nashville craigslist > community > musicians

please flag with care:

miscategorized

prohibited

spam/overpost

best of craigslist

Hippie Drummer Seeks Nashville Destiny! (The Universe)

Date: 2010-03-12, 12:28PM CST

Reply to: comm-t7kew-1640680321@craigslist.org ^[Errors when replying to ads?^]

Hark ye players and muses of Nashville! I have arrived after a long journey to slap five with Music City's fickle hand of fate. I am a keeper of time. A cooer of pocket. A Rhythmatist! I am called Stickbug. 

The path I took here was the same snaking ribbon of highway that carried many of you to Nashville. I sold my jewelry at Faire, which got me into an acting troupe, who introduced me to a lover named Claire, whom I came to town with to clear up a little possession rap she'd fetched during TenRen Fest... (A rap which happens to be booooooguuuuuus!) 

Or so we thought. When they took Claire into booking it became apparent that we would spend many moons here. I say "we" because our binds are strong. Claire is my lover and I go where she goes. Alas, I stay where she stays, too, as Claire is also my ride home. (Though her Datson bears no weight on my affection!) 

I was deposited into the city of music for a reason, friends, and for the next 60 days (minus good behavior) I will twist on destiny's nimble will. I am looking to join a musical touring company for the Spring. I have Djembe, Rainstick, and, if our travels take us through Amarillo and my brother is still clean, a nice set of goat-hoof anklets to boot. I don't mind sharing beds or car camping or river baths and I can eat packwolf style if need be. "Soup's enough if there's enough soup!" Right? I'm fine having actors and jugglers on board, as long as they respect the maidens and share the spotlight. I don't mind dogs on the tour. In fact, I carry a couple of my own. Rescued Pits! As long as you don't show fear there's no problem at all. 

So if have a Musical Touring Company please find me tomorrow in Centennial Park where I will be accepting abundance. No need to write back. If we are truly meant to meet it will happen. The fact that I came to Nashville in a B-210 in the the year 2010 isn't something I take lightly. 

I'll be laying shirtless in the sun (Damn Ra! You keep blowin' my mind!)... with a growling heart... and the eyes of a peaceful warrior! (If you miss those clues, I'll also have burgundy crocs and a pair of hemp cargo pants.) I will await your approach, and the beginning of our odyssey, with dewey eye and gleeful heart. 

Stickbug 

P.S. Don't be afraid of the dogs. REALLY! 

• Location: The Universe
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1640680321

• Copyright © 2010 craigslist, inc. terms of use privacy policy feedback forum

RE: Bittersweets Record Release Show on 9/4/08

Dear Nashville Publicity Group - 

I hear you will be handling the press release for the Bittersweets' Sept. 4th record release show at the Rutledge. Congratulations in advance for getting involved in what will likely be the biggest thing to come out of the Music City since Elvis! I normally do all the band's publicity but they felt we should hire a professional this time because "it's a really big show!". (Apparently penning a Novella isn't enough to be this band's official pub guy.) Though I'm not a "pro" writer (whatever) I have very strong feelings about this project and intend to give you lots of great input. (No charge for my guidance and spice.)

As I said, the release party is September 4th, 8:00p.m. at the Rutledge - with Sarah Siskind and Mando Saenz. I would suggest using lots of exclamation points in the headline so it looks exciting!!! Then I would say this:

"The Bittersweets 'Goodnight, San Francisco' is coming out in September on Compass Records. It is produced by Lex Price and features many of Nashville's best musicians." Here you might hint at some names like Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris, Darius Rucker, etc. Don't say it directly because they weren't involved! Just a little whiff. You know the drill.  

Then talk about the band. Although I am an accomplished writer I have a hard time describing things on paper. I can never seem to get my... thinking thoughts... to convey... you know... Blah blah blah! So we'll need you to handle the band intros. Here are the deets on the peeps:

Hannah Prater:  

"That girl doesn't just SELL a tune - she drives it to your house and INSTALLS it for you!"  

Hannah's Uncle Carl (After the Harrisburg show)

Hannah's voice is just like... MAN! The only thing I can say is, like, "Aaaaaaaaaa!  HooooooWOW!" (Maybe you can describe it better.) Hannah also plays a wooden, box style (non-electric) guitar and she plays piano and she plays the guitar with a harmonica strapped around her neck - at the SAME TIME!!! (Please include that cool fact!)

Chris Meyers:  

Chris plays two piano keyboards - stacked right on TOP of each other - and also plays guitar (electric and wooden, box style), AND sings backdrop vocals. Chris is a molti-instrument player and, besides his great musicianing, happens to sing like a young Stevie Winwood! Not kidding! (Fit that in?)

Steve Bowman:  

When it comes to drumming this guy is like the best drum player of drum players. I would say he is as good as Neil Peart.  However, Steve sings backdrops and Mr. Peart does NOT. Hmmmmm. Does that make Steve better than Neil Peart? I don't know... (Fit it!)

Jeff Irwin:  

Have you ever heard of a real smooth guy who "plays his woman like a violin"? Well, Jeff does that on base guitar. He actually plays his base like a violin! Maybe you could make up a name for whatever you might call a lover/base player? Something like... Cassaplunka. Actually that's very good. Please include Cassaplunka. (I'll need to be credited.)   

At the end of the press release say something about giveaways and special event stuff. We're not really doing anything so don't be specific but people like freebies so slip it in there somehow. Also, try to get them to thinking "Merch" at the show. Merch is the band's code word for CD's and T-shirts. Not sure why "merch" but there you go. (Artists!)  

Thanks again for taking on this "gig", and for lowering your rate and for accepting a post-dated third-party check, etc. This is not a "rush job" but if we could have something today or tomorrow that would allow me to clean it up, fix whats broken, and get you crackin' on the next draft. I have my fingers crossed that after a few re-writes we'll know if we're headed in the right direction. 

Yaaaaaaay! 

Artie Fufkin

Director of Creativeness - Bittersweets

info@publiccitypublicity.com

P.S. This is going to be fun for you - AND - you will get great exposure!  :U  

Sometimes people track me down online and ask me to "friend" them. I always make sure they are actual people and if they look okay I add them to my list. Sometimes people write a sentence or two above the request, normally a nice hello from another musician or a gear question. If someone takes the time to write I always jot back a quick thank you and answer any questions they may have asked. 

Every once in a while someone goes a step further and puts a full letter in my inbox. I give these a little more time and I try to keep my responses appropriate to the length and weight of the letter received. The other day I got message in my inbox that changed my life... a little... for a week. The letter was so complimentary and I had to re-read it a few times. This is what it said:

----------

Steve,

I have been a huge fan and follower of yours for quite some time now, and really appreciate what you’re doing with and for music and the drumming community. 

I collect used and signed drumsticks from amazing drummers all around the globe, and would love to include you in my collection. 

I was wondering if you might be able to send me a pair of drumsticks that you have used and possibly signed. I realize that you must get a million of these requests every day, but I would really appreciate it if we could work something out. 

Thank you so much for your time and God Bless,

Name*

----------

(*We'll just use "Name" in case he reads this.) 

I was kind of dazed after I read the letter. "A huge fan and follower" of mine had written me. I didn't know I had a huge fan and follower. That was very cool news. He said he appreciated what I was "doing with and for music and the drumming community." That seemed odd because I didn't realize I was actually doing that much. I mean, I wrote a book (which at this point remains somewhat under the radar), and I write on this forum, but... I tried to consider whether it was possible that I was doing more for the drumming community than I'd realized. Maybe I had underestimated my contribution?

The guy said he collected sticks from "amazing" drummers, which I read as "famous" drummers because I 'm sure he wouldn't ask a guy playing a Jazz Brunch in the corner of a restaurant for a stick, no matter how "amazing" the drumming was. But as I don't consider myself to be famous, I was flattered to be included in a collection of "famous" drummer's sticks. I wondered if it was possible that I was more famous than I thought? Was it possible that I was recognized in public all the time and didn't even know it? Maybe my "fans and followers" were too considerate to bother me? As I was swept away by the notion it slowly became imaginable. Suddenly my life was a little more interesting. 

The last line of his letter was my favorite because it's where he supposed I "get a million of these requests every day". I thought about informing him that on the day he wrote I didn't "get a million of these requests" but just one. From him. And that I couldn't even remember another time when someone had asked for a drum stick online. I also thought about having fun with his hoping we could "work something out" for the stick. I considered writing back with something like "Great. Tell me what assets you have to barter with and we'll see if we can come to an agreement." The praise had given me energy. I was feeling creative. But then the week got busy and instead of getting creative I just mailed him some sticks. 

Per his request I found a pair that that had been beaten up pretty badly and I signed them. Then I went to the post office and bought a little tube that fit the sticks perfectly and mailed them off. For less than 5 bucks and about 20 minutes time I had it done a deed that would make a person very happy. I figured that was the least I could do for someone who had made ME feel so good. 

A few days later I got a thank you back and this time I decided to look at his site. Maybe he was a great drummer? I couldn't get much info about him because his profile was set to private so I googled his name with the word "drummer". I don't know why I did this. I was just compelled to know more about my "huge fan and follower". The search only brought up one hit. I clicked on it and landed at Frankie Banali's web site forum. Apparently my "fan and follower" also liked Quiet Riot's drummer. I scrolled down the emails until I found his letter to Frankie, and here is what it said:

----------

Mr. Banali, 

I have been a huge fan and follower of yours for quite some time now, and really appreciate what you're doing with and for music and the drumming community. 

I was wondering if you might be able to send me a pair of drumsticks that you have used and possibly signed. I realize that you must get a million of these requests every day, but I would really appreciate it if we could work something out. 

Thank you so much for your time and God Bless. 

(His Name Again)

----------

I was shocked at first and then I had to chuckle, and that chuckle turned into a full belly laugh. It was a perfect circle. Not only had his letter allowed me to bask in my own shallowness, but in the end it gave me an opportunity to keep my ego in check as well. Win-win! 

Life is so funny. 

From: Rev.Smith (willsmithjazz@yahoo.com) 

Phone: 234-865-3454 

I'm Rev.Smith that needs a tutor for my child base on your advert.Sandra is 19 year old and easily watch.What's your charges and where do you reside in the Usa,i understand you are in Usa.

Will

God Bless

Hi Rev. Smith.  Thanks for writing.  I would be happy to instruct your daughter. Do you live in Nashville?

Thanks,

Steve

Hi Steve

  I really appreciate your response, i want you to have a trust in this transaction and make sure you teach my daughter properly.I've forward your information to my associate to make the payment and i will get back to you as soon as the payment is sent.Please i will like you to email me with you cell #,Home # for easier conversation in future Okay?Awaiting your response Asap.

Will

God Bless

But where do you live? 

Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the question,i live in Sandiego in Carlifornia but now i am in United Kingdom for a Reverend tour for couple of month will soon be back home.I want you to email me the resquested as instructed earlier in the mail Okay?Awaiting your response Asap.

Will

God Bless

Oh wow, Carlifornia is beautiful... but it's 2300 miles from me! Don't you think you can find a drum instructor that's closer to you?   

Steve 

 Hi Steve

Yeah you are right,i want you to teach my daughter Drum lesson because she is a beginner,so all i need from you is the total amount for two month lesson for 3 days/week/1hr,then i will also need the Payable Name and Address where the Cashier's Check or Money Order will be mailed to because my associate that wanted to issue out the payment will be leaving for another country on a business trip don't worry my cousin have an apartment in Nashville,TN to accomodate my daughter during the whole period of the lessons,so i want eveything to be as quick as possible also i want you to email me with your schedule for the lesson.I'll continue praying for people like you is interested in broughting up younger ones that everything you lay your hands upon will shall come to pass Amen Okay?Awaiting your response Asap.. 

Will

God Bless

Okay, then. I normally get around $100 per lesson, x 3 per week, x 2 months is $2400.  Please deposit $2400 into my Paypal account online and tell me when you'd like to start the lessons. 

Or send a check for $2400 to:

Fork's Drum Closet

2701 12th Ave S 

Nashville, TN 37204

Accommodate Sandra I will, Reverend. You can bet on that. Also, I appreciated your prayer. As you said, " for people like you is interested in broughting up younger ones that everything you lay your hands upon will shall come to pass." 

Wow. Thanks, man!

Steve 

Phone # Needed

Will

God Bless

Email's fine by me. 

Steve

Hi Steve,

 Thanks for the mail and the information provided,the total price is alright for my Daughter 2 mouth which is $2400.00 for lessons.I'm happy for your years of experience and i will reallyappreciate if you handle Sandra properly, take her as you own Daughter because i like to put my Daughter incare of people like you who is ready to brought up young ones,I'll continue praying for you as a Rev father.Your payment plus the travelling fee including the materials that will be purchased by my cousin for my Daughter lesson has been sent in your Name&Address which is ?????, c/o Fork's Drum Closet,2701 12th Ave S Nashville, TN 37204USA right?also i'll like you to email me with your cell phone #,by my  associate who is owning me some amount of money then said he will include it on a Cashier's Check or Money Order.And also his travelling out of the state tommorow this is the reason why the  payment has quickly been sent Via mail for $5,000.00,so you will DEFINATELY get the payment before the lesson date which is September 17Th soon as you cash the check you would need to deduct your amount of ($2400.00) from the total of ($5,000.00) and send the remaining balance to my cousin via western union money transfer who would be using the money to care for my Daughter and buy some instrument for him for practising at home also about the transportation my Daughter will be the one to come over to you location with a Car for the lesson and you don't have to travel anywhere. 

Note:Once again i'm happy for you ,you've really done great,Sandra is a beginner in learning and you can take the lesson at a cool place that's alright with me and with your experience i think you can contribute perfectly to my Daughter's lesson for i'm busy in a reverend tour  i will soon be back here is my number in the uk +447024024116 or +447031947070  

Will

God Bless

Thanks, Reverend.  I look forward to handling your daughter.

Steve

(10 minutes later)

Mr. Reverend! I know it's only been ten minutes but I'm starting to get worried.  Has the money been mailed?

Steve 

Not to worry the moneys has been sent. You will call me in the uk +447024024116 for directions for western union money transfer to my cousin. I trust you completeley as we are friends and i'll like you to email me with your cell phone # for my associate. Please ASAP.

Will

God Bless

Dear Reverend. I was wondering if you could describe your daughter so I'll know her when I see her. Like, is she tall, short? Hair color, eye color, height, weight, measurements, you know? So I recognize her. Does she have any moles, freckles, birthmarks, cowlicks, piercings, tattoos, or scars? Also if you could mail her dental records, fingerprints, birth certificate and immunization history that would be great, too. Thanks!

