Vinnie's favourite song....

I bet you've all read and re-read everything about Vinnie countless times - like me?
I was re-reading one of his Modern Drummer interviews this morning, when this quote jumped out at me:
RF: Is there a particular kind of music you enjoy playing the most?

VC: Good, and that's it. Good music. Everything that's good. There are so many kinds of music that I dig and there are certain things that hit me emotionally, like the Beatles' song "Martha My Dear," which is probably my favorite tune. I dig the time that's on there. It's not a drum concerto or anything, but who gives a shit? It's a great piece of music and I could never play that, or anyone else, better than Ringo did. He played it and that was it and that's the only way it's going to be. But if I were playing that particular piece of music, I'd enjoy the hell out of it!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

I must have read this a 100 times, and yet it's only just hit home that the greatest drummer alive today( can of worms opening there, with all of the huge arsenal of chops'n tricks available to him, feels that one of the most simplistic songs ever recorded has such a resonance with him!

Remember, its just like you said. It's a SONG, not a drum solo. And therefore the drumming needs to "complement" rather than stand out and turn it into a "me me me... look at my chops" thang.

I've always loved "Tempted by the fruit of another" from Squeeze. Another one of those tunes that were incredibly simplistic, but when he laid down those grooves, they were set in molten metal. Just a solid groove and a great, simplistic tune.

ugghhhh..... groove. Love it!!

Paul McCartney buried those rumors!!
-Said there was nothing to it!

I guess the only one believing it now is Bernard.
Not to take ANYTHING away from what he really did record. Awesome pocket!!
mY PERSONAL Purdie moment would be "Babylon Sisters"!

Quote:

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Originally posted by natdrum:
[QB]Two questions guys:

1) Have you guys heard of the Bernard Purdie controversy? Apparently at a drum clinic he claimed it was him who laid down many tracks for the Beatles. Maybe he played on Martha My Dear?
QB]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes. Bernard talks about it at some length in Max Weinberg's book, "The Big Beat" although, he wouldn't mention which tunes he actually played on.

Apparently he's under the delusion that someday he's going to sell this story and make a fortune. Most people think he's full of S. I do too. But then again, who's to say.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 20, 2005 01:02 PM: Message edited by: GrooovePig ]</font>

The Bernard thing is well known to be a pack of lies. Most of what he claimed would have been impossible with the technology available at the time. It is well known that Paul and John played drums on some Beatles tracks.

Ya think maybe Purdie recorded them and one of the Beatles re-recorded it later? Could that be? I don't know, why would he lie about something that big?

"Truth is stranger than fiction"

Maybe its not so far fetched that Bernard was there for the orginal recordings. Don't you guys think (at one point) the Beatles had enough money to pay Bernard not to say anything? Just speculating, not trying to add baking soda to a bottle of vinegar and then shaking it up and throwing it from a balcony to hear it explode...but that was really fun last night! Anyhow, the stuff that Ringo played that is beyond a shadow of doubt is classic. My personal favorite is the Long and Winding Road.

There was a great book called "The Beatles Recording Sessions" that is now out of print. It detailed EVERY session, who was there, who did what, where the edits were, the speed of the tape, etc. Purdie is never mentioned.

Plus, you can tell if you're REALLY familiar with the Beatles WHO played drums on WHICH tune. Ringo played on almost EVERYTHING (although at times Paul and John told him WHAT to play) and Paul played on only a couple (like Back in the USSR).

Their first single, "Love Me Do" had a session drummer on it (not Purdie) but the album version had Ringo on it.

Quote:

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Originally posted by JohnDrum:
the Beatles' song "Martha My Dear"

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cool that you managed to dig out that fun fact [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] Always good to know.

Two questions guys:

1) Have you guys heard of the Bernard Purdie controversy? Apparently at a drum clinic he claimed it was him who laid down many tracks for the Beatles. Maybe he played on Martha My Dear?
2) Who played drums on that Squeeze song aforementioned?

Well, my favorite Vinnie song(and Jim Keltners too btw) is "Night Shift" by The Commodores.

Because this one "hits me emotionally" every time I hear it. I can just picture him sitting there in the studio laying it down....very Vinnie-esque...it'll surprise you.

I know that's not what the topic was about, but I'll just play dumb in order to share this with you all... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Nat, Tempted is from 'East Side Story' and it's Gilson Lavis on drums. Gilson is currently touring the UK with The Jools Holland Big Band.

I have that Abbey Road studio diary you're talking about, DSOP. You're right, Purdie's name isn't anymore mentioned in that book than yours or mine is. I always thought in the 60s Purdie was a studio guy on one of the coasts. When could he ever leave his busy schedule (4000 albums and counting) in the States and do sessions for 11 Beatles' songs (which is how many he claimed he did) in a dreary basement in London where, surprisingly, they recorded 99% of their music at such a notoriously slow rate that 11 songs would've messed with Purdie's book for months plus he'd have to be overseas to accomplish it.

Historical note: Hey Jude was not recorded at Abbey Road, but Olympic (where many Hendrix, Stones, Who and Zeppelin albums were made) and they did a week at Twickenham during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. At the time Ringo had recently added a second rack tom.

And Purdie, I think you're brilliant, but pipe down about that Beatles stuff. Everybody knows Paul would've re-done the tracks on drums himself if they weren't up to snuff. [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 23, 2005 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Five Eight ]</font>

Nice post Mr five eight. where can we get that book of yours? you seem to have a real historical background. ive read all of your posts lurking here for a long time and enjoyed your knowledge of music, especially certain personalities like Bonham. keep em coming!

I recorded the Beatles tracks myself. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

FT - so YOU'RE the one who may have replaced MY tracks [after BP's]?!

*Phhhhpphhhffft*...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 25, 2005 03:32 PM: Message edited by: got_a_matchgrip? ]</font>

I LOVE Nightshift. Great vibe. Kinda reminds me of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature". Was that Jeff on "Human Nature"?

Natdrum....

I prefer dry ice in an empty 2 litre soda bottle, with just a little water.

BOOM!!!

LOL!!

Too funny man!!

(somebody call homeland security quick [img]wink.gif[/img] )

The Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn is available at Amazon.com starting at around $30. A second Lewisohn book The Beatles Complete Chronicle is also worth having.

John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums by Chris Welch is one of several good books Welch has written about LedZep.

Amazon.com has them all.