Mike Oldfield's drummers
Robert Morey
One thing that continuously haunts me is the lack of really good/
noticeably polished drummers on Mike Oldfield albums--I'll include
Phil Collins in this thought because he didn't really "feel" great
in _QE2_. I am curious to hear the opinion of other MO fans on the
net.
I would like to see Chester Thompson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Holger Czukay
(sp?), maybe even Herman the German (Scorpions, I believe) do something
with MO because these people can put passion and power into the music
which so far I haven't heard. Anyone who has the new album, can you
tell us what the drummer is like? Hey, why don't you review the album
on the net?
Robert J. Morey
Robert Morey
>Date: 18 Jul 89 13:30:47 GMT
>Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
>
>In article [...] rmo...@orion.cf.uci.edu (Robert Morey) writes:
>
>> One thing that continuously haunts me is the lack of really good/
>> noticeably polished drummers on Mike Oldfield albums
>
>a wonderful job. How about Pierre Moerlen?
Simon Phillips is a good drummer--he just doesn't display the fluency
of a rock drummer. Take John Bonan (sp?) of Led Zeppelin and you can
"feel" that he knows what he wants to play; then take Roger Taylor of
Queen and you can feel a certain 'nervous' pounding on the drums. My
listening habits are jazz fusion -- you can take most fusion drummers and
you can hear how certain and controlled they play--that's my point: they
display confidence. Also my few years as a drummer force me to listen
to feeling of playing.
>Maybe Jaki Liebezeit would be a good choice for drummers.
>Or Michael Shrieve.
THOSE would be good choices for MO. Maybe now that he is now turning
pop he will team up with some professional pop or even fusion drummers.
Robert J. Morey
John Lorch
> One thing that continuously haunts me is the lack of really good/
> noticeably polished drummers on Mike Oldfield albums
Gee, Robert, Simon Phillips isn't good enough for you? I thought he did
a wonderful job. How about Pierre Moerlen?
> I would like to see Chester Thompson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Holger Czukay
I don't think of Holger Czukay as a drummer. He's actually a bass player,
among other things, (like dictaphone and French Horn) but I don't think he's
a "noticeably polished drummer". I agree that it would be an interesting
collaboration. Maybe Jaki Liebezeit would be a good choice for drummers.
Or Michael Shrieve.
--
John Lorch UUCP: ecf...@jhunix.UUCP
Johns Hopkins University ARPA: ecf...@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
Homewood Computing Facilities BITNET: ecf...@jhunix.BITNET
on the jagged cliffs of Ngranek
> One thing that continuously haunts me is the lack of really good/
> noticeably polished drummers on Mike Oldfield albums--I'll include
> Phil Collins in this thought because he didn't really "feel" great
> in _QE2_. I am curious to hear the opinion of other MO fans on the
> net.
I really liked the work by Pierre Moerlin on Incantations and other
early works. In the Ommadawn video, he was great. Simon Phillips is
on Crises, Carl Palmer is on Five Miles Out. These are noticeably
polished drummers. Perhaps they should've made larger contributions
to the albums they were on? I hope his latest album will return us to
his earlier style. Less pop orientated and less emphasis on the vocal.
-- --
rj pietkivitch att!ihlpa!rjp1
George Thomas Baggott
> is certainly adept at filling the shoes of ANY rock drummer.
I don't know how well Simon Phillips could play in Bonham's style, but I
just saw him with The Who, and he filled Keith Moon's shoes far better
than I thought was possible.
George
"Kenny who?"
Robert Morey
>From: Dave "Wonko" Balkwill <mdbal...@poppy.waterloo.edu>
>Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
>I find it hard to believe that, in a discussion of excellent drummers,
>the name of Neil Peart (Rush) was not mentioned.
I don't think that anyone can imagine Neil Peart playing with Mike
Oldfield--too intense and way beyond any kind of minimalism that MO
has displayed thus far. Maybe within a couple of years--who knows?
