Playing songs that have amateur drum parts to them

larryace said:
With sloppy phrased fills I would have played at age 15.
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It makes me wonder if they were much older than 15 during that recording!?

Also, that guitar solo sounds pretty amateur to me as well, but what do I know I'm just a drummer!

I can't think of any specific songs right now, but I've come across several songs that we've covered where I feel like I need to play it harder than it actually is. Listening on playback, I know something isn't quite right. Next practice I "amatuerize" it and wallah!
 
I compare that drum part to what Meg White does a lot. Not great drumming but great musicianship. Its exactly what the song needed and copying the slightly off time feel properly is as hard as learning to play it "correctly" just different. Depends on the style but if the songwriting is good enough the instrumentation is less critical.
 
We do a couple songs like that. I refer to the drumming as "primitive". But the people dance to them and they work. One is "Are you gonna be my girl" by Jet. The other is "Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys. Although the way I play Lonely Boy makes it quite challenging. I ride the ride and snare using synchronized 16th notes accenting the beat with my snare hand. It is physically demanding, but has a primitive amateurish feeling to it. I have heard comments over the years from fairly successful players, like the more schlock crud we play, the more they pay us.
 
uniongoon said:
We do a couple songs like that. I refer to the drumming as "primitive". But the people dance to them and they work. One is "Are you gonna be my girl" by Jet...
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Man, that drumming is kick ass. I was listening to it yesterday and really loving the energy that drummer put into the song. It has none of the staleness of most of today's music and really gives the song a lot of push and feel. I could just hear how into playing it he was and how he laid into the drums.

If we're calling that amateur, then I must disagree from a personal view.
 
Maybe I should clarify...I don't mean the term amateur as a negative, just the way I perceive it. I mean that's no Steve Jordan on that track. I don't know that anyone could improve that drum track for me, even Steve or Stanton, it's beautiful just the way it is.
 
larryace said:
Maybe I should clarify...I don't mean the term amateur as a negative, just the way I perceive it. I mean that's no Steve Jordan on that track. I don't know that anyone could improve that drum track for me, even Steve or Stanton, it's beautiful just the way it is.
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And being pros, they would know better than to try and mess with it.

You might be surprised how many of our technical and funky drum heroes know how - and are perfectly willing - to lay down a simple beat when it serves the song best. You might be surprised that some of those guys get called at all, but they do. One unfortunate such techincal demon was called by an unsuspecting producer to play a groove. I'm sure the guy thought this drummer was capable of knowing what to play, even if it wasn't the usual fireworks he's known for. He wasn't, and the producer lamented calling him and feels silly for assuming... well, you know, ass u me.

Bermuda
 
Stop thinking like a drummer and think like a musician.

We are merely a part of the whole, that whole being the song. It is the overall sound of the song that cuts it, or not.

If a song needs 1 note or 100 notes to make it right, that is what it needs. Just because a musician knows 100 notes/fills does not mean they have to use them all in every song.

I think a lot of us are turning into guitarists, and you know how they like to show off there chops. All the time.......
 
My band played Louie Louie. A great song. I never played the original 'drummers' way, for I didn't like it. Whether it was amateur or not wasn't the factor, it just didn't sound good to me. I preferred my way, because it felt better and I thought sounded better, to me. The beauty of a cover band is to make the songs your own. I disagree with many cover band philosophies that want to make everything sound exactly like the original.
 
Don't forget the guitar solo in Louie Louie is pretty "amateurish" also. I wonder if the guitar forum has a similar thread there? LOL

It's just one of those party type songs that was probably recorded in very few takes and had minimal producing.

BTW - the lyrics make no sense. In my band back in the 80s, we used to make up lyrics and verses as we went. Nobody knows what they are saying anyway, so you can basically do whatever you want with that song.
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
listen to every Clash, Sex Pistols, Misfits, White Stripes, Black Keys, Nirvana, and tons of other bands records and you will get the same thing

I don't think it makes them any less awesome or amateur at all

it makes them what they are

if every song had Vinnie Colaiuta on drums I would probably hate music

and Vinnie is a god to me
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Nirvana??? I don't think anyone considers Dave Grohl an "amateur drummer."
 
Somewhat differ perspective....I find interesting to observe bands delelopments thru there carrier(ie: late teenage 60's garage band developing into strong mature master players!). Denis
 
I think all larry is trying to say is, "I'm better than all these amateur drummers who played on these songs and I don't know if I should just go ahead and 'fix' their parts or lower myself to their crappy standards and play what they played just so it sounds authentic."



(Just kidding, larry. I had to. I couldn't resist) :)
 
inneedofgrace said:
BTW - the lyrics make no sense. In my band back in the 80s, we used to make up lyrics and verses as we went. Nobody knows what they are saying anyway, so you can basically do whatever you want with that song.
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It's a song that depicts guy talking to his bartender. Louie is the bartender. Here's a YT link to the original. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-2CKsaq5r8 I find it hilarious. It's done by Richard Berry. Extremely easy to hear the words though. Features a human voice bass line. As far as I can tell, there's no bass guitar.


Louie Louie, me gotta go
Louie, Louie, me gotta go

Fine little girl
She wait for me
Me catch the ship
Across the sea
I sail the ship
All alone
I never think
I make it home


Louie Louie, me gotta go
Louie, Louie, me gotta go

Three nights and days
Me sail the sea
Me think of girl
Constantly
On the ship
I dream she there
I smell the roses
In her hair

Louie Louie, me gotta go
Well Louie, Louie, me gotta go

Me see Jamaica
Moon above
It won't be long
Me see me love
Me take her in
My arms and then
I tell I...I never leave again

Louie Louie, Well, me gotta go
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
I say me gotta go
Yes me gotta go
Well, me gotta go
 
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Here's an appropriate image for the thread:

419066_3178235468899_1656023782_2651485_666312122_n.jpg
 
8Mile said:
I think all larry is trying to say is, "I'm better than all these amateur drummers who played on these songs and I don't know if I should just go ahead and 'fix' their parts or lower myself to their crappy standards and play what they played just so it sounds authentic."



(Just kidding, larry. I had to. I couldn't resist) :)
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This. This is what I really want to say. I wipe my feet on amateur drummers like that. Everyday I am amazed by the greatness that is ME!

:)
 
larryace said:
This. This is what I really want to say. I wipe my feet on amateur drummers like that. Everyday I am amazed by the greatness that is ME!

:)
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I think you're under selling yourself a touch Larry ;)

In general, the only thing that's beneath me, is the drum throne. I never "fix" drum parts when I'm covering a tune, but I do replace/augment them if I like my interpretation better. That either flies, or it bombs, depending on the focus of the band/act.

On a more general level, I absolutely love playing at "cruise control" level, just as much as I like being stretched from time to time. Knocking out a simple rocker, is just the most fun I can have with my cloths on. I'm on auto pilot, & that gives me time to scan for gyrating chicks, & ad lib little touches that tickle my mojo buttons.
 
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