remember Liberty.“ So I went out and auditioned
for him. It was great and everything like that, so we
went in to record Turnstiles, which is Billy’s fourth
album—just me, Doug and Billy. Then when Billy
said, “Well, we need guitar on this,” me and Doug
said, “Well, we know guitar players.” We brought
in Howie and Russell. We added Richie Cannata
on saxophone, so Topper became Billy’s band with
Richie Cannata.
very well. I have three daughters. One is 27. She
mixes sound on Long Island, in clubs on Long Island, and she was a tour manager for a group call
Antigone Rising—they were an all female group out
of New York. The middle one is the actress. She
just finished season five on One Tree Hill, and I just
went to see a movie that she made in the Tribeca
Film Festival in New York. It made it to the festival,
so she’s doing good. She lives out in LA. The little
one, she’s 19. She is licensed to cut hair in Michigan, and she just graduated from theatrical makeup school in Orlando.
Click here to visit Liberty online
Click here to visit Little Kids Rock
Click here to visit Topper online
Photo: www.scottmoorephoto.com
Click here to visit Camp Jam
If you could put together the Liberty DeVitto
All-Star Band, who would be in the line-up?
How did you balance being a dad and a high
profile rock drummer?
On bass would probably be my friend David Santos.
He plays with John Fogerty and people like that. I
did an all-star band with him a while ago. We were
the Northwest Airlines All-Star Band. It was me,
Billy Preston, Mark Farner, Steve Cropper, and Felix Cavaliere. David Santos is probably my favorite
bass player. Then on keys and vocals I would want
Steve Winwood because I’ve always admired his
voice. I think he’s fantastic. Who would I want to play
guitar? Let’s see, I have a friend George Marinelli
who lives in Nashville—played with Bonnie Raitt for
a long time. He’s fantastic. Guys like that.
It’s hard to do that you know because it’s almost a
selfish thing to be walking out your front door and
have these little girls grabbing your legs and saying, “Daddy, don’t go!” And you look down and say,
“Don’t worry. Dad will be back in eighteen months,”
and expect them to go, “Oh, okay,” and just go play
with their coloring books and stuff like that. But that’s
why, when I talk to kids in clinics, I say you have to
be dedicated to what you’re doing because there’s
going to be times that even your wife will not realize and not understand that she will never be first.
She’ll be second, a close second, but never first. I
mean, my drums have been there for everything.
You think about me and my drums as a great thing,
like it was fantastic—play Madison Square Garden,
play everything around the world and stuff like that.
I also know them as I got divorced. But when I sit
behind the drums and play with the band I feel better; it’s ok. They’re always there.
What has parenthood taught you?
I’ve got three daughters, so parenthood has taught
me that when you’ve got a son you worry about one
penis; when you have a daughter, you worry about
all penises. (laughing) My daughter is actually doing
What is it about Little Kids Rock that makes you
want to be part of the program?
The fact that they give free lessons to inner city kids.
It’s a great thing because these kids have nothing
to do today. They took all the music programs out of
the schools. What are the kids going to do? What if
you’re not into sports? What if you don’t like them?
What if you can’t play them? What’s your option?
Go hang out in the mall? Go hang out on a street
corner? So, this guy Dave Wish, who started Little Kids Rock, he was a teacher and he saw these
kids hanging out and said, “Look, I’ll give you guitar
lessons for free.” When he got the manufacturers
involved, he got the guitars donated to Little Kids
Rock. The kid takes the guitar, and if he keeps taking the lessons for a year he keeps the guitar. So
it’s a great thing for these kids. Pro Mark is a part
of it. They give me drumsticks to bring into the kids.
You hand them out; these kids freak out. They think
you’re Santa Claus. Then they see you play, and it’s
like, “I wanna do that.”
You also support Camp Jam, what is that?
It’s a camp in the United States, started in Atlanta
by a friend of mine Dan Lipson and another friend
of mine Jeff Carlisi, who is a founding member of 38
Special. It started in Atlanta 5 years ago and now
it’s in 14 cities. It’s for kids from 11 to 17 (actually,
there’s one for the little kids too). We call them the
Bedroom Players; they practice in their bedroom.
