Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz here!

Hey Bermuda,

I really don't think anyone's trying to have a go at your abilites. Rick wasn't launching a genuine bid for your gig, he just said he thought it would be a fun one! And X22 wasn't suggesting that 22 years ago you were unable to copy parts exactly, I think he was wondering why you (or Al) now feel you have to. Correct me if I'm wrong, X22.

With the exception of the first album (which was very accordian-based) we've always tried to copy the original version of the songs we parody - it's not a new concept with Al. The truth is, we're all far better at it now than we were 22 years ago. Or even 10 years ago. Did we really think that Eat It sounded just like Beat It? No, we knew it wasn't quite there. But we've improved to the point where Al is routinely accused of taking the orignal artists' tracks and singing over them, to the latest - a snippet of Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" - to which many fans thought it was so cool that Led Zep allowed us to use a sample of their song. The point being, we recorded the excerpt ourselves.

But to cite something from early 1985 - a polka medley no less, which is not intended to sound like the songs included in it - and tell me that a part is "nothing close" is rather unfair. But I don't mind explaining it.

Also, Al's meticulous nature does not just apply to the parodies, nor is it limited to the original songs we record.

As to why Al's parodies are intended to sound like the original.... it's funny that way. The gag is when the listener hears the intro of a song on the radio, and then it turns out to be Al's version. Stan Freberg often did the same thing, and now that I think of it, it all makes sense - Freberg is Al's biggest hero in the world of satire.

Part of what's difficult here, is that explaining my gig and the way Al expects us to work, is not something easily done in a few sentences, or paragraphs, or posts, or threads. There's a lot more to the way we make music than most people would imagine. There are people who truly don't get what's so hard about the gig... it's just a comedy band, right?

Yeah, sure it is.

I just got off the phone with our studio engineer of 24 years, and he asked how the tour rehearsals are going, and what new programming hell I'm going through. Of course he knows firsthand what's involved in the albums, but I explained about adapting some of the material for live performance, and coordinating sequences and samples with video. He said I should write an article for Mix Magazine.

He's probably right. The more I think about everything I do with Al, the more I realize what a unique position I'm in. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that some people don't quite understand it.

Bermuda
 
I've been reading this thread for the last few days in growing amazement, and this last little burst has actually motivated me to log in and post again.

Bermuda - I don't understand why you've taken what's been posted here as an insult or attack, to be honest. Womble was arguing one point with you, and frankly it was one that I think was pretty easy to argue. I'd disagree with you too on the point that anybody can develop the level of skill that Vinnie has on the instrument through mere practice alone - if that's the case, why aren't there that many spot-on Vinnie clones out there? There's certainly plenty of fans, and plenty of work that would go to them if they could do it...

But that's not what's motivated me to post. At this point you somehow seem to have backed yourself into a corner and got into the belief that your abilities are being attacked, and I really can't understand why having read the thread.

There's no dispute that what you do on your gig takes a high level of skill that is a speciality field even in the world of pro drumming. One of my teachers at Drumtech - Mark Roberts, who worked with D:Ream and DJ Rap - was phenomenally good at the kind of stuff you're discussing here. He could pick an enormous range of electronic drum sounds by make and model of drum machine just by listening to a track - didn't have to reference or compare, he just knew what they were and where to get them. He would set us assignments in class to work out how to replicate and rebuild tracks when you don't have the original samples to hand. He was also the MD of the tours he was playing on at the time I was studying with him, and I'm sure you know the workload that entails too - particularly from the drum chair. That was part of the skill-set that would get him live touring work, because sometimes he'd get approached with stuff from an artist who wanted their record note-for-note but didn't have the samples that had been used to program the beats. As a pro drummer you have to have a skill set that sets you apart, whether it is a practical skill (reading, being able to do in-depth analysis and reconstruction of parts, ability to program sequencers etc etc) or a very individual personal playing style or creative approach. I think for anybody at your career level that's a given, and people realise that.

