A little story...

Quote:

---

Originally posted by WecklsMechanic:
After giving him my "I'm not worthy" routine, I asked him a question about playing in odd time. After he smugly surmised a response to me, he then madly asked...... "So??..... have you figured me out yet??", not once.... but twice looking at me with a maddog face.

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">WTF! That's freaking creepy dude. What was he trying to communicate there? I'd love to know who this was if you feel like emailing me in private.

Even though i kinda participated in the Rant on Dennis, he still is one of my favorites when it comes to 80's fusion records.

I Think the Blue Matter record with John Scofield from 85 or something like that, is still one of the most enjoyable recordings from that period, so tasty playing from Dennis!.

Dennis is a GIG player, not a teacher, but he has enormous amounts of Fans out there, that it's inevitable for him doing least a couple of clinics a year.

I think that's a much better way of dealing with this. If one has an issue with someone, it's usually more effective to talk about it with him or her. Talking with the rest of us won't change their behavior, nor get the kid an apology, if that's what one is after. And if it?s not worth the trouble to discuss with them, then it certainly isn?t worth the trouble of bringing it up to the rest of us.

Well, if those instances are indeed true, that is some appalling behavior. I am only addressing this as if this scenario were true - & it HAS happened with name guys in the past, hasn't it...

I can understand that some guys may get a little put off being interrupted by someone, yelling out for them to "play some more" when it's time for them to speak [after playing 45 minutes of mind-pummeling stuff]...but to take it out on someone who's there to see you, well that's a big faux paus, a rather large, stinky, no-no of a t*rd.

He is still one of the baddest bad-arses ever, tho...this is not in question, nor is it open for discussion [img]wink.gif[/img] . Check out the Scofield discs - 'nuff said. He does some busy stuff & some of his blazing licks on there, but man, that pocket is steaming along like a groovin' freight train.

Forget the clinics [which are cool in & of themselves, & "are what they are"], where one is bound to show at least some repetition. Even VC & DW, altho they tend to orchestrate things differently most of the time. Check him [DC] in recorded & band situations. That Scof stuff [Blue Matter, Loud Jazz, Pick Hits Live Tokyo] - sheesh. Clinics are always ging to incorporate the "drummy stuff"...we should all know & be at ease with this understanding by now. ;P So it's really no big deal to me that DC "has his ways of doing those things he does." He is still a fine musician. Big, phat, groovaliscious feel.

But in no way does this ever excuse any of this type of behaviour.

I have to admit when I last saw him, after the show he was a bit "stand-offish" to some...he wasn't rude, but there seemed to be something there...

I have seen Gregg, Ashbaugh, & Mang many times, & they would never dream of acting in such a manner.

Quote:

---

People treat stars differently -- that's why they keep that kind of attitude.
They demand it/we give it to them/they demand it/ etc

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">True, that.

Quote:

---

Have you ever thought that incredible technique is not [necessarily] the product of an ordered mind but [also] the outcome of insecurities and we should not expect our heroes to always be well balanced individuals

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I like that, AE! Sometimes genius does "come with a price," doesn't it!

Quote:

---

I'm just playing drums. It's not like it matters or affects the world." Why not have a positive attitude and keep the ego in check? We're not doing brain surgery here

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I completeyly agree with your ultimate thought, here, except to say that miusic is somewhat an important, driving force in life, but in "the scale of things" extremely important, total agreement there.

Quote:

---

But, let's not treat him like a criminal ! We all make stupid mistakes. Even on our board, every once and a while, we come out with some unreflected comments once and a while

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What?! Me?! NEVerrrrr [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Hey Weck'sMech...you can go with me to a clinic any day! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 26, 2005 11:06 PM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

Klemme.... I second that. The dude is a bad mofo on Scofields CD, no doubt.

Fuse..... Seeing as how musicians are usually a pretty laxed/swirly/earthy bunch, I don't think any rough housing would be ness. But don't worry buddy, I got your back!! [img]wink.gif[/img]

Andy Edwards said......

"Have you ever thought that incredible technique is not the product of an ordered mind but the outcome of insecurities and we should not expect our heroes to always be well balanced individuals"

I think you have a point here. But it goes many ways. I think our other influences (i.e. how we drive a car, weather we practice martial arts as Vinnie and Buddy both did, did or do drugs, or how we were raised) in our lifes greatly effect our playing and interpretation.

Not to be confused as such, but, look at the movie Rain Man and Dustin Hoffmans character of an Idiot Savant. Could count cards (or anything for that matter) in an un-human fashion, but was certainly not the stellar social man.

Jaco Pastorius comes to mind.

I remember a sad story Bisonette told me once about the week before he died. Greg said he had talked with Steve Smith who was gigging in Florida that week also where Jaco was. I guess Steve saw Jaco walking down the street pushing a shopping cart with a ghetto blaster playing Weather Report amongst the people walking down the sidewalk. Jaco was yelling at people saying, "HEY MAN!!! THATS ME MAN!!!" in a delirious fashion. I guess Steve stopped the limo he was in and picked up Jaco and tried to calm him down.

As we all know.. later that week, he was killed by a bouncer when he was beligerant and probably wasted out of his mind. Certainly not a reason for a musclehead to pick on such a scrawny guy to that level, but it happened..........

A genius on the bass that will never be repeated, but none the less, a little off to say the least.

This, "hey, play some more" all brings to mind the Vinnie clinic in the mid 80's on the red Yammies where he is discussing odd times and in mid sentence some goof yells out, "Play some!!"

Vinnie then immediately goes, "OK"...and walks to his kit." The tone of Vinne was, "Dude...chill, I'm getting to that, can I talk for a second here."

Pocket??

Are you talking about the Zildian Day video from like 1984?? Where someone asks him a question about keeping it together in odd time?? When Vince starts giving the "play combos of 2 and 3" advice, Then somebody yells out "show us"!!??

If so.... I thought that was always classic Vinnie. A kidding guy with a razor sharp sense of humor. He kinda reminded me of a kid that just got scolded for talking and not doing. So he immediatly says, "OK, ok.... I'm going".... then him and Landers continue to just slaughter the "time".

Love it man!!!

That's it! The sharp, quick wit and "in the moment" reflection was all Vince.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 20, 2005 02:05 AM: Message edited by: PocketPlayer ]</font>

Actually, it's from the Z-Day in NYC '87 vid.
But you guys are close enough in thought! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

After VC's played to the 1st track, it's talk time. Some guy in the audience asks Vinnie about his approach to odd-time. VC says that his approach to it is really no different than anyone else's that can play it, that he just subdivides it into groups of 2's & 3's based on what he'd heard others do in the past; he barely gets the word "past" out of his mouth when some other guy in the audience promptly interrupts by yelling out, "DO IT!!!" To which VC promptly raises his brow [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] , throws up a hand, & quickly says, "OK - I'll do it!" & heads behind the kit [to absoluitely slaughter that TL fonkay-fusion synchopated bass line in primarily 7]...it is a rather curiously funny moment, no doubt... [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 21, 2005 01:39 AM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

Talking of Vinnie's fast wit...

It always makes me laugh watching the Buddy Rich Memorial Scholorship concert when Vinnie finishes playing and addresses the crowd. Someone shouts out, (Blatently talking the piss)


"Nice suit Vinnie!"


To which he replies (as cool as a cucumber)


"Thanks, my mother and father-in-law bought it for me"...

Never quite understood wether Vinnie was being sarcastic and meant to be funny, or if he was actually telling the truth and didn't expect a laugh???

MP