Steve

The money is sent. pLease email me with your cell phone #. My associate needs it now. ASAP

Will

God Bless

I got the check in my hand. I can't believe it!

Steve

No go to western union money transfer and call me in the uk +447024024116. cell # needed ASAP!

Will

God Bless

I have to use a public line because I dropped my cell phone into some chili. Anyway, that was exciting. I enjoyed the quick conversation. You are very professional. 

Now I can admit something. Instead of cashing your check I sent your associate the whole $5000 and didn't take any of it. I am just so flattered you chose to let me to give Sandra the gift of music. I can't wait to GIVE it to her!

Steve

They said check didn't work. Please resend imm. and CELL ### - call in uk +447024024116

Will

God Bless

Don't worry, Reverend. It's your check so it must be good!  I just endorsed it right to your associate. Without taking a cut! And, I will still take up Sandra. For free! Great news or what?

It is WRONG! and i must speak to you WILL NOT CALL! WHY. PLEASE ASAP in uk +447024024116

Will

God Bless

Why all the CAPS? I said I gave THEM the CHECK you SENT to ME.

I hope my trust did not go to the wrong man. I see it did unles you CALL ME

Will

God Bless

What do you mean you don't trust me? Don't move! I'm going to call you from the same phone as before. I have to use a public line because I crushed my cell phone while sledding. Let's see if we can't just sink to the bottom of this.

(Later)

The conversation today was a little confusing. You just kept yelling and I said "I SENT a check" and on and on and then wow! You'd have to be really angry to say those things. Whew. I thought you were kidding but now I don't know

I think you owe me an apology. How do you respond?

You are a fool and a dog. NEVER CALL. YOU ARE CRAZY FOOL IDOIT THAT I HAVE NO TRUST FOR! NO TRUST FOR!

Will

God Bless

I'm afraid I'm going to need you to take some of that back. And what about Sandra?... Are we still doing those lessons!?!... Will?...

###

It wasn't easy learning to play drums when I was a kid. There were no instructional DVD's, videos, or internet, and the books didn't come with CD's in the back. For my first ten years as a drummer the only books I had were for snare drum. Hearing new drummers was also hard because I didn't have much money to buy records. I could afford two or three new albums a year, and occasionally I got a "Sound Supplement" from a music magazine. 

When I was around six I got an AM Radio. The only "radio" I'd ever heard were my parents talk shows and the country station my Grandma liked, but now that I had control of the dial I found a whole world of options, and it wasn't long before long I was hooked on the pop music of the 1970's. I soared with the choruses and ached with the ballads. I discovered the opposite sex by realizing I had a crush on "Mandy". (She came and she gave without taking. And he pushed her away.) Then I got a crush on "Brandy" (what a GOOD wife she would be). From there it ascended to the female artists of the time - women like Olivia Newton John, Karen Carpenter, Diana Ross, Kiki Dee... and on and on and on... 

There were great songs in that era and a lot of great drumming, too. I loved hearing the way different drummers played. I'd think about their beats and fill choices, and mentally note how their drums sounded. Since it was "Top-40" the stations played each song four or five times a day, which gave a drummer ample time to enjoy and analyze every note. Once in a while you'd hear something you liked and couldn't pull off, and then you'd have to figure it out. That was always great fun for me - until the day I heard something I couldn't figure out.

I can't remember the first time I listened to "Chuck E's In Love". I must have heard it at some point because I was singing along when I noticed "the fill". "Chuck E's In Love"is a great inner city love song by Rickie Lee Jones, about a girl who knows this boy "Chuck E." who she thinks is in love with her. The song is played at a tempo you'd have to call slowsexy - so slow and sexy that when it goes to double time on the chorus it's STILL slowsexy! The groove on the verse sulks along and the chorus lifts it up without losing the "pout". Then on the bridge Ricki Lee goes solo with a sobering straight feel. Acoustic. And as her vocals taper off and the bridge ends... "the fill". 

I'd never heard a fill like this and couldn't begin to figure it out. I didn't even know what the drummer had hit to make the sounds. But I knew it was gooooooood, and every time I heard the song provided another chance to make some headway on "the fill". So I'd lay on my bed with my feet on the wall for hours, hoping "Chuck E's In Love" was next. 

Like I said they played songs a lot back then, but I still only had four or five chances a day and there were things like eating and sleeping and soccer practice cutting into my possibilities. A couple of times I tuned in the middle of the song only to find I'd already missed the fill. In those cruel moments I'd howl like a soldier in a war movie. "Noooooooooo!" 

My anticipation would rise when the DJ came back from a commercial break or another song was ending. Now? Now! Now? Then they'd play "Afternoon Delight" or "Muskrat Love" and I'd have to wait again. "I'll listen until the next commercial." Okay, one more song set. All right, next song. Three in a row? Coming up? Okay, just those. The "Pina Colada" Song? I've heard that TWICE now. "Did I miss it?" But eventually my perseverance would pay off and it was on!

I'd snap to attention with the opening guitar line and try to find a position where I could hear well and sit comfortably. Then I'd attempt to clear my head of any thought so that when the fill drifted past I could better "sear" it into my memory. It's such a great tune I lost myself a couple times and ended up daydreaming through "the fill". What a waste! But most times I was ready. Sharp... focused... a little nervous. "This time I'll tap quarter notes through it."

And as the fill got closer I'd get edgy if people were around. "I need total silence in this car please!" Then Ricki Lee'd sing the last few notes and my eyes would bug, nose to the speaker as if to take in a smell. "If I can repeat it in my head I can learn it! but this fill is different! shut up here it comes! - " 

As the bridge ends the listener is lulled from a soft vocal to dead silence, at which point the feel switches from straight to swung. The fill has to span the feels and introduce a half time verse, and this is what happens: 

It starts with a couple defining notes to get your attention, then locks you into into a hazy series of snare/high-hat interplay, which is hard to define because it sounds just as random as it does steady. The playing is so delicate and exact you actually start to hear the minute pockets of silence between the notes, which causes you to lean closer and listen harder, so hard you go into a daze of musical oblivion. The sticking causes your eyes to shift wildly in their sockets as you try to pin down what's being played, and just as you realize you've lost your senses? A solid snare on "4", an open hat on the "and" - the final notes elongated deftly in the pocket - and you are back in reality. But before you can even shake off the cobwebs from it all, the drummer is into that "pouty" verse again, and he's playing it with such confidence and consistency you start to wonder if the fill was even possible, and if you really heard what you just heard. 

That's how I discovered Steve Gadd.

It was a long time before I knew who'd played on "Chuck E's In Love" but once I had the name I found it coming up again and again. I would eventually create a my own bastardized version of "Fifty Ways" and a learn as many other Gadd grooves as I could find. The only one I didn't work on was "Late in the Evening", because I thought there was more than one drummer on it so why try. It wasn't until I saw the video that I found out it was him alone, with four sticks! (Mozambique? What the-) I put a cowbell on my bass drum and wrapped it with tape until it matched his tone. I asked for Hydraulic heads for my birthday and tuned them loooooow. And I had an answer if anyone asked who my favorite drummer was. 

When I got out of high school I saved money and bought a Yamaha 6-piece. Two toms on the bass drum, two hanging toms on the floor. I'd stared at the posters enough to know what he played down to the size and model, and ripping off his set up seemed completely natural since I was already ripping off his sound and style. 

I've gone through a lot of phases in my drumming. I got into a latin phase for a while, and there was the David Garibaldi phrase, the a drum n' bass phase, Scottish drumming phase, linear phase... and on and on and on... Every time you go through a new phase it slightly alters your preferences and tendencies, and helps shape the ongoing evolution that is "your style". My "Gadd phase" was long and came at a time when I was looking for direction. It became the sound and style I adopted as a kid and the way I learned to play. So I tend to gravitate towards it. I've been influenced. 

Steve Gadd came through town on the "Mission From Gadd" tour and I decided to go. Despite my long infatuation with his drumming I'd never seen him live. The theater was packed but we found some seats in the back. I sat down and looked out, and there was that old familiar Yamaha 6-piece. I looked around the room. You could feel the anticipation. Steve Gadd is a legend. I thought about how many other drummers had gone through "Gadd phases". Maybe they were in the middle of one now. Maybe they were about to start. 

After a nice introduction the curtains parted and he walked out. Steve Gadd. Looking strong! He smiled at the crowd and was taken aback by the applause. But the applause made sense. Then he sat down at the drum set -

"And he blew that room a-way!"

He really did. He was just as sharp as ever on his many trademark grooves and feels. He played shuffles and brushes and did linear stuff and hi-hat technique. He played "the hits" and explained every sticking and pattern in a clear and patient way. At one point he asked the crowd to clap out a clave pattern and he solo'd over the top. I don't know if I was more impressed by his flailing staccato rythyms over the bar line, or the fact that the crowd kept the clave going the whole time. (I kept messing it up.) He was gracious and generous, and his playing was just as stunning as you'd imagine. Louis Bellson was in the crowd and Steve gave him a truly heartfelt tribute. It was a great moment. It was a great clinic.

After it was over we walked back past the tour bus to say goodbye to the Zildjian people. As we got there the bus door opened and Louis Bellson came off with Gadd and some others. They said their goodbyes and then Gadd was alone next to the bus. I didn't really know what to say to him. What do you say to someone you've spent so much time listening to, reading about, looking at? It's like what do you say to the person who pulled you from the burning car and saved your life? "Aaaaah, thanks!" There's really no way to convey the enormity of your feelings. You can't say enough for it to feel adequate, so you either go low key and later regret not "getting it off your chest", or you blow the person away with a "gush" of energy. 

As people came up for autographs they'd got wide-eyed when they met him and said things like "I can't believe I'm meeting Steve Gadd!" and "I'll never wash this hand again!" And everything Gadd said back was received with bright, hopeful, smiling faces - like they were watching a baby's first steps. But you can't blame people for getting weird. After all, they were face to face with "the face" that looked over his K Ride from the poster on their wall. They were meeting a legend, and having a conversation they would remember forever. I took it in for a while, then I went to talk to some other people. 

It was a great night and I was leaving when someone called me over and I walked through the crowd to the voice. I got there saw my friend John. He said "I want you to meet this guy." I looked and he was right there in front of me. Steve Gadd. What do you say to a person that's given you so much inspiration? What do you say to the guy who played the songs you were raised on? What do say to the guy from "Steve Gadd: Up Close"? What I said was, "Hi. My name is Steve, too." And then we had a great talk. He was calm and cool, and very comfortable to talk to. The kind of guy who looks you in the eye when he speaks and listens when you're talking. After a bit I thanked him for the clinic. We shook hands again and I walked away. 

I felt pretty good when I got to the car. Calm. Sated. Happy. Then I realized I'd just met Steve Gadd and I jumped up and kicked myself in the back of the head!

I was online and came across a Gadd site that had a bunch of his transcriptions. They had "the fill" from "Chuck E's In Love" so I checked it out. Still timeless. Right next to it was a button that played the original recording. (It's so easy to work on stuff now!) Then I checked out "50 Ways". And they had the solo from "Aja", and the groove from "Late In the Evening", and the groove from "Leprechaun", and the solo in Central Park... and on and on and on... 

Steve Bowman

Welcome to the House of Rules - Las Vegas!

The House of Rules Las Vegas opened in 1999 and provides classy entertainment for a upscale crowd. Our club has an open air balcony, illuminated dance floor, and over 3000 patron donated bras hanging from the rafters, street signs, and antlers.

House of Rules Las Vegas is a high class party place for descriminating people and features a full bar, spacious dance floor, and "Foxy Boxing" every Sunday afternoon.

In keeping with 'House of Rules' tradition we exhibit genuine and unique imitation folk art, an authentic guitar from the time of Robert Johnson, and we even boast a big ol' glob of Mississippi mud in the fishbowl on the stage.

As they say, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. [Except tattoos, STD's, and alcohol poisoning] So treat yourself to an unforgettable night on the strip, where dashing men dress to impress - and sophisticated ladies show what they got. ["Show what they got" being an accepted term for wearing provocative clothing] At House of Rules you don't have to BE rich and famous to FEEL rich and famous. 

House of Rules!... Vegas style!... where anything can happen... [except the following:]

House Of Rules Rules

In the door:

No - Baggy, saggy, or oversized clothing

No - Tennis shoes, sandals, or boots

No - Faded, ripped, or acid-washed Jeans

No - Hoods, Scarves, Bandanas, Shorts, sweats, jerseys, t-shirts, tanks, tubes

No - Hats, Caps, Helmets, Turbans, Tiaras 

Shoes must be polishable

Shirts must be collared 

Dresses must cover entire nipple/areola and lower cheek area

On the floor:

No - Popping, locking, head spinning

No - Line, pole, or slam dancing

No - Copters, back flips, karate kicking

No - Grinding, thrusting, dry humping

No - Dirty, forbidden, or fire dancing

No - Moon walking - unless you are in sock feet [Please wear shoes at all times.]

If Performing on stage:

No - Profanity, Pyrotechnics, Political rants

No - Modulations, Medleys, Drum solos

No - Stage diving, crowd surfing, head walking

No - Bagging of the venue from stage, bagging of the groupies back stage, bagging in general

No - Complaining about the smell of the mud in the fishbowl

Please load in and out through the alley off W. Russell Rd. on the South side of the building. 

No - Honking during load in

No - Parking during performance

No - Talking during load out

And remember! At House of Rules - Las Vegas, there are no limits! [Except as mentioned above] 

I'm rarely noticed as a drummer in a band. I don't get people asking for my autograph on the street. It happens maybe once a year but I never have a pen so it usually just ends in a handshake. As a kid I used to practice my autograph so I'd be prepared if I became a "rock star". I tried to imagine how great it'd feel to be asked to sign something. (nervous voice) "Excuse me. Could you...?" 

Giving an autograph was always a pleasant exchange with a smiling person in my day dreams, an endless supply of gratitude and awe I could tap anytime I wanted. In the end, I was wrong about most of it. 

It was hard to give autographs at first. The first few times someone asked I didn't think they were serious. I would pause before writing in case they said "Just kidding" then hand it over half expecting them to laugh and rip it up. "Who do you think you are? Elvis?" But as I signed more often it became less stressful and soon I mine had the big loops and swishes of a well practiced autograph.

The first time Counting Crows signed something as a band we had no idea how to do it. We went to a music store to sign the wall display they'd made for our record. The display was about 4 x 6 feet and needed big signatures but we'd never signed anything and wrote our names like we were signing checks. The guy at the store said, "I can't see anything. Can you write bigger?" After that we tried to adjust our signature size more appropriately. 