I understand the difficulty. I'm sure Womble does too. And I'm sure that SickRick's post earlier in the thread saying that if you ever left your gig he'd love to give it a shot was just that - honest aspiration. Saying that you'd like to try for a drum stool if it became available doesn't constitute criticism of the person currently occupying it or a suggestion that the gig is easy, surely? Why would you want a drum stool previously occupied by a crap drummer with an easy job? That's no kind of a goal in life, and SickRick isn't an unambitious basher. If he says he'd want a gig it's probably because he thinks it'd be rewarding and challenging, which I presume is why you want it too.

Womble was arguing with you about your assertion that anybody could learn to play like Vinnie. That's all. Nobody is trying to prove that you're incompetent or anything of the sort, and I honestly have no idea where you're getting that from. This all seems like an argument about nothing.
 
Rick wasn't launching a genuine bid for your gig, he just said he thought it would be a fun one!

I must have missed that part. Yeah, the touring is fun, I definitely enjoy performing and traveling. The rehearsals and pre-production leading up to the shows is real brain surgery though, and we've just begun the process for the upcoming tour.

The good news is, when we start touring in March, the hardest work will be behind us. But that's not to suggest that the shows are a breeze, or that I'm on auto-pilot up there. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's a very intense 2+ hours onstage, and I'm seriously focused on cues, programs, making sure I trigger the right song or sound (keep in mind that I only get one chance at getting it right.) But I eventually become used to the show, and unless I make a mistake, it's fun.

Bermuda
 
Bermuda, when you have to play a song live that has several snare sounds as you mentioned earlier, do you use the pads in your kit for some of this, or are the sequences you trigger from the pads contain these extra sounds? I think attention to detail is cool in a band. It definitely takes a lot of focus. Zappa was a great example. I'm way behind on collecting his albums (only 2 so far and a book). I would really be interested in reading an article like you suggest, but you should do it for Tape Op, and not Mix. :)
 
Womble was arguing with you about your assertion that anybody could learn to play like Vinnie. That's all. Nobody is trying to prove that you're incompetent or anything of the sort, and I honestly have no idea where you're getting that from. This all seems like an argument about nothing.

I don't think anyone thinks I'm incompetent. I'm just explaining some aspects of what I do for those who don't understand how specialized my particular gig is. It resulted from a tangent that the thread took, and nothing more. The Vinnie thing was also a tangent based on yet another tangent.

I'm not arguing about anything, just explaining. Perhaps it's me who's not been very clear when I try to do so.

Bermuda
 
Bermuda, when you have to play a song live that has several snare sounds as you mentioned earlier, do you use the pads in your kit for some of this, or are the sequences you trigger from the pads contain these extra sounds?

For live, things are a bit less meticulous. It's not an excuse to perform poorly or change the vibe of the song, but we're also allowed to be a live band. We have a lot of help at times from my sampler, keyboard player's sampler, and video. In the case of the songs with the snares, we did perform part of it in a medley, and I played it just on the kit, no extra snares or sounds.

But it also depends on the song in particular. For It's All About The Pentiums (Puff Daddy's "All About The Benjamins") I employ the same drum loop and hat loop that was on the record, and play over that - which is how we recorded the song - in order to get the proper flavor of the song. Without the loops, it would be noticeably sparse.

But for the U2 song, the additional snares don't make the same contribution to the song to warrant sequencing them for live.

With enough prep and samples, we could certainly make any of the songs sound like they do on the records. But it's okay to be live, and the rules are relaxed a little.

Bermuda
 
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I'm not arguing about anything, just explaining. Perhaps it's me who's not been very clear when I try to do so.

don't worry about it Bermuda. i think you have given us a great insight into your world. some people will take the view that you are arguing because typed words can always be read the wrong way. most of us really appreciate the contribution a guy of your talent and experience makes here on the forum and in the world of music in general.

some guys just don't know when to stop gnawing on a bone.

j
 
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Just to clear that up (if anybody has gotten it wrong): When I said that I would love to give that gig a shot (if Bermuda ever wants to quit) was only meant as a compliment. Really, I think it must be an extremely challanging gig to play because it consists of more than just playing one style - its many styles and A LOT of other work that comes with it.

That Bermuda is playing this gig since more than 20 years is nothing but great and I admire that big time. But if he ever gets bored with it - I'd love to try it out. And yes: I do sing (not really good though) and I am quite informed about drumcomputers, software sequencers and all that kind of stuff. Just saying this, because Bermuda was asking me that earlier.

