what do you guys think of Matalex - Wild Indian Summer w/Steve Smith and Jeff Andrews on drums and bass respectively? I have to say I was more impressed with Alex Gunia (guitar) than anyone else. their follow up Jazz Grunge was much better IMO with Triton members Jost Nickel and Arnd Geise replacing Smith and Andrews.
i.ain't.dead.irock
Well, having spun Modern Times a couple of times fairly recently, I'd say that Dunbar's "pretty straight forward" drumming is pretty damned great and has a lot of little subtle things that make him stand out from other drummers who I'd say are much more straightforward to the point of being actually boring, lol.
<sig out of order>
Being a professional musician myself, most of my bretheren and myself say yes to just about any gig offered, unless the pay is ridiculously low (you don't want it to get out that you're willing to play for peanuts). We sometimes joke about forming a support group to practice saying, "no." But it's a little different with the upper echelon players mentioned in this thread. If you're a famous in-demand player, you have more liberty to pick and choose. Of course I'm sure there are boundaries to that too; if you get a reputation for turning down gigs, it's possible that eventually nobody will be offering. But it's all relative; people who make good bucks tend to get hooked on the money and will be willing to take gigs they'd rather not do, just because of the pay. We're all whores to varying degrees, that's why it's not uncommon to find the best players doing gigs that they're way over-qualified for. Besides, it's a fickle business and you never know when the gravy train will stop running for no apparent reason.
I think I created a monster with this post. I didn't mean to imply they were too "good" for a band and shouldn't do the gig. I basically meant that if the drummer has a feel for the music, no matter how "simple" it is, they should go to it, even if they could do "more."
Case in point: Cozy Powell was an amazing drummer, but I always thought his beats for "Emerson, Lake and Powell" were really restrained for him. But he liked the music enough to make his style fit what they were going for, which was that eighties gated sound. Carl Palmer, too, did the right kind of drumming for Asia. It was still good stuff, but it wasn't the ultimate example of what they could do.
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
Damned Rock drummers !
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ted-n...cart-escapade/
It was a golf cart, not one of those Walmart scooters.
By the way, since I was one of the first to pile on the "over qualified" bandwagon I should say that I don't think any musician (within reason) should be "above" playing any kind of music. I wouldn't fault a pro for trying to put food on their table, particularly in the current music biz climate.
Last edited by Plasmatopia; 10-19-2015 at 06:52 AM.
<sig out of order>
I liked how he picked up a couple of ladies along the way.
Sent Via PE's Mobile App
<sig out of order>
What do drummer and groupies have in common? They all like to hang out with musicians.
This joke, by implication, is stating that vocalists (front men with nothing more than a tambourine & maracas (raises hand) are musicians.
Yes we are (or in my case, were). Tuvan throat singers come to mind, for instance, or the sax & trumpet solos sung by Ella, Sarah V & Lambert, Hendricks & Ross and more recently Manhattan Transfer and New York Voices.
Thanks, Fred!
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"
President Harry S. Truman
http://www.deencastronovo.net/news.htm
10/30/2015
Former Journey Drummer Deen Castronovo Makes Plea Deal and an Apology
In a statement, Deen admits that he hit bottom and thanks the prosecutors for saving his life
"Two weeks ago, I, Deen Catronovo, made a plea deal with Salem, Oregon prosecutors. I plead guilty
to one count of coercion, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of assault 4, and 2
counts of menacing. Ref: Case #15CR23974 in Marion County Court."
"Anyone who witnessed the events remains adamant that my abrasive behavior stemmed from the fact
that I was at a drug-induced psychosis level of intoxication at the time of the occurrences.
Otherwise, I am an easy- going guy who loves being a father and a musician."
"After my Indictment in June, I completed a 75-day inpatient treatment program at the Hazelden
Betty Ford Springbrook Center, the most comprehensive drug abuse treatment center in the State of
Oregon. It was at Hazelden that I quickly realized how dire the situation had become. I made a vow
to myself and my family to not only stay sober but to dedicate time telling my story, speaking to
promote sobriety, being a good example to my sons and advocating for the rights and assistance of
domestic violence victims. I hope by telling my story I can help prevent someone else from making
the same mistakes I did."