I'm always nice when people ask me to sign something because the only two times I tried to get someone else's autograph are terrible memories for me. The first was when I was about seven. We went to an A's/Indians game at the Oakland Coliseum and got a foul ball from Cleveland's left fielder, Oscar Gamble. Because I was a kid and had a ball to sign, we were allowed into this underground concrete tunnel where the players come out after the game. The plan was to wait for Oscar Gamble and get him to sign the ball. But he threw me a change up and walked out in a three piece suit. I'm not sure what I expected him to look like off the field but with that suit on he froze me. A famous baseball player dressed like my school principal was too big a figure to interrupt, so I just watched him walk by.

The other autograph story is worse because it happened when I was an adult. We were playing Saturday Night Live and my mom asked if I could get Mike Myers autograph for a family friend. I wasn't thrilled about the idea but I liked the family friend so I said I'd try. It turned out to be no big deal and he was very nice, but the stupid way I asked him for it and the discomfort I felt while he was writing were terrible. To make it worse, I lost the autograph before I got home.

As Counting Crows became more successful people would wait for us after the shows between the backstage door and the bus. Most people wanted to see Adam, the singer, and when he came out the rest of us were often left standing together, watching him sign hats and shirts and ticket stubs in a circle of heads, like he was cutting back ivy one leaf at a time. There were a few times I had things ripped out of my hand mid-sign when he appeared. One time this happened and I actually chased the guy down, grabbed his ticket back and finished my signature. 

Another time a girl came up after a show and said "Excuse me? Do you have a pen?" I got one out and took the top off. I was about to ask her name when she grabbed it out of my hand and ran into the pack. A few minutes later she returned the pen with "Adam Duritz" scrawled across her forehead in two inch letters. 

The Crows fans were usually great but sometimes it got weird. When we were on the cover of Rolling Stone there was a guy waiting for us to get off the bus one time. He had about ten copies of the magazine for us to sign. (And this was before ebay!) The strange thing was you could tell he didn't even like the band. I was on about the eighth one when I introduced myself. He said "Watch the smudges"and pointed for me to continue. 

A few years later I went out with a band who's drummer got sick and couldn't finish the last month of their tour. In honor of the regular drummer, whose name is Phil, I used the alias "Phillis King" whenever I signed an autograph with them. Nobody seemed to care and before long I'd written "Phillis King, Phillis King, Phillis King," so many times the signature had become a indecipherable set of lumps and curls that started to resemble the word "Pink". And then I started writing that! "Pink, Pink, Pink" I'd write it really big and fast and it looked great.

This particular band had some big radio songs in their past so we were doing fan appreciation shows for radio stations where a bunch of acts play all day long in a big field or amphitheater or something. They're great shows to play because the crowds are wild and you get to see a lot of cool bands. The way they usually work is that you play your set and then go to an autograph tent and sign while the band after you is onstage. When you get to the tent you relieve the band that played before you and signing while you played. There were always long lines in the tent but people didn't seem to care when the band they'd been watching sign autographs for the last hour stood up and switched out with a new group of signers. I always thought someone would complain as we were changing over but it never happened. 

One "fan" on that tour wasn't as blown away by me as I had been by Oscar Gamble. I was talking to a woman at the signing table and he pointed at me from the line, "Hey you! Hurry up!" When he got to the table I thanked him for keeping me in check and signed "Joey Travolta" on his shirt. He walked away without caring who I was anyway.

In Luce we used to sign CD's and posters after our shows, too. One night this guy came up and said he was MAD at me. He was a big guy and he looked a little "boozy" so I asked him sincerely what was wrong. He said "I am the band's biggest fan and I didn't get a drum stick!" He spoke with true anger in his voice, as if he'd been jipped! Rather than explaining that people don't automatically get a drum stick for attending a show I went around the building, back on stage and got a drum stick. I went to hand it to him and he pushed it away. "What! You ain't gonna sign it? I gotta have it signed to show my bro's!" I was annoyed with him so I wrote: "Dave, Thanks for the sexy kiss. Steve" Then I took off before he read it. I saw him just before I left, scowling at the stick and trying to rub the ink off.

I've never been "famous" enough to be bothered by fans asking for autographs. It happens so infrequently it's never been a hassle, and anyway, I really enjoy making connections with fans of the band. Signing an autograph isn't the way I imagined it to be as a kid but it's an honor to be asked and has allowed me to meet lots of really cool people. 

If you see me hanging around somewhere introduce yourself and tell me what to write. Bring a pen though, or we'll probably just end up shaking hands.

Steve Bowman 

"Bittersweets to Play Special Concert for People Under House Arrest" 

Nashville locals, the Bittersweets, recently got a taste of captivity when the band was trapped in an elevator at the Green Hills mall for a full 20 minutes. "It seemed like a lot longer than that." said Steve Bowman, drummer for the band. "Now I know what 'hard time' would be like."  

"It was tough," explained singer Hannah Prater. "But we never turned on each other."  

Chris Meyers, Bittersweets' keyboardist, explained how this scary encounter ended up becoming a huge benefit show. "The elevator experience was intense and got us thinking about how good we have it and how many people don't enjoy the same freedoms we take for granted every day. People in jail, for example. So we had an idea to do a big prison gig for the inmates, kinda like Johnny Cash."

The Bittersweets ran into a hurdle, though, when they discovered that they weren't the first Nashville band to have the "Prison Gig" idea.  In fact, the prisons were now booking three months in advance.  So the show was put to rest and the idea was forgotton.  That is, until the band's manager came across an article about the large number of people serving home detention in Nashville. 

"We found out there are thousands of people stuck at home every day under house arrest, so we decided to do a show for them instead." said Meyers.  "But we weren't sure how to pull it off because they're scattered all over the city and can't leave their houses."  

Then someone thought of a radio show.  What if The Bittersweets performed a concert on air that the prisoners could simply listen to in their own homes?  The band got in touch with local radio station Lightning 100 and pitched the idea.  

"The timing was really weird," says station event planner Dusty Rhoads.  "Earlier that week I'd had such a tight knot in my shoe I had to crash with the damn thing on.  I'd never done that before and it gave me a terrible night's sleep. When I woke up I started thinking about all the folks who wear electronic ankle monitors to bed every night. Two days later I get a call from this band who wants to put on a show for people under house arrest.  I mean... Pow!"   

The show will be broadcast live from 3rd and Lindsley on Sunday, June 15th at 8 o' clock.  Also on the bill is National touring act, Teddy Thompson.  "I've never been to jail," said Teddy from the road, "but I was trapped in a bad publishing deal once and I feel like I can relate." 

Teddy Thompson and The Bittersweets performing a live concert for people under house arrest at 3rd and Lindsley on June 15th?  That's welcome news to Nick Paulson - who is halfway into a three month home stint for a drunken warrant violation.  

"I'm a big Bittersweets fan," he said from his tiny living room, "they have a song on the first record called Prison that really struck a chord with me.  I guess cuz I was in Prison at the time."  Paulson shifted impatiently on the couch he's practically worn out during his latest incarceration.  "I wish I could BE there.  I love 3rd and Lindsley's ample parking and full dinner menu, but..."  He tapped his bulging ankle.  "I got ol' Beeper here."

If you would like see this historic event in person tickets are still available.

Special Concert for People Under House Arrest

Featuring Teddy Thompson and the Bittersweets

Sunday, June 15th, 8:00 p.m. 

at 3rd and Lindsley!  OR... 

Had a scrape or two? No big deal! Listen to the show on 100.1 FM.

Order tickets now for S.C.P.U.H.A.! at:

http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=277609

Band sites:

http://www.thebittersweets.com

http://www.myspace.com/teddythompsonmusic

There's an old joke about the way to make a small fortune in the restaurant biz... "Start with a large fortune!" That joke applies nicely to record labels too, because starting your own can be a big money drainer. Considering how many facets are involved in creating the infastructure necessary to find artists, sign them, and make money selling their records I don't feel qualified to speak on that subject. There's too many sides of the business I have no experience with. There's another option I have some history with, however, and that is creating a label just for your own releases. 

Doing it yourself is a hard way to go, too, but is becoming more popular with computer savvy musicians. The artists that do well on their own tend to be sort that have had success already and can rely on an established fan base. Annie DeFranco was the first artist I ever remember to release her own records, but she did so after years and years of successful touring. Aimee Mann puts out her own records, too, and there's Prince, but they both had prior major label careers and hit the ground running so it's hard to say how they would've done starting from scratch.

For artists without a sold foundation there are many things you must have in place to begin a label, like contacts in publicity, radio, and TV.... distribution, manufacturing, and marketing... and a base of operation to oversee everything. Of course you need a good amount of capital to create merchandise and keep the band on the road while you're trying to "break" the record. Did I mention accountants, lawyers, and interns? Putting all this together, writing great songs, AND having a good band to play them are too much to ask from most people, and understandably so. That being said, I was once part of a band that was in a perfect situation to put out their own record. 

Adam Rossi, a great producer and friend, called me to play on a record he was producing for an artist named Tom Luce. Tom had written some good songs and was recording his debut album. We tracked the drums in just a few days and I didn't hear anything for a long time. About a year later I got a CD in the mail from a band called "Blue Sage Poets". I hadn't heard the name and put the CD on thinking it was a local band looking for a drummer. From the first song I realized I liked it. I said to my wife "You know what I like about this drummer? He doesn't accent the horn lines. Just sticks to the groove." I liked the next song, too, and went to see who had played on it. Only then did I realize it was the record we'd made the year before. 

Tom got a manager named Joe Schuld who happens to be a great radio promoter. Joe had helped break "Toad the Wet Sprocket" and "Train", among others, and was very excited about Tom's record. Tom put a band together and started playing out and before long Joe had a song ("Good Day") getting adds at some nice stations. "Good Day" continued to get adds and became a hit song in many markets. The song would eventually get placed in two major motion pictures. ("13 Going On 30" and "How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days") By this time the ball was rolling nicely and the band signed with Nettwerk Records and rereleased the record. "Luce", as it was called, had additional airplay from a second single called "Long Way Down". They toured extensively and enjoyed moderate success. 

I got a call from Tom in 2004 saying he was ready to start demoing songs for the second record. We tracked three of the songs and they were really good. Then we tracked three more and they were even better than the first batch. By the time we'd finished demoing all the material I was thinking this could be a huge record. Nettwerk hadn't done as good a job with the debut so Tom got out of the deal and found private investors to finance the new recording. With Adam Rossi at the helm again, we recorded Luce's sophomore release, "Neverending". The sessions went really well and the record sounded incredible. Tom asked me to be in the band and I jumped on it. As a married father of two with a mortgage I really had no business getting into a van with a band and trying to break a record with no label support, but I couldn't get the songs out of my head... and so we went for it. 

Here's what happened with Luce.

We got the band together and began rehearsing the live show. Red Eye distribution was signed on to get the record out. "Neverending" was released and started getting radio spins on our local AAA station, KFOG. We did some shows in the bay area and then hit the road. There was enough private financing to tour for a while and, if we could do well in tickets and merch, we had a great chance of staying out long enough to break the record. Some of the stations that had played the first record were slow to get involved. It was frustrating but we kept at it and toured all over the country.

Sure enough, a song called "Buy A Dog" started doing well in many big markets. It wasn't a national smash but it allowed us to get a good booking agent and continue to press on. One of the problems was that while we did well in San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia, (and a few other major markets), we were dying in between these cities. The cost of non paying nights and travel days were expensive. We stayed on the road, hoping that the record would take off in more secondary markets or get added to a really big, influential station that might create greater momentum, and these hopes continued for a year as we slowly went through the money we'd secured for touring.

Luce was a heartbreaker because it made no sense. All the pieces were there. Tom is a great singer. He's good looking and charming in interviews. The band sounded great. There was a nice foundation set up from the first record. We had an awesome radio promoter and money to tour with. We had distribution. And the record itself was amazing. Not only were the songs great but the track order followed the cycle of a relationship from looking for someone to meeting to breaking up to looking again. It was ART! I know I'm biased but every person I gave the record to came back saying how much they loved it. And they would go on and on! I started saying "Here's your new favorite record." when I gave it out and sure enough they'd call and say it WAS their new favorite record. Every time! I was sitting at a stop light once and looked in the car next to me to see a woman in her late 20's/early 30's. She was wearing a DMB hat and listening to Maroon 5 and I thought to myself "She would LOVE our record if she just heard it! Aaaaaaaaaa!" 

In May of 2006, however, Luce received a knock out punch. We woke up in Philadelphia to find our van and trailer had been stolen while we slept. Everything was gone. There was a show in NYC a week away that we really needed to play. It was at the Knitting Factory, where we would be showcasing for Steve Lillywhite, who, besides being a top tier producer, was also working as a rep for a huge major label. We had tried to do it on our own but were now willing to sacrifice our royalties in order to get the record out.

We borrowed more money and bought/rented enough equipment to get us through the New York show. We had been paying $600 a month for the van we'd owned. Now, on top of that, we had to budget an extra $1000 a week to rent one. And since our trailer was gone we had to sit on the new gear. It was expensive and uncomfortable but we made it to New York and to the showcase we were banking on. We played well that night but Steve Lillywhite never showed up. The next day we flew home with the last of the money.

Being your own label is the ultimate way to go if it works but there are many things to put in place and there's no guarantee of success even if the pieces come together. For solo touring artists it is a good idea to have something to sell at shows, but trying to support a band on tour is very expensive and the odds of breaking through the other 80,000 records released every year are low.

Reasons to do it yourself:

Full artistic control

You make more per record sold

You are your own boss

The downside:

It takes a lot more work

There is no financial help

You need to tour constantly to get anywhere 

When I started playing the SF clubs in the late 80's there were a lot of great bands in town. Back then major labels ran the music business and everyone in San Francisco was trying to "get signed". It was around that time an independent label formed in SF called Heyday records. Heyday took on bands that didn't really have aspirations of getting major deals and before long they had about ten acts on their roster. The label promoted itself by taking out adds in BAM (Bay Area Music) magazine, booking "Heyday Record" nights, where their bands would share a bill, and by asking each band they signed to add "Heyday Recording Artist" to their name in interviews or print. 