I don't believe that this is an attack or an insult. It was only meant as a compliment. Really, I am jealous of that gig. It must be a lot of fun to play.


And about all that Vinnie wreck that happened here: I think you guys misunderstand each other. The way that I understood Bermuda is that anybody can achieve the same motoric level that Vinnie (or any other guy) has if you put in enough work. I agree with that. BUT you will always sound different because - and I think thats what rubbed Womble in the wrong way even though Bermuda wasn't saying that - there is SO MUCH more than only technical ability: There is a certain feel and sound and timing that is individual to each drummer and that cannot be copied. PLUS - what really makes Vinnie so good is his inventiveness and his spontaneus ideas. And nobody will ever be able to copy that because only Vinnie has the brain of Vinnie. Easy as that.

So in other words: You might be able to play a piece of music exactly like Vinnie played it if you had a record, made a transcription and worked your ass off. You might even get close to his sound, if you would use the same drums, heads, sticks, mics etc.... But if you would play that piece of music without ever having heard Vinnies version - you'd end up playing something completely different.

I think this is one of the major traps of the whole Forum thing - sometimes it is hard to put complex thoughts into the right words in a way that anybody will understand.
 
Correct. Just asking the question.

And X22 wasn't suggesting that 22 years ago you were unable to copy parts exactly, I think he was wondering why you (or Al) now feel you have to. Correct me if I'm wrong, X22.
 
I mention the polka and "New Duck" because of the differences. You'll notice that I said on the polka you didn't sound like Alan White but the guitar riff on Duck was almost exact.
Is this a new development or is it strictly something he tries to acheive on actual song parodies?
It wasn't an attack on what you played or how you played it, just an observation where I wanted to know why you did what you did. I assumed it was because it was a polka medley vs a cover but I wanted you to answer. Thank you for answering.

I do notice that Al tries to get a "sound" for a particular tune that he's not parodying. It was probably two albums ago where you recorded what I believe to be a very Zappa-esque tune. And from a lot of different Zappa...

Nobody ever understands a person's job completely. That's why we're asking you. There was a vague statement made about your skill set/job requirements and I (we?) wanted clarification.

But to cite something from early 1985 - a polka medley no less, which is not intended to sound like the songs included in it - and tell me that a part is "nothing close" is rather unfair. But I don't mind explaining it.

He's probably right. The more I think about everything I do with Al, the more I realize what a unique position I'm in. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that some people don't quite understand it.

Bermuda
 
And about all that Vinnie wreck that happened here: I think you guys misunderstand each other. The way that I understood Bermuda is that anybody can achieve the same motoric level that Vinnie (or any other guy) has if you put in enough work.

And that was the extent to which I meant that, since it's his chops that everyone raves about, and rarely his creative decisions.

Bermuda
 
hi jon

sorry to load you up with questions but here's another one...

in the August 1992 issue of modern drummer there was a great and useful article titled: THE 25 GREATEST DRUM RECORDS. because of it i bought steely dan's AJA in a time when i was almost exclusively addicted to AC/DC.
they wrote this article by researching across the industry but in particular they asked some of the top guys for their top ten selections. i'm hoping to do a similar thing here on DW and post the reults in a separate thread eventually.
So if you would be so kind please give us a list of your own top ten (perhaps your current top 10) records/albums. it would be helpful if you identified your favourite out of those and dropped in a line why it is so...but this is not totally necessary. think of it like if you were going to be locked in a remote log cabin for a whole winter, which 10 albums would you take, if 10 were all you could take?

thanks
j
 
And that was the extent to which I meant that, since it's his chops that everyone raves about, and rarely his creative decisions.

Hey Jon, in all honestly if I'm really bugging you then just tell me and I'll leave you alone - I'm not the type to take offence, and I already know that I annoy the hell out of certain people! But I still don't agree with you here. I don't see how you can separate Vinnie's chops from his creativty. What Vinnie plays with his hands and feet is inextricably linked to what's happening in his mind. People don't want to play like Vinnie so they can set new hand and foot speed records; there are much faster players. People don't want his doubles; Gadd and JR pwn him in that respect. People don't want his press roll; Art Blakey would have killed him. People want to play like Vinnie because they want his brain They want the astounding stickings and patterns that come to him naturally to come to them in the heat of the moment, but this will never happen because they're not Vinnie! No amount of practice will deliver that to them.

