Praise from an unexpected source?

bermuda

Drummerworld Pro Drummer - Administrator
Staff member
Has a prominent or unexpected person ever said something nice to (or about) you about your drumming?

I get an occasional cute quip via articles about Weird Al, such as Baltimore City Paper: "If you're going to call yourself Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, your two options in life are being someone's "crazy uncle" or playing with Weird Al." and Rolling Stone's curious "We could all use more Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz in our lives." And Liberty Devitto told me "Okay you have the best name ever !!!!!"

But I got a nice compliment out of left field from Rian Johnson, who bought my book: "When I was in high school I could name two rock and roll drummers - you and John Bonham. So he’s in good company."

Rian is the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi :)
 
One time at a sort of open mic jam a REALLY good player came through. He was just killing it and I was watching and enjoying as I always do. One of the other patrons who had been there watching my set moseyed up and said into my ear "you're a better drummer than he is", which I immediately said, that's nice of you but no way... And he even went so far as to clarify and further say "yea he's really solid and has chops, but your feel and the choices you made helped the music more; by the way, I was a drummer for 30 years!" ... I wasn't down on myself or anything but it was nice to be recognized like that. Certainly unexpected when the other guy was up there tearing it up.

Another was more "recent" in today terms... A little bitter sweet. A more local but highly respected player ended up coming to my very last gig we played before the world got shut down. I call it "the perfect compliment" he said "you play exactly the right amount. Not too much, and not too little, the fancy stuff you played was never too much!" I can't really think of a more genuine perfect compliment. My bass player for that band was even standing right there to hear that compliment be delivered to me.
 
Wow great stories fellas- I have no such tales to regale. Bermuda I forgot about your book but Xmas is upon us and my girlz always asking me for gift ideas-so this is the photojournal book you are talking about- can they find it on Amazon? I love photo journals- pictures really do tell a story. My girlz have given me some snd made me some so a great gift. Thanks
I’m not leaving you out Doc - you don’t have a book do you? Maybe recommend a good book.
 
Back in the day, a band I was in was playing a cover of Aerosmith’s cover of “Train kept a rollin’” in a battle of the bands contest...I launched into the drum solo section too early and threw everyone off, destroying the performance. The judges said the only good thing about my band was “the awesome drummer”!!! ? ?
 
I’m not leaving you out Doc - you don’t have a book do you? Maybe recommend a good book.
So I'm a weirdo with books and don't usually read anything too heavy or profound. I like sci-fi and horror. One of the best examples I can think of if you like sci-fi is a little known series set in the very distant human future. Deals with a lot of really unique concepts and ideas about other types of "intelligent" life, and even what "life" really means, all while not being a boring story. If you liked any of the Orson Scott Card - Ender series or concepts you'll definitely like this.


I bought the e-book version which is also available, linking amazon because I don't know which e-book system if any you favor.

Edit: just noticed the amazon e-book here is FREE. Highly recommend!
 
So I'm a weirdo with books and don't usually read anything too heavy or profound. I like sci-fi and horror. One of the best examples I can think of if you like sci-fi is a little known series set in the very distant human future. Deals with a lot of really unique concepts and ideas about other types of "intelligent" life, and even what "life" really means, all while not being a boring story. If you liked any of the Orson Scott Card - Ender series or concepts you'll definitely like this.


I bought the e-book version which is also available, linking amazon because I don't know which e-book system if any you favor.
Dang Doc we have the same taste-I love sci-fi and horror. One of my daughters caught it from me-so that our bonding thing. I was member of Creepy and Eerie fan clubs as a kid-the art work was great in those comics but then found Isaac Asimov and others. Then in grad school all I started reading was journals so I've been catching up with years of few books read-most of them were some specialty science book even then-like the last on epigenetic and Evo-devo. So now I've been reading history related books and catching up on the world so haven't even got to sci-fi and horror again. Man that's a great idea. Thanks.
 
Bermuda I forgot about your book but Xmas is upon us and my girlz always asking me for gift ideas-so this is the photojournal book you are talking about- can they find it on Amazon?

Didn't mean to turn this into an ad for the book, but you can find sellers at https://www.blackandwhiteandweird.com/buythebook (Book Soup has personalized autographed copies, I'll be signing more at the end of November. :) )
 
Didn't mean to turn this into an ad for the book, but you can find sellers at https://www.blackandwhiteandweird.com/buythebook (Book Soup has personalized autographed copies, I'll be signing more at the end of November. :) )
Sorry I should have been more discreet and PM'd you-My Bad. But thanks-I have three daughters and a wife and usually by now I'd already mentioned gifts-this year I haven't. They all told me they needed it pronto because shipping gifts for Xmas was going to be slow go this year. It better be good-Just kidding. I know it will be entertaining.
 
did a talent show with a band and got told that i was a natural showman and my crowd interaction was superb, which was nice.

and got told i was a fairly advanced player by craig blundell when i had some lessons with him ( i thought of of myself as mediocre at best).
 
Some years ago, just after joining a band, I overheard the bass player talking to someone about the next set: “Playing my favourite song with my favourite drummer.” Made me smile.
 
Has a prominent or unexpected person ever said something nice to (or about) you about your drumming?


But I got a nice compliment out of left field from Rian Johnson, who bought my book: "When I was in high school I could name two rock and roll drummers - you and John Bonham. So he’s in good company."

Rian is the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi :)

That's amazing! I loved The Last Jedi, and Rain's other big movie, Looper.

I get a lot of compliments on my name "Living Dead Drummer," but a couple outside compliments stand out:
Michael Binehorn, famed 90's hit making producer, said of my drum tracks "They sound like drums," and Marliyn Manson told me I looked like a "Goth Justin Long." lololololol
 
Wynton Marsalis did a clinic with our college jazz band as part of a Lincoln Jazz Center clinic/residency tour back in the late 90's. He worked with our program for 3 days over a weekend in Feb. Did clinics with the concert band, jazz band, and the wind players in many different sessions

he was rehearsing the jazz band, and talking about listening to feel and groove from the rhythm section, and asked us to play a bunch of different feels as part of his lecture. We had to do a fast bob beat, mid tempo swing; bossa nova, 7/8 fusion groove and a jump blues/swing shuffle feel. He would then explain the things to listen for in the piano and bass, and then had the band play along...he also did some soloing

I was SH**ING my self the whole time...just the fact that he was IN THE SAME ROOM as me was more than my brain could handle.

After the clinic was over, he came up to me, with a big smile, and led with" hey cat, you nailed those feels" and then gave me some advice to help with the fast bop and mid tempo swing feel...I was numb!! At the time I considered my self a jazz hack (I still do), but I think he was genuine....I could not see him as being a "politician" and blowing steam up my butt...

I sat in the lobby of the music building for about 2 hours after the clinic going over the whole thing in my head again and again...

it still seems surreal to this day.
 
As far as praise from an unexpected source, I can think of one example. I was playing in a trio in Baltimore in the 80's, doing your basic, classic guitar rock cover songs. Hendrix, Cream, ZZ Top, etc. We were playing a little bar with a small crowd. At the end of a set, a small group of people came up to us and introduced themselves. It was Rita Coolidge and her band, who were in town to play a gig. The drummer shook my hand and said "That was great, man! You've got a real Mitch Mitchell vibe going on!"

I'd been kind of bummed about the small crowd, but that really made my night.
 
My crazy compliment came from an Irish pastor at a church that I used to play at. Now, in your best exuberant Irish accent, say the following sentence out loud:

"You sure gave the drums a good lickin'!"

Yes, it was as funny as you think it was...and it still is.
 
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