>Granted, he doesn't
>seem to fit the mold of what I think of as Mike Oldfield, and you'll
>never get him away from Rush for any reason;
Brrrr! Wrong--Neil Peart has played, at least formally, with one
other person/band: on Jeff Berlin's album _Champion_. According to
Berlin, Peart played with him only because he is ranked the #2 best
bass player in the world--Geddy Lee is ranked #1, usually. Apparently
Peart has appeared a couple of times, unannounced, in concert with
Berlin.
Robert J. Morey
Robert J. Kudla
I really liked the work by Pierre Moerlin on Incantations and other
early works. In the Ommadawn video, he was great. Simon Phillips is
^^^^^^^^ *koffkoffsputter spit out tea*
Ommadawn video?? Is this on the same compilation that the import
videodisk purveyors are... uh, purveying?
on Crises, Carl Palmer is on Five Miles Out. These are noticeably
polished drummers. Perhaps they should've made larger contributions
to the albums they were on? I hope his latest album will return us to
his earlier style. Less pop orientated and less emphasis on the vocal.
Don't we wish. I don't even think there's an instrumental piece on
this album, from what I've heard from those on the other side of the
ocean where it's already out.
But, I can't blame him. Wind Chimes was great, but it sounded a
little... thin, maybe? If he comes out with an album as good as side 2
of Crises, I'll be thrilled (though I personally will probably listen
to it very seldom- the only short tunes Oldfield's made that I listen
to frequently are Guilty and Taurus 3, with some of the Maggie tunes
occasionally mixed in for variety).
And if he starts getting airplay in America because of the new pop
sound, and that airplay makes Virgin put out his other albums
here..... hey, that's almost too much to be hoped for. Only problem I
can see is that Virgin doesn't know sh*t about promoting their
acts.... their last success story was what, Culture Club? (I mean on
this continent; hell, in Europe Oldfield's made it to the top of the 7
inch charts.)
--
Robert Jude Kudla <ku...@pawl.rpi.edu> <ku...@acm.rpi.edu> <fw3s@RPITSMTS>
Pi-Rho America \\ /// 1989 New York Gay Pride Parade: 25 June 1989
2346 15th St. \\ /// 20th Anniversary of Stonewall Riots BE THERE!
Troy, NY 12180 /X\ \\\/// keywords: mike oldfield yes u2 r.e.m. new order
(518)271-8624 // \\ \XX/ steely dan f.g.t.h. kate bush .....and even Rush
Keep those cards and letters coming!
Robert Morey
>>From: pak...@nevim.wharton.upenn.edu (David B. Pakman)
>[...]
>I must disagree with this statement. Simon Phillips is perhaps one of the
>most able drummers when a situation demands performing a particular style.
>He has a unique (compared to many) style of adapting to his musical surround-
>ings, like any respectable studio musician ought to. (Is that statement
>a paradox: unique vs. adapting?) I assume Mr. Morey equates 'fluency' with
^^^^^^^^^
Please, call me Robert.
>something like Simon Phillips' arsenol of rock fills, rock feel, and
>other rhythmic characteristics associated with drumming. I feel Simon
>is certainly adept at filling the shoes of ANY rock drummer.
"ANY rock drummer" is certainly a strong statement. I doubt that
Phillips could sit in for Neil Peart in a Rush concert or even replace
well Phil Collins or Chester Thompson. Phillips is certainly good but
I don't consider him versatile. By the way, we have to be careful here
because most of all of the drummers we have ever heard of are GOOD and
the distinctions that we find that separate them are really quite
small and quasi insignificant.
>[...]
>David Pakman
>pak...@scrolls.wharton.upenn.edu
Robert J. Morey
Dave Wonko Balkwill
> Brrrr! Wrong--Neil Peart has played, at least formally, with one
> other person/band: on Jeff Berlin's album _Champion_. According to
> Berlin, Peart played with him only because he is ranked the #2 best
> bass player in the world--Geddy Lee is ranked #1, usually. Apparently
> Peart has appeared a couple of times, unannounced, in concert with
> Berlin.
