Vinnie Colaiuta

I think that Vinnie does shine a bit brighter than Weckl or Gadd. You can also tell by the audience response who THEY fell "came out on top".

I'm listening to it now. I think my employees get tired of listening to drum solos. They don't get it. :D

mediocrefunkybeat said:
Jarek... what are you saying? Actually a very good video; I thought they all performed admirably. That last groove section sent shivers down my spine.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Haha, I think Gadd owns that video. I'm a big fan of all three drummers, but just as far as meaning every note you play and playing with complete flowing passion, Gadd wins. Everything he does is so convicted and awesome. With Weckl and even Vinnie a bit, I can't help but think they're playing patterns sometimes, although I love both. Gadd takes it to a new level.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

theduke86 said:
Haha, I think Gadd owns that video. I'm a big fan of all three drummers, but just as far as meaning every note you play and playing with complete flowing passion, Gadd wins. Everything he does is so convicted and awesome. With Weckl and even Vinnie a bit, I can't help but think they're playing patterns sometimes, although I love both. Gadd takes it to a new level.

Agreed, this is why they left Steve's solo for last, as to set the theme for all three to trade 4's around (part 2 of video). Starting his solo with his "crazy army" variation Steve sounds like a full drum corps. He always makes his marching snare beats sound like there is more then one guy playing. Then his bass drum kicks in and it sounds like he's dropping bombs, followed by the hi-hat splashes reminiscent of the cymbal players (brilliant) Next, Steve sets the "theme" in which all three will start to trade 4's around by playing his own adaptation of the Mozambique groove (pure genius)
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

I checked out some clips from "The System Has Failed" and what I find most interesting is that Vinnie, a born-again, is playing on an album that seems to be bashint Bush. Very interesting.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Henry II said:
I checked out some clips from "The System Has Failed" and what I find most interesting is that Vinnie, a born-again, is playing on an album that seems to be bashint Bush. Very interesting.
I didn't know Christianity is a prerequisite for unrequited love towards the right wing. :)
I might add, a paycheck is also more rewarding than not selling out personal ideals which aren't even that worthwhile anyways.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

mlehnertz said:
Sting's gig was no easy gig - Vinnie just makes it look easy. Granted, it wasn't flashy and he wasn't doing upside-down drum solos, but it's hard work to play with that much discipline. Go ahead and play "Seven Days" and try to play 4/4 in your right hand and 7/4 in your left. It's not easy.

Sting covered Purple Haze on one of the tours I saw and Vinnie tore it up. They played some old Police tunes as well and it rocked hard.

The thing I like about Vinnie is that it appears so effortless. There is no wasted movement.

hmm... i could have sworn that song was in 5/8?

but yes, his playing on that is monstrous. not only does he make it feel like a normal time signature, but he also is so comfortable in it that he can play it just like it was a normal time signature, with all his subtle (and not-so-subtle) vinnie tricks (modulation, displacement, hemiola accent patterns, etc.)

what a ridiculous monster he is.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

You're right. I'm wrong. I was thinking of St. Augstine in Hell - which is the 4/4 over 7/4. I get looped when I see the word "seven" in the title. "Oh yea, play on words and the tune is in 7."

You're also right in his playing. It's so frickin' subtle yet so amazing. Would I have ever thought of playing a 4/4 pattern in my right hand and a 5/4 or 7/4 pattern in my right? It's so unnatural but when he plays it, it's SO natural that you don't even notice it until someone points it out. And the groove is just so solid. I remember when I first figured it out and went "Duh, that's too easy." Then I sat down and tried to do it. Good God.

OceanDirt said:
hmm... i could have sworn that song was in 5/8?

but yes, his playing on that is monstrous. not only does he make it feel like a normal time signature, but he also is so comfortable in it that he can play it just like it was a normal time signature, with all his subtle (and not-so-subtle) vinnie tricks (modulation, displacement, hemiola accent patterns, etc.)

what a ridiculous monster he is.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

mlehnertz said:
You're right. I'm wrong. I was thinking of St. Augstine in Hell - which is the 4/4 over 7/4. I get looped when I see the word "seven" in the title. "Oh yea, play on words and the tune is in 7."

You're also right in his playing. It's so frickin' subtle yet so amazing. Would I have ever thought of playing a 4/4 pattern in my right hand and a 5/4 or 7/4 pattern in my right? It's so unnatural but when he plays it, it's SO natural that you don't even notice it until someone points it out. And the groove is just so solid. I remember when I first figured it out and went "Duh, that's too easy." Then I sat down and tried to do it. Good God.

exactly. that's the insanity of vinnie. hahahahaha i love it. just like gadd, he can be so loose and easy while doing the weirdest thing in the world. music never suffers even when he's pushing the limits of time and everything normal. he is absolutely amazing.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Lead Drumming and Rhythm Drumming.....I love it. I'm gonna use it.