But like I said before, the reason why my friends
and I took up instruments, and the reason why most
kids take up an instrument, is because they saw
something on MTV or they heard something on the
radio and said, “I wanna do that.” And it wasn’t a
paradiddle that they saw, it was a band. They want
to be in a band. So Camp Jam puts them in a band
with players that are equal to their ability and for a
week they rehearse 2 or 3 songs. They play AC/DC,
Led Zeppelin, Beatles… whatever they wanna play.
It’s funny, young kids playing that classic rock. And
then by the end of the week, they do a full on concert, on a big stage with the PA and the monitors
and everything, in front of their parents and all the
other students and their friends. And they feel like
rock stars. It’s actually a team-building thing. They
say sports is a team-building effort, but in baseball
the ball is hit, it gets hit to the outfielder, he catches
it on one bounce, he throws it to the second baseman, they tag the guy out. Two guys on the team are
playing in that play. In music, the drummer counts to
four, and everybody’s in the game.
they grew, they progressed. A lot of bands from the
60’s that came out with them, didn’t progress—the
way the Beatles wore those suits and they had the
floppy hair—[these bands] stayed there. The Beatles all of a sudden decided, “We don’t want to be
that anymore. Let’s move on. It’s time to move on.”
And when they did Sergeant Pepper, or even Revolver and Rubber Soul; it was different. So all their
stuff, they just kept evolving.
Let’s turn to your influences for a bit. Why has
the music of The Beatles transcended multigenerations?
Have you had a chance to work with any of The
Beatles?
All of them were great songwriters. Even “Octopus’s
Garden.” You gotta say, Ringo wrote a great song
there. It’s good. But their melodies are wonderful
and they played as a band like a little orchestra. An
orchestra has its parts: the strings don’t play over
when the oboes are playing, they don’t walk over
them. Like Ringo. That’s why he was such a great
drummer—because he made up parts. If you have
a great song, like the Beatles do, or like I had with
“Just the Way You Are” with Billy Joel... Billy could
come in, play it on the piano, and you could hear
it, just him and the piano, and go, “That’s a great
song.” Now I’m gonna put drums on it. My job is to
make it better, not to walk all over it. And anything
Ringo played on a Beatles’ song he made better.
He created sounds in the studio that were never
created before, that were never done before. His
licks like in “A Little Help From My Friends,” try putting a different fill there. Doesn’t work. So it’s like
he played the perfect fills. I mean, his stuff was well
thought out. Billy Preston told me when he was in
the studio with them, he said it was cool when one
or two of them were in there, but when all four of
them were in there, it was actually scary. It was so
much creativity in that room that it was magical. I
mean, they were great. They were really good. And
I’ve actually worked with Paul. There’s a CD out in
England called Beautiful Night and actually Ringo
plays on the album, but he had done demos of it
over the years. I was in the studio with him and did
it once. So on this thing, Paul’s explaining this song
“Beautiful Night,” and how he started to play it on
the piano, wrote it on the piano, and it eventually
goes into me playing with him, and then, it goes into
Ringo playing with him—the one that went on the
album. And the great part about it is that you read
the credits and it says: bass and vocal, Paul McCartney; drums, Ringo Starr. And then you read underneath: bass and vocal, Paul McCartney; drums,
Liberty DeVitto. (laughing) It was really cool! I met
Ringo twice. I actually got to play with him. I played
“A Little Help From My Friends” with him while he
sang it. That was cool. But the first time that I met
him, I said, “Ringo, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be
doing what I am doing now.” And he said, “Well, at
least you’re not blaming me for it.” (laughing)
Who is your favorite Beatle?
Ringo’s my favorite Beatle. I loved the way Paul sang,
and I really in later years have learned to appreciate
John and George as songwriters. But Ringo is the
reason why I’m doing what I’m doing now.
H
ere I am writing my 20th article for The Black
Page. It seems like only yesterday when Sean
Mitchell asked if I might be interested. As I
thought about this month’s article, it seemed fitting
to write about diversity and how it can help us have
a long and rewarding career in the music business.
Where I live (on the Canadian prairies) isn’t the
most logical place to be to make a living playing
music. I always get people asking what my “day
job” is, as it is hard to imagine someone making
a living playing drums here in agriculture country.
Well, I don’t have a “day job” other than music, even
though I do have an education in electronics. Years
ago I would get quite defensive about this question,
but now I find it kind of amusing and am very secure—and proud—to tell them that I do in fact make
a living playing, teaching, recording and writing music.
