Steve Smith

Fine drummer.

Singularly un-gracious person. I saw him last October at the NE Drum Expo in Manchester NH. His snare was a little out of place--rather than just move it like anybody would, he demanded some poor kid come scrambling over and move it for him while he sat there. Just ridiculous.

Then he broke the head on his snare. He asked for a new one--"Be sure to get me a Jeff Ocheltree snare". Again, some poor kid scrambled out and returned with a new snare--which Steve then instructed him how to re-position, right between his legs. Too important to just put it in place himself.

After the show, we were moving some gear out and walked right by him. I politely thanked him, said I enjoyed the show. He looked at me without reply--from 5 feet away with three other people in the room. I thought it good manners to express my appreciation for his efforts, especially in such close proximity where it would have been rude to ignore him.

Good drummer--sure, very good.

I've met several others (Mike Portnoy, Vinnie Colaiuta, Scott Philips, Dave Weckl, Mike Mangini ) who are gracious and pleasant--and their obvious proficiency speaks for itself. In my professional life, I have dealt with Governors, Senators, White House staff. In that atmosphere, I've rarely come across anybody more self-important than Mr. Smith.

You always learn a lot about people when they don't know who they're speaking to. Just my own observation.

I have met Steve Smith 3 times in small commitee and saw him at NAMM 08 as well. I must say that I can confirm the above statement. He was arrogant and not friendly at all. I love his music and I love his playing but I am not fond of the man.

I have the chance through friendships with David Garfield and Neil Stubenhaus to have met tons of great studio musicians including Vinnie Colaiuta, JR Robinson, Steve Gadd, Ndugu Chancler, Michael Bland, Oscar Seaton, Gregg Bissonnette, Russ Miller, Oscar Seaton, Chad Wackerman, Simon Phillips, Ricky Lawson, Will Kennedy, Joe Porcaro to name but a few.... all were very friendly.... I actually only met four who were really unfriendly and/or arrogant and/or pretentious: Steve Smith, Rick Marotta, Jerry Marotta and Dave Weckl.
 
Steve Smith is out on tour with "Jazz Legacy". I spaced it and missed his show here in Indy last Saturday... I'm a little annoyed at myself.

As for SS's "arrogance" or whatever... to me he doesn't seem comfortable around strangers. I've met him three or four times and he just doesn't seem to like the meet & greet aspect of his job. He seems nervous and ill at ease. I can see how some might relate that as being arrogant.

I can relate. I don't like meeting tons of new people in a frenzied manner.

But I don't really care. So long as they're polite (and Steve has been at least that every time I met him), I don't care how they come across as people.

He owes me a good performance. That's it. That's what I paid for. Signatures and pics are just icing on the cake.

And he did give me the sticks he used at a Vital Information show. That was really cool of him.
 
But I don't really care. So long as they're polite (and Steve has been at least that every time I met him), I don't care how they come across as people.

He owes me a good performance. That's it. That's what I paid for. Signatures and pics are just icing on the cake.

I totally agree...

I can't understand people getting all upset saying "I tried to meet my favorite drummer and he was a total jerk...l will never listen to him again"

Does it suck....of course it does but thats just one piece of the puzzle...the most important pieces are their inspiration to make me practice, hear new ideas I never thought of and give a kick ass performance....

Copeland, Peart and Weckl are my biggest influences....
Every interview I see Stewart I cringe at the dumb stuff he says about jazz....Nealio is known to have a bodyguard cause he doesn't like to be approached by strangers....Been to multiple Weckl clinics.....had a good experience once as he gave me some autograph sticks.....saw him another time was cocky and looked like he didn't want anyone withn 15 feet of him.....

Just the way it is....
Enjoy their ablilities.....anything else is all gravy.....
 
I totally agree...

I can't understand people getting all upset saying "I tried to meet my favorite drummer and he was a total jerk...l will never listen to him again"

Does it suck....of course it does but thats just one piece of the puzzle...the most important pieces are their inspiration to make me practice, hear new ideas I never thought of and give a kick ass performance....

Copeland, Peart and Weckl are my biggest influences....
Every interview I see Stewart I cringe at the dumb stuff he says about jazz....Nealio is known to have a bodyguard cause he doesn't like to be approached by strangers....Been to multiple Weckl clinics.....had a good experience once as he gave me some autograph sticks.....saw him another time was cocky and looked like he didn't want anyone withn 15 feet of him.....

Just the way it is....
Enjoy their ablilities.....anything else is all gravy.....


