Phil Rudd

bigbang said:
i'm sorry guy's but i take exception to this ... i have worked long and hard ( as probably many of you have) to get to the cusp of being fairly professional only to have people praise a guy that keeps 2&4 mediocrely. It's like a meg white arguement.Just because they are in a popular band they get the world of drummers thrown at their feet.This really pisses me off.And don't say that he SERVES the music 'cause there is plenty of space in acdc's songs that a good fill would augment the song...

I've seen dozens of bands do AC-DC cover tunes, it's amazing how nobody ever really mimics Phils groove. Most of the players, even an AC-DC tribute band I've seen, throw in that seemingly good augmenting fill or too busy on the bass drum or whatever only to completely destroy the feel of the song. Just an observation, not trying to be argumentative.
I got to see Phil with AC-DC in 1979, when Bon Scott was still around. Kewl.
 
Layin' out a very solid groove, that's what he's all about.

I also saw them live, and you can tell that he's in charge back there.
 
I would say that Phil was not one of my favorite drummers but I also grew up in the era of greats such as Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford, John Bonham,Neil Peart and Stewart Copeland . I am not going to cut Phil down as the music that he played served the interests of AC/DC and not Phil Rudd. He appears to be more comfortable as a "team" player. Kind of like Charlie Watts for the "Rolling Stones".
 
bigbang said:
i'm sorry guy's but i take exception to this ... i have worked long and hard ( as probably many of you have) to get to the cusp of being fairly professional only to have people praise a guy that keeps 2&4 mediocrely. It's like a meg white arguement.Just because they are in a popular band they get the world of drummers thrown at their feet.This really pisses me off.And don't say that he SERVES the music 'cause there is plenty of space in acdc's songs that a good fill would augment the song...

Not putting fills in all of the empty spaces in their music is the whole point of why he is a great drummer. He understands letting the music flow and not taking away from the groove by playing to busy. Just like Ringo, Charlie Watts, and Larry Mullens Jr.
 
just got the "stiff upper lip" dvd. very cool to watch him drumming, as he uses those cool black sticks metal drummers use. his drumming on the dvd is just as good, if not even more perfect for the music. and his kit sounds really good as well.
 
Bigbang I don't agree with you. There are a lot of drummers out there that only play what the music calls for and you don't get to see their entire range or skill sets. Charlie Watts, Steve Smith and Phill Rudd are just a few. Phill keeps solid time and does not over play he fits in. Steve Smith in the Journey days played what the music required and so does Charlie Watts.

Watched a music video of the Stones and AC/DC (well Angus and Malcom) playing some R&B together. Well you could tell the dif in Charlie right away. He has an interest in Jazz so I have read and it showed. He was letting it "Swing" and sounded great. He was smiling ear to ear which you never see with the typical Stones songs....

Big Fills, Smoke, Fire, and acid rain are great but there is something about a drummer who lays down a solid groove that is crisp and clean (ie Rick Latham, or Purdie) that is the mark of a real pro IMHO....
 
Yes Phil is a fantastic drummer just because he doesn't overplay what some people love to see in songs today. It is wrong to say that he is bad because he isn't! For instance ok it may not be the flashiest drum beat in the world but i think the intro to High Voltage kicks ass! He also has very good stamina as he can keep 'Whole lotta Rosie' and 'Let there be Rock' goin constantly on the hi-hats at that speed for that long, which i find quite difficult. Chris Slade was also a good example of a solid drummer who could lay down a groove! Listen to Fire Your guns on Live in Donnington man this guy has stamina!
 
I've always said that Rudd's drumming was (at least almost) as important to the overall AC/DC sound as Angus and Malcolm's guitar work. Sure they went through that period without him okay, but for me it just wasn't the real AC/DC until Phil rejoined.
 
Yeah AC/DC is one of my favorite groups...............He lays the line for the beat. Phil is the best I have ever heard for keepin a solid foundation for music. Wow if I could just have the Sonar custom drumset he has........................

mlaugh
 
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Not a idol status drummer but still able to keep a beat and he does define the word solid.
 
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LOL this is funny.. On another forum I am on there was a thread there about back in black. So today I pulled out all my AC DC cds and played to em all..

Yep Excellent Drummer...

Mike
 
Well, in the wonderfully subjective world of music, I get to not like this guy's playing. I like a little dynamics in music and this guy makes a living off this basic rock beat that anyone can play. He should be good at it, it's all he does. No thanks. Very overrated band IMO.
 
To bad he was gone from AC/DC for so long. He is back now but for the longest time it was Chris Slade and someone else I can't remember. The Razors edge was recorded using Chris Slade. Not that he wasn't a good drummer, but he was no Phil Rudd. I doubt rudd has ever used a splash in his life.

Simon Wright is someone else you can't remember. He also played with DIO for a short. Chris Slade is no Phil Rudd, sure, but his resume is equally if not more impressive (the Firm, Manfred Mann just to mention a couple).....

Back to Phil........
 
Phil is the man!

My teacher wanted to teach me "Rock and Roll aint Noise Pollution" and I was hesitant. I thought it would be very boring.

He told me to play it just as it is. As close to note for note as possible.

He explained that it is a difficult song to play because of the tempo. The tempo is in the middle of fast and slow, and therefore the groove is hard to feel.

It is an easy song technically to play, but to keep a solid, simple groove locked in with so much space is a bit of a chore. Phil makes it sound so good.

ACDC rocks with the most basic of guitar, bass and drum parts yet sounds so great.
 
yeah, phil is super.. one of the best.
when i was a kid, i used to stare at the back cover of the "if you want blood album" for hours. i love his hi hat sound.
he is probably the reason i use sonor drums today!
the footage of him at a "rock goes to college" gig in 1978 is superb.
 
yeah, phil is super.. one of the best.
when i was a kid, i used to stare at the back cover of the "if you want blood album" for hours. i love his hi hat sound.
he is probably the reason i use sonor drums today!
the footage of him at a "rock goes to college" gig in 1978 is superb.

Yeah, that drum set shot was bad ass.
 
Re: Drummer From Ac/Dc

That's just how he chose to start off the song.

Hopefully this doesn't turn into a:

- Why does he play the same beat every song?

- Why does he almost never play fills in every song?

- Why when he does play a fill is it always the same in every song?

thread.
 
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