alongside Lenny White, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Pierre Moerlen, Dennis Chambers, Tony Williams and Steve Smith, Bill is one of my favorite Prog drummers
alongside Lenny White, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Pierre Moerlen, Dennis Chambers, Tony Williams and Steve Smith, Bill is one of my favorite Prog drummers
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
The worst thing with his 'electronic' period for me was that awful snare drum sound...wholly inappropriate for someone who got such a recognisable sound out of an acoustic kit. His more percussive work on the electronic drums is more acceptable to me.Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate
I remember on the YesYears video him commenting that he also was forced to use that sound because if he played a "normal" snare sound, he couldn't be heard over Squire because of the frequencies he was getting out his Rickenbacker.
The Simmons drums were his Synthaxe! Bad idea!
I caught him in a printed interview where he was dissing his former Yes compatriots after departing Yes after recording CTTE. I thought it was sour grapes and the his tone toward Squire and Anderson, and especially the music that he and Yes made together, has always stuck with me. Perhaps I'll give his bio a whirl and see if that changes my 40+ year old perception.
It sounds like an interesting read.
To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.
Bruford/Levin.
Love his work. One of the top distinctions of prog in general for me. I thought one of his solos that included electronic percussion was one of the best things he's done because it sounded like a complete piece of music and not a drum solo.
White/ClarkeBruford/Levin.
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
It is, but I think the book gives a similar impression of how BB feels about that subject.
<sig out of order>
White/Clarke
To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.
Vander/TopWhite/Clarke
Oh, that White.
Yeah, I didn't think he'd backtrack on his past Yes comments, but I'll still give his auto bio a spin.
To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.
Allen (not white) / Ekpo
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
Even Gong and Genesis?
And why exactly should he? Could his observations not have been valid ones?
The thing is, outside of ABWH, he used an acoustic snare (might be some of the Earthworks stuff, too--been a while since I've spun them). But if you listen to something like Absent Lovers or Cloud About Mercury, it's an acoustic kit augmented with electronics. He kept the acoustic snare in ABWH to roll on, but it's almost like he said, Well I'm playing stadiums again, better make a big sound.
I find his use of electronics outside of ABWH to be very tasteful, including '90s Crim. But just judging on the ABWH stuff, yeah I get the criticism.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
Yeah, but he tends to disparage his own work, so it could be just that. With Squire his main complaint was that he was always late.
He's probably the only drummer I can't play air drums to very easily because he's just so unpredictable. I think his jazz background has something to do with that.
They all sound like fusion drummers to me.
His autobiography is a must and I'm still glad I bought both editions (the deluxe one is still a highlight in my "library").
My favorite drummer too. But there are two things that, for me, add another dimension to his great playing: the use of the cymbals and how effortless he plays the drums, even on his drum solos.
I have always seen him more as the intelligent math guy. Making maximum effect with a minimum of input, he never aspired to be a Cobham.
<sig out of order>
It just struck me as honesty. Why bother mincing words? And it's not like Yes never did anything that justified their being dissed.
For example, Bruford was always very honest that he did the ABWH and Union for the paycheck, and little else. He called ABWH "regressive" music, has never had a kind thing to say about any aspect of Union, and disapproves in general of going on tour to principally play decades-old music.
And as far as "sour grapes..." Sour towards what? Sour grapes is when things don't work out the way you want them to, and you lash out. Yes didn't leave Bruford, Bruford left Yes. What did he have to be sour about? I'd say things worked pretty good for Bruford. He left Yes when he wanted to and got the opportunity to play even more challenging music with KC. Then he formed his own bands and has done whatever he wanted since then.
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