thomas lang clips are up at hudson

[BennyAndTheSkins]

Yeah, don't misunderstand me.... I appreciate his technical skill, and am sure that he has a deep groove. I'm just saying that the stick twirling in and of itself doesn't reach me. If he was doing that on an album, you wouldn't even know he was doing it.

As far as the Lance Armstrong analogy goes, just think if he put out a video not about what it took to win (soon to be, hopefully [img]wink.gif[/img] ) 5 Tours de France, but how to do wheelies, and spin your front fork as you're riding. It would be impressive, but wouldnt address how he got to be a world class cyclist. That's what I'm tallking about. I would be more interested in hearing about the influences that Lang/Minneman grew up with, and how they took them, and fused them into their own playing, as well as maybe some clips of them playing in the context of their bands.

[PencilZ]

Benny.... minemann has said that his dvd has some of his tunes on. so, it looks like you could get your wish. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I believe that the clips they post at hudson ARE to make people go WOW. Maybe they dont (or maybe they do)understand that people just DONT want a showmanship dvd. I'm as you are benny, want more of the player not the ma.....look no hands routines.

[royerin]

Thomas is a freak...we were lucky enough to have him as one of our teachers at MI in London. His class was "Applied Technique", but he covered basically whatever we wanted to know. There was NOTHING the guy couldn't do. His practice routine was and still is admirable (the results speak for themselves). Check out his site:

http://www.artport.at/sticktrix/x/fs/hitman.html

Dazzler, I'm surprised you haven't heard of him....he's been doing a lot in the UK for years, and the MD Festival last year was his first real exposure (finally) to the US. He does a wide range of gigs, including the loveable Irish girl-band B*Witched (I have a live video of him with them, he kills on it....)

[BennyAndTheSkins]

(QUOTE) "I'm just saying that the stick twirling in and of itself doesn't reach me."

is that because you cant do it?"


Easy, big guy.... So by that logic, seeing Vinnie do blazing flams/singles doesn't reach me because I cant do it? I dont think so........

I'm not taking anything at all away from his playing ability, and I'm sure he's a monster in all aspects of drumming. I'm just saying that I'd rather see his groove/playing ability. I'm sure Hudson put the twirling in to sell DVDs. I like Minneman's DVD, where he's playing Buddy's "Time Check". I want to see the guy's spirit come out - his interpretation of a song......

[ladanny]

I can do without the stick spinning for sure. Obviously, he's got monster chops.

So if we have spinning sticks, what do other instruments have? Hmmm, guitar behind the back? Playing piano with your feet? [img]wink.gif[/img]

Danny

[brandrum]

i like him so much i questioned my own sexuality [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/gulp.gif[/img]

[PocketPlayer]

How does he do it...
http://www.artport.at/sticktrix/x/w/Practicing.html

I liked the Armstrong analogy. I get it. I also know the music business at large could care less about what is pure or artistic...they want to SELL merchandise period. WHo put those Hudsom clips together? The market is male, 20 somethings and they have to reach that market to stay in business. So, like always, I say..."Eat the watermelon, spit out the seeds." Hopefully the video or DVD has some tasty melon happenin'

[Derek DeFields]

Thomas has done a lot more session work than Virg or Marco in the pop realm. That doesn't make him better, but the reason we here in the US hadn't heard of him before IMO is because he mostly stayed away from the "drummer known for technique" thing.

Now that he's doing some of it, he's getting blasted here. Classic. [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]

and for the record, I find stick twirling lame, however when someone does it with a twinkle in their eye as Thomas does (not seriously like some other guys) I do manage to enjoy it despite myself. Also, I liked the acoustic guitar section, but the rest of the tune on the site is lame I agree.

Bottom line, his track record speaks for itself.

[McKenzie]

Derek your post makes me think [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] I wonder what Virgil and Thomas think and say about all this(since they are very good friends and share a practice facility)they are probably in all honesty amused and bewildered, amused because THEY KNOW what they have done and can do in all realms of drumming and making music and "those truly in the know" a statement made from a legendary drummer whom most on this site admire, THEY KNOW what these guys have truly
accomplished. And maybe they are bewildered that one (anyone) can get blasted for something as admirable but yet innocent as having amazing technique and a truly innovative spirit.

I still believe to have that kind of ability which came through LOT'S of incredibly hard work(physicall, mentally and emotionally) and a truly creative spirit is something that should be admired even if they( the guys playing)do not play in style that someone likes or does not. Is it possible(AND I AM DEFINITELY INCLUDED IN THIS POINT) that sometimes we just get a little bit peeved that someone is THAT good! and we are a little insecure about it(our psyche can be fragile at times) or is it just to easy to be critcal every so often. Maybe so we are human afterall. I think our criticism for the most part is genuine and many time's right, but sometimes it is just our flawed nature coming through. Sorry to sound philisophical, just thoughts running through my head. Whatever the case these guys KICK BUTT! and they are TRULY AMAZING none the less.

Regards Digital

[beat Hit]

I agree with Benny, very well explained! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

Thomas is verrry impressive technically and has outstanding stick/feet control, goes without saying here I know... He's merely displaying one angle/dimension of drumming.

I saw his clinic in Toronto last November and you should have seen my face every time he displayed his intricate acrobat-like moves, I was impressed. But then I left music hungry that night... Needed to feed myself with some good music as soon as I arrived home and I did...

So I was not at all convinced by Thomas' musicality. To be fair, he CHOSE not to display that angle of his playing that night. He's making a name for himself the same way Virgil is, around technic.

Antonio Sanchez for example is also in the process of making a name for himself big time. He seems to be in very high demand these days, but not for the same reasons as Virgil and Thomas. Antonio is after something else and that's what Metheny caught on. And that's what I am after too and it'll make me drive 9 hours to Montreal next November... Budget permitting... [img]wink.gif[/img]

Later,