Great clinician drummer, no-so-good band drummer?

Weckl was a really nice person when i met him and at the intensive he went several hours on overtime without even thinking about it.
 
Likewise for me - I'd heard that Dave Weckl was a bit snobbish (to paraphrase) before I met him, but he was more than happy to talk to me one on one for a while, which was great!
 
I've met Weckl twice, both times at a private Sabian dinner where it was just maybe 30-40 artists hanging. It was just the guys hanging out, no press, no fans. Both times he was aloof and unreceptive. Even Chad Smith and Carmine were 'normal'. At one of the dinners, Thomas Haake and I had arrived early and were the only ones there. We chatted, and he was nice and unassuming, I didn't even know who he was! I found out later, and felt bad for not giving him proper acknowledgment.

But a certain Aerosmith drummer really takes the cake in terms of attitude. He thinks he's a genuine rock star (well, actually he is...) or he's just fried (he is...) or both*. But there's no excuse for attitude in a quiet, small, artists only situation. Well, he's been back with DW for a while now, I won't be seeing him at any more Ludwig dinners. :O

It occurs to me that maybe I should just stop having dinner with my fellow artists.

Bermuda

* He wrote a book a few years ago called Hit Hard, and that can certainly be taken both ways!
 
I've met Weckl twice, both times at a private Sabian dinner where it was just maybe 30-40 artists hanging. It was just the guys hanging out, no press, no fans. Both times he was aloof and unreceptive. Even Chad Smith and Carmine were 'normal'. At one of the dinners, Thomas Haake and I had arrived early and were the only ones there. We chatted, and he was nice and unassuming, I didn't even know who he was! I found out later, and felt bad for not giving him proper acknowledgment.

But a certain Aerosmith drummer really takes the cake in terms of attitude. He thinks he's a genuine rock star (well, actually he is...) or he's just fried (he is...) or both*. But there's no excuse for attitude in a quiet, small, artists only situation. Well, he's been back with DW for a while now, I won't be seeing him at any more Ludwig dinners. :O

It occurs to me that maybe I should just stop having dinner with my fellow artists.

Bermuda

* He wrote a book a few years ago called Hit Hard, and that can certainly be taken both ways!


Weckl was certainly an an interesting character in the late 80's/early 90's. Huge ego and very demanding. But he seems to have mellowed since then.

One my good friends is really good friends with Thomas Haake, and we've hung a few times. And yes, he's so down to earth and unassuming it's easy to not know or realize he's a well known drummer.

Did you read Krammer's book? Interesting read, though poorly edited. That guy has blown through more money than most famous drummers make in a life time.
 
Weckl was certainly an an interesting character in the late 80's/early 90's. Huge ego and very demanding. But he seems to have mellowed since then.

He once gave me what some would consider "the stinkeye" from the drum booth at Mad Hatter studio. A friend was studying with Patittucci, and we were able to come to the studio when he was recording his second solo album. On their break Patittucci and Kirk Whalum were very cool and hung out and talked to us, Weckl stayed in the booth doing I don't know what.
 
Ive said it before and I'll say it again, for a Berkley Grad his playing is uninspired. I enjoy Aeorsmith's music, but its not because of Mr. Kramer's drumming.

I will always wonder if Kramer's drumming would've been better if Steve Tyler had never been a "drummer".
 
I will always wonder if Kramer's drumming would've been better if Steve Tyler had never been a "drummer".

Bingo! Yep, Tyler is reputed to have guided Joey, and rumored to have played some of the tracks himself. Tyler can talk the talk, and apparently Walk (This Way) the walk!

I wouldn't swear to any of it in court, but I've got some reliable sources.

Bermuda
 
Bingo! Yep, Tyler is reputed to have guided Joey, and rumored to have played some of the tracks himself. Tyler can talk the talk, and apparently Walk (This Way) the walk!

I wouldn't swear to any of it in court, but I've got some reliable sources.

Bermuda

Krammer says in his book many of his drum tracks are Tyler telling him exactly what to do.

So, it's not exactly a secret.
 
To the OP, on DW as soon as you disrespect fellow drummers, especially very accomplished ones, noone will buy into whatever point you try to make.

I personally play a lot of fusion. I have tremendous respect for all musicians irrespective of what I think of their music-period-that's hard enough. I doff my hat to anyone who makes music a life choice, especially people like weckl and others like him who have redefined the language of the drum set. I love listening to donati reinvent grooves. So if anything , big ups ( or bows ) to all these guys.