A friend of mine was in a Heyday band. I asked him about the label and was surprised to hear they received no financial backing from Heyday at all. The artists paid for the recording, the manufacturing of their CD's and merchandise, and were offered no advances or tour support. I couldn't figure it out at the time. What was the advantage of being on a record label if they didn't do anything for you? What I didn't realize was that Heyday WAS doing something for their artists. Something I couldn't see. The label wasn't there to finance the projects, but to associate like minded musicians and bands and build a reputation for quality music that would eventually create credibility and success for everyone. Though they got no money, being a Heyday band squeezed you though a tiny filter onto a level just above the fifty other bands that were trying to get booked in SF on a weekend night. Heyday Records was an early Indy and still exists today. 

As time went on many more Indy labels emerged and there are dozens now. Some are low on the ladder and some have been started by ex-major label vets and given instant credibility. Some have been put together on a shoestring budget while others have started with lots of capital. No matter what the origin of the label, the thing all Indy's have in common is that they are passionate about music. While the major labels create and sell "product", Indy labels are seen as the place for true music lovers.

Instead of taking 80-85% of record sales like major labels do, Indy labels typically split the money with the artist 50-50. In return for the generous royalty rate, though, Indy labels don't give huge recording advances and don't provide much (if any) tour support. This is good because the band has less to "recoup" but it also makes it hard because the expense of touring can sink you quickly if you're not drawing well and selling merchandise at shows. For that reason it's important that an Indy band be somewhat self sufficient coming in to the deal. Where majors spend money (and time) grooming a band for success, Indy labels sign artists that have already learned how to record and tour on their own and are at a point where they can capitalize on the distribution, publicity, and contacts an Indy label can provide.

Like Heyday in the 80's, another advantage of an Indy deal is the association you get from being on a particular label. While major labels represent many artists and many different styles of music, Indy labels have less signings and tend to stick with one kind of music. Indy labels might focus on Rock, Americana, Celtic, Bluegrass, etc. but they rarely do it all. Being on a label that has a focused roster of similar bands helps define the artist with the public. 

When my band, The Bittersweets, finished recording our debut album we were offered a deal from Virt Records in Seattle. We liked Virt's artists, among them Vienna Teng, who had released two great records on the label. Vienna had been featured on NPR and Late Night with David Letterman and, though neither of her records sold more than 40,000 copies, Virt's low overhead allowed both the label and artist to make money. Using a more band friendly, low budget approach, Virt and Vienna did well with sales figures that would have been considered a failure at a major label.

Here's how it happened with the Bittersweets:

We signed with Virt Records to release "The Life You Always Wanted". The label paid us some of what we'd spent making the record and financed the mixing and manufacturing. All told, our debt was around $10,000 when the record came out. (Much better than the $600,000 tab Counting Crows was staring down at the same point in the process.) Of course, the Bittersweets had no aspirations of selling millions and millions of records like Counting Crows. Millions sold would have been great but the beauty of this situation was that if we sold just a few thousand copies we could make enough to support ourselves and do another record. 

Virt's distribution was set up well and they were able to get us press in some great magazines. We weren't going to crack Rolling Stone without a big hit but we did get on Paste magazine's compilation, which, in our opinion, is a more interesting magazine anyway. Virt was also able to get us on the radio in many markets. Many were college adds but our single "Long Day" was also added to a lot of well respected AAA stations. Besides radio, we also had songs from the record placed on ABC's "Men In Trees", TNT's "Saving Grace", and we were able to open shows for Rosanne Cash, Train, and the Cowboy Junkies. 

In the end, the record did well enough to justify another recording but we lost money because the cost of touring killed us. Touring is always hard financially, but especially when you are from the West Coast and trying to pull it off during a gas crunch. We have since relocated to Nashville, where the proximity to other major markets will give us a great leg up on the next touring cycle.

Indy labels are now recognized as a legitimate segment of the record business. Their reinvented model of how a record label can work has had time to mature and shape, and now has better odds of making a profit on a release than a major label does. For a while, after Nirvana (Sub Pop) and Green Day (Lookout!) had big Indy records, the majors started buying them up and it became common for bands to use an Indy label as a step up to a major. But this concept has changed as Indy labels have caught up and passed the majors in terms of relevance. Now solid Indys will turn down a major label buy out, and astute musicians are no longer banking on "Hit" records. As albums continue to be made and played the procedures and strategies must continually change to meet the times and, for now, Indy labels are an excellent way to try to sell records.

Reasons to sign with an Indy:

They have distribution and publicity you don't have

They give you more money per record sold

You will be on a roster with like minded artists

You won't get "dropped" if you don't sell a million records

The downside:

There is less financial help

You need to tour a lot (on your dime)

You probably won't have a national or international "hit" 

Next time: Starting your own label. 

When Counting Crows got signed to Geffen records in 1992 I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. The first thing they did was give us $26,000 each so we could write and rehearse without any work related excuses. Then they gave us $40,000 more to buy new gear so we'd sound our best. I ordered a new drum set and bought nine new Zildjian cymbals. All we had to do in return was have a hit record. "No problem." we thought, with the same stupid confidence that had helped us land a major label deal in the first place. What followed was an eye opening look at how the industry works on it's highest level. 

It started with the courting process. The first class plane flights and lobster dinners I'd heard of were true. Another fabled perk was getting a tour of "the Vault", which was the room filled with every record on the company's catalog. A vault tour meant you got to take your pick of anything you wanted for free and at the time Geffen had Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Aerosmith, Hole, Gun N' Roses, Joni Mitchell, and much more. All free! I picked up Peter Gabriel's entire collection! One of the albums in the Vault was stacked a little higher than the rest. It was a CD from a hair band called "Roxy Blue" Their logo had a lipstick kiss for the 'O' in Roxy, and the picture of the band on the back, with their hair and scarves and fringe... They looked, well, flammable! We used them to temper our excitement and to remind us that not everyone on this level makes it in the end. "Don't want to be Roxy Blue'd" we'd say.

With a huge budget we were able to secure T-Bone Burnett as our producer and the label's deep pockets allowed us to take our time and record without worrying about how much we spent or how long it took. Then when the record was finished we were given a big push by the company to radio and press, and put out to tour until the record took off and we were successful. And we did become successful. Our first record went the way every band dreams it will with a major label, with a big hit song out of the gate and a nice long stay in the Billboard top ten. But without great luck and timing things could have been very different. It could have gone the way so many other record deals went back then and devolved into a slow, gut-wrenching waste of time. We could have ended up in the same spot many of our friends were in; cursing the day they signed their "Major Label Deal".

We had friends in a band called The Green Things who had signed a major deal before us. When it happened they got a bunch of local press and had a big party at a nightclub in town. But in between the time they recorded their record and the time it was released Nirvana's Nevermind came out, and suddenly the people at their label wanted the Green Thing's record to be a little dirtier and more passionate. Nirvana was a hit after all and these were "new times"! So they spent a whole bunch of money remixing the record. Then they asked them for more songs and recorded them. They shot new pictures and badgered them into changing the artwork on the disc. And in the end, after waiting and watching and redo-ing, the Green Things record was shelved. The band was stuck without money to tour, without a record in the stores, and without any control of their destiny. They couldn't get another record deal because they were still signed to the label that wouldn't (and didn't) release their record. Soon the label was hot on newer signings and was willing to take The Green Things as a tax write off. The members of the band were forced to hang in there and hope something changed (not likely), or give up their name and songs and start again from the beginning. 

When you sign a deal one of the things a band negotiates for is "Points". Points are short for percentage points and you try to get as many as possible. For "August and Everything After" we got 18 points. Since most bands were topping out at 16 points back then it was a big deal at the time. Of course the points you negotiate get reduced as different people are cut in. The producer gets 2-4 points depending on how big he/she is, and other people like writers, managers, agents, etc. can get cut in as well depending on what you agree to. When we were in the middle of negotiating we heard that Salt N Pepa had agreed to 8 points on their deal (what?) and were now both hugely successful and dead broke at the same time.

You are entitled to your points only after the band breaks even on all the advancement/recording/touring/promotion costs. When a band reaches this break through it is called Recouping. Recouping is a magical time because it means you can finally start making record royalties. It's also an amazing feat in that it is rarely accomplished - even by some bands you would consider successful. Here's how it happened with Counting Crows.

"August and Everything After" was recorded for an astounding $600,000. The cost of the radio promotion was another couple hundred thousand. The video for the first single, Mr.Jones, came in at $125,0000 and the video for the second song, Round Here, was $180,000. On our first tour we opened for the Cranberries. They had a hit song and didn't need our help filling venues so they paid us $250 per night for the band. We paid ourselves $400 dollars a week each to tour. (A salary so low I moved back in with my parents.) Six band members and three crew. 9 times $400. $3,600 a week in salaries and we were only making a little over $1000 a week total. Now add to that the expense of gas, food, and hotels on the road and you can see we were losing lots and lots of money. Fortunately we had Geffen to pick up the difference. Of course, the "tour support" was added to the money we already owed them. 

Our record did well thanks to some lucky breaks and great timing. We were in the Mtv "Buzz Bin", which meant they played our video almost every hour of the day. We also got onto Saturday Night Live and Letterman. We got the cover of Rolling Stone. These things helped get the ball rolling and we were able to "move a lot of units" as they said downtown. But even when our record was a "hit" we still hadn't recouped. 

We stopped through L.A. to play some shows and the record company put on a nice party at a swanky restaurant to celebrate the fact that our record had gone gold. A gold record represents 500,000 copies sold and was a huge deal. The party would have been even more enjoyable if we weren't still a long way from recouping. Even with a gold record, we still had to sell over 330,000 MORE copies before we could start making royalties. But here's the kicker. Remember the "points"? After we'd paid off all the debt to the record company (including the party they threw for us) we would only be receiving 18 percent of our sales for the record, minus the points that had gone to different other people in the process. Whew!

"August and Everything After" went on to sell very well and everything worked out in the end. The record peaked at number four and sold over 7 million copies. The major label experience was great to me, but I'm still amazed at how lucky the whole thing was and how fortunate I was to be there for the ride.

Today major labels are teetering on the brink of extinction and I may have been in one of the last generations to enjoy the excesses of "getting signed". Two things happened that changed things drastically. First was computer downloading. Once people learned they didn't have to pay for music many chose not to and it cost the labels hundreds of millions of dollars. The second thing, though, was a blow that hurt them even further, and that was the way the industry reacted to computer downloading. Rather than look for an angle of opportunity in the new era. Rather than observe the medium and figure out how to capitalize. Rather than reinvent themselves in some capacity, the label execs showed their age by fighting and suing and trying to crush the new standard. Record labels had been fat and drunk with wealth for so long that they couldn't react to the changes. And so, like the dinosaur, we will move on without them.

Most of the labels that courted Counting Crows in the early nineties have merged or gone out of business, and the ones that are left are still trying to play a modern game with old ideas. Labels are still suing random downloaders for example, to "send a message" they say. But the message getting to the teenagers, who used to be the largest record buying demographic, is threatening and is making the labels even less relevant. People can make records in their bedrooms now, and Mtv doesn't play videos anymore. And in the last twenty years the perception of major labels has gone from "the cool older brother who showed you the latest bands" to "Principal Skinner from the Simpsons". 

Reasons to sign with a Major:

They have lots of money to record your music and keep you on the road

They have big connections to radio, TV, and press

They have great distribution to get your record in the stores

The possibilities are, well... MAJOR!

The downside:

You make a pittance per record sold

You give up sole creative control 

You will be dropped if you don't get a "hit" 

Your odds of success are better with an Indy label 

Next time: Independent Labels 

Thief,

You got away with it. You hot wired the van and stole everything. It must feel great. Except that now you have all that "Merchandise" in a room somewhere... and you're hoping nobody got the license plate of the white mini truck in the hotel parking lot. The one parked by the crime scene right before the theft occurred? Don't worry. The video footage is kind of blurry in a couple spots. I'm sure you'll be fine. 

For now at least, you have my drums. Nice one. You did it and got out of the area without getting caught. Which ss huge, because getting caught with a trailer full of stolen musical equipment is a very serious crime. In fact it's a felony! That means you took a really big risk. It's gutsy what you did, only not in a "heroic" way. More like gutsy in an "icky, desperate" way. To pull a crime this brazen the criminal would have to either be gutsy or stupid, and since I don't know you, I'll just assume you are a combination of both guts and stupidity. In fact, I bet you're the type that is REALLY gutsy. And REALLY stupid.

You have accomplished a lot in this crime so far but you've still got to get rid of the stuff and until that happens you have to keep it somewhere. You'll need a place thats safe (to protect your investment) and out of sight (because they're not yours). The fast driving part is over and after going through that you'd be a fool not to get paid, so let's look at some likely scenarios and try to figure out what you will gain from this "job" when it's finished. 

1. Either you work with others to distribute the goods? (Adds witnesses and possible roll overs, and you make less when you cut up the money.) 

2. You work alone and have predetermined buyers? (More witnesses and possible roll overs.) 

3. You are going to sell it yourself slowly? (Even more witnesses! And how long do you want to sit on that hot gear?)

4. Or, you put the stuff in storage and forget about it until things cools off? (How much does it cost a month while you're sitting in risk? And again, how long do you want to sit on that hot gear?)

Most likely you'll have to sell it off fast and cheap, take what you're offered, and get some distance from it. But how much will you really make? And what kind of sleep will you get during the process? Will you get even $500 for my drums? Probably not. They're hot! You can't put them on ebay or craigslist. You can't even put them a major newspaper. You'll have to pawn them for a few bucks or find a drummer to pay more - someone who won't turn on you if they are caught with stolen goods. Do you know any drummers you can trust to keep your secret if they get busted?

But there's more than just the drums. You have my cases, hardware, and cymbals, too. You probably noticed my name on the cases. It's hard to miss in indelible paint. (Oh yes it is.) So the cases are gone. You can still move the cymbals, though. But I'll be checking online to buy the set up I lost so I don't try advertising them together. You also have my trap case, with all the hardware, pedals, and spare parts I'd arranged for a five week tour. I have to tell you, the trap case has a bag full of sticks with my name on them. There are other sticks, too, that I can describe in detail if you're not sure which ones I'm talking about... (Isn't it amazing how many ways you could get caught?) 

I'll bet you won't get $1000 for everything you took from me and yet you've ground my life to a halt. When the band discovered our van and trailer were gone there was really no way to continue. We rented transportation and some gear for an extra week but it was too expensive and cramped so we had to cancel the tour. I had to come home and tell my wife that the shows (and my income) had stopped, and then besides that, I'd lost all my equipment in Philadelphia.

The money you get from the gear may knock off some debt and keep your addictions fed for a couple weeks. But then, unlike legitimate people, who's jobs earn them skills and raises and seniority, you'll be right back where you started! (Isn't that pathetic?) When the Whisky and Pizza are gone you'll have to go find another band to hit, you'll have to take another huge risk, and then be right back to your paranoid apartment. (Isn't that depressing?) But that's only if you're not caught in the act next time, which you realize becomes more likely with every theft. 