For me, I've always been a rock steady rhythm drummer with a few Lead tricks (but not enough to constantly solo all night).

My ONLY complaint about Vinnie is that I've never been a big fan of his extremely difficult polyrhythms for difficulty sake. Seems like sometimes, he's just playing math games with the music (that song Tweaked and his commentary on it on a MD Festival DVD says it all).

The drumming for Megadeath was kinda boring, for metal drumming, but I agree about the Kick the Chair riff...cool.

I saw him on TV with Faith Hill. Perfect Rhythm drumming ;-)
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

I LOVE Vinnie. Everything he plays just keeps you on your toes. he never holds anything back in his playing and it just sounds amazing. I love watching the old videos of him and then the new ones. Its so cool to be able to pick out his chops then see how hes progressed as a drummer and musician.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Hahahahaha... I know what you're talking about. He explains what's going on with these tunes and the only thing that comes to mind is "WTF, where do you come up with this stuff?!?".

I remember the Zildjian Day in Boston from roughly 20 years ago and he's talking about Zappa's "Keep it Greasy". I'm not sure if he's even still talking about "Keep it Greasy" but he starts talking about polyrhythms and "how the tune is 19/16 and then you simply carry it over the bar line to the..." and the audience is silent because nobody gets it.

It's so natural to him that he expects us to understand it without a problem.

Stu_Strib said:
My ONLY complaint about Vinnie is that I've never been a big fan of his extremely difficult polyrhythms for difficulty sake. Seems like sometimes, he's just playing math games with the music (that song Tweaked and his commentary on it on a MD Festival DVD says it all).
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Vinnie just thinks on different level. He has a different perception of groove, time, phrasing, subdivisions ... everything. I'll never understand all of what he's doing, and I don't think I'll ever understand a tiny fraction of it. Although it's rewarding and great fun trying to think like him. Most mortal drummers see a bar of 4/4 and play a fill. Something nice and simple, maybe a combination of sixteenth notes and eight notes, with some double kick thrown in. Vinnie will subdivide into 16th notes, and play the most sick, out there phrasing imaginable. Monster.

Lang was bought up earlier in the thread. I like him a lot, one of my favourites at the moment. Although he's only innovating on a physical level; exploring what can be done with the limbs. Vinnie explored on a much higher level than everyone else. The way he approaches the kit and a song is just completely out there. And he can play anything. He puts a lot (not all) of metal drummers to shame with Megadeth. It's amazing that he can just slip into playing that music that easily, and then slip out again into playing fusion or traditional jazz.

Vinnie's work with Zappa ...... end of thread!
 
He managed to hit that big china cymbal at least.

Yea. Classic Vinnie.
 
Yeah I've gotta say, that old Houseofdrumming site has really been smartened up recently, and there's some great stuff in the forum (that's where I got the link for that clip from). There's also some proper respect being paid to Jeff over there :)
 
Vinnie C. on new Brian Bromberg "Wood II" cd

Any Vinnie fans out there? You should take a listen to the new Brian Bromberg CD called "Wood II". He gives Vinnie plenty of chances to shred. "Bolivia" is a must listen fan for all Vinnie fans!
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

He is the most creative drummer I have ever listened to.

Some people have said that he isn't a very fun guy, but neither were Bruce Lee, Buddy Rich, or Mohammed Ali, apparently. People like that are far more interested in the mastery of their skill than being nice people. But having said that, I'd prefer to be a nice person and an average musician than a God with an ego problem.

Actually... that's a lie, I'd give anything to play like Vinnie, including my personality!

He is unbelievable. A total genius IMO.
 
Re: Vinnie Colauita

Check out this article from his site:
http://www.vinniecolaiuta.com/articles/drummagazine03.aspx
Especially Steve Vai's take on him and his on Tweaked are interesting.

Regarding the Gadd/Weckl/Colaiuta battle, every time I watch that video I think Gadd lays down the groove, Weckl adds his special effects, and Colaiuta provides the incomprehensible fills.
 
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Re: Vinnie Colauita

I guess my only problem is the fact that some of the people that post here can comment about his personality. Do you guys know him personally or have you met him and had dinner or a drink with him.

If you guys play regularly don't you know what it's like to finish show and be tierd and have people come up to you and want to ask questions that you really don't want to answer. I am sure that I at times have come across as not being the best person, like anybody else would.


Who are you anyway
Cory
 
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