For John Wesley...

johnwesley

johnwesley

Silver Member
Hey Mongrel! I think you and I may be brothers. Number one, you play very similar to me. Not just keeping the beat, but accenting the other parts. Excellent. Number two, you and I may be the only ones to love Buffy St Marie. Universal Soldier and Los Pescadores are a couple of my favorites that she wrote. Thanks for sharing your drum work on a great song.
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
johnwesley said:
Hey Mongrel! I think you and I may be brothers. Number one, you play very similar to me. Not just keeping the beat, but accenting the other parts. Excellent. Number two, you and I may be the only ones to love Buffy St Marie. Universal Soldier and Los Pescadores are a couple of my favorites that she wrote. Thanks for sharing your drum work on a great song.
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John, seriously-you made my week....lol. Not only for giving it a listen, but also for the (more than) kind words.

I have wanted to share some of my playing for some time but figured most of it was so far "out there" or just plain poor that no one would even bother commenting. Lol.

After reading some of your posts I thought you may be able to appreciate the heart of it even if technically it was deficient!

Yes, Universal Soldier and Los Pecadoes were sung regularly by my mother growing up along with a heathy dose of Buffy's other stuff, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, the Supremes, Mario Lanza, Carole King, "etc."

I really enjoy putting drums to their drumless stuff...

Thanks again!
 
johnwesley

johnwesley

Silver Member
I really appreciate guys/gals who play drums the way they feel about the "song" rather than just keeping the backbeat and working at being a rudiment tech. I listen to Krupa on Sing, Sing, Sing and he's doing African rhythms on the floor tom. I don't think those African tribesman are reading scores or attempting to replicate paradiddles but rather putting their emotion into the mix. I don't understand many of the folks here who want to know exactly how Peart or Bonham did this and that and are trying to play "The Immigrant Song" exactly like Bonham. You either fell the music and add your interpretation or you're a robot.
Your style is really how drums should be played. Or as Moon told me "....filling in what Pete forgot to do."
Don't know if you do this or not, but I play a lot of classical music in my studio. Gives me the opportunity to expand my thought patterns
Check out Mike Terrana if you haven't already....


https://www.youtube.com]km5m-TmRrAo
 
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GetAgrippa

GetAgrippa

Platinum Member
Nice recording Mongrel-drums and drumming sound sweet. Compliments music and accents spot on. Keep contributing videos. Nice seeing more regular forum posters contribute. Until the influence of playing with an orchestra and DW I always played by feel-and trying to create my own sound. I really never tried to emulate other drummers however now I see the benefits in trying to emulate others-even better transcribe it (which I've never done). Still the old garage band playing by feel still runs through my veins-we all play be ear and it was about capturing the feel and energy.
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
GetAgrippa said:
Nice recording Mongrel-drums and drumming sound sweet. Compliments music and accents spot on. Keep contributing videos. Nice seeing more regular forum posters contribute. Until the influence of playing with an orchestra and DW I always played by feel-and trying to create my own sound. I really never tried to emulate other drummers however now I see the benefits in trying to emulate others-even better transcribe it (which I've never done). Still the old garage band playing by feel still runs through my veins-we all play be ear and it was about capturing the feel and energy.
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Thanks Art, I appreciate you taking the time to listen-and to comment. Means a lot to me.

I don't know where I'm at anymore honestly. Went pretty hard with the last project (an all-original Americana duo) but it didn't work out for me, so now I'm back to every other Sunday gigs and fixing up my basement for recording and videos.

Trying stretch myself into really unfamiliar territory like big band and jazz standards, but that's just to fight the boredom. I doubt I would ever be up to pursuing that with other musicians.

Ultimately I enjoying working on original material on the mellower side and would love to find a project where I could at least contribute drumming ideas.

Now that the cat is out of the bag in regard to my playing I guess there's nothing to lose-lol. You may indeed be hearing more from me. I kept getting hung up on the head game that if people *really knew* how I played any forum-cred I may have had would be out the window....lol Pretty sad (hopefully not pathetic!) I know, but that's what goes through ones mind at times...

Hmmm....I wonder if I'm derailing my own thread? Does that break any rules?!!!

