Caroline Corr

synergy

Senior Member
Now I know from the off that this thread wont get much traffic but I searched for her on the site and didnt get one single reference. We dont have that many women and I felt compelled to get her name mentioned somewhere on this site.

My wife dug out an old album of the Corrs last night that I probably hadnt listened to in 10 years.

I was surprised when I realized what a fantastically steady and dependable drummer she is. Always plays for the music- never ever overplays,

She plays the piano, bodhran and has a beautiful singing voice as well as gorgeous looks.

Many drummer's starting out (and quite a few with plenty of years on them) should take a leaf out of her drumbook instead of focusing on the usual guys and all their chops.

I'd take a hard hitting right on the money steady stunning female drummer over any flash in the pan blast beat overplaying chops monster anyday.


Just wanted to share some love for Caroline
 
Never got into her at all. I dont like the music she plays. Never a fan of the Corrs.
 
If you watch any videos of her playing you can't help but notice that she moves in a really inefficient way, playing from the elbows etc.

The recorded performances will have had the Pro Tools treatment so I can't get too enthused about that.

It's a shame since I think strong female drummers are needed. I have no hesitation in adding an arguably sexist remark that she's welcome to free lessons from me anytime... she's very cute!
 
an old post, but I find myself coming back to the band occasionally; i saw them in Sydney twice on the same tour, great shows; yes, Caroline's playing can be limited but her playing is straight ahead, no nonense; sure more use of rudiments and ride cymbal wouldn't go astray but her drumming works with the band. All said and done you can't knock talent, beauty and success! But you know one of the best things about her playing its that its original, she doesn't try to copy or style her playing on anybody like just about 90% of drummers do, I find that very refreshing and reading/watching interviews with her about her drumming she is totally unpretentious about her playing.
 
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Well I'd much rather look at her than most of the ugly brutes you see on a drumstool.

Someone made the comment about Pro Tools, and I've always had the impression that with bands like The Corrs (i.e. 3 lovely dark haired Irish sisters, a record company exec's dream - and the token brother), as they're leaving the studio and the recording guys are saying "yeah girls, that was great", the session musos are slipping in the back door to re-record. What the public eventually gets are the (doctored) vocals, the diddly-idle fiddle part, and the image.

Call me cynical, but that's what I always think when I hear the songs.
 
Well I'd much rather look at her than most of the ugly brutes you see on a drumstool.

Someone made the comment about Pro Tools, and I've always had the impression that with bands like The Corrs (i.e. 3 lovely dark haired Irish sisters, a record company exec's dream - and the token brother), as they're leaving the studio and the recording guys are saying "yeah girls, that was great", the session musos are slipping in the back door to re-record. What the public eventually gets are the (doctored) vocals, the diddly-idle fiddle part, and the image.

Call me cynical, but that's what I always think when I hear the songs.

There is such thing as being too pretty.... It makes you necessarily incompetent.

It's my wife's music not so much mine, but I think she plays absolutely fine without being exceptional. I guess we can't all be exceptional :)
 
Well I'd much rather look at her than most of the ugly brutes you see on a drumstool.

Someone made the comment about Pro Tools, and I've always had the impression that with bands like The Corrs (i.e. 3 lovely dark haired Irish sisters, a record company exec's dream - and the token brother), as they're leaving the studio and the recording guys are saying "yeah girls, that was great", the session musos are slipping in the back door to re-record. What the public eventually gets are the (doctored) vocals, the diddly-idle fiddle part, and the image.

Call me cynical, but that's what I always think when I hear the songs.

There might be plenty of studio trickery that we don't know about, but there's no denying that they can actually play and sing. Look up any of their performances from talkshows (where they have no way to edit or control the sound after the fact) and you'll find that they're doing a fine job.

Here's a Letterman performance, and as far as I know there's definitely no lipsyncing or other trickery allowed there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT-4Qalh1xE
 
A very talented drummer!

caroline_corr_photo_5.jpg
 
Now I know from the off that this thread wont get much traffic but I searched for her on the site and didnt get one single reference. We dont have that many women and I felt compelled to get her name mentioned somewhere on this site.

My wife dug out an old album of the Corrs last night that I probably hadnt listened to in 10 years.

I was surprised when I realized what a fantastically steady and dependable drummer she is. Always plays for the music- never ever overplays,
She plays the piano, bodhran and has a beautiful singing voice as well as gorgeous looks.

Many drummer's starting out (and quite a few with plenty of years on them) should take a leaf out of her drumbook instead of focusing on the usual guys and all their chops.

I'd take a hard hitting right on the money steady stunning female drummer over any flash in the pan blast beat overplaying chops monster anyday.


Just wanted to share some love for Caroline



Probably because she doesn't play drums on the albums, it's invariably a session drummer. As an idea, Toss The Feathers on the breakthrough album is Simon Phillips.
 
I always thought her a clean and tasteful drummer and her bodhran playing is always right on the spot too. Like all the sisters she's an excellent vocalist.
 
I always thought her a clean and tasteful drummer and her bodhran playing is always right on the spot too. Like all the sisters she's an excellent vocalist.

Hell yes
And if the tour truck has to be parked in a tight spot, Caroline will take care of it.
Had she looked like a monkfish, she would have had better credibility in a high testosterone context, but pretty girls can actually do things. Go Caroline!
(It's national skirt day in France :))
 
She has a job to do, & does it very well. To me, she's a good musician who just happens to play drums. I've heard numerous live performances recorded, & I've seen The Corrs live. Caroline dispatches her parts with accuracy & grace. Sure, you can pick holes in her posture, technique, whatever. Frankly, non of it matters. The resulting songs are beautifully crafted, & Caroline's performances slot right into that mix. The Corrs are songsmiths. The song is king, & just about everything else takes second place. Ok, the fact that most band members are good looking is a marketing bonus, but that aside, one of the best/most satisfying pop acts to emerge in the last 30 years IMHO.