For now you've gotten away with it, so while you're "up" I'd like to ask a favor. In return for the gear I worked so hard to earn please take some of the money you receive from this theft and go get yourself a nice, solid vasectomy. You could probably afford one from the cymbal sales alone. Vasectomies have come a long way in the last few years. It takes less than 15 min. per side now and you're back to work in three days. (Or whatever it is you do during the day... Video games?) 

Your vasectomy would be a small silver lining to the dark cloud you brought us, because it would assure the next generation of musicians less chance of being hurt by some "manboy" in Philly, whose lack of smarts and lousy parenting prevented him from being able to support himself and reduced him to hunting and stealing, like some stray Jackal in the Desert. Fifteen minutes per side, thief, and you can stop the glob of useless creatures that may stumble out of your sickly genes.

Do your loved ones know where their birthday presents come from? Do your kids know their Daddy has to drive a stolen van - white knuckled, wide-eyed with fear, tail between his legs - to support them? Did your momma throw a whole litter of Jackal pups or are you just the shame of your family? 

You didn't take everything when you ripped us off, thief. We still have talent and passion and integrity. You'll never have these traits because they're not something you can sneak off with in the night. I'll be back to work eventually and by that time you will either be arrested and convicted - or free to remain trapped in the dreary life you've created for yourself. I'm better than you. In fact, most people are better than you. And we always will be. How depressing is THAT? 

Sleep if you can, little big man. Your time will come.

Nashville is funny. Even though the music industry is brewing all around you there can be stretches when it seems like nothing is happening at all. It's like the whole city is in a closed door meeting and you didn't get a memo. Then just as you start to wonder if you'll ever work again the phone rings and you're right back at the party. 

It happened to me recently when I got to play with an artist named Sarah Buxton. Sarah has one of the smokiest voices in town and is well respected as a great singer/songwriter. She also has a record deal on the same Nashville label (Lyric Street) as Rascal Flatts, which puts her right in the middle of things, and for a few weeks last summer we played shows all over the country, trying to break a single called "Outside My Window".

Though Sarah isn't a household name (yet!) she's had some of the good breaks that talented people seem to attract. Like the time Keith Urban recorded a song she wrote about her ex-husband"Stupid Boy". As the story goes, Keith heard the song and wanted to record it but felt strange about a lyric lecturing a guy who had just lost a great woman. (He's right! Men don't do that to men.) And it looked like he might move on, when his famous Australian wife Nicole solved the problem with a simple question, "Why don't you sing it into the mirrah?" And so, by changing "You're just a stupid boy" to "I'm just a stupid boy" Sarah Buxton became the writer a huge hit song.

With the Urban/Buxton connection it had occurred to me that we might get a chance to open a Keith Urban show at some point, and sure enough it happened. We were heading to a one off in Memphis and got a phone call from Keith's road manager. The info trickled forth in a series of quick calls to Sarah's musical director/tour manager/guitarist, Tony Lopacinski. Apparently Sugarland was supposed to do it but the girl's voice went out... and so Keith needed an opener... in Phoenix... in two days. 

As we bounced down Highway 40 I tried to put the whole thing out of my mind. These kind of things tend to come and go quickly and I didn't want to get my hopes up too soon. It occurred to me also that if the show DID come through I would have to cancel a gig I'd booked that night - playing a Cajon behind a singer in a restaurant. 

The phone calls between Tony, the label, and Urban's people continued as we cruised West towards Memphis. At some point I found myself pondering the difference between playing a Cahon in the corner of a restaurant and pounding out a show on a drum set in front of 20,000 people. I tried to gage Tony's face as the calls came in but he was all business; answering questions, ironing out details, and jumping from one call to another. 

I started practicing my cancellation phone call and then realized I was getting my hopes too high again. So I forced myself to forget about the Urban thing and just enjoy the fact that I was currently heading to Memphis on a tour bus to play great music with an incredible artist. I then reminded myself that I would get to play music two nights later either way. It might be opening for Keith Urban or might be a gig with a different singer/songwriter. But that guy had some good songs, too! And a strong voice! And the gig included dinner at a pretty nice place! 

Then Tony set the phone down and said, "It's on. Can everybody play Phoenix two nights from now?" and I broke the "wow" moment by saying "YES!" too loudly as I bounded to the front of the bus to make my call.

We played a great show in Memphis that night and then the band rode back home while Sarah and Tony stayed for some extra radio promo stuff. The next day there was a flurry of emails. Apparently two of Sarah's band members had gigs they couldn't get out and wouldn't be coming to Phoenix, which meant we'd have subs on lead guitar and bass. Add to that, Sarah and Tony were flying straight to the show so we'd have to play the gig without a rehearsal. I thought for a second and realized I wasn't worried. Pulling off an arena gig unrehearsed is fine in Nashville. Just another "Music City" perk.

On the day of the big show Sarah and Tony flew to Phoenix from the West coast and I flew out from Nashville on my own. I looked for players on the plane that might be subbing the gig with us but I didn't recognize anybody. Then, upon landing in Phoenix, I ran into Tom Bukovac. Besides being Sarah's boyfriend, Tom also happens to be one of the busiest A-List guitarists in town. In fact, he has played on, among other things, a bunch of Keith Urban records. I was kind of hoping he'd be the sub guitarist and was glad we would get a chance to play together.

The sub bassist was there, too. He introduced himself as Jimmie Lee Sloas. Jimmie was kind and self-deprecating. He laughed and said he was nervous because he'd only received the songs the night before. I figured he was a competent player if he was hanging with Tom, but he was such a great guy that, within ten minutes of our meeting, I had already decided to go out of my way to help him through the set anyway I could. 

The record label had a rental car in Tom's name and we got it and drove to the hotel. There was a little time before we had to go to the venue so the three of us got lunch in the hotel restaurant. We wouldn't get to play together until the show so it was nice to hang a little before we hit the stage unrehearsed.

After we'd eaten Sarah came down and the four of us drove to "Jobing.com Arena". On the ride there we listened to the new Rob Thomas record. I almost objected but it was pretty good, and later it came out that Tom was involved in the production so I was glad I'd kept my yap shut.

We got to the arena and there were already fans walking in groups towards the lines by the doors. We drove around the place until we found the artist entrance and were then directed down a ramp to the side of the building. We got out and walked past Keith Urban's tour busses. His personal bus had a matching trailer on the back with several beautiful motorcycles inside. I might of said "To the victor go the spoils!" but it was too hot to think about anything except the AC inside the building. 

We went in and found our dressing rooms, one for Sarah and one for the band, and then went out to see Keith Urban's soundcheck as it wound down. Keith's drummer had a full set of Craviatto's in Bonham sizes as well as a little matching kick and snare to the left of his riser. He also had cymbals all over the place, some electronics, and a laptop next to his hi-hat stand.

When their check was over Keith greeted everyone and handed his guitar to Tom to play. While that was going on Jimmie Lee introduced me to Keith's drummer, Chris McHugh. I thought it was interesting that Jimmie seemed to know McHugh so well. Maybe they'd played together? It would all snap into place later when Keith's long time bassist, Jerry Flowers, said to Jimmie, "I'm just out here tring not to mess up your parts, man." Ooooooooooh. I should have guessed. Jimmie Lee was a heavy weight. It turns out he, like Tom, had also played on, among other things, a bunch of Keith Urban records. Gotta love Nashville.

It was time for us to set up and I checked the drums we'd rented from Studio Instrument Rental (SIR). The drums were DW even though I'd asked for Ludwig but what really bugged me was the color. Despite DW's many amazing finishes and wraps they also have some real dogs, and this kit was wrapped in what looked like Aqua snakeskin. Worse than that, SIR had forgotten the rack tom, leaving me with just a kick, snare and floor. 

Chris McHugh's tech came around while I was setting up and I told him what had happened. He said "You want some rack toms? We have a bunch of kits out here. I can get you whatever you need." Wow. I was grateful for the offer but had already decided to accept the challenge of playing all the tom parts on the floor tom alone.

Another tech said " Who did you get those drums through?" I said "SIR". And he said "OH! Sorry I Rented?" I laughed a little but was still reeling from the thought of McHugh having "a bunch of kits out there" - in addition to the $10,000 worth of Craviatto gear set up on stage behind me. "To the victor go the spoils." I said then to myself. (It was cooler inside.)

After we checked, Jimmy, Tom, and I went to catering to hang out with some of the guys in Urban's band. The food was amazing and everyone was really nice. These guys tour a lot and the production is big enough to accommodate the band member's various hobbies. Some of the guys had motorcycles out with them. Or road bikes. I'd heard that Chris McHugh brings enough recording gear to do professional drum tracks from the road.

We hung around catering for a while and then the venue "opened the doors", and since it's not often I find myself in a hockey stadium I decided to walk around the building. There were huge merchandise booths set up and people coming through the doors in droves. And then I saw a little sign on the wall that said: "SUGARLAND WILL NOT BE PERFORMING THIS EVENING. REPLACED BY LYRIC STREET RECORDING ARTIST SARAH BUXTON. TICKETS MAY BE REFUNDED AT THE BOX OFFICE." And I realized for the first time we would be playing for a bunch of Sugarland fans who'd just found out they weren't seeing Sugarland. Yikes!

I walked to the very back of the venue and looked at my little three piece Aqua snakeskin drum set on the stage. They looked great and I was glad to see that without the rack tom nobody would notice the finish anyway.

After a while I returned to our dressing room and went through the songs with Jimmie Lee, tightening up some of the breaks and changes . Our set time was only 40 minutes. Time for just six songs. And it turned out Jimmie'd recorded the bass on a few of the tracks anyway so I was sure he'd be fine. 

Soon it was time to go on and we started heading down the long, concrete hallway towards the stage. Just before we got to the end Chris McHugh called us into the Urban band's dressing room to check out a video and I walked in to see Buddy Rich soloing on a beautiful monitor with perfect sound. I looked around the room and there was recording equipment everywhere. Just past that there was a fully loaded gym. 

I thanked Chris sarcastically for freaking me out with a Buddy Rich solo just before I was to play, and then Jimmie, Tom, Tony and I went out and stood in the wings. Sarah came over looking fantastic, and soon the lights went down and we were on.

Since it was a short set we got right to work with the single from her last record and rocked it. After the song I listened but there was no booing. The weird thing was they didn't cheer much either. Then Sarah said "I'd like to thank Sugarland for cancelling tonight." and I thought we'd get it then for sure, but no! I think they were too stunned to speak. A couple people yelled "Sugarland!" randomly from deep in the crowd and we went into the second song. 

As the show continued Sarah would slowly win over the entire crowd. She flipped them out by running shoeless down the ramp into the audience and singing and dancing with some of the fans. The drums were nice and loud in my monitors, Sarah was on fire, our background vocals were in tune, and the band sounded great. 

Bukovac was off to my right, snarling and twitching and playing the hell out of his guitar, while Jimmie Lee was on the other side, smiling and bobbing and tearing up his bass-neck like a madman, all the while reading little hand-written charts he'd sat on an amp next to my floor tom. We finished the set to a great ovation and walked off stage and back down the long hallway to our dressing rooms - like a team that had just pulled off a huge road win, which, in a way, we had.

One of the great things about opening a big show is that after you come off stage... you get to see a big show! So after I toweled off I went out to watch Keith Urban from the pit area on the side. The rest of Sarah's band was there, including Sarah, with about twenty relatives who had flown in to see her. 

Then Keith Urban came on and blew us all away! I knew Keith Urban as a good singer with a few cool songs, but I didn't know he was a rock star! At one point he ran through the crowd with just a couple of burly blockers, and even as people grabbed his hair, shirt, and guitar he continued to knock out a solo Angus Young would have been proud to have played. His band was chock full of top notch players, too, and every one of them sang like a lead singer. Keith pointed out Sarah during Stupid Boy (Goosebumps for everybody!) and it ended up being an amazing night all around.

The next morning we flew back to Nashville. The return flight was packed with players coming home from gigs. I sat with Leann Rimes' band and crew, next to her personal stylist, Kari, and we had a nice conversation. One of Leann's band members fell asleep and the other guys took turns throwing things into his mouth. It was a festive flight and I was happy to be included with a bunch of working Nashville players. 

"Music City" is a tough but magical town. Sometimes it feels like it's a million miles away and then all of a sudden it feels just like you'd hoped it would. 

A couple years ago I was looking for a way to improve my grooving in the studio. I had been analyzing my recorded tracks and noticed spots where the groove seemed to ebb or flow just a little. Sometimes it happened going into a new section, or a note or two in a fill, or in the measure before or after a fill, etc. Sometimes I wouldn't hear anything weird at first and then a little hiccup would sneak in after a few plays. It began to drive me crazy. So I wrote a series of exercises designed to increase the precision of the volume and placement of my notes; studies that would force me to become more consistent. I went through the exercises at fast, medium, and slow tempos and ended up very satisfied with the results. My playing got more consistent and groovy. There were less pushes or pulls in the feel and time. I was cutting better tracks. This inspired me to write more exercises and practice those, too. I continued the process of writing and practicing and after a few months I had almost 150 pages of material. So I took everything I'd written and organized it into a book called Groove Control. 

I really enjoyed the process of thinking up the possibilities, working through the patterns on the drums, and putting the ideas into a logical, effective order. I liked it so much that I've already written a follow up to Groove Control and outlined two other titles as well. I learned new things with each project and discovered some shortcuts along the way. Here are the steps I have found to be most effective for me, and some ideas that can save you a little time and pain if you decide to write your own instructional book.

1. Picking a topic. 

When thinking about possible book topics focus on ideas that interest you because you'll be spending a lot of time on the subject. Your topic should be about something you are already good at or something you want to be good at, and should be broad enough to make an interesting, varied book out of its possibilities without being so vast that you can't cover it thoroughly. "Drum Beats of All Kinds" might be too much to cover in one book, for example, while "Jazz Brushes in 13/8" might be too small. There are many good books out there already and you want something original, so when you've found a topic you like do a google search to make sure someone hasn't already written the book you are planning to write.

2. Writing. 

Once you have a topic (and a music software program for your computer - I use Encore but there are other good ones, too) start thinking up and writing out every application you might use that fits the title. Say you have decided on a book called "Sidestick and the Drum Set"... How do you get a good sidestick sound? What are the different ways to play a sidestick? When did it start? How is it used? Sidestick in Reggae"? Bossa Nova? Latin? Jazz? Blues? Sidestick in 80's Rock Ballads? Try to write every combination, pattern, or exercise that uses the sidestick in a drum set application. "Sidestick and the Drum Set" would probably be a lousy book but you get the idea. 