I feel the reason I have been able to do this—and
I am definitely not the only one on the prairies who
has—is because of my open-minded approach and
diversity. This industry is full of ups and downs,
promises and lies, hopes and dreams and on and
on, so if we have any aspirations of having a career
in the music business, we need to have an open
mind. One other important element of this is to be
open to the different opportunities that come our
way involving music.
Diversity Is Longevity
by Jayson Brinkworth
WHERE TO START?
Let me begin by saying that, first and foremost, in
my career I am a player and an educator. I also want
to state that I have realized the more information I
know, the more valuable I can become to a situation.
Case in point: I was only 14 years old when I got
a chance to work with a band at the place I took
lessons. The instructor running the band, Ray Bell
(who ironically is my partner in our music school
now) had all of the pieces he needed for this band.
He had two guitar players, a bass player and a keyboard player, but no singer. Well this wasn’t working
as we were doing a lot of songs that required lead
vocals. For some strange reason, one that will probably go unanswered forever, I volunteered to be the
lead singer in the band! I have never sang in public
let alone while playing drums. What was I thinking?
Was I thinking? Like I always say, there is a fine
line between bravery and stupidity, and I teeter back
and forth all of the time.
Well, low and behold, I was able to do it. It didn’t
happen without some practice, but perseverance
pays off, right? By no means do I put myself in a
class with “real” singers, but my pitch isn’t bad, I
can hear melody and harmony and I am willing to
accept and work on my short comings. I will never
be Phil Collins, but I do get a lot of work because I
am able to provide vocals where needed.
Example 2: In the 80’s, technology was becoming
a huge part of music, so I had to embrace the drum
machine era. I had read that this “machine” was taking work away from drummers, and a lot of them
had turned their back on learning about the technology. I remember going out and buying an Alesis
HR-16 drum machine and sitting for hours programming patterns and sounds. I had also purchased an
Alesis D4, Drumkat, and pedals, so I had a whole
rig to work with. Having this knowledge led to some
sessions and a great gig with a fantastic band in
town in the early 90’s. We had no acoustic instruments so volume wasn’t an issue. We also spent
a lot of time programming sounds to fit the cover
tunes we were playing. We worked every weekend
of the year, never traveled more than 30 minutes
away, and could setup in 20 minutes and be torn
down in 10.
These are just two examples of being open mind-
if you spend more time
online looking up drumming
information than you
do at your job,
you might be a drumgeek.
ed, a little crazy, and also expanding my knowledge,
but they all involve performing. There are so many
opportunities in this industry that can allow us to
work within our passion. Before I go into a list of
these, I just want to state (and not sound too much
like a parent), that having an education is so important. The music industry needs business people,
marketing people, accountants, lawyers and many
other job-related tasks. Many of the people working
in artist relations at big drum companies have degrees in business and marketing, as well as being
players themselves. Again, the more information we
know, the more valuable we are.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES
ARE OUT THERE?
The first logical spot to start is in retail. I have a few
students who work at music stores and they love it.
Retail is not for everyone, but if you have the right
personality and knowledge of equipment and industry trends, this can be a rewarding experience. You
always know about the newest products, you are
around music all day at work, and the networking
in a position like this can be huge—just ask Nickleback’s Daniel Adair.
The second spot is teaching. Now I am the first
to defend the art of teaching, and to point out that
there is a difference between being a player and
being a teacher. When I am teaching, it is a whole
different mind set and my focus is the student more
than anything. Again, if you have the right attitude
and personality, this can be very rewarding and
beneficial for your own playing. Teaching requires
us to examine the basics of technique, sound, body
movement and breathing all of the time. It is also
so rewarding when a student reaches their goals
and feels a sense of accomplishment. I do keep my
eyes open for students who would be good teachers and definitely mentor them in that direction.
Another option might be to do live sound or lighting. I am by no means a sound or lighting tech, but
I have filled in for friends and can get by. In my own
playing, I am always very curious as to how the different soundmen perceive the mix of the band. I am
not afraid to ask why they do something a certain
way, or about micing technique, monitoring or anything else that I might be able to use at some point.
I have found it has really helped my live sound in
getting the most out of my instrument.
