Terry Bozzio's big-ass drum kit

[GuitarGeek]

That had to be a great venue to see Beck with Bozzio. I saw one of the shows supporting the Guitar Shop album, Stevie Ray Vaughn opening, and Bozzio was on fire. A shame that Bozzio only lasted one album with Beck. It is still my favorite Beck album.

Yeah, well, given Jeff's track record at the time (ie Guitar Shop was Jeff's third album of the 80's, and it came out in 1989!), it's not really surprising that's there only the one record by the fantastic Beck/Hymas/Bozzio trio. I saw that tour as well, in at Public Hall here in Cleveland. My first time seeing Jeff, and the only time I got to see SRV (if you ever see me, ask me to recount SRV's performance...it doesn't really translate very well to the printed page...er, screen ).

[enpdllp]

well that explains it i guess. cos when i look at this thing..

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the word 'overkill' definitely comes to mind. 5 bass drums?

I think the angle of the first picture you posted does not allow you to see a few of the bass drums on "The Big Kit". According to Bozzio's website, "The Big Kit" has 8 bass drums and the "Sick Jazz Kit" has 5 bass drums.

For most of the North American tour dates Bozzio did with UK last year, he had a "watered down" version of his "Sick Jazz Kit" with just four bass drums. Below are a few pictures that I took of the kit he had at the first UK gig (Chicago). The kit he had for the rest of the tour, except the LA date, was about the same configuration than the one in Chicago with the exception that the two front bass drums were not double depth and the shells of the drums were made out of wood with a dark charcoal grey matte finish.

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The following is a video from a gig he did at the Iridium in NYC with an even smaller kit.

[enpdllp]

Yeah, well, given Jeff's track record at the time (ie Guitar Shop was Jeff's third album of the 80's, and it came out in 1989!), it's not really surprising that's there only the one record by the fantastic Beck/Hymas/Bozzio trio. I saw that tour as well, in at Public Hall here in Cleveland. My first time seeing Jeff, and the only time I got to see SRV (if you ever see me, ask me to recount SRV's performance...it doesn't really translate very well to the printed page...er, screen ).

I had the fortune of seeing SRV twice, and both times he killed. The first time was in 1988 opening for Robert Plant. Whoever set up Plant with that opening act was not his friend. I am surprised that Plant's guitar player did not quit and took a job flipping burgers at McDonalds after the first show. The second time I saw SRV was with Jeff Beck and it was outstanding. I think the tour was called The Fire And The Fury and they alternated every other night on who opened the show. On some nights they played an encore together. Amazing show!

I just noticed that there is an official live CD from the Guitar Shop band recorded at BB Kings from a 2003 show. Anybody knows if it is any good?

[Rickenbacker]

Wow- watching the video above & others. Very impressed! How do people stack him with guys like Peart & Portnoy?

[Dave (in MA)]

Wow- watching the video above & others. Very impressed!

Yes, a lot of his drumming in the past few decades has been Impressive, but not something that I want to listen to.

[enpdllp]

I see Bozzio as a better and more versatile drummer than Peart. I have seen both Peart and Bozzio live a few times and although Peart is a very good drummer, he appeared too stiff and almost robotic when I saw him playing. He might have got rid of some of that robotic feel when he went under the tutelage of noted Jazz drummer Freddie Gruber, but I have not seen Peart playing live in almost two decades.

I am not that familiar with Portnoy's work, but I know that he is a big fan of Bozzio. He was at the UK Philly show last year and went backstage to take a picture with Bozzio and the rest of the band. He looked like a giddy girl after seeing Bieber when he came out of the backstage area.

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[UnephenStephen]

Wow- watching the video above & others. Very impressed! How do people stack him with guys like Peart & Portnoy?

i never liked him (Bozzio) but i think it's more his sound and style than anything else. when he replaced Bruford in UK i said 'huh, whos this guy?'. and to me he was not at all a good fit - too different from the original drummer. and i haven't even mentioned his crazy hairdos.

[enpdllp]

Yes, a lot of his drumming in the past few decades has been Impressive, but not something that I want to listen to.

I can understand that and partly agree. Some of Bozzio's stuff is out in Neptune. In addition to his work on Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop, check out other stuff closer to Earth like the two releases he did with Stevens and Levin (Black Light Syndrome & Situation Dangerous), The Lonely Bears and Polytown.

Since you saw some of the recent Jobson shows, how do you compare Bozzio to Minneman?

[mozo-pg]

I don't really like his playing. Honestly.