At some point during the writing process you'll likely spend a bunch of time working out an idea that won't fit with the rest of the information when you're done. Other times you'll wonder if there's a better way to write an exercise while you're in the middle of doing it. And sometimes better ways will hit you after you've already finished and idea (or whole section) and you'll feel compelled to do it over. You might get an idea that opens up a huge amount of work and have to decide if it's worth it or not. In these times it's important to keep working.

During the process of transferring the patterns/exercises into your computer you can save time by saving each page you set up, then clearing it and saving it again (with a different name) as a blank template. Often times new ideas will fit a page set up from a prior lesson. Also, create a "junk file" where you can store any completed ideas that you start to think won't fit with the rest of the material. You may find ways later to incorporate some of these ideas or their templates, and its just as easy to throw everything away at the end when you're sure what you want to keep.

3. Organizing the ideas. 

Once you have a good, thorough body of work, arrange the lessons into a logical, effective order. The ideas should build on each other in difficulty and not replicate themselves anywhere in the book. A few years ago I printed up a book of stickings, beats, fills, rudiments and rolls I thought were important for a beginner. I jokingly called it "How To Rock" and used it to teach out of when I started giving lessons. The first time I went through the book with a student, however, I discovered that "triplets" occurred in an exercise four pages before "Triplets" were introduced. I also had the same beat written two times in a row on one page, and once again in a later chapter! Fortunately, I only printed out twenty copies of "How To Rock" at a time, so I could correct new mistakes/typos every couple months as I discovered them. 

4. Making a rough draft. 

When you have the lessons together print it all out in order and put it in a binder with clear plastic sheet holders. Be sure to leave a couple empty sheets between each chapter or section for title pages, explanations, and directions. Now you can go through the book and play through everything. This a time to check the flow and look for any mistakes in the notes or text. You can also figure out the best tempos for each exercise and add those to the pages. If you imagine trying to teach out of the book you'll find the wordage to explain each chapter or page. In writing an instructional book you want to err on the side of "too much direction" because you never know the educational level of your reader and you'd hate to have a student play something incorrectly or get stuck on how to proceed. Don't worry about offending advanced players with too much explanation. Nobody minds reading something they already know.

This is the part of the process where you get to play a lot. It takes time to go through all the patterns. But it's important to feel the flow of the lessons and it's also nice to get another typo check. And this is the time when you start to see an improvement in your playing, which is always very exciting.

5. Making a master copy. 

When everything seems to be in a good order print out a final copy complete with any other text pages that will facilitate the book's use: cover page, introduction, chapter number pages, (or however you choose to break down the material. Part 1, 2 3? Section A, B, C?). Maybe a page about the author, or any further studies the student can check out, recordings to listen to, conclusion, quotes, etc. You can include as much or as little as you like, and this will be your final copy, which can be given to a printer or publisher (on paper or disc) for duplication. 

6. What about a CD? 

Most books today come with a CD so the reader can hear the exercises. If you choose to include a CD with your book go through the rough draft and figure out what you think might be important for the student to hear, then choose the exercises you'll record and put track numbers next to them. You might also want to include a page that lists all the tracks and the exercises they correspond to. Recording a CD can be cheap if you have a studio at your access but you'll also have to have it mixed, mastered, and manufactured, so it can add up. 

Once you know what you want to record be sure and put in some extra practice time on those exercises so you won't waste any time in the studio. It's good to start every track with a four beat click so the student can play along. After that you can do each pattern as many times as you want. CD's can have up to 99 tracks but you don't need to use them all. Groove Control is a long book so I decided to go with all 99. Word of advice: since most of the tracks on the Groove Control CD were only 5-10 seconds long I thought I could do it all in one day. Big mistake. By the time we got the tones and had recorded all day I was starting to get shaky. (Just as the hardest examples were coming up.) I got it all done but it wasn't easy. I recommend allowing yourself two sessions. Get as much as you can on the first day (you may even finish!) but stop when you're tired. Then you can start fresh on the second day and make sure everything sounds great. A badly played CD isn't as effective for the student, and it won't do much for your credibility either. 

7. Getting it published.

There are many options for publishing. One is to seek out a major publishing house. (Mel Bay, Alfred, Manhattan, Belwin Mills...) Major publishers will print up real nice copies and sometimes subsidize your CD recording costs. They will also give you distribution on a national and sometimes international level. Major publishing companies usually give the author 10% of retail for each book which comes to around $2.50 per sale. They will also sell you as many copies of your book as you want for cost (half price) so you can make about $12.50 per book if you sell them yourself. This works well if you have a lot of students. The down side of a big publishing company is that they often have too many other titles to push your book for you, so most of the orders you get will have to be self generated.

Another route is finding an independent publisher. If you have a good idea and some energy you may be able to find a small company that will work with you. For Groove Control, I went with a small company called "Oakland House Press". They covered the recording and printing costs and we wrote up a contract detailing our goals, responsibilities, and profit splits. If your publisher has some money they can also provide an advertising budget (which will go against future book sales.) The distribution with indys might not be as vast as a major publisher but it can get the ball rolling. And indy publishers usually have less titles so there's more time for them to market your book and try to get it reviewed in magazined and websites.

The last possibility is to print the book yourself. You can take the material to a local printer and have them bind it in any way you choose. I like spiral ring bindings because they lay flat and also keep costs down. "How To Rock" was 96 pages and cost $12.80 per copy to print. I didn't have a CD with it so I sold it for $20. Since I was only selling it to my new students I was never going to make a huge profit. But it helped a little, and the book made my teaching easier because the lessons were set up in the order and priority I chose. 

Printing it up yourself isn't a bad start. Without the distribution, you will have to contact each store yourself and convince them to carry your title, but even if no one takes it on, you can sell and teach out of it, and you'll have a nice, clear version of your book when/if you decide to pitch it to a publisher later. 

Writing a drum instruction book is fun, gives you another form of income, improves your playing, allows you to teach whatever you think is important to know, with the exercises you choose, in the order you want. All it takes is time and enthusiasm. 

nashville craigslist > general

please flag with care:

miscategorized

prohibited

spam/overpost

best of craigslist

Kevin Bacon's letter to Hollywood (City of Angels?)

Reply to: comm-1001224922@craigslist.org ^[?^]

Date: 2009-01-20, 10:45PM CST

Dear friends and colleagues. Happy New Year. Hope 2008 was your best year yet, and that 2009 will be even better still! Yeah! 

As for Kyra and I, we lost everything in a Ponzi scheme. Ha ha. Right? No. Really. 

I got his name from Nick Cage. Said he was "Speilberg's guy!" What can I say? He got us 22% back the first year so I put the rest in. Now this... How bad a hit are we talking about? Well let's just say, some of the dough we lost could have paid off the boat we might have to live in. 

There are still many questions, like, "If you are only gonna get one punch before the bailiff tackles you, where do you aim?" HA. I'm kidding! Really though, there are questions, like,"Where can I find a discreet hit man?" HEY! I'm kidding again! I'm totally against that. Even though he goes to the same salon on Lexington every Wednesday. What? Between 2 and 4 p.m.? Who cares? 

As for my future. Well, I'm going forward as a wiser KayBay. I may have to scrape a little now but that's okay. Tell you the truth? I'm "Scrapey-go-lucky"! I'm not kidding. I'm ready to knock something out of the park! But first, I gotta get a little "dough-ray-me" into the "A-c-c-t"! And with that in mind, let's talk turkey: 

Kevin Bacon is available for hire and I'm looking for scripts! Movies! Features! I can't do theater unless the bread is enormous. (Except for you, Mssrs. Reiner and Mamet. Thank you for reading this far.) 

Here's the poop. I'm 50 years young, all original face and hair. Great shape, no holes or pictures, and I tan like a Greek fisherman. I dance, sing, play guitar, harmonica and piano. I can lead or support. Love interest, sidekick, best friend, brother... I can smoke (w/ inhale), shoot a gun, ride a horse, fake a punch, save from danger, be saved from danger... I do drunk, stoned, coked up... I cry on cue, hit spots, look at light, I KNOW how to WORK! ... call. 

Of course, I've had a little success with my uptight, frustrated and angry, and have also been fortunate with my stunned, shocked and surprised. But I also do sad, pensive, sympathetic, and courageous/inspiring. (Nothing is too sappy!) I do crazy/creepy so well it's crazy/creepy. I do accents! (Vat do you vant?) I do gay, drag, light stunts, voice over... and ALL of this, at every temperature from obsessive to apathetic! I am a no-stories, no-headaches, lifetime A-lister with name recognition and indy cred! Huh? CALL! 

Dramatic? Comedic? Covered! CALL! 

I'm a soldier, I'm an inmate, I'm a troubled cop. CALL! 

I'm a killer, I'm a cabbie, I'm an coach! CALL! 

Why hire Dennis Leary because you don't think you can afford Kevin Bacon when you can now get Kevin Bacon for Dennis Leary's bread? Did I say that right? CALL! 

You know, folks? It's funny... Sometimes this crazy life seems like a roller coaster. One second you have your head in the clouds. Then all of a sudden you're bottoming out into a patch of stagnant water. But, you know? It's during the low times when you find out what the really important things are in life. Things like property, perceived goodwill, and undeclared assets! And family. 

Tell me where to stand and what to say. Seriously. I'm ready to pop. 

Kevin Bacon

• Location: City of Angels?
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1001224922

Copyright © 2009 craigslist, inc.    terms of use    privacy policy    feedback forum

The trick to getting session work in Nashville is knowing lots of producers. Producers (or music directors) assemble the players for each tracking session and are the gatekeepers to the world of studio work. So what are producers interested in when it comes to drumming? What do they want from a drummer?

Though there are some basic truths (be on time, play well, get along with others), the answers to the questions differ slightly depending on with whom you work. Each producer's musical influences and personal experience alters and shapes the drum sounds and parts they want for their tracks.  

With that in mind I decided to interview some Nashville producers on the subject of drums and drumming. Which drummers did they grow up listening to? What are their favorite drum tracks? Do they have any particular brands or sizes of drums they like to use in the studio? What about cymbals? What about miking? What do they appreciate from drummers they work with and what do they wish drummers were better at? And most importantly, what do they look for when hiring a drummer?

One of the Nashville producers I love to work with is Jim Reilley. Jim was a member of a critically acclaimed band called the New Dylans. The New Dylans made seven records and toured all over the country from the mid 80's until they broke up in 1998, and when the band ended Jim moved to Nashville and worked for eight years as a staff writer for Curb Publishing. Since then he has been producing other artists and releasing his own solo albums. 

Besides being a great writer, player, and musician, Jim is also a kind of rock and roll musicologist. He's the guy you call when you're wondering "Who played bass?" on a particular song or album. Jim's specialty is 60's pop, but then you get to talking and realize he knows the 70's pretty well too. And the 80's. And 90's...

When Jim needs a drummer he has his pick of regulars. Among others, he uses Ken Coomer of Wilco fame, Nashville rock-star Rich Redmond, and me, too, for certain types of sessions. Jim is always a pleasure to work with. On his sessions the players are always great and the music is often really good, too. 

Jim and I met at a local Nashville coffee shop and had a fast, bang-bang conversation about everything drums: 

SB: Jim. I know you love drumming.

JR: I do love drumming. I love drummers. The most important thing in a recording is the drums. Everything is important but if you're talking about a band, the drummer has to be the most important thing. 

SB: As the saying goes, "If the drum track is solid everything else sounds intentional." 

JR: Right. And if the drum track is terrible the whole track is terrible. 

SB: So who are some of the drummers you listened to growing up?

JR: Well, you'd have to start with Ringo.

SB: What is your favorite Ringo track?

JR: I think my favorite Ringo track of all time is a version of "All My Loving" from an album the BBC put out a couple years ago called "Live at the BBC". The Beatles got back to England after their first trip to America and did a show on the BBC in March of that year, like 64, right before they started working on "Hard Day's Night". Anyway, "All My Loving" is one of my favorite early Beatles' songs, and on the record and on Ed Sullivan and all the other stuff from that time it was swung, right? 

SB: Ya. "All My Loving" has that bounce.

JR: Well, on this record, "Live at the BBC", he plays it straight, with open hi-hats. And it ROCKS! It's like a totally different drummer's interpretation. 

SB: I've never heard that version.

JR: I have to play it for you. I don't know why he changed it, and I love the song the way it swung, too, you know? But when you A/B the two, the straight one is ten times more powerful. Ten times more important. That's my favorite Ringo track. 

SB: Interesting.

JR: "Rain" is another one I love. It is a great drum track from top to bottom and I think it's one of his favorites, too, because he's talked about it in interviews. No one can ignore Ringo's importance.

SB: What about Charlie Watts?

JR: Nor can they ignore Charlie Watts. 

SB: What is your favorite Watts track?

JR: Well, "Get off My Cloud" has that great riff in the beginning but I think my favorite Charlie Watts track is "Around and Around" off the album "Love You Live". That's one of the best drum tracks I've ever heard.

SB: How about John Bonham? 

JR: My first Zeppelin album was Physical Graffiti on 8-track and I loved "Kashmir" of course. I also liked "Boogie with Stu" for pure groove and I think my favorite Bonham of all time is "Wonton Song" from that same record. He rocks, he swishes, he dances - all in one track! Brilliant!

SB: I know you are a huge Beach Boys fan.

JR: I'm a huge Beach Boys fan and Dennis Wilson did the live stuff, you know, because Hal Blaine was "the guy" on all the Wrekking Crew sessions. You gotta hear Dennis Wilson live on "Darlin' " off "Beach Boys Live In London".  And also, on a CD/DVD called "Good Timin': Live at Knebworth". I think it was 79' or 80, right before he died, and you should hear his playing on "Be True To Your School". He is just barely hanging on at that point, but the tom work and the POWER he plays with is just so inspiring. After watching those videos it's clear that he was the backbone of that band. I mean, Brian Wilson was the genius of Rock and roll, but the Beach Boys really keyed off Dennis Wilson's playing in their live show. 

SB: What about Hal Blaine?

JR: Hal Blaine. I'm a huge 60's bubble gum pop fan and Hal Blaine played on so much of that. And everything he played on sounds amazing. From "Up, Up and Away", to the Partridge Family, and everything in between, including the Monkees! - who are my favorite band. Hal Blaine was the pulse of that era. He is as important as any player ever to me. One of the things I loved was how he fit with every band he played with. His drumming on "California Dreaming" is totally different than the stuff he did with the 5th Dimension, you know? 