EDIT: here's a glimpse of how The Corrs could sound with a technically stronger drummer. This is Guru friend & all round great UK session player Karl Brazil at a small show a few years back. I love this performance, but then again, I am a drummer. In the context of a Corrs gig for the average fan, does Karl's playing add anything? (This is not a reflection on Karl's musical choices, he's playing at a drums show, so expect some "drummy" flair)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBPVGkh_WU

.
 
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EDIT: here's a glimpse of how The Corrs could sound with a technically stronger drummer. This is Guru friend & all round great UK session player Karl Brazil at a small show a few years back. I love this performance, but then again, I am a drummer. In the context of a Corrs gig for the average fan, does Karl's playing add anything? (This is not a reflection on Karl's musical choices, he's playing at a drums show, so expect some "drummy" flair)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBPVGkh_WU

That's interesting from a production point of view. If you take Karl's groove ideas (just ignoring the drum show licks) the piece completely transforms from a traditional folk reel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sEPZZSyGIs to contemporary folk rock fusion. We drummers call the shots :)
 
That's interesting from a production point of view. If you take Karl's groove ideas (just ignoring the drum show licks) the piece completely transforms from a traditional folk reel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sEPZZSyGIs to contemporary folk rock fusion. We drummers call the shots :)
Indeed Grea! :) This is why Caroline's choices are important. Just because there's a lack of flair, doesn't mean her simplistic approach is any less valid. In fact, I'd say her approach is more valid in the context of the Corrs act..

I'm going to take this opportunity to bust out a sexist statement. Overall, I think female drummers are better musicians than their male counterparts. I'm trying to avoid stereotype, & of course "better" doesn't exist outside of subjective opinion, but this is my experience. I've worked quite extensively with female musicians, both in the past as well as currently, & there's a trait of lack of ego as a common theme. IMHO, that lack of ego often leads to more appropriate musical choices. Of course, this is only my experience, but my experiences are the only thing I can reference with any degree of credibility.
 
Yes indeed Grea and Keep it Simple I have always had the impression the song is the main objective in all the members playing.

A friend and I had a discussion where he said they were great musicians. My view was that I dont know squat about the piano / violin etc but I didnt have the sense they were "technically" a great band but they know how to complement each other and in a sense "layer" their tunes.

Not only do their voices harmonise but their playing does as well, which suggests they know their limitations and respect each others ( As Grea said...no ego getting in the way here... one band member even clapped Caroline after her Bodrhan solo in Greas posted Corrs clip)

The ability to Harmonise in your instument and vocals is a great musical skill in itself.... in that sense they all are truly talented.

Just a question about her playing....is there a reason why she bounces on her stool ( I refuse to call a frikkin stool a "throne" while she plays...I assume its something to do with timing but I'm interested to here others views.

Cheers
 
Just a question about her playing....is there a reason why she bounces on her stool ( I refuse to call a frikkin stool a "throne" while she plays...I assume its something to do with timing but I'm interested to here others views.

Cheers
Certainly no complaints about that ;) ;) ;)

Seriously though, sometimes I'll add some animated pendulum element to my playing. Be it an over emphasised stick height, sway of the head, all manner of things really. I typically do that when playing something low tempo & open. Just gets me more into the zone, & provides an extra timing "crutch". I'm guessing Caroline is doing the same thing. Notice how she also raises her right elbow on the last hat hit before the snare backbeat on Naige's clip too? In that clip, I can't fault her drum part. Bass drum placement is right on the money, some nice movement in the groove, & actually a couple of double crashes that aren't easy to keep clean. Close your eyes, & Imagine any good session player delivering the same performance. Delivers on every level for me :)
 
...here's a glimpse of how The Corrs could sound with a technically stronger drummer. This is Guru friend & all round great UK session player Karl Brazil at a small show a few years back. I love this performance, but then again, I am a drummer. In the context of a Corrs gig for the average fan, does Karl's playing add anything? (This is not a reflection on Karl's musical choices, he's playing at a drums show, so expect some "drummy" flair)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBPVGkh_WU

.

I like that clip Andy :)

However, it has been done... the 1995 studio album had an instrumental song called Toss the Feathers featuring the session master Simon Phillips.

Simon's choices are spot on, but obviously a little out of reach for Caroline, especially the little drum solo in the middle.

Studio version with Simon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzaV97PIX80

Live version with Caroline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Dtb5U8Upw

I still believe that Caroline do justice to the song live... and with a smile :)

My whole family are big Corrs fan...
 
I like that clip Andy :)

However, it has been done... the 1995 studio album had an instrumental song called Toss the Feathers featuring the session master Simon Phillips.

Simon's choices are spot on, but obviously a little out of reach for Caroline, especially the little drum solo in the middle.

Studio version with Simon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzaV97PIX80

Live version with Caroline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Dtb5U8Upw

I still believe that Caroline do justice to the song live... and with a smile :)

My whole family are big Corrs fan...
Yes, Simon's version is right on the money too. Again though, a different vibe. All the versions posted are both valid & as enjoyable as each other :)
 
Well drummers maybe picky with her playing but I'm sure the other musicians love her. She grooves spot on with the band and the song. Sure you could put a chopped filled twenty minute solo in the middle but I don't think it would do a thing for any of their songs. She rocks-literally.
 
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