Well put...However any artist that is conducting clinics (especially sponsored by big companies) should realize that meeting and greeting come with the job. They are representing not only themselves but the companies they endorse. Walking up to them on the street is another story altogether.
 
A friend of mine "Smoke n drums" was kind enough to send me "on the shoulders of giants" while I am deployed here. I can't want to see it! I love his "History of the us beat."
I designed my new kit to have a setup like his.

Some day, Steve Smith will be referred to as a giant who's shoulder's someone is standing on.
 
On a whim I pulled out a CD I hadn't listened to in a long while...

Tony MacAlpine's "Edge of Insanity" album from like 1986 with Steve Smith.

Steve was a such an insane monster on this album. If you think you know Steve Smith's playing, you should listen to this one as it shows a whole other side of him!!
 
On a whim I pulled out a CD I hadn't listened to in a long while...

Tony MacAlpine's "Edge of Insanity" album from like 1986 with Steve Smith.

Steve was a such an insane monster on this album. If you think you know Steve Smith's playing, you should listen to this one as it shows a whole other side of him!!

Great album. You're right - it does show another side of him.
 
Has anyone seen this vid?

Steve Smith Practising Drums At Home

Great stuff for us drum nerds!

Yes I have seen it Polly, what amazed me most, is the vocal practices, it's really difficult to do, ...and the lite sticks at the end of the video, where we can see the accuracy of the mouvements of his hands/sitcks over a repetitive pattern, each mouvement is exactly identical to the previous one, the "curves' showed by the lite sticks demontrates the phenomenal precision and dexterity while playing such intricates patterns in total blackness, very impressive :)

Has anyone seen Steve on John Bonham grooves... very rocking indeed :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzveeuFz1_o
 
Has anyone seen this vid?

Steve Smith Practising Drums At Home

Great stuff for us drum nerds!

Wow!

The funny thing is Steve could have given up practicing 20-30 years ago and still would go down as an amazing drummer, but he just keeps getting better and better with time. Amazing.

Although I kept thinking, it looks like he's practicing in the kitchen of an apartment, how does he get away with it?

Yes I have seen it Polly, what amazed me most, is the vocal practices, it's really difficult to do,
Yeah, that is a whole other world to get into.
 
On a whim I pulled out a CD I hadn't listened to in a long while...

Tony MacAlpine's "Edge of Insanity" album from like 1986 with Steve Smith.

Steve was a such an insane monster on this album. If you think you know Steve Smith's playing, you should listen to this one as it shows a whole other side of him!!

Steve Smith's work on Stu Hamm's albums "The Urge" and especially "Outbound" is just monstrous. Slamming and grooving at the same time. Just amazing.

I don't remember much about Steve's playing on the "Edge of Insanity" because I didn't care for the overall songs and sold the CD not long after getting it. Maybe I should give it another shot.
 
Steve Smith is one of my biggest influence on drums..
he's the one that make me using my fingers on my playing...

i watched him live twice, and it just blew me away...

here's some of the pics
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9459.jpg
    IMG_9459.jpg
    139 KB · Views: 993
  • IMG_9481.jpg
    IMG_9481.jpg
    145.8 KB · Views: 987
  • IMG_9498.jpg
    IMG_9498.jpg
    179.8 KB · Views: 1,329
I just purchased the standing on the shoulder of giants dvd, it is AMAZING! I am very inspired to learn jazz from steve's dvd and joe morello's work with the dave brubeck quartet.....
 
I love Steve's style. Through all his different "phases" and transformations, his melodic, smooth style is always there. He's definitely a big influence on my playing.
 
Kinda sad about the comments I'm reading about the guy's arrogance and ungracious attitude for his fans. I mean, imagine if the dude never got the Journey gig. He's just be another drummer, even if he was every ounce as good but he'd REALLY have no right to be so arrogant. At the end of the day, who pays his bills? His fans. Royalties from Journey records, clinic money and touring with this jazz group.... who fits the bill? Fans.

I really admire the guy's ability and dedication to improving constantly. Truly I have to say, he's become one of the greatest alive and possibly of all time, from the perspective of versatility and chops. This still doesn't afford you the right to be a jerk.
 
On the other hand, why are his fans his fans? Because of his playing! :)

Absolutely! I'm a HUGE fan of his playing. I also can't attest to any bad personal experiences but I've heard plenty. I mean, we could go into John Lennon beating up both Cynthia and Yoko in fits of rage or Jimi Hendrix's violent drunken treatment of girlfriends too, but I don't think it's relavent to the music they made. In fact, I'd rather just NOT know these people beyond their music. ;)
 
Back
Top