Lighting is also a great artistic outlet and can be a
lot of fun. Understanding placement, color schemes,
fading and the fog machine are key. You will soon
realize how well a great lighting technician knows
the band and songs he is working with. The cues,
shots and imaging can really set the tone for the
performance.
You could also explore the possibilities of getting
into production and engineering. A friend of mine
Kevin Churko is a great example of this. He is a fantastic drummer and singer (well he is actually quite
a multi-instrumentalist). Kevin had played for years
around Canada, but really got into the program Protools in its early stages. Kevin still plays, but most
of his time is consumed with producing, mixing and
engineering world class projects. His work includes
Ozzy’s latest “Black Rain,” Shania Twains last three
albums, Britney Spears and is currently working
with Black Sabbath. Not bad for a guy from Moose
Jaw, Saskatchewan. By the way, his brother Cory
played with Shania Twain and is currently in Reba
McIntire’s and Kelly Clarkson’s bands.
The production side can be very involved, and
your knowledge needs to go way beyond just the
drums. Drummers do make great producers; check
The most complete
online drum community.
Click here to visit www.drummerconnection.com
out Steve Jordan, Harry Stinson or James Stroud
to find out. Our knowledge of music software, hardware, song structure, frequencies, compression
and songwriting are absolutely necessary. We also
will need special people skills to get the best performance from an artist or musician every time.
The engineering side can be quite an experience
as well. We need to know about different types of
microphones and how they function, where instrument might sound best in a certain room, and music
software and hardware to keep a session flowing
smoothly. Great engineers are responsible for great
sounding records. All of the best players love working with the best engineers.
The last option on my list is probably the least explored, but most important (I believe) for drummers:
songwriting. It is pretty hard to write songs on an
instrument with very limited melodic and harmonic
nature. The first thing we will need to do is to learn
a bit about piano or guitar, as well as some music
theory. The next thing to do is to listen to all kinds of
music and get inside the lyrics, melody, and structure of a song. You can start with one that I talked
about in a past article, “Fire and Rain” by James
Taylor. This is as good as it gets. Try writing lyrics. We all have life experiences that we can draw
from for this. Songwriting is definitely a craft and the
great writers work at it daily, but that doesn’t mean
that we shouldn’t give it a shot.
BUT WHAT IF I ONLY
WANT TO DRUM?
What if you are reading this and are thinking, “I
don’t want to do anything but drum“? Most drummers would love to attain this goal as we have spent
countless hours working on our craft. Sean Mitchell is a great player, and has diversified his career
by starting up this magazine, as well as other opportunities he continues to make for himself. Billy
Ward does clinics, writes articles and does production and engineering work. Dave Weckl loves the
aspect of recording and engineering his records. Gil
Moore of Triumph owns Metal Works studio, which
has been successful for years. These are just a few
examples, but the more we expand our knowledge,
the more opportunities we can create for ourselves.
Don’t be afraid to expand.
It is one thing to be a great player, but that has to
be backed up with desire, passion, hard work and
fearlessness at times. We also have to recognize
when opportunity knocks and be willing to follow
through. You never know where it might lead you in
your music career.
JAYSON BRINKWORTH IS AN
ACCOMPLISHED DRUMMER,
PERCUSSIONIST, VOCALIST,
EDUCATOR & WRITER.
CLICK ON HIS IMAGE TO
LINK TO HIS WEBSITE.
Check out the newest drum community on the net.
Click here to visit www.thedrumfill.com
Ricardo Melendez
By Sean Mitchell
Ricardo, tell me about Dearestazazel. How did
you end up with the throne?
D.A. is progressive pop band. We are the bastard
child of The Cure, Queen, Judas Priest, and 80’s
Nintendo music. It all started three years ago in
Atlanta, Georgia. Peter (vocalist/keyboard) knew
Jesse, and I was drummer #50. The combination
was perfect, I got the spot right at my audition.
Talk to me about your latest CD Be Mine. Have
you guys evolved since your first effort Come
Closer?
Ricardo Melendez is the intense passion behind the
groove of Dearestazazel.
Currently in the midst of an
American tour, Ricardo took
time to talk with us about
his journey from Puerto Rico
many years ago, to the realities of life on the road with an
independent rock act.