"Taking into consideration that I have been able to stay completely sober since my Indictment in
June as well as the fact that I have continued domestic violence and drug counseling without any
difficulties, Judge Jamese Rhodes sentenced me to four years of probation. The probation requires
me to continue the domestic violence and drug abuse counseling."
"At the sentencing I apologized to my ex-fiancé, Deidra, and her family for the hurt I have put
them through. I continue to wish Deidra the best. I know Deidra is not at fault for my behavior nor
the consequences I have suffered because of it. Again, I want to apologize to Deidra, her family,
my family, my band-mates in Journey and the fans of Journey. I’m sorry I let you all down. I have
hit my bottom and I’m taking the necessary steps to ensuring that this never happens again."
"As devastating as this was for me it was far more devastating to Deidra and our children. Had it
not been for her calling the police and the intervention of the prosecutors I’d probably be dead.
I’m going to focus on my family, finding happiness in sobriety and helping others who might be
going down the wrong path to avoid destruction. For now I’m taking it one day at a time and looking
to discover what new path God has planned for me."
Deen Castronovo Confirms Journey Firing, Opens Up About Addiction: Exclusive Interview
By Matt Wardlaw
November 3, 2015
"Here’s our full conversation with Deen Castronovo, as he talks about the events of the past year, his current status with Journey and what’s next."
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/deen-...015-interview/
I'm glad that Castronovo is getting the help that he needs and is hopefully on the road to recovery, but man, that article is excruciating to read.
Sounds like he finally got the help that he needed and is on the right track.
But it's a shame that he probably won't play again - he's a talented guy.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
And Steve Smith has been hired back:
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- JOURNEY and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS will launch the SAN FRANCISCO FEST 2016 tour on Thursday, May 12, 2016, again bringing together two of the iconic groups that helped define the "San Francisco Sound." The tour, produced by Live Nation, launches at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California – with concerts scheduled through Tuesday, August 30, 2016, and includes special guest DAVE MASON. A full listing of tour dates can be found below. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, December 5 at 10:00 a.m. through LiveNation.com. Fans with the Live Nation mobile app will have access to a password-free presale starting Thursday, December 3 at 10:00 a.m.* The app is available via the iTunes App Store and Google Play.
Neal Schon (founding member and lead guitarist), original member Ross Valory (bass), and longtime members Jonathan Cain (keyboardist) and Arnel Pineda (lead singer), are welcoming virtuoso drummer Steve Smith back into JOURNEY, marking the first time he will perform with the band since 1998. Schon and Smith have always remained close friends and musical collaborators. Smith has lent his incredible talent to several of Schon's solo albums, including critically acclaimed The Calling, and, most recently, Vortex.
Schon was thrilled when Smith accepted his invitation to rejoin JOURNEY, exclaiming, "I'm so looking forward to the very exciting 2016 we have planned, starting with my 'Neal Vortex Schon' Japan tour in February and then our major summer tour with The Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason. We will see you All soon!!!!"
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS' Tom Johnston (founding member, vocals/guitar), Patrick Simmons (founding member, vocals/guitar), and longtime member John McFee (guitars/strings/vocals) are adding Little Feat co-founder, Bill Payne, to their band on the 2016 tour. Payne performed on many of THE DOOBIE BROTHERS studio albums as well as on the road; a relationship the band is looking forward to rekindling.
"It's gonna be a great summer for fans of Bay Area music, and for guys like us who have the pleasure of teaming up with our good friends from Journey and the Dave Mason Band," said Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. "We look forward to taking the stage with Journey. We love their songs, and think we will all complement each other musically. It is going to be a powerful tour. We can't wait to share it with the fans!"
JOURNEY VIP Packages and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS VIP Packages will both be available through VIP Nation. For more information, visit http://journeymusic.com and http://doobiebros.com.
And this is the official professional photo that came from Journey:
journey.jpg
This might be a fun tour. With The Doobies and Dave Mason it might be worth checking out as they are coming about 45 minutes from me. I saw Journey a few years ago with Arnel on vocals and thought they put on a great show. He was a powerhouse vocalist who also had great stage presence.
I've never seen them with Arnel, whom I really like. Might have to check this one out.
But what's up with that awful photo? A band of that caliber can't get a better Photoshop artist?
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Bookmarks