Great drummers - quotes

"You exist to serve the music. The music does not exist to serve you!"

Jamie Muir to Bill Bruford.
 
" Keith Moon playing is beautiful and totally free." ~ Tony Williams

" The God of all drummers, Max Roach. ~ Ginger Baker

" A band’s only as good as its drummer’ ~ The Old Saying
 
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"If you want something done right, forget about it."
-someone in Rush
 
I love Boomka's quote of Vinnie:

"Anytime you strike the drums, you have to be aware that you're creating a musical event"

To me, it's a statement that reminds you of what it's all about and puts you in the right frame of mind for playing music.

Here's a Ringo quote:

"I've never been able to sit round on my own and play drums, practice in the back room, never been able to. I've always played with other musicians. It`s how I play, there`s no joy for me in playing on my own, bashing away. I need a bass, a piano, guitar, whatever, and then I can play".
 
"It's all to do with the swing. You get a much better tone with a big stroke than you do with a short stab." ~ John Bonham

"Your drummers not much good, is he? Let me have a go and I'll show you." ~ John Bonham
 
"I think the drummer should sit back there and play some drums, and never mind about the tunes. Just get up there and wail behind whoever is sitting up there playing the solo. And this is what is lacking, definitely lacking in music today. "
Buddy Rich

"I've got blisters on my fingers!" Reportedly what Ringo Starr said, throwing his drumsticks across the room after the 18th take of “Helter Skelter.”

"Learning to play a musical instrument is not an extra curricular activity. It's as fundamental to your overall education as math and history"
Mrs. Scrable (My 5th grade piano teacher)
 
"I've got blisters on my fingers!" Reportedly what Ringo Starr said, throwing his drumsticks across the room after the 18th take of “Helter Skelter.”

Love it! You can hear it on the album, at the end of the track.......although I always thought it was John Lennon.
 
Very good ones! - Malti.

~ Very true coming from Buddy Rich's quote.

~ About Ringo Starr, that's funny what he did after the blisters...Can you imagine John Bonham throwing drumsticks across the stage, after playing Moby Dick! He would it throw tons of them!

+ I particularly like Mrs. Scrable quote - clever lady.


"I think the drummer should sit back there and play some drums, and never mind about the tunes. Just get up there and wail behind whoever is sitting up there playing the solo. And this is what is lacking, definitely lacking in music today. "
Buddy Rich

"I've got blisters on my fingers!" Reportedly what Ringo Starr said, throwing his drumsticks across the room after the 18th take of “Helter Skelter.”

"Learning to play a musical instrument is not an extra curricular activity. It's as fundamental to your overall education as math and history"
Mrs. Scrable (My 5th grade piano teacher)
 
A John Densmore quote:

“People lost their virginity to this music, got high for the first time to this music. I've had people say kids died in Vietnam listening to this music, other people say they know someone who didn't commit suicide because of this music.... On stage, when we played these songs, they felt mysterious and magic. That's not for rent.”
 
Unbeatable theatrical sensibility...coming from John Densmore.

A John Densmore quote:

“People lost their virginity to this music, got high for the first time to this music. I've had people say kids died in Vietnam listening to this music, other people say they know someone who didn't commit suicide because of this music.... On stage, when we played these songs, they felt mysterious and magic. That's not for rent.”
 
Don't pray to ashes, pass on the fire....jojo mayer

he was talking about how what vinnie does is great, but he is the limit, he said that if someone tries to make what vinnie does even harder and complicated then it loses it's musiciality...i believe he said " it's retarded".

and with the quote he was saying that he wants to be the tony williams of our time, not tony re-encarnated
 
Could someone please make me feel really stupid by explaining the meaning of Steve Gadds "never pet a burning dog" quote?
 
Could someone please make me feel really stupid by explaining the meaning of Steve Gadds "never pet a burning dog" quote?

Haha! I can only guess too. Good on you for being the one to ask :)

My impression was that he was asked to give advice to his fans out in drumland and those were the sage words he had (a bit like don't touch a hot stove), ie. he wasn't in a mentor-ish mood. It's just a guess and it wouldn't surprise if it's completely wrong
 
"The greatest contribution jazz has made in music has been to replace the role of the conductor with a member of the ensemble who, instead of waving his arms to keep time and convey mood, is an active member of the musical statement. That person is the drummer." - Elvin Jones
 
Here I thought I was the only one who didn't get that quote. Polly may be right, but maybe someone could shed even more light.
 
"When we get on stage, we are all the same age except that I have been playing longer and I am older than them."

Roy Haynes
 
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