Yes, I would say we have evolved. Be Mine is like
our ultimate idea as to how we wanted to sound.
Our first CD Come Closer was a cluster fwwk.
We had so much going on at once that you really
couldn’t tell what we were about. There was no direction. Our second effort, our EP Touch Me, was
a lot cleaner and you could hear what we were trying to do, what we were about. We had direction.
Be Mine is the epitome of all we are.
What was it like as a young drummer growing up in Puerto Rico? Is there a music scene
there? How did you get started?
Growing up being—and wanting to be—a drummer in Puerto Rico was hard. Religion commanded my surroundings and tried to manipulate my
fate. I started playing drums thanks to my incorrigible bad behavior. My father (RIP) got me my
first drum kit when I was 8. I played every single
day. I overcame the challenges and 20 years later I
am still playing my drums. There is a music scene
in Puerto Rico, geat bands like Sol d’ Menta, La
Mosca, La Secta Allstar and Puya among others.
The long lasting scene is the Latin Jazz scene. I
was part of both. Caribbean music is amazing and
the majority of the artists that make the Caribbean’s
music scene are of the most talented and humble
artists known.
You credit your father as a very important influence in your life. How did he impact your music
career?
I have many heroes and idols, but all them make up
a third of what my father was in my eyes. He is my
ultimate hero and idol. He bought me my first drum
kit, got me my first gig, went to every show and then
got me my first professional drum kit. This drum kit
is the one I have used on all of DA’s CD recordings
and tours. My father taught me many things. The
one I live off is “chasing my dreams until I can dream
no longer.” The sky’s the limit. He always wanted to
be remembered young, so I tattooed a portrait of
him when he was 28, my same age.
You guys are out there touring and making it
happen. What is life like for an aspiring band
these days? How’s road life treating you?
It’s really hard for any aspiring band. It takes a lot
out of you. You sacrifice all; you lose all for the one
dream. Whether you make it or not shouldn’t matter.
The fact that you gave it all and then some should
be enough for you to feel like you actually made it.
Life on the road is great. The driving is horrendous.
I mean the first 100 miles is great because of the
scenery around you, but then you feel trapped in a
van. I hate the driving, I’d rather fly. Playing a show
and meeting and greeting the fans is the best part of
touring. The stories, the gifts, they make me forget
of how overrated it is to be in a van.
If you could, pass on your words of wisdom and
share with our readers some of the Latin influences they may not have heard of. Who are the
drummers that best define the music of Puerto
Rico?
There are so many of them. Listen to any old school
salsa artists like Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, La
Lupe, Tito Puente, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, El
Gran Combo, etc. There is also great Latin pop artists like Robi Draco Rosa, old school Ricky Martin,
old school Shakira, Mana, Molotov, Ricardo Arjona,
Glenn Monroig, etc. All of their drummers are amazing Latin drummers!
Reflecting on leaving Puerto Rico, it must have
been very hard to come to the USA and start
getting gigs. What were your challenges?
Everything was a challenge! I cheated though…my
best friend’s parents lived in Georgia and they were
cool on lodging us for free for a couple of months.
We made a band called Fallein Wisdom (Century
Media). One day we were hanging out at a local
comic book shop when I saw a book called Musician’s Atlas, I bought it immediately. I contacted all
the local bars/pubs/clubs, started playing and have
not stopped since. That was back in 2002.
What would you say have been your biggest
lessons in music since becoming a working
drummer?
Being on the road changes you. This is where you
separate the amateurs from the professionals, as
well as your enemies and allies. The music business is all about money, so there are tons of politics
involved. That’s when it becomes a job for me.
What do you guys have coming up in 2009, and
where can readers buy a copy of Be Mine?
We just finished a one-month tour supporting Mindless Self Indulgence (MSI). We also toured with Inner Party System and UK’s Die So Fluid. It was a
full U.S. Tour. We will be out again in January 2009,
covering the same states, plus some extra ones.
We keep our Myspace page up to date, so please
make sure you visit.
Click here to visit Ricardo
and Dearestazazel on the web
www.myspace.com/dearestazazel
Perhaps you, like many other drummers, have found that the pinch of
custom drum prices can be downright painful at times. While we really can’t fault our brothers and sisters who toil over maple shells and
lacquer all day (often not turning
a huge profit), the ultimate drum
kit may actually lie in the palm of
your hands, quite literally.