Thanks again, I always appreciate your attitude man...so positive and....welll....just "nice" lol.
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
johnwesley said:
I really appreciate guys/gals who play drums the way they feel about the "song" rather than just keeping the backbeat and working at being a rudiment tech. I listen to Krupa on Sing, Sing, Sing and he's doing African rhythms on the floor tom. I don't think those African tribesman are reading scores or attempting to replicate paradiddles but rather putting their emotion into the mix. I don't understand many of the folks here who want to know exactly how Peart or Bonham did this and that and are trying to play "The Immigrant Song" exactly like Bonham. You either fell the music and add your interpretation or you're a robot.
Your style is really how drums should be played. Or as Moon told me "....filling in what Pete forgot to do."
Don't know if you do this or not, but I play a lot of classical music in my studio. Gives me the opportunity to expand my thought patterns
Check out Mike Terrana if you haven't already....


https://www.youtube.com]km5m-TmRrAo
Click to expand...
Love me some Terrana! Dude is a monster with a SMILE on his face. You can just tell he loves to play, and is able to have some fun at his own expense. I saw that before and thought it was a blast.

And, yes, I have played to classical-Aaron Copeland is a favorite of the modern era, but even the more "classical" classical too. Like you said, it's great to widen your musical horizons. I also like the "A to Z" ipod exercise....

good stuff for sure.
 
oldskoolsoul

oldskoolsoul

Silver Member
johnwesley said:
..Number two, you and I may be the only ones to love Buffy St Marie..
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Nope, for sure count me in too..! :)

But btw Mongrel, i have no patience at the moment to go through 100's of pages, but i would swear that you posted this before in this section a while ago, because i am pretty sure i allready heard this..
 
GetAgrippa

GetAgrippa

Platinum Member
LOL. You know Oldskool I think you're correct-it sounded familiar but I was thinking I was having a brain fart. Man you gotta a good memory-it's been a while I think but still good to hear.
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
oldskoolsoul said:
Nope, for sure count me in too..! :)

But btw Mongrel, i have no patience at the moment to go through 100's of pages, but i would swear that you posted this before in this section a while ago, because i am pretty sure i allready heard this..
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GetAgrippa said:
LOL. You know Oldskool I think you're correct-it sounded familiar but I was thinking I was having a brain fart. Man you gotta a good memory-it's been a while I think but still good to hear.
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Yep...you caught me-it was 2 1/2 ago...lol. I thought it was a different one...erm...no I didn't...😳 Listen, it got like 200 views...and two comments. OldSkool may have been one of them? I figured I sucked and that was that.

But I don't think Mr. Wesley was here then, at least I didn't know him then, and suddenly I was filled with hope again-lol. I really wanted him to hear it after reading his comments on not following the 'norms' etc. That's why I put it out to him. Figured he was far enough out there to appreciate it.

I promise not to do that again...lest I appear 'pathetically' in need of attention.

I have a few more "normal" things to put up soon so stayed tuned...or not...lol
 
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GetAgrippa

GetAgrippa

Platinum Member
Two years ago-no that wasn't it I've never head it before ROFL. Heck I'm pretty sure I've posted the same video more than once too-cause I actually do get confused which I've posted but sometimes it's another version or practice video of same song I've been working on forever-cause it's really beyond my skills but I keep trying. Worse is my penchant of late to post a comment on the wrong thread (dang I've it done it a half dozen times it seems), and I keep catching myself telling my son-in-law the same stories-oh crap!!! What was it Dan Quayle said "What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind." Yeah it sure is. Anyways back on track and the track sounds great. I'll stay tuned-keep posting!
 
