The Grand Master Buddy Rich

Re: The Grand Master BR

CadaveR (Ivo) said:
Yup, I knew it. I'm also a big fan of him. :)

There's not one single drummer so far that could do EVERYTHING that Buddy could (let alone MUCH MORE...). ;-)

- Ivo.

There's no single drummer that can do anything Buddy didn't already do, 1,000 times.
 
Re: The Grand Master BR

Henry II said:
There's no single drummer that can do anything Buddy didn't already do, 1,000 times.

Absolutely, man!!! And there's still some people sayin' that he (Buddy, of course) could NOT be musical!!! Hehe... what a nonsense bulls*** it is...

Other drummers I also enjoy (and who posses some - and JUST some -) similarities in terms of talent with Buddy Rich: Joe Morello (great/excellent! technique, but not quite such an outstanding player as Rich), Dennis Chambers (technique, "huge hands", extremely fast with the hands and great creativity in general!!! A very funky and mastered drummer!!), Chick Webb, Steve Gadd (fantastic grooves, feelings while playin' and body movements), Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Art Verdi, Mike Mangini (the world's funniest drummer EVER.. the guy is the dumbest drummer to ever seat on a drum set!!! Heh), Dave Weckl (fantastic technique and motion/speed control of any kind), Vinnie Colaiuta (fantastic drummer in almost/virtually every single rhythm in existence), Virgil Donati (great speed!, excellent technique and pretty interesting stick tricks), Thomas Lang (very similar to Virgil in terms of drumming atributes...), Hellhammer (Mayhem's - and for MANY other xtreme metal bands - drummer, the unique metal drummer to ever be graced with such honour - how how how... - insane double bass technique-and-speed ;-)) and Eloy Casagrande (QUITE young but EXTREMELY promising as a talent!!!), "etc".

I think that's a short and pretty cool list to hold as an influence to any drummer's help. At least that's how I understand all the drummers that I talk about above. Of course there are MANY others but I could'nt think of anything better when considering a shorter list of essential names which receive influence from.

- Ivo.
 
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Re: The Grand Master BR

Henry II said:
There's no single drummer that can do anything Buddy didn't already do, 1,000 times.

What an outrageously untrue statement. Why do people bother saying such things?
 
The man was one of the few artists in the world that God just said, "you're going to do that." I am amazed at the things I see him do and really believe that he could do anything that any drummer could do, as can the rest of us. Buddy just seemed to have that natural ability to more or less do whatever but there's nothing wrong with the rest of us doing what we do when we can.

While he was a master technician and could swing like no one he still cannot escape the realm of subjectivity. While I am always amazed at what he can do I can say that I prefer other drummers and their soloing abities as well as their groove, depending on the style of music, that is. I've never been too fond of watching guys just "go for it" with their single stroke rolls. Buddy and Ed Shaughnessy's battle for example was great but after 2 or 3 exchanges it got old. I'd rather watch drummers like Horacio Hernandez, Thomas Lang, Terry Bozzio or Bobby Rock who do a lot of ostinatos with their feet while they play with their hands, either solos or grooves. It's not just the challenge of 4-way independence but also the fact that it makes the kit sound more orchestral. After while a speed fest sounds like typing and how many of us sit there are day watching people type in the office?

Don' t get me wrong though, I still love whipping out the old videos and checking him out but I also think there are times to move forward and allow ourselves to witness the growth of the instrument. There's nothing wrong with admiring those that are here now as well as seeing them in the same light as Buddy. There's a lot of drummers, even in Buddy's time that were special and to just bow to this guy like he's God Almighty, I don't see the point. I guess I just feel for the kids who never got to see him live. I was really young at the time but I did get to see him play live once and it was indeed awesome. But to tell you all the truth, I've gotten the same thrill in watching some of the drummers today that are also doing things that a lot of us cannot do.

I guess all we can do is keep the discussion going. But again, Buddy was indeed special.
 
Sorry, I just don't like him. I know this is heresy, but his style has no musical quality to me. Very fast, precise, outstanding stick control (to say the least), but to my ear not musical.

Just my opinion, undoubtedly unpopular.
 
Sure, Buddy Rich was great. But to say that he was the best ever is strictly a matter of opinion.

I saw Billy Cobham in the '70s when he was in his heyday, and I think that he was every bit as good as Buddy Rich. That's my opinion.
 
Heretic said:
Sorry, I just don't like him. I know this is heresy, but his style has no musical quality to me. Very fast, precise, outstanding stick control (to say the least), but to my ear not musical.

