Link to new Thomas Lang videos

[Derek DeFields]

That's a really interesting point about playing in a more "modern" style. Things may well go that way at some point however, most of the guys who work a lot (at least in L.A.) are still playing pretty simply rock grooves. It'll be interesting to see if more electronic sounding drumming takes over or not.

I do think there is something about great groove playing in most popular styles that will not change significantly. While Gadd's playing has stayed static for many years, it still resonates with almost everyone who hears him.

I've said this recently, but ANYtime I play the BRMSC for someone who is not a drummer, (including other great musicians) they ALWAYS and I mean every single time, like Gadd the best.

[FuseU1]

Gadd's playing on recordings is [& will 4ever remain] timeless.

A contempo producer in the studio could make SG's drums sound big & huge w lots of verb for rock, or the new drier sounds for other stuff & it would still hold fast like a big dog.

It's just those darn cardboard sounds on those older 70s/early 80s recordings. But even some of that is being used, heralded as "retro," these days. I think some people call it, "charming." [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 06, 2005 01:22 PM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

[shedder]

Originally posted by Andy Edwards:
What I am refering to is how the music business works now.
The grooves that Gadd played in the 70's and Vinnie in the 80's and early 90's made them two of the most employable musicians around.

My point is that the same can be said of Thomas now.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">NO WAY is thomas lang influencing drummers or music nearly the way gadd and vinnie did in the 70's, 80's, 90's and still today. any producer will choose great feeling grooves by those two over lang ANY DAY. music is definitely not headed towards the lang/marco sport drumming. what are you talking about? who are the ones playing on 99% of today's contemporary albums? gadd and vinnie and guys who can groove like gadd and vinnie. not flashy drummers who can build a tool shed and play a drum solo at the same time. i'm sure there are specific kinds of music that cater towards the electronic/flashy/technical style of drumming but music in general is definitely not headed that direction.

my point is that lang is not the new gadd/vinnie of this era. gadd and vinnie's playing is FAR from being classified as old and outdated. i mean c'mon vinnie just did a megadeath album and sounded as good or better than a lot of metal drummers. good time and feel is ageless.

[zmorton]

In the first video of those three TL holds down a very simple 2 + 4 pop groove for quite some time. He then blows for a verse and then returns to that simple pop groove. To me that shows some thought to form although be it a simple ABA form.

[palmerlouie]

this is all very interesting. but what some seem to think is that some of these highly skilled players go into the studio or do a live show and blow the place apart with all their chops. as if. they go in and play 2&4 for 8 hrs just like everyone else. its just they do all the flashy stuff on the side otherwise they would NEVER be hired.....cue dom famularo.

some of the drum nuts only see the clinic footage and make an immediate judgement....(this is not aimed at anyone)

vinnie used to work on all this technical shit when he was young.....anyone else who does it is a tosser??!

i agree with a lot of what andy is saying. esp. in the UK music its all modern stuff...whether its good or you like it is TOTALLY irrelevent. the garage, hip-hop, and pop stuff heavily uses electronic drums and sounds and is produced by machines....part of thomas' thing is to be able to re-create these parts live.

can u imagine gadd or vinnie doing these shows?? no way. all the james taylor, paul simon, clapton, joni mitchell stuff is bought by older people because they were hip 20 yrs ago, sure their still great now and will always be legends....but sometimes you have to think for the future.....your job as a drummer is to cope with what WILL be asked of you.....

[Pedro G]

I was about to say a lot of things here, but after reading all the posts I found everything was already said, so I'll just [img]graemlins/shhh.gif[/img] , and limit myself to ask Schreck: were did you get the tracks that you posted?. I have the double CD Art & Fun of the Vienna Art Orchestra with Thomas, and I love it, but I don't remember those tracks, did he recorded another album with the VAO?.

Take care, and let's enjoy what Thomas CAN do, and not focus in what he can't (or we think he can't...or haven't heard yet!) [img]tongue.gif[/img] .

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 06, 2005 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Pedro G ]</font>

[PocketPlayer]

I don't have the time today, but it would be interesting (at least to me) to see the difference between the American posts and the European posts to this thread. I've found the reading very entertaining with lots of humorous snippets. This is growing into an older, classic HOD thread.

