Dennis Miller

[PocketPlayer]

Was flipping the channels Sunday night and caught Dennis Miller on his talk head show on either CNBC or one of those channels.



The theme was kickin' and the drums were great. This might be a programmed drum track, but even so, the fills were great as were the hi-hat stuff and the drum sound. Normally I don't really notice this stuff, but I immediately dug this theme and the fills made me drop whatever I was doing and start pounding my leg to figure them out.

Anybody have any idea who played this or where the theme comes from?

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 16, 2004 01:40 AM: Message edited by: PocketPlayer ]</font>

[Vdrummer]

I wish you'd have posted this a month ago when I was doing an article for Drum! - in which I transcribed cool drum parts from TV shows! I'd have probably done that theme and really want to hear it now. I came up with lots of interesting grooves and fills, (including some Vinnie). I could easily have written another dozen excerpts but was constrained by length. It should be out soon if you're interested.

BTW, if anyone posts a link to this DM theme (I keep thinking of the old Tears for Fears one) - I'll be happy to transcribe for you guys!

Brad

[BennyAndTheSkins]

Great talk show, (of course Dennis now has a decidedly conservative point of view, after 9/11, but he's a cool host)

Remember the old show, back in 92, when Chad Wackerman was the drummer?

[PocketPlayer]

Hey V,
How about that article? I'd love to read it! I have written Modern Drummer several times to add a section to the "update" portion of the mag and include jingles. I'd love to hear about past shows--recently found out Greg B has done Friends for almost ten years. What about the drummer for Chips? I love seeing Marty Paich as arranger & Joe Porcaro on percussion for Hawaii Five-O, Mannix, Ironside, The Bionic Woman, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man and Wonder Woman.

There are many commercials (most seem made on a drum machine of sorts) but several really stand out having a great sound, feel, and fills.

Jeff Porcaro made a hilarious statement once on TV Commercials:
"Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better," which was the first record out with Syndrums on it. I did those four records in a one-month period. Right after that I saw a Ford commercial with Syndrums, and I threw up my hands and said, "Okay, that's it." As soon as you hear something on a TV commercial, it's Mattel. It's a toy."

Back to Dennis Miller...whoever either programmed or played on that track did some hi-hat fills that were crazy, leading into these very "unlike TV" fills. This was no cheesy little background tune. Now I only heard the thing barely twice flipping and it was at the end of the show, but that's the only reason I watched the last few minutes...to catch that theme. I don't have cable TV...not much for the boob tube, so if anyone can catch this. I don't know if DM is on every night or this was a weekend gig for him.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 16, 2004 03:39 PM: Message edited by: PocketPlayer ]</font>

[Clintuplet]

Cool post PP.
BennyAndTheSkins wrote:
"Remember the old show, back in 92, when Chad Wackerman was the drummer?"

I used to watch it religiously just for the theme music. If memory serves, Andy Summers was the band leader and quit. Wackerman took over for awhile. I remember seeing Toss Panos sitting in for Chad a few times.

[Vdrummer]

You should be pleased with some of the tunes in the Drum! article then - assuming they weren't edited for length. It should be out next month.

Peace,

Brad