SB: And he worked with so many different artists.

JR: Yes. And there was a guy on the other side of the pond, Clem Cattini, who was the British version of Hal Blaine. He played on "It's Not Unusual"  - Tom Jones, and the Kinks "You Really Got Me", and "Get It On". He played on all those old british pop songs, working sessions with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, you know? 

SB: Wow.

JR: And another guy I loved from that time was a drummer named Mickey Jones. He was the guy who took over in Dylan's band when Levon got fed up. And he's also the guy on all those Trini Lopez and Johnny Rivers records. Johnny Rivers "Rocks the Folk" was my first album. 

SB: Great era for drummers.

JR: Ya. One of the things I love about drummers from that time is that they played with power to get around the bad miking. They didn't bash, but played with power. Tom Jones "Promise Her Anything" - that is some power drumming with a huge band and bad miking. Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention John Densmore of The Doors. He was absolutely brilliant!

At this point Neil Young comes on the speakers above our heads and Jim looks up and smiles.

JR: There's Kenny Buttrey on "Heart of Gold". I love this track for it's simplicity. There was an interview with Buttrey and he said Neil Young demanded that he play no cymbals in this song.

SB: I never noticed that. It has no cymbals.

JR: No cymbals until the very end. The last note!... THERE! He hit one on the last note because he had a great take and he knew Neil couldn't do anything about it.

SB: Ha.

JR: And it fits perfectly at the end, but Neil didn't want any cymbals on that track, and it worked really well. 

SB: We haven't mentioned the soul drummers from that era. Who did you like there?

JR: Well, I love that Funk brothers stuff.  

SB: Standing in the Shadows Of Motown?

JR: Everyone should watch "Standing in the Shadows Of Motown"! One of my favorite tracks from that era was that Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose tune, "Too Late To Turn Back Now". It's an amazing drum track but it isn't credited. 

SB: Really?

JR: No, but whoever played on that was great! And there were so many other great drummers from Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals... I love that Philli Soul, too.

SB: What about the southern bands' drummers?

JR: We were talking about the Allman Bros. earlier, how those guys didn't get along at first. They didn't like each other but then they played and it was magical. "Trouble No More" from the "Fillmore East" album. That's such great live drumming. Somewhere in the middle, I don't know, it's like a 6, 7 minute song, but at some point Jaimoe and Butch accidentally turn the beat around together at the same time. They get lost - together - which is crazy.

SB: Wow.

JR: And I also loved Artimus Pyle. 

SB: Skynyrd!

JR: When I was a kid and heard Skynyrd's live record "One More From The Road"... his playing on "Call Me The Breeze" is so wonderful. He's just flying like he is not even held to the ground, it's like he's dancing on the drums instead of hitting them. Lynyrd Skynyrd was as tight as a seven piece band could be and Artimus held it all together.

SB: Did you ever get into hard rock?

JR: I started to check out harder rock in the 70's. I loved Joey Kramer on "Write Me A Letter" from Aerosmith's first album. 

SB: Oh.

JR: The drums on "Write Me A Letter" set the tone from the very beginning. Man, for me, that's as good as it gets. I like "Mama Kin", too, but "Write Me A Letter" was amazing. 

SB: Did you ever see Aerosmith back then?

JR: No, but I had a vinyl live bootleg called "Look Homeward Angel". I don't even know if it made it to CD, but it was a performance from somewhere around 72', 73' in Hartford, Connecticut.

SB: Amazing.

A "Band" track comes out over the speakers and Jim smiles again.

JR: I was lucky enough to play some shows opening for the Band and I got to sit on the side and see what Levon really does.

SB: What does he do?

JR: Well, it's amazing because he doesn't play a straight beat. He accents his vocal lines with his arms, and he's hitting as he's singing so the vocal ends up dictating his drum parts. But see, listen to this! Jim points up to the speaker. Here Rick Danko starts singing and it changes the complexion of the song. When Rick sings the track becomes more solid and when Levon sings it's loose again. 

SB: I've never noticed that. He's a different drummer when he's singing. 

JR: Ya, Don Henley's vibe is similar to that. The singing drummers groove so naturally.

SB: What about 80's drummers. Who stood out for you then?

JR: Well, AC/DC was huge. 

SB: Any favorite Phil Rudd tracks?

JR: Ya. "Girls Got Rhythm". That is a purely rocking drum performance. Just four on the floor magic. The way he interplays with the guitar. The way they listen to eachother. It's so primal. Another one of my favorite 80's guys was Clem Burke. 

SB: Blondie.

JR: Talk about powerhouse drumming, on "Dreaming"! The bass drum really sets the pulse on that tune.

SB: What about Alex Van Halen?

JR: I love Alex Van Halen, especially on the first two records. He's got a tone that is so recognizable. So unique! And the way he plays, he'd get that same tone on any kit. He's a monster.

SB: Did you ever listen to any Rush in the 80's?

JR: I liked early Rush. In fact, "All the World's A Stage" is still one of my favorite live albums. You have to be vital in a three piece band and Peart definitely contributes his share. 

SB: Is there any one player that stands out today? Anybody new that you like?

JR: As far as drummers I really like lately, there's a guy named David Kemper on the last two Dylan Albums. He's on a track called "Summer Days" off "Love and Theft", and it's one of the best drum tracks I've heard in years.

SB: What do you like in a drummer when you are producing?

JR: I like a drummer to come in with some leadership. I love to be challenged on a call as a producer. I love when the drummer comes up with something I might not have come up with.

SB: Someone who will take charge.

JR: And also understand when to just listen, you know?

SB: Ya.

JR: Besides that I like versatility. I like a drummer who can play behind the beat when necessary, play in front of the beat when necessary, and never overplay. I'm not a fan of drummers who overplay. Also, I really love drummers who can tune their drums! A badly tuned drum set is the worst.

SB: Are there any types of drums or cymbals you like to use? 

JR: I like vintage sounds and I'm a gear head in general so I love to research old kits and snares. Old kits have a nice vibe. The wood is older and they've been beaten more. 

SB: Do you prefer any particular sized drums?

JR: I like small, focused kits with regular sized bass drums, like 22's or 24's. I'm not into those really big ones. And, personally, I like drummers with just a couple of toms. When I see more than that I worry they may be a showboat; someone I may not want to work with. It’s just my personal taste. 

SB: What about cymbals?

JR: I like smaller cymbals, too. I'm not a fan of those old, giant cymbals that weigh 50 pounds. I like more splash than thud/crash, with a faster decay. I know many people prefer those big ones but I don't. I think it's from mixing records. Big cymbals seem to take up so much sonic space in the track. That being said, if you’re doing a sparse jazz piece and the track has room for it, then a big old turkish ride is sweet. It’s just a time and place thing.

SB: Depends on the track?

JR: Ya, and the drummer. 

SB: Sure.

JR: I'm also a big fan of open hi-hats instead of ride cymbals. Sometimes when a drummer goes to the ride cymbal it feels as if the bottom drops out.

SB: That is interesting because as a drummer you're taught to go to the ride when you want to be your biggest.

JR: I know! Drummers are taught that the ride cymbal is more powerful but I don't agree.

SB: I think open hats are "bigger" than a ride cymbal, too. I tend to ride a crash when I want to be really  "big".

JR: Ya, that works. It's important for the drummer and producer to be able to communicate those kind of ideas and get on the same page easily. 

SB: Do you have any special mics or tricks for miking?

JR: Some engineers and producers get into different mics and techniques they swear by but I think you have to look at the drum, the room, and the player to decide what's best. Every variable affects the tone. Of course, some of my favorite music of all time is 60's ska, like the Skatellites, where they used one mic infront of the drums and it was from an old dictaphone machine. That was the only mic they had, and some of the drum sounds are amazing. I like miking the top and bottom of the snare. Nothing new really. Lots of times I just use the bottom, though, especially if the drummer isn't hitting that hard. There are a million ways to catch it but you have to start with a great sound. 

SB: Do you prefer older music to new music?

JR: There is a lot of great music out today but there is also a tendency now for everything to be technically perfect and I liked it when the tracks used to breathe more. A common theme to all the songs I grew up listening to is that they would breathe. 

SB: What do you mean by "breathe"?

JR: It's that unspoken human element, where the band is playing together and they feel a common heartbeat and can actually breathe as one unit, dancing around the beat but never losing it. It's like when you can almost feel the singer breathing and the band playing to it. Old jazz vocal records are full of that. Like Sinatra when he sang with a band. Check out Billie Holiday and listen to the band anticipate her delivery.

SB: Ya, I get that.

JR: In our quest to be so perfect and regimented we don't always have the luxury to wait for a beautiful track, so we just get it perfect to the click and move on.

Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" comes on above us and Jim pauses to take it in.

JR: Nigel Ollson was so great with Elton John. A lot of people don't realize that those guys were touring so much that, for a lot of those classic records, Bernie Taupin would give Elton lyrics, Elton would write the song, and they'd record it that day. They were doing a song a day like that, and all the songs would be future classic hits.

SB: That's so crazy!

JR: Ya. And Nigel Ollson was a big part of that.

SB: Who are some of the drummers you like to work with on your sessions - besides ME, of course...

JR: Of course. Besides you, some of my favorite drummers to work with in Nashville are, in no particular order - Ken Coomer, Steve Gorman, Rich Redmond, Fenner Castner, Matt Crouse, Jerry Roe, Paul Deakin, Jeff Marino, Brad Pemberton, and Jerry Augustyniak, when I can fly him down. 

SB: Great list. And that's Jerry Agustyniak from 10,000 Maniacs.

JR: Yes. And he's a drummer I really have to thank. If you hear him on that 1st Elektra album, "The Wishing Chair", most notably on cuts like "Back of the Moon" "Maddox Table" and "Can't Ignore the Train". He plays so well. Anyway, right after the Maniacs got back from recording that record, Jerry and John Lombardo (the original Maniacs' bassist) taught us studio 101 during one long weekend in Pittsburgh. Jerry's drumming was so propulsive and yet subtle at the same time, and he really helped me understand how important drums are on a recording.

SB: That was when you recorded the first New Dylans' album? 

JR: Yes. And for my first recorded history, the bar was set pretty high for drums. Thank you, Jerry.

SB: Well. Jim, thank you for taking the time to talk with me about drums and drumming. 

JR: Thank you, Steve. I enjoyed it. I really love great drumming and I'm lucky to work with a lot of great drummers here in Nashville. 

Links:

http://www.jimreilley.com/

http://www.myspace.com/jimreilley

From the interview:

Ringo:

Regular version of "All My Loving" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZlXJcpqvag

Straight version from BBC show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djlQBIaJmxY

"Rain" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTLJMSbEnn0

Charlie Watts:

"Get Off Of My Cloud" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3F4GmbHl5g

"Around and Around" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-GtHglLnwc

Dennis Wilson:

"Darlin' "  - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4isXmtCffXk

"Be True To Your School" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNuIAXA_BOI

Hal Blaine:

"California Dreamin' " - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wI6uAOHzvo

"Up, Up, and Away" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHeNN4qHKE4

Clem Cattini:

"It's Not Unusual" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr8DVTQWcy8

 "You Really Got Me" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk3Ei_yoI4c

 "Get It On" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrL9N62eaQc 

Micky Jones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dWmTtJYOfc

Kenny Buttrey:

"Heart of Gold" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fXaC07X5M8

Funk Bros.:

"Standing in the Shadows Of Motown" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I5uvqjOVOo

Cornelius Bros. and Sister Rose:

"Too Late To Turn Back Now" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riwPGCEHu2A

Artimus Pyle:

"Call Me The Breeze" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsIqEq9OFxE

Joey Kramer:

"Write Me A Letter" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1EJDuUPkNw

80's:

"Girls Got Rhythm" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGR_wiTll14

Dreaming" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95AEzyWZX8I

10,000 Maniacs:

"Can't Ignore The Train" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAQumigsnwY

My freind John plays in the big Broadway style shows that come to town and when The Lion King hit San Francisco he was hired as the drummer. Because of the show's demanding schedule John decided to scale back on his student load and drop a couple days a week. He wanted to retain his teaching nights at the store though, in case the show closed early, so he asked me if I'd sub for him during the show's run. I would be walking into a schedule of 20 students paying $25 each for weekly half hour lessons and he would get his spot back when the show was over. I considered an extra $500 a week for 10 hours work (with a built in escape hatch when he came back) and agreed to become the Tuesday and Wednesday drum instructor at "Ingram and Braun's Musik" in Pleasanton, CA. 

I had a few weeks to prepare myself before starting the job but it ended up being too much time, because as my takeover day grew closer I started wondering if I'd made a mistake. John is a great drum instructor and I hadn't taught much. What if I got some 15 year old kid who was burning through be-bop charts? What if the parents noticed my lack of experience and started asked questions? 

Kid: "Mr. Bowman? Can we work on playing a left foot clave?" 

Me: "Sorry. I don't know how to do that." 

Kid: "JOHN does!"

Dad: "How much do you charge again?" 

Creeping doubt... What if I forgot to show a student something really important? Or taught them something incorrectly - something they would hate me for later. I imagined a man walking up to me in ten years as I'm putting groceries in the car.

Man: "Remember me? I studied with you when John was doing the Lion King." 

Me: "Oh yeah. You still playing?"

Man: "No. Actually, I can't play anymore. Doc says that grip you showed me was THE CAUSE OF MY

CARPAL TUNNEL!! YOU SONAFA-" 

Me: "Roll em' up, kids!" 

My biggest fear, though, was that I'd have a student that just couldn't do anything I asked and that I'd be lost on how to proceed... and they'd be bored... and I'd be stuck... and have to accept money without making progress for thirty long minutes a week - until John got back and found no improvement at all. And what if they were ALL like that??? What if I was "stuck" with every one of them? I was afraid my cover would be blown and I'd slip from being a decent drummer to a lousy drum instructor. Being "lousy" was something I was staring at and I wasn't sure how I'd handle it. 

When the first day came I was pleased to find the students weren't as threatening as I'd feared. Their skill level ranged from beginner to low intermediate and they were all young enough to see me as an authority figure. The students were polite for the most part and the only thing I had to overcome was the shyness of some of the younger ones and the apathy some of the teenagers. The first few weeks went pretty well. I was still nervous but I could overcome it by physically shaking my head into a positive attitude and hitting it every lesson with full energy. 