Enter John Dutra, drum maker,
drummer and entrepreneur. John
has come up with a DVD entitled
Guerrilla Drum Making, the very
first custom drum making video
ever. With it’s recent release, custom drum making has now entered
a new arena, one that could be in
your back yard.
By Sean Mitchell
John you have obviously used this system
yourself. How long can a person expect to see
a finished result from start to finish?
It’s really hard to say. It depends on the finish type
and the amount of detail that’s put into the drums.
I’ve built entire drum kits that take a day to complete,
but I’ve also built kits that take a month to finish.
How and why did you come up with this DVD?
There were two reasons why the DVD needed to
be made. The first was that there were barely any
visual explanations of drum making techniques and
tactics. Mostly everything was step-by-step drum
making procedures with pictures. For such a detailed craft, that seemed crazy to me. There are
too many realistic steps that get left out when documenting something with pictures and it seems truly
unrealistic. People need to see someone doing it,
seamlessly and in action, so they can watch it and
say, “Ok, got it. I can do that. No problem.”
The second reason is that the online explanations
and small selection of pictures was completely centered around specialized equipment that only professionals can afford and operate. I mean, I worked
at a custom drum shop for years, and we had all
those tools—they are not easy to use for the oneoff drum builder! So I sat back and asked myself,
“For all the people wanting to take a leap into drum
making, how many of them are scared right off the
bat strictly by the tools that are being used?” Apparently, the answer I presumed was correct.
How much money can a person expect to save
with the Guerrilla System?
That’s another question that is really hard to answer.
I tell people all the time that they should make their
own drums because they want to make their own
drums. Saving money is just a bonus. I mean, in
theory, someone could spend a ton of money on
their own custom kit, spending more than the cost
of buying a custom drum kit from some of the big
boy custom companies. And then again, someone
could spend nothing on something that looks and
sounds better than kits that some of the custom
drum companies offer.
What are some of the benefits of making your
own kit?
It’s completely customized. The builder’s imagination and patience is the limit. Nothing is lost in
translation. There are no telephone calls with custom companies saying, “I want this, this and that...
and make sure to have half the lugs in the stripe
and the other half outside the stripe,” and so on. It
never turns out the way you initially imagined it, and
then you force yourself to compromise and settle.
I say don’t settle. You’ve got a vision, make it happen yourself. I’m finding also that it’s somewhat of
a rebellion against some of the custom drum companies that are out there endorsing anyone, just to
build a roster and sell kits. They end up with this
brand defined by their endorsees, defined by a style
of music, etc. In that sense, Guerrilla Drum Making
is a manual that says, “Avoid the branding. Think for
yourself. Make your own kit and your own company.
Endorse yourself!”
won’t sell for anything.
Do you need a lot of space to set up a Guerrilla
drum making shop?
Space is not a problem. My first idea for the video
was to make a drum in every different situation possible: apartments, cars, outside areas, garages,
sheds, bedrooms, kitchens. I turned against it because it may have been cheesy and I wanted multiple camera angles and great camera shots. But I’ve
drilled drums in my kitchen before, ya know. And if
you’re spraying lacquers and aerosol fades, I’d say
that “space” isn’t as important as a “well-ventilated
area.”
Any reaction from the big companies so far?
I’ve gotten one e-mail from a small company that
I won’t say. It was pretty funny actually. But for the
most part, not much. I’ve heard a few things about
some of the big guys “hearing about it.”
Any feedback or samples on how these kits
sound?
Some of the Guerrilla Drum Makers have bought
brand new shells and say they sound awesome.
And some people just buy garage sale kits, or revamp an old kit, and say they sound great and feel
good to play because they look great.
Are there safety issues that need to be addressed when dealing with the painting process?
Yeah, there are pretty much safety issues with everything. I tell people to carefully read the directions
on aerosol cans and finish products; always wear
a respirator mask and work in well ventilated areas
etc.
What is the resale value on these kits, should
the average player decide to unload some old
gear down the line?
Good question. I always say, “poor products yield
poor results.” I’d say that transfers over to your
question. A poorly made drum with bad products
Click here to visit John’s website
Happy Holidays from THE BLACK PAGE
Thanks to my family: Mom and
Dad, Misty, Corey, and Denny
for your constant support and
encouragement. And Heather
for putting up with the rackett and a home full of drums.