Nor, it must be said, have I ever known anyone who wanted Vinnie's technique alone. People listen to 7 Days and think "Man, I wish I could have come up with that part", not "Man I just wish my right hand was fast enough to execute those 16ths, but I would have differed from what Vinnie played and come up with something cooler".
 
just for fun here is some weird al live ... great job on the drums JB.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5tmhrhQmYU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rG_-H2nqo

Wow, forgot about those! Both live, and both came off surprisingly well considering Pentiums was done early in the morning after a show up north, and it was the first time we'd played Couch Potato live, almost a month before the tour began.


Ah, the infamous Tomorrow Show clip. Hey, who's that skinny kid with the hair?! Funny, when Snyder said "his partner, Jon Schwartz" it was uttered quite innocently and not intended to imply anything! :) Back in those days, it was just me & Al, no band yet.

Bermuda
 
Hey Jon, in all honestly if I'm really bugging you then just tell me and I'll leave you alone - I'm not the type to take offence, and I already know that I annoy the hell out of certain people! But I still don't agree with you here. I don't see how you can separate Vinnie's chops from his creativty.

I don't separate them, but many people do, and they focus on just the playing with little regard (or concept) as to how the parts originate. At any rate, I only dragged Vinnie's name into the thread because he seems to be universally well-respected (as opposed to many drummers who people like to dis), and it was with regard to the extent to which learning drums parts can be taken (which was in regard the approach to learning the imaginary rudiment.)

No problem on the discussion, if everyone was in 100% agreement on everything, forums would slow to a crawl.

Bermuda
 
Ah, the infamous Tomorrow Show clip...Funny, when Snyder said "his partner, Jon Schwartz" it was uttered quite innocently and not intended to imply anything! :)

Haha, yeah I had a good chuckle at that! Ahhh, those bygone days of innocence.
 
. think of it like if you were going to be locked in a remote log cabin for a whole winter, which 10 albums would you take, if 10 were all you could take?

thanks
j

My list would probably be very uninspiring from a drumming perspective, I tend to enjoy my music as a whole, rather than because of the drumming on it. I could probably name albums from artists like The Turtles, DEVO, Elvis Costello, Beatles, Blondie, U2, The Who, Talking Heads, Zappa... but more because they hold up as listenable songs, than that I am focused on the drumming. I love what Pete Thomas and Chris Frantz and Ringo and Bozzio etc did with their respective groups, but that's not why I listen to those groups' works. It's the whole package - the song has to work on all levels, not strictly because of the drumming, production, or lyrics. I really don't even think about lyrics, and so I have no objections to Britney Spears or Backstreet or n*Sync. Apart from the lyrics which clearly cater to young teens, a lot of those tracks really rock. Don't know that I'd put them in my top-10 though. And even as much as I love Zappa, I can't listen to a lot of his stuff, unless the entire track happens to hold up as a listenable work. I can't just listen to the drumming if I don't also like the music.

Conversely, I appreciate what drummers like Max Roach, Art Blakey, Joe Morello etc have done, but I rarely listen to them because I have a short attention span for jazz. I have a large collection of CDs and vinyl, and there's a fair bit of jazz represented, but more for reference than enjoyable listening. I couldn't put them in my top-10, either.

However I do have a serious love for Gene Krupa's work, and can listen to his big band and later jazz work tirelessly. Go figure.

So, whether or not I like the drummer, it's about the music for me, and I'm very pop oriented. My list would cause people to wonder how I can have a career in music at all! So, I respectfully decline to answer.

BTW, these are my personal preferences on how I choose the artists I listen to, and not intended to spark a discussion about the merits of anyone I didn't mention. One look at my CD wall would tell anyone what a diverse amount of music I have in my collection. Who else has Fad Gadget, Percy Faith, Faith No More, The Fall, Fatboy Slim, Filter, Ella Fitzgerald, The Fixx, Fleetwood Mac, Flo & Eddie, Foo Fighters, Four Tops and Aretha Franklin together on one shelf? :)

Bermuda
 
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