[trurl]

I love his playing in most contexts, but not all. I thought he generally killed in Zappa, UK and Missing Persons but I freely admit he wouldn't have sounded good on the first UK album (nor Bruford on Danger Money) and I don't like the versions of the Bruford UK material where he's playing. I love the solo stuff he does now. Sometimes his style definitely doesn't fit a project. I don't remember liking that Beck album but I havn't heard it since it came out. Simon Phillips- now he killed in Beck's band.

[A. Scherze]

when he replaced Bruford in UK i said 'huh, whos this guy?'. and to me he was not at all a good fit - too different from the original drummer.

I'm the opposite. I think he was a better drummer for UK than Bruford who was in a trough with his fusion styling before he recovered with Discipline Crimson.

[trurl]

I'm the opposite. I think he was a better drummer for UK than Bruford who was in a trough with his fusion styling before he recovered with Discipline Crimson.

Yeah, but that first UK was so much more akin to a fusion band (whether Eddie liked it or not). The Danger Money UK was a very different animal, much more an arena prog act, and Terry slammed on that stuff. Bill may have been in a trough but it was a better trough than many drummers peaks...

[Dave (in MA)]

I can understand that and partly agree. Some of Bozzio's stuff is out in Neptune. In addition to his work on Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop, check out other stuff closer to Earth like the two releases he did with Stevens and Levin (Black Light Syndrome & Situation Dangerous), The Lonely Bears and Polytown.

Like Guitar Shop & BLS, Love Polytown.

Since you saw some of the recent Jobson shows, how do you compare Bozzio to Minneman?

Minneman was also Impressive. His Impressive solo was perhaps the most tedious thing I've ever sat through that didn't involve clergy. I don't recall Bozzio being as bad to endure, although he showed up in Foxboro with his mini kit that only had 3 bass drums, so maybe he was restrained by his equipment.

[update: "restrained by his equipment" sounds painful]

[Dave (in MA)]

... a better drummer for UK than Bruford who was in a trough with his fusion styling before he recovered with Discipline Crimson

...in a mirror universe.

[polmico]

I don't really like his playing. Honestly.

I'm with you. He's got talent; I'll give you that.

On some stuff he sounds great. "Punky's Whips." Awesome. Bongo Fury (the live cuts he's on). Also awesome. But he takes up so much space on something like the Bozzio/Torn/Karn album Polytown that it's just too much. Nothing wrong with a nice, quiet ride cymbal, Terry. No need for all that clashing.

[A. Scherze]

Yeah, but that first UK was so much more akin to a fusion band ...

...in a mirror universe.

[notallwhowander]

When I saw the HoBoLeMa tour, he had the big kit on stage, and he used a goodly portion of it too. But then, that was part of the whole point of the tour: to do sets of completely improvised music, where Terry could really roam around. If you ever listened to the first Bozzio/Levin/Stevens album, I swear some of those songs don't end until he hits everything at least once!

[gpeccary]

Its big for a reason. Everything is tuned. he performs solo orchestrations on it, and uses the ENTIRE kit. At first glace it looks like overkill, until you watch him, or hear him, play it. This isn't a Peter Criss drumset where only three drums and a cymbal are used. Its not for show, its for utilization. He played a much smaller kit when I saw him with ZPZ. There are plenty of vids of him using smaller kits where it was needed. I honestly have grown a bit tired of the solo work, its begun to sound a lot alike. He seems to have settled into a style which to me has gotten a bit boring. But I would not hesitate for a second to go see him play it again. He blew my mind when I saw him perform.

[markduff]

Terry is doing a drum clinic this Wednesday at 6:00 PM in St. Clairsville, OH. The site is the Hampton Inn. The cost is $10.

[Dana5140]

Here is on a smaller kit- 3 bass drums- with Scheila Gonzalez of ZBZ

[ProgUK]

i've played on his kit. Its ridiculous! However...brilliant branding!

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[arabicadabra]

> I just noticed that there is an official live CD from the Guitar Shop band recorded at BB Kings from a 2003 show. Anybody knows if it is any good? <

Oh heck yeah....

[Crystal Plumage]

I recently listened to Thomas Lang and he probably is in the same league as Bozzio?

Both great players but I just don't like their sound. I prefer Minneman's playing and Gavin Harrison is fine too. One of the more energetic players I have seen is Furio Chrico. He's crazy!
But, does Bozzio need his big kit? I think he does if he wants to play melodic parts?

[rapidfirerob]

Saw the HoBoLeMa tour as well. Once I got over my fear of his kit, and went back into Yoshi's, I was totally bored by the
whole experience, especially Bozzio's playing. I did enjoy him with Zappa. He likes it and that's all that matters.

[Staun]

I've seen him 3 times in the past few years and that thing's gone haywire on stage each time.

In a perfect world, you would have a separate board for everything. Much cleaner and safer. But, in today's world, it's all but impossible to stay away from software based rigs.