Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson

[CKRed97]

Definately an amazing drummer. He has an amazingly tight pocket, as well as some pretty sick chops. I had the honor of seeing him with the Roots, and he was amazing. I'm kinda surprised that I couldn't find him on this section, because I definately feel he deserves the recognition... Look into his live stuff with the Roots, and his stuff with The Philadelphia Experiment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMZgH_I8Ar4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBBBhQUl99w

[caprisun3484]

check out the new songs on The Roots myspace page they are absolutely amazing...i promise

[Tom Sawyer]

The man is the man. Plus his afro gets him +100 Karma Points.

[Ozzy Biz]

I'm a big roots fan, and I think a lot of that has to do with ?uestlove. Also check out the stuff he did with Joshua Redman and utoob the Super-Jam thing he did with John Paul Jones (of LZ fame) and Ben Harper. Kick arse.

[Guillermo]

I have all the ROOTS albums.

His drumming is by far, one of the most important rythmic statements of the last decade... along with Drum n' Bass... his playing brought a sense of groove and a real organic sense to what previously was basicly trip hop... he was the first guys who had that sensibility in his drumming and his SOUND IS FANTASTIC.

[Ozzy Biz]

come on... ?uestlove needs more posts in his thread than this!

I'm looking forward to the new album dropping on april 29th; I've heard a few of the songs and they're kick-ass.

[pass the peas]

Blackthought may be the voice of the Roots, but to me ?uestlove IS the Roots. He's like the go-to guy, that cat that's always doing the interviews. He's on production, he's a DJ and THE drummer, as far as I'm concerned. Much love.

[caprisun3484]

what are some of your guys favorite Roots songs and ?uestlove drum parts

[rendezvous_drummer]

The Seed
In the Music
Guns are Drawn


These songs really got me into his drumming, and there's this one other song that he did with Erika Baydu I think her name is.....YOU GOT ME!! That's it! Wouldn't think it's him on the track would ye?

[khanedeliac]

The Seed
In the Music
Guns are Drawn


These songs really got me into his drumming, and there's this one other song that he did with Erika Baydu I think her name is.....YOU GOT ME!! That's it! Wouldn't think it's him on the track would ye?

Yo, rendezvous, thats the track where he busts the drum n bass cross-stick patterns at the end, phatness!!

Mellow my man
Proceed
Push up Ya Lighter
U N I verse at war
Double Trouble
Act Too (Love of my life)

All GREAT drum tracks and hip-hop records....first 2 roots albums plus their 93 EP (organix) is where they are strongest.

[zzdrummer]

I'm a big roots fan, and I think a lot of that has to do with ?uestlove. Also check out the stuff he did with Joshua Redman and utoob the Super-Jam thing he did with John Paul Jones (of LZ fame) and Ben Harper. Kick arse.

I have the album, Momentum, where he makes an appearance with Joshua and I love it, but I did not know he played with Ben Harper, which is awesome cuz I really like Ben, any idea where I could find it?

[rendezvous_drummer]

Yo, rendezvous, thats the track where he busts the drum n bass cross-stick patterns at the end, phatness!!

Mellow my man
Proceed
Push up Ya Lighter
U N I verse at war
Double Trouble
Act Too (Love of my life)

All GREAT drum tracks and hip-hop records....first 2 roots albums plus their 93 EP (organix) is where they are strongest.

You got that right! I have Phrenology, which is a really great album, but Game Theory is a favourite of mine.

[pass the peas]

what are some of your guys favorite Roots songs and ?uestlove drum parts
The whole of the Illadelph Halflife record. Excellent drum sound. I love the snare on What They Do. Dead-steady timekeeping. Perfect hi hats.

[Tutin]

Now seriously, how on earth do we pronounce ?uestlove?

[Banzai]

Now seriously, how on earth do we pronounce ?uestlove?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJWuIvJTrII



uestlove?????

[CKRed97]

Its pronounced Questlove... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRsQnxbPWME.

BTW, his drumming on the new songs on their myspace is pretty sweet. I haven't heard all of Rising Down yet, unfortunately.

[wert90]

had to search a lil while to find this....

but im here! what a drummer. my favorite drumming on a roots track has to be 'break you off', once you get half way it just develops into another great track and the drumming.... well...... now i know why they thought he was a drum machine! its incredibly tight and complex, but still grooving!

[DrummerDavid]

I have one album by the Roots..Game Theory, I like everything I have heard from them and one day plan on getting more albums...but yes...?uestlove is thee man.

[siva]

I LOVE his groove on The Seed

Anyone know which cymbals he used on the JayZ Unplugged album?

[KzSgDrummer]

There are many drummers I love to listen to and learn from, but the only one who's influencing my playing today more than ?uestlove would be Gadd. Otherwise, ?uestlove is IT for me.

And he's IT because he's simultaneously ultra modern and ultra old school -- ultra modern because he approaches the drums like a hip hop producer would their MPC (or laptop or whatever); and ultra old school because his playing absolutely drips with the influence of soul's godfathers.

Actually, skip what I just said. I only like him 'cause of his fro!

[trkdrmr]

Actually, skip what I just said. I only like him 'cause of his fro!

Not since Sib Hashian has there been so prominent a 'fro behind a kit...

[mattsdrums]

I love the last Al Green album "Lay it Down" ... his playing on that is sublime.. I never get tired of listening to anything off The Tipping Point either ...