Could it be that Thomas, mainly a European drummer, has been influenced by the music of his culture and the clash with him among some has to do with this factor? If I was influenced by pop music of my culture using a significant amount of electronics (when I was in Europe I did notice much of the music was very electronic and very accepted by the culture for being just that) I think I would gravitate towards a style reflecting those influences as well.

As I said earlier and Derek mentioned, playing time (or pretty simple beats) gets you hired. Yet, Gadd & Vinnie crossed over from very fusion or obscure oriented gigs (Zappa, Corea) into the pop recording music spectrum with Porcaro, JR, Mason and the other ?roundtablers.? Gadd himself in the PAS video from around ?96 said himself that he had a good amount of chops but if he wanted to work in NY, he needed to play time and groove.

So, IMO, he simplified his style into musical phrases and we got stuff like 50 Ways and a style that transformed modern drumming.
I see modern drumming in categories personally. The guys like Peart & Bonham (so many others of course) are primarily band drummers with ONE band. Most drummers are in this class?they play with one or a few acts for a particular style of music. Then there are the studio cats like Porcaro, JR, Mason. They cover a huge spectrum of music with many different artists. Then there are the Live performers who do a lot of touring. Then there is Vinnie & Gadd who do it all.

I mention all of this because so much of the TL discussion IMO (in my observation) is trying to fit him into the studio or groove oriented group when he might not want to go there. Yet, I did enjoy the audio clips posted and felt he ?grooved.?

Virgil is an interesting guy who is trying to do it all as well. He plays with CAB, Planet X, Freakhouse, Ring of Fire?even on the movie Alfie?s soundtrack. I don?t think Boz Scaggs first thinks of Virg for a session, but he could do it. At this level, it?s more about the inner circle these guys have with each other and ?feel.? Michael McDonald and Boz loved Jeff?s feel and went with him whenever possible. In this case, many European producers will go with someone reflecting the sound (feel) of that particular culture, and when good relationships are developed, someone like Thomas will be used a lot for specific or general types of work. Go TL!

[Morgenthaler]

I really haven't seen too much of Langs track record. It says several places that he's playing with Vienna Art Orchestra, but as far the info on their website ( www.vao.at ) he's only on 2 of their albums, and their current drummer is Jojo Mayer! Apparently some guy called Mario Gonzi has been their main drummer through the years. Then he's supposed to have played with a lot of great acts, but I have never heard him on a record?!! Would someone please advise which T. Lang record I should check out? In terms of influence he's no way NEAR Gadd or Vinnie.
Hey Andy Edwards, no disrespect man, but: Thomas Lang on 800 recordings?? I find that REALLY hard to believe. His own words on his website: "about 250"!! I'd like to hear just one of those!

Another thing... As shedder said I too can't see a direct line from Tony through Vinnie to Lang.
Sometimes i hear stuff, a lick or a groove, from Virg that could have been a Vinnie thing, but never from Lang?! I am extremely impressed by Langs technical ability, but not his musical. Thats probably the reason I am THAT much of a Virgil fan. I have REALLY REALLY done my homework on him. He can do it all. I've got 30+ albums with him, and yes, they are VERY diverse. alot of people only know him from a clinic setting, but he has done so much "musically" as well. Gotta see that side from Lang before he gets my vote.

<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ January 06, 2005 05:50 PM: Message edited by: Jeppe Morgenthaler ]</font></font>

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 06, 2005 06:03 PM: Message edited by: Jeppe Morgenthaler ]</font>

[Andy Edwards]

Thanks Louie for the support here.

I think we both probably have a better knowledge of Thomas' skills than some.
I know Thomas because we are both endorsed to the same cymbal company and I have played at a number of his clinics. (it was Thomas who told how many recordings he has done)
When I first came across Thomas he was primarily known in the Uk as a session drummer.
He was doing a lot of pop stuff at the time but I know he has done other stuff in the past. I didn't know he also had so much technique.
So my initial impression of him was as someone with an incredible groove who could deliver the goods in the studio.

I think the fact that he can play such technical stuff and play straight 2+4 does not seem to compute with some of the guys here.

When I first started playing (in 1979) I remember a number of older drummers telling me how Billy Cobham could not groove and was just a technician. To this day I STILL believe Billy can groove.

...and to my ears Thomas can groove!!!!

[Greaseleg]

Post some clips! Give us some Drum-inator grooves.