The first problem I discovered was my own fear of teaching. Despite the fact that I was being paid to instruct I had a hard time telling people when they were doing something wrong. I was reluctant to point out a student holding their stick in a weird way or misreading the notes for fear it would hurt their feelings and cause tension between us. I was scared to teach! My desire for acceptance also made me too easy on students that hadn't practiced and too easy on last minute cancellations. I didn't want to seem hard so I let stuff go. But once the students realized they didn't have to practice many chose not to. And they knew if they weren't prepared they could simply cancel at the last minute and avoid any embarrassment. Big mistake.

The Lion King's run was extended and I agreed to stay on for a few more months. As I kept at it I started to see progress in my student's drumming, and progress in my teaching as well. I was slowly developing a collection of concepts and ideas that seemed to work. I was recognizing problems easier and figuring out better ways to explain things. Many of the students and their parents were becoming friends that I looked forward to seeing. 

I came to the store week after week, working as hard as I could to be a great teacher, but eventually the standards I was trying to reach started to wear me down. To make up for my lack of experience I tried to give the student their money's worth and then some. I wanted them to have best half hour of their week when they came to see me. I wanted them to emerge from the drum room bursting with inspiration, bobbing their heads with their fists in the air. It must have been my ego that made me aspire to teach the "perfect lesson" every time, but it was hard to do that twenty times a week and the self-induced pressure was tiring me out. Eventually I started to resent going to the store and began dreading my teaching days. 

Then one week a kid came in and I could tell he hadn't practiced. He wasn't concentrating either. I started to feel that heat in my chest that swelled up whenever I was afraid of getting "stuck", and as we sat there getting nowhere my phone buzzed and I saw it was the student's Dad calling. I figured this would be a perfect time to have a little three-way chat about practice habits so I took the call. 

The father was speaking softly and I could hardly hear him at first but as his words came into focus I realized he was drunk. He said something about being kicked out of their house and a restraining order against contacting the kids. I didn't know what to say. He knew it was his son's lesson time and he asked me how the boy looked. The kid stared straight ahead. As the call went on the father got louder and I had to interrupt him to say I was hanging up and then he started him crying. Between sobs and chokes, he asked me to tell his son he loved him. I told him I'd pass the message on and got off the phone. 

The kid was still staring at the wall. He'd heard everything and was really embarrassed. After a while I asked him if he wanted to talk about anything. He said "No." and so I let it go, and as I sat there wondering what to do next he started talking. "I'm living with my grandma for a while and I can't practice there." I told him that I understood and tried to give him some ideas on practicing without a drum set, but he wasn't listening and I could tell the lesson was over. I gave him my cell number and told him to call me if he ever wanted to talk. I told him his Dad loved him and he thanked me over his shoulder as he left the room. He didn't come the next two weeks and when I called his Mom she said they were getting too busy and would have to stop drum lessons for a while. 

After a long, successful run the Lion King ended, John returned to the store full time, and I went back to hustling sessions and tours. I'd taught for over a year at the music store and after it was over I realized how much I'd learned during the process. Teaching was great for my reading and rudiments, and helped with my communication and organizational skills. It also taught me a lot about others and a lot about myself. I used to tell my students that all I could ask of them was that they try hard and do their best, and eventually I saw the same was true for me. I don't have to be perfect. I just have to do try hard and do my best, and, in reality, people have bigger issues in their lives than how good or bad my drumming/teaching is anyway. Teaching taught me that I'm not as important as I thought, which was a great relief. Much less pressure. Much less heat in my chest. 

Rock and Roll, like Jazz, Blues, Country, and even classical music, started as a boys club that men participated in and women were relegated to watching, and as the style progressed the definition of a "rock" drummer would eventually be shaped by the power of Jon Bonham, the chaos of Keith Moon, and the lazy perfection of Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts. Back then the ultimate drummer was a hard hitting psychopath with perfect time, and since it wasn't well thought of for women to be aggressive, crazy, or smug, they weren't expected to play in a band, let alone be the drummer for one. So just how was a woman to "rock"? Well, she wasn't. And it took a long time for female drummers to break down the barriers and gain acceptance behind a drum set. As time went on, though, female drummers started emerging, and many were just too good to deny. Some of the drummers I grew up listening to were women, and many of them helped shape the player I am today as much as any man ever did. 

The first woman I ever saw play was Karen Carpenter, hitting a whole stage full of drum gear on TV. She had a set of Vistalites in the corner and a full set up of concert toms on a riser above that. And there was a little cocktail kit, and a huge latin percussion rig... and she ran around the room until she'd played everything on stage. Karen Carpenter was good! She was tight and fast and accurate, and did it all with a casual smile on her face. As a beginning drummer, the idea of being able to run around a room playing any set up I wanted gave me a sense of awe, the way the kids in "Willy Wonka" must have felt when they realized whole garden was edible. 

I was so young I didn't know it was unusual for a woman to play drums. I was probably too young to even notice her gender. All I saw was drums (lots of them) and somebody drumming. Karen Carpenter had a great feel for songs  because by supporting the vocal that came out of her own mouth it was only natural she locked into the groove. But as tasty as her parts were, it was her chops that caught me! 

In the TV show she wailed on each of the set ups, and went through different instruments, styles, and tempos like there was nothing she couldn't do. Karen Carpenter was one of the first drummers I ever saw, and her performance on that TV show opened up a world of possibilities in my young mind. 

"I just judged Guitar Center’s Drum-Off contest, and afterwards one of the contestants - a guy - came up to me and said, 'So you play drums?' Like, Duh! "No, I’m just here to judge the stage presence portion.” 

- Dawn Richardson (Four Non Blondes)

When I was in Junior High I heard the Go-Go's on the radio. I loved the energy and the simplicity of the drumming and was a fan of Gina Shock before I even knew she was a woman. My friend Scott had a younger sister who owned a Go-Go's record. I'd never seen them. I stared at the picture, matching the faces to the instruments, and listened to the whole album. Now I had two reasons to like Gina Shock. She was a bitchin' drummer - and she was "hella fine." I'm sure Gina Shock never wanted drummers to like her because she was cute, but hey - I was a hormonal 12 yr. old boy and she was in a bath towel on the record cover. 

I bought every Go-Go's record after that and learned a lot about playing less and still rocking. Gina Shock created excitement in the song by playing right on or a little in front of the beat, and she did so with amazing consistency. In the Go Go's, her parts were carefully constructed and always locked with the bassist, and her drums and cymbals always sounded great. 

I met Gina a few years ago at a club in L.A. It was very cool. I wanted to be in a band with her and I told her so. She didn't think it would be possible for us to be in a band together, though, because, well, she's a drummer, too. (Oh yeah!) 

"One of the clerks in a music store once said to me, 'Are these sticks for your husband?' I said 'No'. He said, 'Are they a gift for someone?' And I said, 'N-o-o-o.'"

- Debra Dobkin (Bonnie Raitt)

Just after high school I heard about a band that producer Michael Narada Walden had put together out of the best female musicians in the Bay Area. I went to see them and they were really great. Every woman on stage was a virtuoso on her respective instrument. Unfortunately, the name of their band was "Girlfriend". Half way through the show the drummer went into a solo. She played the craziest, wildest, HARDest, most technical stuff I'd ever seen, and in the middle of it she stood up on her throne, took out a compact, and slowly applied lipstick to her pouting mouth. I was stunned.

When everyone cleared out after the show I went backstage to tell her how much I enjoyed her playing. I came around a corner and there she was... crying. A couple of people were comforting her but she was still miserable. After a minute I said "Great drumming." and she looked up and thanked me apologetically. It hit me then that this drummer, who was so much better than me, was in a band called "Girlfriend", and that the gig required she interrupt her solo to put on lipstick. (The drummer I saw that night went on to do just fine. The next time I saw her was on an instructional DVD playing in the drum department at Guitar Center.)

"...when we got to high school we thought the guys might be a little more mature, but they were actually LESS mature." 

- Torry Castellano (The Donnas) 

When I was in my early twenties I toured Canada with a band from San Francisco. The band was great but it just wasn't right for me and I didn't know why. We had an night off in Victoria and I decided to go see another SF band that happened to be playing in town. "Sister Double Happiness" was a great rock band, and though we were all from San Francisco I'd never seen them live. They had a drummer named Lynn Perko (formerly of the Dicks) and I was hoping she'd be good. Little did I know I was about to have another growth spurt. They hit the stage and rocked paint chips off the ceiling. Lynn P. came out hitting hard and didn't let up for the entire set. She beat the crap out of her drums, spit and arms flying, hair stuck to the sweat on her face, and proceeded to show me "the rock!" I'd been missing in my band. I wanted to hang out with her, listen to what she was listening to, see the shows she was going to, live like she lived... so I got her number and called but we never got together. She probably thought I was looking for a "girlfriend". (Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?) Served me right for all the time I spent staring at Gina Shock in her bath towel.

"I always have people coming up to me and saying, 'Wow, you actually play really well', and you know that what they’re thinking is, 'for a girl'.” 

- Kate Schellenbach (Original Beastie Boy)

Sometimes things transcend gender. Sometimes people do things that are so good they up the ante for everyone in the field, man or woman. I used to tell my female students to go rent Prince's concert film "Sign O' The Times" and check out Sheila E's drum solo. The solo in that movie shocked me when I first saw it. The speed and precision! It never lets up. It starts as a blistering display of hand and foot speed and just gets faster. The hands. The double bass. The facility. The SPEED! I saw it again a few years later and realized I had to make my male students watch it as well. I saw it recently, and it was somehow faster than I'd remembered! The capper is, she does the whole thing in stiletto heels. I know. Sexism trumping talent again. In Sheila's defence, I think the heels were Prince's idea. (He was wearing some, too!) 

Like most men I never set out to be sexist. I just processed and accepted the information I was given. Back then men were doctors and women were nurses. It's not true now, but it was then. Men were the drummers and the women were just around to scream for the successful ones and financially support the failures. It took more than guts for women to break into the scene. It also took a kind of apathy for "the scene" in general. Being a female in rock and roll gets easier with every generation, as more and more women emerge to show young girls just what's possible, but it wasn't always that way. 

The times they are a changin'. Women are racing Formula One cars now! Maybe when my 5 year old daughter grows up she won't even know the term "female drummer". She'll just know "drummer", and if they're good, "ROCKing drummer". Maybe she'll BE a rocking drummer. Maybe she'll be the President of the United States. 

Steve Bowman

***This post was written for a great website devoted to women drummers called chix-with-stix. You can check them out at:

http://www.chix-with-stix.com

Thanks to Drum! magazine for the quotes. 

There are many ways to get different meanings from the same sentence. A simple four word introduction, for example, can be changed by accenting any one of the words. "MY name is Steve." conveys a different meaning than "My NAME is Steve." And you can also accent the other words to get two more meanings still. Now repeat the words in a quick, chopped manner. Then slowly with a drawl. Every different way you can get the words out will change the way your sentence is interpreted, and this is an important concept for drummers because - just as your body language and speaking voice convey your moods when you talk - so does the placement and volume of your notes when you drum. The "feel" you use will accentuate the lyrics, help the band groove more deeper, and often define the mood of the song. The right feel will create an easier connection between the musicians and a more intense experience for the listening audience.

So what is feel exactly and how can you practice it? To better understand feel, start by playing a mid tempo rock beat. Now play it again, only sadder. Normally when someone is asked to play a beat "sadder" they will play it slower. Slower might be sadder but not necessarily. Sometimes slow beats are triumphant, or heavy, or sinister, etc. 

So, what, besides tempo, can make a beat sad? To answer this question, think of how you convey sadness when you speak? When you're sad you might talk softer, with bigger gaps between phrases. Your voice may tail off at the end of a sentence, or slow to a halt before you even finish the sentence. Try acting sad and your voice will naturally take on these manifestations. Now try playing sad. How does it sound? How does sadness affect the parts you choose and the way you play them? What tones do you choose? What volume? Where do you hit the snare and with what do you hit it?

Then there are other emotions. What does excitement sound like? (Remember, you can't just play faster!) For this feel, imagine your best friend just won a million dollars and you get to be the one to tell him. Imagine the feeling you'd have between the time you saw your friend's face and the time you got the news out. Now, with that same feeling, play a groove at 105 beats per minute. How does the feeling affect your energy level? How does it affect your parts and your playing?

Sad and Happy are two examples but there are as many different feels as there are emotions. Take "Love songs" alone and you've got lots of intense feelings. New love, lost love, spurned love, breaking up, making up, moving in, kicking out, moving on (reluctantly, defiantly, sneakily) etc. There are many ways to approach a song.

It's important that the feel you choose match the songwriter's notion of what the song is about. Most songs are pretty easy to figure out but if you still aren't sure after considering the lyric, tempo, and chord progression, ask the songwriter what the song means to them. Not only will the information help you play the song more appropriately, but you'll be appreciated for asking.

Besides common moods like happy, sad, angry, confident, etc., it's also possible to mix and match characteristics of different moods to create deeper and more interesting feels. One feel I love to sink into is inspired by a Hunter S. Thompson novel called "The Rum Diary". In the book the lead character is a young, cocky journalist who spends most of his time drinking Rum at a tropical hamburger stand in San Juan. He is a lush and a genius, successful despite a self destructive nature. 

You can imagine what it would it sound like if the band called this character up to play a tune. His playing would be simple and a little stilted because he's not a drummer, yet confident and loud because that's who he is. He would be a little reckless because of the booze, and a little lazy because of the sun and sand, but ultimately he would hold it together because of an intense vanity that would never allow him to make a fool of himself. Now take this character and add a little sadness? Or excitement? Maybe the character is also feeling nervous, vengeful, sick, sullen, or guilty? What do you get then?

After you have decided upon the appropriate feel (or character), it is important that it remain consistent for the duration of the song and that you not let anything push or pull you out of the feel you've established. Sometimes a dynamic change will cause a novice player to forget the mood they've created and slide out of the feel. This can also happen after a big fill or a long break. But consistency is vital, because to unintentionally switch the feel will take the band members out of the spell you've created and will confuse the listeners, both parties who have not only recognized your mood, but allowed themselves to be taken in by it, and if you switch the feel you have to win everyone back all over again. Good luck.

One trick to staying with the feel is to imagine what your character would look like if they felt a certain way. Would they be hunched over? Sitting up proudly? Holding the sticks backwards or with an improper grip? Try it. Not only will a physical difference remind you to "stay in character" but it may add something to the sound or timing of the feel. Don't worry about how it looks. Successful players glorify the music and put the song's needs over their own. 

Passion without order is just noise, and technique without heart is just math and excercise. What makes a drummer really great is his/her ability to play with an appropriate and consistent feel. Good feel creates a deeper, more satisfying experience for everyone involved.