>
> Robert J. Morey
Actually, I didn't know he had done this. However, Neil is still with Rush
(obviously). Lots of people do some individual work in addition to the
work that they do with the band. Geddy Lee helped produce the Boys Brigade
debut album, to name one from Rush. I'm sure we can name hundreds of names
who have released solo albums while with another group, but that did not
take them away from the group -- it merely gave them another theatre in
which to express (possibly slightly different) ideas, and allowed them
to grow as a musician. Neil has been with Rush since their second album
(1973 I believe) and makes an awesome lyricist to match Lee/Lifeson's
songwriting skills. They'll be together for a long time yet.
Trivia question: Who was the drummer on Rush's first album? What's he
doing now?
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David B. Pakman
> of a rock drummer. Take John Bonan (sp?) of Led Zeppelin and you can
> "feel" that he knows what he wants to play; then take Roger Taylor of
> Queen and you can feel a certain 'nervous' pounding on the drums. My
> listening habits are jazz fusion -- you can take most fusion drummers and
> you can hear how certain and controlled they play--that's my point: they
> display confidence. Also my few years as a drummer force me to listen
> to feeling of playing.
>
I must disagree with this statement. Simon Phillips is perhaps one of the
most able drummers when a situation demands performing a particular style.
He has a unique (compared to many) style of adapting to his musical surround-
ings, like any respectable studio musician ought to. (Is that statement
a paradox: unique vs. adapting?) I assume Mr. Morey equates 'fluency' with
something like Simon Phillips' arsenol of rock fills, rock feel, and
other rhythmic characteristics associated with drumming. I feel Simon
is certainly adept at filling the shoes of ANY rock drummer.
Furthermore, if you are a jazz-fushion listener, then you MUST appreciate
Simon's work with greats in this area, particularly his Billy Cobham style
of playing. His 'feel', an undefinable entity, is present, and confident
in his playing, and demands respect.
David Pakman
pak...@scrolls.wharton.upenn.edu
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
\ -David Pakman | "Help me, help me, /
/ Apple Student Rep | I been hyp-no-tized" \
\ ARPA: pak...@scrolls.wharton.upenn.edu | /
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August Wehrmann
>Trivia question: Who was the drummer on Rush's first album? What's he
>doing now?
I see you listen to rockline too Dave.
The answer to your trivia question is John Rutsy as Rush's first drummer. As to
what he is doing right now, and this came from Alex's mouth so it IS the truth,
he is a body builder and in fact Alex works out with him a couple of times a
week.
(Finally some talk about my favourite band on this newsgroup.)
--
===============================================================================
August Wehrmann, awehrmann@watcgl{.waterloo.edu, UWaterloo.ca}
Computer Graphics Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Waterloo
===============================================================================
David B. Pakman
> Phillips could sit in for Neil Peart in a Rush concert or even replace
> well Phil Collins or Chester Thompson. Phillips is certainly good but
> I don't consider him versatile. By the way, we have to be careful here
> because most of all of the drummers we have ever heard of are GOOD and
> the distinctions that we find that separate them are really quite
> small and quasi insignificant.
>
It is silly to quabble over who is a "better drummer." An artist is an
artist - if you don't like them, don't listen to them. The point I was
making was that Simon Phillips, not playing regularly in a band, hasn't
had a chance to prove his writing/creative ability as much as Peart, who
I admire very much. The important thing to remember about Neil is that
he has an INCREDIBLE talent for composing an executing unique rhythmic
ideas. In long run, many drummers, including Simon, could learn his
songs, and play an adequate show.
PLEASE don't take this the wrong way, but I'm a drummer in a band that
does a lot of RUSH. I have been playing and taking lessons for 13 years.
In that time, I've listened to Peart more than any other drummer.
As a result, I play and THINK in his style of drumming. I can execute
his fills and compositions with excellent acuracy. However, I am not
even in his league, because his songs are only the surface of his true
playing ability. I was most impressed when I heard him and the band
jam at a soundcheck before a Philly show! I felt like breaking my drum
sticks!
Finally, to demonstrate Phillps' versatility, why don't you listen to
him play with Townsend then go listen to him play with John Luc-Ponty.
That's versatile!