Just my opinion, undoubtedly unpopular.

Anyone who listens to Buddy Rich and hears only speed, precision and stick control, just isn't hearing Buddy Rich. Buddy was the greatest musician to ever sit behind a drum kit, and one of the greatest musicians of any instrument, ever.

When you think of the greatest musicians in history, the true masters of their instruments, who do you think of? Jascha Heifetz, Vladamir Horowitz (or Arthur Rubinstein), Andres Segovia, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Charlie Parker?

Buddy Rich was every bit as great a musician as any of them!
 
Henry II said:
Anyone who listens to Buddy Rich and hears only speed, precision and stick control, just isn't hearing Buddy Rich. Buddy was the greatest musician to ever sit behind a drum kit, and one of the greatest musicians of any instrument, ever.

When you think of the greatest musicians in history, the true masters of their instruments, who do you think of? Jascha Heifetz, Vladamir Horowitz (or Arthur Rubinstein), Andres Segovia, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Charlie Parker?

Buddy Rich was every bit as great a musician as any of them!

I may be wrong but this post is somewhat familiar to me...

- Ivo.
 
DogBreath said:
I've heard that people have started playing drums in other countries, too.

Sorry if it came across as xenophobic or silly. What I meant was U.S. drummers are "mostly" drumset players and jazz drumming started here. I was thinking along the lines of Steve Smith's "U.S. Beat" concept.
 
Buddy Rich on Bonham

Read an interesting quote from Buddy Rich in an article from on the more recent issues of Modern Drummer.

I can't recall the name of the drummer who the article was about but in it he mentions that in the 70's he asked Buddy what he thought about Bonham. Buddy according to the article proceeded to sit down at the kit and do a spot on perfect impersonation of Bonzo and then looked up and said...."John Bonham?.....anybody can do that"

Discuss........................
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

hahaha, that's just the sort of person buddy is, i read in a book that buddy rich was a major influence over bonham.... intriging, is it not?
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

I also read that article and I'm not that suprised that Buddy could do an impersonation of Bonham It is not that hard for somebody that good to do an impersonation of a fellow drummer.
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

okay...while i don't doubt buddy's talent and that he probably could do something like that i must make a few observations:

1) the drummer who watched buddy made his own subjective judgement of buddy's bonzo impersonation. buddy may have only closely copied bonham.

2) copying a groove is very different from making one up. so i'm not that impressed.

3) the fact that buddy was aware enough of bonzo to be able to copy his playing is quite an endorsement of bonham's skill. although, from what i have seen of BR, he would never admit to it, he probably deep inside admired bonham.

j
 
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Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

3 words for u nutha; very well said
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

I think if I had Buddy's technical skill I would also look at the drumming of Bonham as fairly elementary.......

I'm not knocking Bonham....I appreciate his rare talent and understand why he is so influential...but if I were Buddy..............
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

Both kings in their own right, but neither had the other's exact skill set. To me this is merely hearsay.
"A" read an article written by "B" interviewing "C" who mentioned "D" said "X" about "E". I suspect some data loss in this transfer.
 
Re: Buddy Rich on Bonham

It all depends, since they are each good, but it different aspects. Buddy Rich is considered to have had the fastest hands ever; indeed, no one can even mimic his speed. Rich is also considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. Bonzo is considered the greatest rock drummer by many (including myself) and is noted for innovative grooves, thunderous sound, lightning fast right foot, and his epic soloing abilites, as he could solo for almost a half hour and still maintain the crowd's attention. When it comes down to it, the two are separated by genre, but in terms of technicality, Bonzo seems to be ahead. Consider this: How many people listen to Led Zeppelin? Now after considering the staggering number, consider this: How many people listen to Buddy Rich? Probably not as much as those who listen to Led Zeppelin. Bonham continues to inspire generations of rock fans, and while Buddy Rich inspires people to get added speed and creativity, John Bonham inspires people to play. Led Zeppelin itself (which is the main reason Bonham is known, other than the Yardbirds) is probably about as inspirational as all of Buddy Rich's project's thrown together, due to the amount of peopl Bonham was able to affect. In terms of skillty, I cannot tell. Feel free to scourge, devour, and rip apart this post at your own disposal.

- Marc
 
CadaveR (Ivo) said:
I may be wrong but this post is somewhat familiar to me...

- Ivo.

Yeah, I posted it before but I couldn't find it again in 178 posts, so I just wrote it again.
 
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