Virgil the best ever?

**McKenzie** · March 26th, 2003, 05:50 AM

The tune is Ground Zero and your right he is playing 5/16 with his right hand and foot and is in 7/8 with his left hand and foot(at the same time!!!) and then switches those times around to the other side left to right,right to left.

In the new issue of Modern Drummer there is a section about building extreme technique and chops(different players are interviewed.)Simon
Phillips comments about being inspired by others innovation to practice and he states that there were a few grooves off the Latest Planet X recording that amazed him and he wanted to sit down and TRY and ATTEMPT to play along with the songs and that is when he realized that Virgil was even MADDER! than he thought and he already knew that he was MAD to begin with.

Digital

**eddruming** · March 26th, 2003, 04:49 PM

After hearing planet X 's new albumn. I have concluded that, Virgil Donati is the best drummer ever no contest. No disrespect to all the other great drummers in the world though. Peace.....

**Derek DeFields** · March 26th, 2003, 04:53 PM

hey, he IS a divider! AKA troll.

**FlamTriplet** · March 26th, 2003, 04:57 PM

Yeah, especially that tune with the 5/16 cowbell ostinato and the groove in 7/8 that hits all the accents with the band. That is the ultimate practice room beat. [img]confused.gif[/img]

Virgil is definately carving an extreme path to follow. I can't wait to see him tommorrow night at JAXX, with Tony Mac And Bunny. Just a trio. Kida like half of CAB plus Virg. No keyboards. It should be one hell of a schred.

**McKenzie** · March 26th, 2003, 05:02 PM

I definitely am not going to get into the BEST ever stuff it is POINTLESS to say the least. We all like who we like,for whatever reasons. But what is funny is that one of the guys back in the mid-nineties who was singing Virgil's praises before he was even in the states was VINNIE himself. In fact that was the first factor that got me into his playing. I read where vinnie was blown away by his playing that he was VERY impressed by his skills and he definitely thought that Virgil was an innovator and had a unique voice on the instrument and was
a fantastic soloist who played with great direction and diversity in that context. Maybe Vinnie was wrong or maybe he was right OR maybe he is able in some ways because of how developed his ears are and the way he processes in a musical sense to hear things others do not.

Digital

**jonthibault** · March 26th, 2003, 06:55 PM

"He practices a drum exercise and then writes a tune that allows him to play it in it. The result is a stilted and forced idea that while extremely challenging is ultimately unmoving."

Amen. He doesn't move me, either. When he can hold his own with Chick Corea, Chaka Khan, or Sting, (or Journey, for that matter), then I'll be impressed.

**FlamTriplet** · March 26th, 2003, 07:05 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor=""><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Amen. He doesn't move me, either. When he can hold his own with Chick Corea, Chaka Khan, or Sting, (or Journey, for that matter), then I'll be impressed. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am pretty sure Virg would have no problem playing those gigs. But he has his own band to think about. He has toured with Tina Arena, which shows his POP chops are well regarded as Tina is the most selling female artist in Oz.

**McKenzie** · March 26th, 2003, 07:15 PM

So if one does not play with Chick Corea or Sting then he is not impressive. Well when Vinnie or Weckl play's with Planet X or Tribal Tech or Jon Stevens and Freakhouse and Alex Pertout so on etc, then I will be impressed. I am sure they can (I am making a point) I think your statements have more to do with style of music you like and not ones playing ability or versatility. Again he has excelled in pretty much every style out there you just have not heard him. And Vdrummer for someone you do not like much, it sounds like you went out of your way to watch him or them, seeing they have only toured 2 or 3 times.

Digital

**FuseU1** · March 26th, 2003, 08:23 PM

FlamTrip - I almost woulda seen ya there [that woulda been way-cool]...I came THIS close a month or so ago to buying a round-trip flight to Baltimore or Richmond [at around $160] to visit a coupla soundmen/friends of mine in Balt. [& to see that show at the Jaxx tonight!!], but financially & schedule-wise it just wasnt feasible at this time...please tell us how it went, either here or in a new post, thanx...

I am very moved every time i've seen Virg play [live or vid]...in fact, i have a movement every time i c/hear the phreek play [in my Fruit a' da' Looms]...whether or not it suits every1's tastes, well, DEPENDS [as in "wear yours in advance"] [img]wink.gif[/img] ....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 26, 2003 04:33 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>