Phil Rudd

In fact, Im fairly certain they do, or at the very least, Mike does on some of their stuff.

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This is a shot I took behind Mikes kit. You can just make out a pad under his chimes to the left - Which, if memory serves me correctly, acts as a tap-tempo device for his in-ears.

Your memory does not serve you correctly. That pad triggers a cowbell sound that is only fed to the band members' in-ear monitors, and he uses it to count in songs without the audience hearing it. It does not set the tempo for a click track (with all the odd-time stuff they do, he really couldn't use anything with a simple tap-tempo function anyway, they'd have to use pre-programmed sequences).
 
I think the Solid deep Sound is the result of the Tuning. He is just another time keeper to me.
If he plays on an un tuned snare the sound would be crappy but the time keeping would be awsome.
 
well, since this is a thread about phil rudd, i might as well comment


one may ask, what makes phil rudd such a unique drummer in his own right?

i personally think, that sometimes simple is better. and rudd never drifts too far from the old 4/4 rock beat.

his fills are simple, his accents predictable... and i think thats what makes phil rudd such a decent drummer

his ability to keep solid time and add accents excactly when needed keeps bands like ac/dc afloat
 
...and a ride cymbal on, Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round To Be A Millionaire), The Jack (take from High Voltage).
 
Not sure why phil would have 7 crashes because when i saw ac/dc back in november he only really used 4 of them. As for the sizes i don't know maybe he just really likes the 19 and 20.
 
i don't really understand what is so special about rudd. the only thing he gets props is because he keeps it simple and of course has a very steady and solid beat but explain which professional drummer doesn't keep a steady beat?
 
I know what you mean, Casp3. Chris Franz of Talking Heads is about the only drummer I can think of who plays such simple rock beats and even Chris shows a lot more variety!

Still, I heard that ACDC had Chris Slade drumming with them for a while and he did some very nice playing with Manfred Mann's Earth Band. A good player. Yet, when Phil Rudd returned the other Accadacca members reckoned it brought something back to the band that was missing.

Maybe his simplicity is what they wanted - no adornment, just the straight beat. Also his energy. Exactly what "fire" and "energy" is is hard to put your finger on. I guess technically it means a particular combination of dynamics and the relation of your playing to the beat.

I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If a band and its fans think the band is kicking a*** with a certain drummer, then the drummer must be doing something right.
 
i don't really understand what is so special about rudd. the only thing he gets props is because he keeps it simple and of course has a very steady and solid beat but explain which professional drummer doesn't keep a steady beat?

Name one professional drummer who does it just like THAT!! If you've followed ACDC you know they've used other drummers when Rudd left, it was no where NEAR the same.

What Rudd has you can't quantify, you can't catalog it, or show a friend. He has that magical something that fits in so well with ACDC that NO other drummer will be as good with the band.

There are bands that get new drummers for whatever reason, and it doesn't matter, it might even be an IMPROVEMENT, but technically "better" drummers have done Rudd's gig, and it was NOT as good.

There's no technical reason for it yet it IS so. THAT'S that special something coming through. You can't BUY it, or make someone else "get it" but it exists in Rudd's playing with ACDC.
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I know what you mean, Casp3. Chris Franz of Talking Heads is about the only drummer I can think of who plays such simple rock beats and even Chris shows a lot more variety!

Still, I heard that ACDC had Chris Slade drumming with them for a while and he did some very nice playing with Manfred Mann's Earth Band. A good player. Yet, when Phil Rudd returned the other Accadacca members reckoned it brought something back to the band that was missing.

Maybe his simplicity is what they wanted - no adornment, just the straight beat. Also his energy. Exactly what "fire" and "energy" is is hard to put your finger on. I guess technically it means a particular combination of dynamics and the relation of your playing to the beat.

I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If a band and its fans think the band is kicking a*** with a certain drummer, then the drummer must be doing something right.

I think Phil (Rudd) does the job - and He does it dead right for AC/DC or Accadacca (real Aussie term). Must be the reason, why He is Back In Black Ice...and harder than a rock!

Can't shoot, root or electrocute that guy, He is made for AC/DC.

Did I say it right, Pollyanna?....:)
 
Name one professional drummer who does it just like THAT!! If you've followed ACDC you know they've used other drummers when Rudd left, it was no where NEAR the same.

