Upcoming Netflix Documentary on Drummers

I really don't know how you talk about rock drumming for an hour and a half and Steven Perkins gets like eight minutes while genuinely significant drummers who've changed the way the drums were played got no air time.

There's no:
Clyde and Jabo
Neil Peart
Bill Bruford
Phil Collins-- this is inexcusable and I don't care how uncool people think he is now.
Carter Beauford
Travis Barker
?uestlove
Matt Chamberlain
Alex Van Halen
Al Jackson Jr.

And, I mean, I like punk drumming and I like Samantha Maloney and I like Clem Burke, but I dunno. And in the last segment the only drummer with anything even modestly interesting to say musically was Cindy Blackman.

Call me cranky. I just expected something more.
 
Were there scheduling conflicts resulting in lack of availability? Were there managers that declined? Does Rush perhaps have a tribute coming for Neal and thusly said no?
There are a lot of variables of which we are totally unaware which may have resulted in some favourites not being in the movie. It's very unfair to assume they were simply left out on purpose by the producers/director.
 
someguy01 said:
Were there scheduling conflicts resulting in lack of availability? Were there managers that declined? Does Rush perhaps have a tribute coming for Neal and thusly said no?
There are a lot of variables of which we are totally unaware which may have resulted in some favourites not being in the movie. It's very unfair to assume they were simply left out on purpose by the producers/director.
Click to expand...
Has anyone suggested that they were assuming that? I'm criticizing the product, not the process.
 
In addition to Neal Peart and (Neil Peart as well :D) , the name that I was most missing was Mitch Mitchell.

Keith Moon was an entertaining player, but not as great a player as Mitch Mitchell or Ginger Baker. But they couldn't include every drummer who has ever played in a 90 minute show.

Overall I liked it and it made drumming seem like what it is, a TON OF FUN!

Edited because I can't spell. Woo!
 
Last edited:
Neal Pert said:
I'm criticizing the product, not the process.
Click to expand...
The process would result in the product. There has been a great deal of criticism (not just you) over drummers not in the movie. I was addressing that criticism as I see it to be unfair.
Criticizing the end product for not having whom you (the "you" is ubiquitous) wanted to see would be a criticism of the process that created the unappealing, to some, product.
When I go to a baseball game and my favourite pitcher isn't pitching I don't criticize the team and the manager, I accept there are variables to which I am unaware and just enjoy the game.
I suppose some wanted a super in depth documentary about all of their favourite drummers and when it failed to meet the preconceived notion it is a failure. What I watched wasn't a documentary, it was an entertaining movie.
 
Neal Pert said:
I really don't know how you talk about rock drumming for an hour and a half and Steven Perkins gets like eight minutes while genuinely significant drummers who've changed the way the drums were played got no air time.

There's no:
Clyde and Jabo
Neil Peart
Bill Bruford
Phil Collins-- this is inexcusable and I don't care how uncool people think he is now.
Carter Beauford
Travis Barker
?uestlove
Matt Chamberlain
Alex Van Halen
Al Jackson Jr.

And, I mean, I like punk drumming and I like Samantha Maloney and I like Clem Burke, but I dunno. And in the last segment the only drummer with anything even modestly interesting to say musically was Cindy Blackman.

Call me cranky. I just expected something more.
Click to expand...

Fair enough but this wasn’t designed to be an all-encompassing documentary on the history of all the amazing drummers. There are plenty of other documentaries that do just that.

Complaining about who was left out is a little short-sighted and missed the point.

I loved learning more about some musicians I was unfamiliar with, especially the female ones who have some unique challenges to deal with in striving to become pro drummers.
 
Hewitt2 said:
Fair enough but this wasn’t designed to be an all-encompassing documentary on the history of all the amazing drummers. There are plenty of other documentaries that do just that.

Complaining about who was left out is a little short-sighted and missed the point.

I loved learning more about some musicians I was unfamiliar with, especially the female ones who have some unique challenges to deal with in striving to become pro drummers.
Click to expand...

You liked it. I didn't and I gave my reasons. I'm happy you liked it.
 
Hewitt2 said:
Complaining about who was left out is a little short-sighted and missed the point.
Click to expand...
I agree. My issue is that generally speaking, top 3-5 rock drummers lists usually involve some combination of Peart-Moon-Bonham-Baker in whatever order they're being ranked that day. You just don't see Bonham and Moon discussed very often without Peart in the mix, and vice-versa.

Anyway, no big deal really. It was enjoyable, just a bit unbalanced in my humble opinion.
 