But this is a drum forum where I come to chat. I don't come here as a fan boy ( though I am ) or a champion for 'my kind of of music' either or to reinforce my views. I come here to get a sense of how other drummers think- about drums, music, life, living, food, drink etc. Hoping to get past the political-correctness epidemic that is sweeping the world, in a respectful way.
 
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I actually like Joey Kramer's drumming. It even kind of reminds me of AC DC
drumming, because it's mostly very simplistic. But it works perfectly. Actually
I find it inspiring to hear everytime I listen to my favourite Aerosmith album
Nine Lives. There are so many moments where I personally would probably
have overplayed, but Joey keeps his cool and plays some simple eight notes
around the toms or something like that, and it works.

I didn't know the parts might come from Steven Tyler's head, but I don't mind
either way. I always thought he's an awesome singer with great ears and a
great sense for rhythm, so why not think of good fitting drum parts as well!
 
So much of it is right place, right time. If Vinnie C hadn't gotten a gig with a composer who needed a serious theory wonk with the chops to play a Zappa score, would we even know his name today? Maybe, maybe not.

I used to be a music snob, but now I'm just happy whenever I see that a musician is getting a check for a gig, so I think it's cool that these players have found other ways to make it work. It's probably more the unpredictable little factors of fate that control what gigs these guys get than it is how well they play. They can all play, right? Personalities, understanding what a producer/leader wanted, language barriers, hygiene (wink), and many other things all play a role, and sometimes it's just you happened to be in town on the right day and got to play for someone.
 
Technically, he never graduated. He only attended 1 year.

That was all the time Colaiuta and Smith spent there.

When your teacher says not much else I can teach you,it's time to move on.
 
Ive said it before and I'll say it again, for a Berkley Grad his playing is uninspired. I enjoy Aeorsmith's music, but its not because of Mr. Kramer's drumming.

Maybe he should have gone to Berklee instead!! Sorry, I had to...

In all seriousness though, I think he only went for a semester, maybe two... which is pretty common there, many people don't make it pas the first year.
 
Maybe he should have gone to Berklee instead!! Sorry, I had to...

In all seriousness though, I think he only went for a semester, maybe two... which is pretty common there, many people don't make it pas the first year.

I used to think Berklee must mean something special.

But then I attended a clinic from a Berklee alum (again, who didn't actual graduate) and this drummer was explaining some of the concepts he learned in first(only) year, and I went, oh....so the requirements to get in aren't very stringent. lol

But as I learned at PIT, you don't have to be able to play to get in to music school, you just have to have a minimum method of payment.
 
I used to think Berklee must mean something special.

But then I attended a clinic from a Berklee alum (again, who didn't actual graduate) and this drummer was explaining some of the concepts he learned in first(only) year, and I went, oh....so the requirements to get in aren't very stringent. lol

But as I learned at PIT, you don't have to be able to play to get in to music school, you just have to have a minimum method of payment.

Berklees acceptance rate is far lower than PIT. Money alone won't get someone in there. These two schools have different criteria as regards admissions.
 
I used to think Berklee must mean something special.

But then I attended a clinic from a Berklee alum (again, who didn't actual graduate) and this drummer was explaining some of the concepts he learned in first(only) year, and I went, oh....so the requirements to get in aren't very stringent. lol

But as I learned at PIT, you don't have to be able to play to get in to music school, you just have to have a minimum method of payment.


I think their reputation can get ahead of them at times, but the drummer you're talking about didn't graduate... You can't judge a school by it's first year drop-outs.


Berklee is still pretty picky about who it accepts, and the audition process is still pretty rigorous, so they don't let just anyone in, regardless of money. You need to be proficient at your instrument, and it's very competitive as they only take about 100 drummers per class year.

Here's the guideline for the drumset audition:

-One prepared piece (with live accompanists, or recording)
-4/4 Swing
-3/4 Swing
-Rock
-Funk
-Shuffle
-Bossa Nova
-Samba
-Trading fours and eights in 4/4 Swing, Shuffle, and Rock grooves
-Brush technique

https://www.berklee.edu/admissions/general/drums_and_percussion.html


I'm not saying that you need to be the best to go there, certainly not the case, but you do have to be a solid drummer to make it in. Many musicians will drop out after the first year, as it's difficult, especially for performance majors (about 28% of students at Berklee).
 
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