I've been watching the show a bit -- mostly for the house band. I think Nate is doing a very good job -- and doesn't seem over the top as far as can tell IMO.
He's doing a great job on TV; his drumming very animated.
In HOD a lot of attention is paid to videos of the greats, as well it should be, and we all have our opinions like "Oh, he was better pre-Gruber," or "Looked stiff, like he was hurting," or "Posture, what posture?" or "Wow, that was fluid, poetry in motion," etc.
Nate's exaggerations play well on TV. Sonny Emory, Bozzio, even Buddy, all play(ed) with (let's call it) great flair and showmanship. Vince, Dave and Gadd are very matter of fact when they play, the only flamboyance is their chops.
There is a time and place for everything, you're not gonna be Keith Mooning your way through an acoustic jazz gig any more than you'd have a Coors Light party ball beside you on a church pew on Sunday morning (Wednesday night bingo might be a different story in some demographics.)
Straw poll time. Is Nate's over-animated style goofy? Or does it work?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 10, 2005 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Five Eight ]</font>
I've been watching the show a bit -- mostly for the house band. I think Nate is doing a very good job -- and doesn't seem over the top as far as can tell IMO.
I have not seen the show you're refering to, nor am I certain of what you're refering to by his flamboyouncy. But I have noticed that a lot of these newer bands that are kind of retro- have drummers playing vintage or vintage style looking gear and try to look like Keith Moon or Ginger Baker when they play. Ya know, like real exaggerated circulesque arm motions. One step away from having their fore fingers extended outward laying on top of the stick? Case in point I saw Jet on a rerun of SNL today. Looking at the drummer drove me nuts. I'm sure he is a fine drummer and if I closed my eyes it probably wouldn't bother me as much but still it kinda does.
Oh well, I guess every musical fad that comes our way has it's own unique style of showmanship. I suppose that's why it's called "show" business. Besides, what percentage of the now 17-25 demographic really know who Cream or The Who are anyway, much less remember how they looked like when they plyed. It's all new to them and it seems that's the way they prefer it anyway.
Sorry to hi-jack your thread if this is not what you were refering to. Just had to vent. [img]smile.gif[/img]
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 10, 2005 08:44 PM: Message edited by: GrooovePig ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually that was exactly what I referred to. Don't be concerned about what anyone might think off-topic.groovepig wrote:
Sorry to hi-jack your thread if this is not what you were refering to.
We loose as a goose up in heah. [img]graemlins/party.gif[/img]
I def. see that in music(?) today -- I just haven't noticed Nate doing it.
On last night's show, while playing that middle verse of 'Long Train Running' with the quarter note hits, Nate alternated between his left and right hand each on the snare and a China off to his sides. All while spinning his sticks before hitting the China cymbal. I think he does the rock showman thing well and he seems to be thoughtful of not overdoing it to the point of goofiness. Not to mention he is a very good player.
Off topic: Maybe if this hasn't been done before, a thread could be started on actual goofy, cliche, showman(boat) antics that drummers do (or did - esp. in the 80's).
I really enjoyed what i heard [only saw PART of 1 show once]...i liked TC w Idol AW.
Keeping in mind the "We loose as a goose up in heah" slogan, i never think guys like Emory, Jarzombek, or Virg who "put on the show" [twirling & the like] are pretensious or contrived, simply because they are SO good at the corps style twirls & flips. It's way beyond being able to be labeled pretensious at that point. It's too good / refined...& done to enhance the live visual experience, w/out compromising the aural experience [music] whatsoever.
The only thing that would ever disturb me is if a "lesser" drummer was ever hired over an actually "better" player simply because of more looks or show. I saw this happen in the 80s/90s a few times [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img] , where a "basic" kind of guy [no frills; I'm not nec talking about "overplaying polarities," here] was hired over a guy who was actually a more emotive, groovy, & interesting player musically, such as what say VC [AWA Omar; Manu-sans that one live boot 7 Daze ;-p] brought to Sting...
Satch was also like that live. While the guy he had was indeed a fine drumr w good time [rockpocket - could bury the click w a hatchet], he didn't bring the tasty finesse & zest that Gregg, Mover, or Si brought to the gig. He was more like a drum machine replicating the same parts Night Aft Night. Nothing wrong w that; i just personally prefewr the little tasty musical things that can be thrown in w/out compromising the overall musical integrity of the tunes [AKA not exactly "overplaying" [img]wink.gif[/img] ]...such as "Vinnie's Hats" w Gordon S.
But that would never happen to the guys i just mentioned, because the playing dept is more wicked than the show, which is also quite good.
When you're playing a rock or pop arena gig [or even a club], there's nothing wrong w the tricks ALA the playing [AWA the music] is there first. JMHO.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 14, 2005 04:04 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>
What show is this???
I think that band is OK. The way those musicians present themselves was a huge element in their hiring.
They are not as solid as say the Letterman Band, or SNL band. I noticed on Long Train Running the tempo changed in some sections and was actually a few clicks faster at the end. That may be OK with some people. I know that if Vinnie, Anton or Shawn were playing(no stick tricks), that wouldn't have been the case. Then again a show like that can't afford to pay musicians like that.
I think Nate is doing a good job though. Maybe they should play to a click?
Yeah.... What show is this?? Now I'm interested.
A few of us HOD'ers went to see John Robinson play a few weeks ago, and I think he's another one of these fella's that has a little more theatrics to his playing. Although it didn't affect his groove one iota, the man has the FATTEST backbeat and groove that I've heard in a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time.
And all from this little Yamaha sorta "hip gig" jazzer kit.
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