Travis Barker

Hi:
I play everything from thrash and death metal to jazz, and while it is in my nature to hate pop-punk, I find Travis Barker to be a talented drummer. I really don't like Blink 182 or any of Travis Barker's bands or side projects for that matter, but his drum parts are very creative, he is fast, and he has experience. I respect Travis for his skill, and most certainly not for his bands. I cannot understand why anyone would attempt to bring him down, since he is a very capable, very jazzy drummer. No, he should not be acknowledged as a jazz drummer, nor as one of the great drummers of our time, like Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Max Roach, Ed Shaughnassy, or Steve Gadd, but he should be respected despite his current position in the main stream. Travis Barker and his bands may die out quickly since they simply are not innovative or interesting for that matter, but the man deserves respect regardless of your opinion on him or these bands. Travis Barker may very well be the most over-rated musician by pop-culture standards, but the most under-rated by musicians. There is and never will be a reason to discourage Travis Barker or his playing.
- Marc
 
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Just a quick question Marc, where can I hear Travis play jazz? He may be very capable, but I have never heard it.
 
To everyone about the jazz:

Travis Barker supposedly studied a lot of jazz. I don't mean to say he plays jazz; I'm saying he has a jazzy style. I've heard a good porion of his beats and they have direct roots in jazz.

For example, Mick Mars of Motley Crue is not a Blues guitarist, but his stryle is directly rooted in blues. The guitarist of my band played Dr. Feelgood clean, and it was indeed very bluesy. I'm not saying Travis Barker is a jazz drummer, I'm saying that like Mick Mars, his style is derived from jazz. I haven't really studied any of his parts because, as I previously stated, I don't like any of his music. I'm well aware he isn't a jazz drummer.

-Marc
 
To Brittc:

If you are a fan of any of his bands, listen to them. I'm sure that on a few songs he plays a jazz type beat. Realize, though, he changes the parts to be more pop-punk.
-Marc
 
Greetings fellow drummers!

Travis was the first good drummer i saw live when Blink played at the Big Day Out in Melbourne.

I'm not that into punk, especially emo/pop, but Travis is alright. He does a pretty fast off-beat 6-stroke roll samba thing when he plays All the Small Things live which I rate, and he's cleaner than other overrated drummers (like Joey Jordison).

Anyway, I hate his whole image thing etc. and he's a bit boring musically, but he does the job.
 
tambian89 said:
I don't mean to say he plays jazz; I'm saying he has a jazzy style. I've heard a good porion of his beats and they have direct roots in jazz.


This topic has peeved me so much, I have actually listened to every Blink song he plays on, and I'm at a loss to find anything jazz, jazzy, jazzlike, jazzish to his playing.

His style is exactly 180 degrees opposite of jazz. He plays rudiments and straight strictly staccato notes. He DOESN'T swing, he doesn't play legato, he doesn't incorporate the bass drum as a third tom tom, he doesn't use dark and supple sounds, he doesn't use taste and restraint when required, he plays 16th notes more than 16th note triplets, he uses crashes solely as crashes, he plays with cymbal perfectly parallel to the ground, making jazz playing impossible...I could go on forever.

He is probably the worst example I can give to young students of what jazz sounds and feels like (stressing the FEELS part).

So I studied "heavy metal" music, that doesn't make me a metal drummer (to use the exact opposite and rediculous claim that you see with Barker).
 
Travis Barker's an amazing drummer- you all knew that! thats all i have to say
 
On this whole travis barker thing....i actually think hes a great drummer for the type of music he plays. For all the people saying "he sucks" thats just a false statement by far...you may not like his style or his music but you cant say a professional drummer "sucks." Barker is definatly not as great as the greats say like peart, bonzo, and definatly not buddy....but you have to respect the fact that hes a professional drummer and is successfull at what he does.
 
my friend is also a drummer and he told me that if you cant play the pocket, then nobody cares about anything else that you can do, the fancy fills, the solos, the cymbal crashes, the endorsements, anything. travis is great at everything else, and i thing that blink and boxcar have worked around that, because i personally have not heard him play in the pocket, except when blink covered that tommy tutone song, 867 5309 (not eveb sure if that was trav, coulda been scott raynor) but travis is definitely an ultra talented drummer, i just think that he should take a few weeks and chill and just work on pocket stuff. personal opinion though
 
centralzeke said:
I think he plays in the pocket. Yeah he's not an R & B drummer.. but from what I've heard live he sounds in the pocket.
yea, i have never hears them, llive....nobody really comes to richmond, and there kinda on '
'hiatus' now, at the point where i would totally be willing to drive to see them but i have heard he is great live, but he plays totallu fast i was just saying that from his discography i cant really feel much of a pocket, i dont wanna diss him
tj
 
ive never heard travis play somethign out of time, ive seen him do live stuff and it was always spot on and creative. if any one has examples of his music that is off time please post it so we can all discuss.
 
After reading this forum, I came to the conclusion that the people who rag on travis are just jerks. He is a talented drummer and has seen alot of bad stuff in his life, yet he is still a very great guy. He's nice to fans and he knows that he's not the greatest drummer of all time, but then again hes only 30. how many people in here can say that at age 30 you had chops like that, you could inspire a whole generation of people to realise a whole different side to music they never would have known if it werent for you, that you got loaded off being in a band. Most of you can't truthfully say that so i think everyone in here should support fellow drummers and keep positive with people, because if you keep sharing knowledge of drumming later generations will keep getting better and better. remember that drumming has come a long way and still has a long time to go.
 
willskate4food said:
After reading this forum, I came to the conclusion that the people who rag on travis are just jerks... i think everyone in here should support fellow drummers and keep positive with people...
Ironic juxtaposition of ideas there, bro.
 
This may have been brought up already, but this guy is rediculus. If you read up on his drummerworld page his first gig with blink he had to learn all their songs. Did it in 20 hours and played. Played good enough to stick with that band. Sorry if this is a repeat.
Plus his fast tempo song after song etc. really means he has stamina and a definitive groove to be doin that for a huge show.
peace
 
willskate4food said:
He is a talented drummer and has seen alot of bad stuff in his life, yet he is still a very great guy.

what bad stuff has he seen?
 
helldrummer said:
what bad stuff has he seen?
I believe his mom died at a pretty young age, which would be tough for anyone.


I can't believe how he gets such a bad rap from drummers here. Most of you just see people ragging on him and jump on the bandwaggen, leaving little room for any actual thought or research put into your post.

I'm not saying that he is "the best" drummer out there because he most certainly is not, and anyone who believes he is needs to expand their horizons and education in drumming and drummers. I think that the main problem that people have with him is that he gets a great deal of attention and praise from non-drummers and beginners, and also that fact that he is a big "rock-star."

I think some of you need to open up your eyes and realize that he really is a good drummer. Not the greatest or one of the best, but he still deserves respect like any other drummer out there or on this site.
 
Dill X said:
I can't believe how he gets such a bad rap from drummers here. Most of you just see people ragging on him and jump on the bandwaggen, leaving little room for any actual thought or research put into your post.

I'm not saying that he is "the best" drummer out there because he most certainly is not, and anyone who believes he is needs to expand their horizons and education in drumming and drummers. I think that the main problem that people have with him is that he gets a great deal of attention and praise from non-drummers and beginners, and also that fact that he is a big "rock-star."

I think some of you need to open up your eyes and realize that he really is a good drummer. Not the greatest or one of the best, but he still deserves respect like any other drummer out there or on this site.

Good point. If people would actually read that before posting, this might be a decent thread.
 
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