Last edited:
I think it boils down to: Rush and Neil fans wanted to see him in a movie about drummers, those of us that aren't fans weren't disappointed. IMO.
 
someguy01 said:
I think it boils down to: Rush and Neil fans wanted to see him in a movie about drummers, those of us that aren't fans weren't disappointed. IMO.
Click to expand...

Despite my screen name, I'm not actually a big Rush fan. I am overall disappointed in their selection of drummers and with a lot of the choices of the filmmakers. As with any opinion, YMMV.
 
Hewitt2 said:
“ ‘Count me in’ comes out August 24. The preview features a frenetic Beatles performance and Abe Laboriel jr. raving about Ringo. Looked good! Should hopefully be 81 minutes of fun.

Really looking forward to this one - anyone else?
Click to expand...
I made it through about 20 minutes of this but it was untenable/unendurable, something made by non-drummers for non-drummers. Could be interesting to some, but I found it to be very disappointing was expecting much more from a huge company like netflx...sigh, I suppose they were going for the widest audience instead of what might interest real drummers.
 
Last edited:
I amend my earlier statement, it appears some folks were expecting Ken Burns: Jazz but for drummers.
Netflix caters to the average subscriber and tailors for the masses to generate the most revenue. A full on documentary about drummers would pull the audience of DW, not enough to justify the cost. That would require someone like Ken Burns who has the means and the passion to make it and not care about audience share.
Apparently, I'm in the minority liking Chad Smith, Stephen Perkins, Nicko McBrain, and Cindy Blackman (I am unfamiliar with the other 2 ladies).
I still firmly believe that some folks had preconceptions and that caused them disdain when the preconception wasn't met. Happens often. I have zero expectations of anything so I can go in with an open mind. With exception to American selfishness, that I fully expect and am surprised when it's not there.
 
SomeBadDrummer said:
suppose they were going for the widest audience instead of what might interest real drummers.
Click to expand...
Isnt this how movies work? Sports movies arent just for athletes to enjoy. Horror movies arent just for serial killers to enjoy. Scientists fiction movies arent just for scientists to enjoy.

Why must we think that as drummers this movie is only for us? Instead of whining about it, we should celebrate that the movie drums are actually getting played. Correctly. By drummers.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Isnt this how movies work? Sports movies arent just for athletes to enjoy. Horror movies arent just for serial killers to enjoy. Scientists fiction movies arent just for scientists to enjoy.

Why must we think that as drummers this movie is only for us? Instead of whining about it, we should celebrate that the movie drums are actually getting played. Correctly. By drummers.
Click to expand...
This might be true except that it was billed as a documentary, which doesn't typically appeal to anyone outside that interest.

Not whining btw, my opinion is worth expressing don't you think?
 
SomeBadDrummer said:
This might be true except that it was billed as a documentary, which doesn't typically appeal to anyone outside that interest.

Not whining btw, my opinion is worth expressing don't you think?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. I'm just shocked at how many didnt care for it. I'm gonna watch it regardless when my data renews.

I dont think I've met a drummer movie I havent liked yet. That includes Whiplash and Drumline. Better than watching a godawful romcom.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Isnt this how movies work? Sports movies arent just for athletes to enjoy. Horror movies arent just for serial killers to enjoy. Scientists fiction movies arent just for scientists to enjoy.

Why must we think that as drummers this movie is only for us? Instead of whining about it, we should celebrate that the movie drums are actually getting played. Correctly. By drummers.
Click to expand...
I get what you're saying but then I'm reminded of Metallica's "Through The Never" movie where they actually thought it would appeal to a wider audience being released in theatres.

You can dress it up all you want but at the end of the day, it's just a Metallica concert movie and no-one but Metallica fans are going to watch it.
Same with this movie- can't see many non-drummer's thinking "That looks interesting, think I'll forego my usual rom-com and give this doco about drumming a try".

And for the record, I loved it too so I'm definitely not in the drum snobbery camp here (but to further make the point my fiance was on her phone the whole time "we" watched it) 😁
 
Watched it this week. It was fine......I don't want the time back but I wouldn't say there is anything worth watching it again for.

I think it brings drumming and some drumming history to non-drummers and just music fans in general, which is what they would have been aiming at anyways. Making a really in depth production on drumming that would appeal to drummers is a bodaciously small target audience for someone like NEtflix.

Glad they made it. We didn't pay for it anymore than the other crap on there so soak it in for 90mins.....
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Absolutely. I'm just shocked at how many didnt care for it. I'm gonna watch it regardless when my data renews.

I dont think I've met a drummer movie I havent liked yet.
Click to expand...
Why are you shocked that people aren’t as enamored as you with something that equals a waste of time for those that really understand drumming?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top