[Banana_oil]

I saw some clips from the Fallon show and noticed that questlove plays what looks like a vintage kit with a yamaha front head. can't judge whether it's a vintage yamaha or a ludwig. Anyone who knows? Doubt that yamaha would be happy if he played a ludwig with yamaha front head...

http://cdn.theurbandaily.blackplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/the-roots-jimmy-falon.jpg

[RobertM]

I think it is definitely a Yamaha kit with a '60s style wrap finish. It would be a major no-no for him to play a Ludwig kit when he's under contract with Yamaha. The finish is probably a custom job--when you are a big enough drummer, Yamaha will do some custom things for you (particularly custom finishes).

Does anyone know what kind of snare he generally uses? On the Fallon Show, it is hard to make out. The Yamaha site says 3.5x14 brass, but I think the only Yamaha snare in this size is the Garibaldi one. Does he use one of the older, discontinued brass piccolo models by Yamaha (i.e., non-nouveau lugs)? I really love his snare sound.

[Banana_oil]

I think it is definitely a Yamaha kit with a '60s style wrap finish. It would be a major no-no for him to play a Ludwig kit when he's under contract with Yamaha. The finish is probably a custom job--when you are a big enough drummer, Yamaha will do some custom things for you (particularly custom finishes).

Does anyone know what kind of snare he generally uses? On the Fallon Show, it is hard to make out. The Yamaha site says 3.5x14 brass, but I think the only Yamaha snare in this size is the Garibaldi one. Does he use one of the older, discontinued brass piccolo models by Yamaha (i.e., non-nouveau lugs)? I really love his snare sound.

But take a look at the bass drum spurs, claws and lugs on this photo:
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2009/02/19/the-roots-cp-6279565.jpg
It' certainly looks like vintage stuff. The snare in this picture looks like a supraphonic but generally he uses the garibaldi piccolo or the old brass piccolo.

You can even see the rail mount on the bass drum on this picture:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2ox-majELpg/SbgQJhELA7I/AAAAAAAAANw/n_qAH3qNNoA/s400/the+roots+band.bmp

[RobertM]

But take a look at the bass drum spurs, claws and lugs on this photo:
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2009/02/19/the-roots-cp-6279565.jpg
It' certainly looks like vintage stuff. The snare in this picture looks like a supraphonic but generally he uses the garibaldi piccolo or the old brass piccolo.

You can even see the rail mount on the bass drum on this picture:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2ox-majELpg/SbgQJhELA7I/AAAAAAAAANw/n_qAH3qNNoA/s400/the+roots+band.bmp

Ah, very nice pictures and observations. I agree: that main snare looks like a supraphonic with the standard lugs, 5x14. The auxiliary snare I can't make it--definitely brass colored, but it too looks like a 5" depth. Hmmm.

Regarding the vintage kit, I don't know. He is using the Yamaha subkick device on the bass drum. However, take a look at this Yamaha kit from the late 1960s--could it be something like this? This kit has a similar finish with the rail mount--and after looking at your photo again, I definitely think ?uestlove may be using this Yamaha birch kit from the '60s:

[Banana_oil]

Ah, very nice pictures and observations. I agree: that main snare looks like a supraphonic with the standard lugs, 5x14. The auxiliary snare I can't make it--definitely brass colored, but it too looks like a 5" depth. Hmmm.

Regarding the vintage kit, I don't know. He is using the Yamaha subkick device on the bass drum. However, take a look at this Yamaha kit from the late 1960s--could it be something like this? This kit has a similar finish with the rail mount--and after looking at your photo again, I definitely think ?uestlove may be using this Yamaha birch kit from the '60s:

Interesting, may be so:) someone maybe can judge from the sound?

[RobertM]

Interesting, may be so:) someone maybe can judge from the sound?

Heck, we have the Internet! We should just e-mail him via his Myspace page and ask what kit he is using. I did this with Matt Chamberlain not too long ago, after seeing him play with Tori Amos. I wrote to him via Myspace and asked about his cymbals, and he wrote back in less than a day! Perhaps ?uestlove would let us know what he's playing himself!

[Banana_oil]

Heck, we have the Internet! We should just e-mail him via his Myspace page and ask what kit he is using. I did this with Matt Chamberlain not too long ago, after seeing him play with Tori Amos. I wrote to him via Myspace and asked about his cymbals, and he wrote back in less than a day! Perhaps ?uestlove would let us know what he's playing himself!

You're right! I can try reach him through okayplayer.

[zepplin92]

yeah this is guy is for sure one of the tightest drummers ive heard, hes got a real sweet pocket, hes the best part of the jimmy fallon show.

[Banana_oil]

I found this thread on okayplayer:
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=3&topic_id=183185&mesg_id=183185&page=4#183204

Quest says:
"Don' ask me why but yamaha is letting me use the 5th yamaha set ever created. from 1968. straight from the museum.

i wanna MARRY that kit.

it sounds so frigging good!

actually the new "phoenix" kit is coming and they are going to model it after the first kit.

it's their LOUDEST set ever, a combo of 5 different woods and to hit it once that shit rings LOUD

borderline to the point that you dont have to mic it (i will though)

my new kit will be ready in april."

[RollingStone000]

Get hip to it people.

?uest's youtube channel below, some cool shit on there:
http://www.youtube.com/user/qoolquest#p/a

Also, the single they put out for the delayed (again...) album How I Got Over:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Fp9vwy0T0

And live on Fallon, kicking it off with some James Brown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsKYjy5ptM

Enjoy yourselves.

[Banana_oil]

Get hip to it people.

?uest's youtube channel below, some cool shit on there:
http://www.youtube.com/user/qoolquest#p/a

Also, the single they put out for the delayed (again...) album How I Got Over:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Fp9vwy0T0

And live on Fallon, kicking it off with some James Brown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsKYjy5ptM

Enjoy yourselves.

Some cool clips, thanks!