Sean Mitchell and everyone
at The Black Page, Vic Firth &
Team, and Scott at Beatnik for
having faith and giving me a chance. Thank you so
much. To all my students for your support and dedication. I learn so much from you guys too. Thanks
to Dom Famularo, Neil Garthly, John Favicchia, and
Joe Bergamini for looking out for me and giving me
the encouragement to get to the next level.
Thank you to my beautiful
wife Laura and my children
Tyson and Jayla for putting up
with my schedule, supporting my passion, making me
laugh and realizing how lucky
I am every day to have you in
my life. My Mom and Dad for
buying me that first Westbury
set, not complaining about the noise and supporting
me through life’s challenges. I will never be able to
repay you for all you have done, I love you. My inlaws the Roddicks, the love and support is beyond
words. You really understand the passion for music
and life. I love you all so much. The companies, it is
an honor to use your gear and to be treated so well.
Terry Ryan and everyone at Sabian Cymbals, Sean
Browne and everyone at Yamaha Drums, Eric Anderson and everyone at Trueline Drumsticks, Ryan
Goldin and everyone at Mountain Rhythm Percussion, Daniel East and everyone at Future Sonics Ear
Monitors, Brian and everyone at Flix Products, Rob
Eriksen and everyone at Impact Cases, Suzanne
Simon and everyone at D’addario Canada, Steve
Lobmeier at Evans Drumheads, Colin Funk and
John Meydam at Kaman and Ed Peck at Epek Percussion. Aaron Pritchett, Lisa Bokop, Aaron Lines
and all of the other artists and writers who have
trusted me with their music, I always appreciate the
calls. My students and fellow teachers, you inspire
me more than you will ever know. And finally, Sean
Mitchell and The Black Page. This opportunity is a
gift, and I enjoy every moment of it. You are a true
musician and your passion runs very deep, thanks
for trusting me with the words for your project.
First and foremost, thank you
to those of you who subscribe
and find something to read
every month between these
pages. I am eternally humbled
that you read our magazine.
To the love of my life Jill. It
has been an incredible seven
years since fortune smiled
upon me and brought you into my life. Thank you for
sharing this great journey with me. Your talent and
dedication continues to inspire me. To my family, I
miss you very much. Thank you for your support. To
my interviewees, thank you for sharing your wisdom
and experience. What a great honor it is to know
you. To the guys in my band, thanks for making it so
fulfilling to be a drummer. To the agents and venues
who have consistently ignored my emails and calls
over the past year in my quest for gigs. Without you
there would be no reason to remain even more persistent and brazen. Success favors the bold, see
you in 2009! And finally, to Jayson and Ryan, without whom this magazine does not exist. I am awed
by the immense talent you both possess and very
proud to call you friends.
A big thank you goes out to
those of you across the globe
who have found that special
“something” in my articles
each month. I’m honored
that I could share insight with
you on our musical journeys.
Sean Mitchell, my soul mate
and friend, thanks for taking a
chance on a university girl a few years back. Without you, I never would have experienced life in its
fullest. I love you. A writer can not succeed without
the support of a great team; thanks to you Jayson
and Ryan for keeping me on my toes. Last but not
least, I’d like to extend a big hug to my family who
nurtured and encouraged me. Happy holidays!
HOLIDAY GROOVES
by Ryan Carver
Listening to music is a key part of making music. It is important to listen to
grooves from other drummers and all styles. Groove school is a collection of
some great grooves from various artists. Each groove can inspire you, and
open up different ideas and possibilities. This month has some solid grooves.
It’s all in how these great drummers play the groove that makes it happen.
Listen to the feel that each one generates. Listen to the drum sounds, the way
they hit the hi-hat, and the bass lines.
Ryan Carver is a member of the Academy of Drums faculty, the Vic Firth education team and PASIC.
Click either link below to visit him on the web or to email Ryan your questions and groove requests.
www.carverdrums.com
www.myspace.com/ryancarver
THE FINAL WORD
“It was very interesting to work with someone who would give you that ultimate freedom that seemed to have whatever time existed in your head.”
Mitch Mitchell
July 9, 1947 - November 12, 2008