Terry Bozzio

I agree that Bozzio has pro chops, but did anyone else read his interview in Drumhead magazine? About his audition with Korn? Short story: Bozzio was upset when the band members didn't understand that he needed to rent a trailer to bring his kit to the rehearsal venue, and take 6 hours for setup. That told me he wanted a cushier job.
 
That's odd my non musician wife could appreciate the musical foundation of his solo performance.

Maybe as she's not a musician, she hears him differently than we do?
As a drummer we hear (and critique) other drummers with kits as big as his more than we should. I assume with a kit of that size, there'd be more to his performance than I hear.

Others may have a different take on it.
 
I have no doubt that Terry's approach with the massive drum set with tuned toms and selected cymbals is extremely musical. After all, each tom is tuned to a note as are his bass drums. Clearly he's one of the most musical drummers around. My problem is that I don't look for that kind of musicality in a drummer. I look for a different kind of musicality, one where the drummer is the rhythmic foundation and can use his drums, whether there are 4 or 15, in a musical manner that fits the music that is being played. Terry's approach is that he provides the tonality as evidenced by his solo approach to music. I see drums and their musicality as being part of a group where there is a synchronicity as well as interplay among the various instruments. Call me conventional that way. I loved everything Terry did with Zappa, UK, Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Brecker Brothers, Group 87, Steve Vai, the stuff he did with Stevens and Levin. Lots of stuff of his that I have not heard and want to. But I much prefer the stuff he did from about 1975 through about 1993. That's just me. But no matter what I may think of his later stuff, he'll always be one of the greatest drummers to ever sit behind a kit.
 
Rhythmic foundation?
He plays ostinatos with his feet as the rhythm part of his solos. They are often in odd meters and they are often accompanied with his hands playing in different rhythms over top of it. They may be difficult to understand, but like I’ll defend his musicality to the grave, I will also defend that his solos have as strong a rhythmic foundation as anyone soloing. They are so founded in rhythm he rarely, if ever, goes into an out of time bombastic flurry of madness (which I know drummers and audiences love and what perhaps turns many of you off to his solos) and his tempo is incredibly solid through everything he does.

There is not another drum soloist who is more rhythmically grounded and focused.

The solos are advanced, they’re formulaic, you aren’t used to hearing melodies on drums and they may not resonate with you... But that’s all there is to it. To say it lacks rhythmic foundation is completely false.
 
Rhythmic foundation?
He plays ostinatos with his feet as the rhythm part of his solos. They are often in odd meters and they are often accompanied with his hands playing in different rhythms over top of it. They may be difficult to understand, but like I’ll defend his musicality to the grave, I will also defend that his solos have as strong a rhythmic foundation as anyone soloing. They are so founded in rhythm he rarely, if ever, goes into an out of time bombastic flurry of madness (which I know drummers and audiences love and what perhaps turns many of you off to his solos) and his tempo is incredibly solid through everything he does.

There is not another drum soloist who is more rhythmically grounded and focused.

The solos are advanced, they’re formulaic, you aren’t used to hearing melodies on drums and they may not resonate with you... But that’s all there is to it. To say it lacks rhythmic foundation is completely false.

You misunderstood my post. I never questioned his musicality. Or his rhythmic foundation. In fact I too defended it. The guy is a masterful technician and perfectionist at execution. Yes, they are advanced, formulaic and highly melodic. But I don't have to enjoy listening to his solo work. And let me repeat. I never once said that he doesn't provide rhythmic foundation. Don't put words in my mouth. I'm a huge fan but don't insist that I have to like EVERYTHING he's ever done. Maybe I'm not used to hearing drums playing melodies. That's probably true. But, like I did say, I'm not looking for that from just drums. I like the layers of other instruments. That's just me. I'm not disparaging you for liking his solo work. Don't disparage me for disliking it. I appreciate it. But I don't like it. End of story.
 
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My problem is that I don't look for that kind of musicality in a drummer. I look for a different kind of musicality, one where the drummer is the rhythmic foundation and can use his drums, whether there are 4 or 15, in a musical manner that fits the music that is being played. Terry's approach is that he provides the tonality as evidenced by his solo approach to music. I see drums and their musicality as being part of a group where there is a synchronicity as well as interplay among the various instruments.
I read this differently than you intended I guess...
 
I read this differently than you intended I guess...

Read it again. I wouldn't change anything I wrote. The key part of your confusion is that when I say "I look for a different kind of musicality, one where the drummer is the rhythmic foundation and can use his drums, whether there are 4 or 15, in a musical manner that fits the music that is being played." Notice I don't say that Terry doesn't play musically and I don't say that he doesn't provide a rhythmic foundation. I list numerous criteria to describe what I prefer in a drummer. If you want to take one piece of what I said and pull it out of context, that's your prerogative. But it wouldn't be consistent with what I actually said. I'm not trying to fight with you. We both love the guy. How about we leave it at that?
 
Please tell me there are intelligent enough drummers on this forum
So you, who mysteriously hasn't logged in in a long time, is somehow fit to question the intelligence of everyone here? Go flam yourself, punk.
 
I would wager more intelligent people have never heard of him or could care less-it's a big planet with lots of intelligent people on every continent-most of which live in "Asia". So statistically speaking seems like a fallacy argument ROFL. Then the whole question is there "intelligent" life on Earth?
 
Well, you don't have to look too far to see the vast amount of sheer stupidity right here in the US based solely on what is happening ihere these days.
 
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