johnwesley

johnwesley

Silver Member
Mongrel said:
But I don't think Mr. Wesley was here then, at least I didn't know him then, and suddenly I was filled with hope again-lol. I really wanted him to hear it after reading his comments on not following the 'norms' etc. That's why I put it out to him. Figured he was far enough out there to appreciate it.
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Mongrel, you have no idea how far out I am/have been. Slowed down a bit, but back in the mid 60s to late 70s .....WOW. Ran with a pretty cool crowd in Berkeley and the Haight Ashbury across the bay. Learned a lot about being true to ones self and expression to others. Met many a great musician and on a stroll through the downtown area of San Francisco one day a crowd of about a dozen people hysterically laughing at this really bizarre guy doing magic laced with the quickest wit ever. As he was packing up to move to another corner I talked to him for a while and was fascinated not only with his humor but his expansive imagination. One thing I picked up on was everyone to him was an audience. I always looked for him when in the city so I could get a good laugh. One day he just disappeared and I realized I never got his name. Several years later my wife and I were watching this new TV show and BOOM!!! There was the street guy starring in his own show. Mork and Mindy. Yeah. The street entertainer that helped me expand the paradigm of life was Robin Williams. Small world ain't it? Robin was just one of many I met in the bay area and learned from. R.I.P. my friend.
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
johnwesley said:
Mongrel, you have no idea how far out I am/have been. Slowed down a bit, but back in the mid 60s to late 70s .....WOW. Ran with a pretty cool crowd in Berkeley and the Haight Ashbury across the bay. Learned a lot about being true to ones self and expression to others. Met many a great musician and on a stroll through the downtown area of San Francisco one day a crowd of about a dozen people hysterically laughing at this really bizarre guy doing magic laced with the quickest wit ever. As he was packing up to move to another corner I talked to him for a while and was fascinated not only with his humor but his expansive imagination. One thing I picked up on was everyone to him was an audience. I always looked for him when in the city so I could get a good laugh. One day he just disappeared and I realized I never got his name. Several years later my wife and I were watching this new TV show and BOOM!!! There was the street guy starring in his own show. Mork and Mindy. Yeah. The street entertainer that helped me expand the paradigm of life was Robin Williams. Small world ain't it? Robin was just one of many I met in the bay area and learned from. R.I.P. my friend.
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John...seriously-you should write a book man. Just "A Tale of One Man's Life" with stories like that.

It actually hurt to lose Robin Williams like that. I always felt he was a "regular guy" with off the hook talent who got caught up in it and couldn't escape. As stange as it sounds...for as crazy as he appeared I think he was a really down to earth person.

What a trip to have known him as a street perfomrer like you did!

ps- when I said you were "far enough out there to get it", I meant that as a high compliment.
 
oldskoolsoul

oldskoolsoul

Silver Member
Mongrel said:
..Listen, it got like 200 views...and two comments. OldSkool may have been one of them? I figured I sucked and that was that..

..I have a few more "normal" things to put up soon so stayed tuned...or not...lol..
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No, i definitely have not written any comment, because at that time i wasnt even a member here and i never have been a member at Soundcloud..

And i would also not easily write a really negative comment to someones video (or just playing in this case) btw..

Looking forward to the next ones..!:)
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
Andy said:
That was really enjoyable in an unsatisfying way - I love the listening challenge :)
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You lost me....lol

I don't know whether to smile or cry....lol

Thinking: "I wonder how long I can endure listening to those fingernails on that chalkboard?"

(Hoping I'm wrong...)
 
gdmoore28

gdmoore28

Gold Member
You may have already remarked on this, Mongrel, so excuse me if I missed it. The question: how did you record your drums for that bit? They sounded absolutely monstrous. And to be clear, by "monstrous," I mean big - and good! (Andy lost me, too.)

GeeDeeEmm
 
Mongrel

Mongrel

Silver Member
gdmoore28 said:
You may have already remarked on this, Mongrel, so excuse me if I missed it. The question: how did you record your drums for that bit? They sounded absolutely monstrous. And to be clear, by "monstrous," I mean big - and good! (Andy lost me, too.)

GeeDeeEmm
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Thanks so much GD....glad you liked it. One of my first times recording and I was pleasantly surprised my self.

No, I didn't really go into the recording... Kit was a Rogers Holiday-12, 16, 24, with a COB Powertone snare drum. Coated Ambassadors on the toms and snare, and I *think* a Pinstripe on the bass drum. Cymbals...ahh...Zildjian except I may have been trying out a Meinl ride?

Recording-
Used a Zoom H6 and three Audix mics-two ADX51 overheads and a d6 in the kick. Ran the track into a stereo input on the H6 and imported the four tracks into Audacity. Adjusted the levels, set the L/R panning, added the reverb and exported the stereo track.

Note: You guys are helping to keep me sane. I swear it feels like I fell into the "upside-down" sometimes...lol.
 
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