Re: YIN YANG THING!!
Is there not a reason for everything that happens, whether we know it or not? Purpose, on the other hand...
I didn't phrase that well and made it look as though I was disagreeing. Actually I was just boiling it down.
I like this example. It seems very fitting because while I don't play with chimps, I do play with some close relatives of theirs known as "chumps" and that's exactly how I approach playing with them: they plink away on their little strings or whatever doing who-knows-what while I try to hold down a beat - although, perhaps curiously, it is me that's making the grunting noises (hmmm, better look into that...).
In an ideal world we're not playing with chimps or chumps, but with champs
Is GD your father? hehe
Moving back to the topic at hand ... my thoughts on Yin & Yang and music have generally been more more drum-centred. It occurred to me while watching an Aaron Spears video one time that his playing was intensely masculine - full of power and speed in what I see as a classic male display. I remember being knocked out by Rob Hirst's drumming in my teens - all power, speed and biceps, with mucho sweat. It was a pretty sexy display from this side of the fence.
Then I thought about the women drummers I've heard, not to mention my own drumming, and a lot of us (including me) seem to be influenced by the fact that nearly all prominent modern drummers of my era were men. So you get "monster" female players like Terri-Lynne Carrington and Cindy Blackman, who basically play like guys (the equivalent of the power suit in the corporate world).
Exceptions are Moe Tucker and Meg, whose playing I see as clearly feminine in approach, in that there's zero "display" and zero ego. It's 100% about supporting the song the other musicians ... they don't even try to slip in any sneaky clever bits, which is something I try to do (with varying success). It definitely feels good when I lay back with an ostinato and let everyone else ride over it, though.
Not saying "this is good and that is bad" - just noticing. It's all good IMO