What Rudd has you can't quantify, you can't catalog it, or show a friend. He has that magical something that fits in so well with ACDC that NO other drummer will be as good with the band.

There are bands that get new drummers for whatever reason, and it doesn't matter, it might even be an IMPROVEMENT, but technically "better" drummers have done Rudd's gig, and it was NOT as good.

There's no technical reason for it yet it IS so. THAT'S that special something coming through. You can't BUY it, or make someone else "get it" but it exists in Rudd's playing with ACDC.
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I agree Vipercussionist. It's called "Feel - Soul - Groove". I really enjoy Phil's drumming in Night Prowler - Dirty Dees Done Dirt Cheap - Get It Hot...and so on.

Cheers,
 
I don't know if you could say his playing is "magical",(as stated in an earlier post) but it does fit the music. AC/DC songs usually only have 3 to 4 chords at most & maybe 2 or 3 sections in a song. Complex drumming would take away from the solid rock feel, which is why more technical players might not fit the sound. He is solid but not "magical."
 
I think he gets more press than deserved because AC/DC is a legendary rock band. Same with Charlie Watts. People who really like AC/DC and the Stones naturally elevate all the musicians in those groups to superhuman status, when in fact they are all average in talent, but write awesome music. Phil and Charlie would likely meet any induction into a great drummers club with raised brows, though. I don't think either one even tries to compete with other drummers in the talent department or even cares to.
 
I don't know if you could say his playing is "magical",(as stated in an earlier post) but it does fit the music. AC/DC songs usually only have 3 to 4 chords at most & maybe 2 or 3 sections in a song. Complex drumming would take away from the solid rock feel, which is why more technical players might not fit the sound. He is solid but not "magical."
Indy, although I see what you're driving at, how is it those drummers who HAVE been a part of the band in Rudd's absence couldn't fit themselves to the music? Are they all DAFT?? How do they not hear what HAS to be played in the tunes? How is it their groove doesn't have the same feel (even CLOSE) to that of Rudd?
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I think he gets more press than deserved because AC/DC is a legendary rock band. Same with Charlie Watts. People who really like AC/DC and the Stones naturally elevate all the musicians in those groups to superhuman status, when in fact they are all average in talent, but write awesome music. Phil and Charlie would likely meet any induction into a great drummers club with raised brows, though. I don't think either one even tries to compete with other drummers in the talent department or even cares to.
I really like this Westy, I too don't think they're in any competition. I see them as trying their damnedest to compliment the tune they are playing in the special ways that they are able too. Though I DO see their superhuman status as being warranted. As simple as each of these drummers are, I've yet to see even ONE other drummer pull off something CLOSE in doing a cover of their tunes. No, I'm not knocking the other drummers, there have been some EXCELLENT versions that I've heard, but all lack that "special something" that keeps these (and a few other) "simple" drummers in the forefront of drummers we ALL can learn from.
 
Are they all DAFT?? How do they not hear what HAS to be played in the tunes?

I can just imagine it. There's this new guy on the stool playing that big frug beat. He starts to doze off when they figure, "Mmm, I could just slip a little sneaky bit in there to catch the rhythm guitar". Meanwhile Phil just keeps going chug-chug-chug and everyone goes ape.

It's funny, but a lot of musos and fans just love for us drummers to get out of the way so when a drummer rolls over and says, "Ok, I'll be your drum machine if that's what you want" then everyone says how great they are LOL

But can I please just have one fill in this number? There's a spot just before the bridge that's screaming for a bit extra to kick the song along. Pretty please??

GET BACK INTO YOUR BOX, DRUMMER!
 
I think he gets more press than deserved because AC/DC is a legendary rock band. Same with Charlie Watts. People who really like AC/DC and the Stones naturally elevate all the musicians in those groups to superhuman status, when in fact they are all average in talent, but write awesome music. Phil and Charlie would likely meet any induction into a great drummers club with raised brows, though. I don't think either one even tries to compete with other drummers in the talent department or even cares to.

my thoughts exactly.

No disrespect to Rudd and Watts, AC/DC and the stones can still move on if they ever decide to quit.

However, when Keith Moon died, the whole band died! (Thats what uniqueness or creativity in drumming means to me)

Time keeping is hard but can be copied by a moderate drummer. All the AC/DC drummers are Time Keepers.
 
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