Led Zeppelin 2, The Ultimate Live Experience, is starting off the new year with some exciting shows, hopefully you can be a part of it.
For up to date info and new photos and new video, check out www.ledzeppelin2.com
Fri Jan 8 – House of Blues, CHICAGO – performing their set from “The Legendary 1977 Chicago Stadium Show” – 17 & up 9pm.
Sat Jan 9 – House of Blues, CHICAGO – performing their set from “The 1972 How the Mid-West Was Won Tour” – 17 & up 9pm.
Attend one and have fun, but attend BOTH nights for a discount when purchased together as a two-day pass at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Led-Zeppelin-II-tickets/artist/891609
I guess it’s cool to put a post up of interviews you do with other cooler websites
I did an interview with Asylum magazine on what it takes to play Bohnam.
Thanks to my friend John Sellers for setting up the interview.
Check out John’s awesome book Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life
Let me warn you about Delta Spirit. They have more soul than you can handle.
After interviewing their drummer this band blew me away. But not like you get blown away by your usual ___ band.
It’s not exactly happy go lucky music. But it is real. If you love or can relate to a tortured soul this could be the band to save yours. Think New Orleans and you’ll have some concept of the sound.
But their live delivery is more like a religious sermon delivered by a jaded pastor who doesnt believe anymore and wonders if his flock knows he’s fakin it.
The fact that the majority of the guys in the band have played drums can be seen in this great track from Ode to Sunshine.
I got the instant groove in from drummer Brandon Young before the show. He didn’t warn me about what I was in for. Buy Ode to Sunshine if you want to feel something.
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 8:40 pm. Add a comment
One of the great things about having this site and interviewing bands is that I always get to discover new and cool bands.
Most of us have a network of friends or trusted sources who turn us on to new music.
When you interview drummers you dig in bands you dig you get the bonus of getting turned on to the bands these guys dig enough to take on the road with them. So there’s a good chance you (I) will end up liking the opening band.
In the case of The Golden Dogs from Toronto, I loved this band. They were absolutely amazing live. Sloan drummer Andrew Scott told me I had to interview their drummer because he was incredible. Understatement. Taylor Knox is an amazing drummer, and he calls himself a songwriter.
I swear, those songwriters make the best drummers.
The record Big Eye Little Eye was one of my most listened to records of the year. I hate to compare bands to other bands (mostly because I hate being compared to other bands) but if the Strokes are considered a “big” band, The Golden Dogs should be as big as U2.
Here’s their video for the catchiest song you’re going to hear today.
I edited the talk we had about where our families have cottages in Canada right down the road from each other, but we talk about the band, so here you go.
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 8:20 pm. Add a comment
My obsession with Nada Surf was sparked by Weezer. Ric Ocasek of the Cars who produced the first Weezer record which sounded amazing. (The fact that he messed with Guided By Voices we shall leave to another post)
Around that time he also produced a record by a New York band called Nada Surf. They had a moderate hit with the song “Popular” and then were lost in major label confusion land.
They resurfaced a few years ago on the hipster radar and a friend of mine turned me onto the “new” Nada Surf and I was blown away. Absolutely great songs.
The truth is there was nothing new about the band except they just kept on doing what they do and persisted and the beauty is that they really have come out on top.
They really seem to have found a smooth stride in phase 2 of a career where most bands don’t get a shot at a phase 2.
This is a video for the song Weightless off their latest album Lucky. The band held a contest where fans could make the official video for the song. This video was a runner up, but I thought it encompassed the aesthetic of a great song.
Come on, skydiving? That pretty much rules.
Ira is trully a music fan and drum junkie. He loves talking drums and drumming and he used the term “Ringo School” which I’ve used, but he made it sound official. So I’m using it now all the time.
Here’s the interview
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 7:49 pm. Add a comment
The first week I moved to Chicago in, I think 92, I saw a great gig every night that first week.
I saw, Overwhelming Colorfast, Redd Kross, Guided By Voices at Lollapalooza, and a local band that had a huge influence on me. They were Triple Fast Action. And Brian St Clair was their drummer.
Over the next several years I saw every Chicago show they did and was 100% blown away every time. Amazing songs , great front man (Wes Kidd who went on to manage Local H) and a total rock god drummer in Brian St Clair.
They made 2 amazing records you can hunt down and buy. When the band faded away, Brian took over the drum spot in Local H. Really the only logical choice because….they’re a TWO piece!!!!!!!
Cool before White Stripes and Black Keys. Local H bring the full rock
Brian took time to site down with TheBestDrummerInTheWorld.com at the beginning of the 12 Angry Months tour.
Being a drummer myself, I am not the best interviewer nor am I an editing genius, so bare with me.
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 10:11 am. Add a comment
I grew up in Windsor, Ontario, right across the boarder from Detroit.
When I was a kid, I didn’t even know that America was a seperate country. My best friend John’s parents worked in Detroit and I remember one day when they were talking about crossing the border each day to go to work, and how the customs officials were getting tougher. I thought “What the hell? Customs? Is America a different country??? I thought The Beatles already conquered America?” I was totally confused.
So, in a vain attempt to conquer the world myself, I moved to “The States” to be a “Rock-Starr, like Ringo Starr, get it?)
This concept of conquering America is not new for aspiring musicians. But as I age, it seems more and more misguided a goal.
How about making great music? How about having an enduring career? How about doing something you believe in?
I think I was hoodwinked by the alure of KISS Alive! Damn you Gene Simmons.
But not Sloan.
Sure, they had theire big American hit song with Underwhelmed.
But then they got called “The Nirvana of The North”. An underwhelming title in itself.
I won’t pretend to know all about what they went through or what decisions they made. Or if they ever fought about “moving to The States to become Rock-Starrs” But one thing is obvious….
They decided to continue on and make great music they were proud of.
If you’re a “typical american” (that’s what they call us up in Canada) Then you may not even know who Sloan are. Urgh. Here’s a video for the un-informed.
Plus, this song has a line about living in Canada
So it is with this confused background that I sat down with Sloan drummer Andrew Scott.
Sloan are one of my favorite bands and this is one of the best drummers you may have never heard of.
My love for Power Pop songcraft is obvious and, first and foremost Sloan write great songs. Great harmonies and every guy in the band writes.
The reason I think this band is so important is a) they write great songs b) they’re super tight and super pro live. But there’s a secret weapon in Andrew Scott and here’s why;
He makes the case for the “Keith Moon Factor”
If you’re a drummer and you love Keith Moon, you know that he is the ultimate “outside the box” drummer. He doesn’t play a hi-hat. He pretty much solos all the time. Listen to I can See For Miles if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
And, if you’ve ever played in a band where the guitar player says the famous “you’re overplaying” . Then you have an ally in Andrew Scott.
He’s the only drummer I know in the straigt ahead rock genre that secretly sneaks in Keith Moon style fills at every turn.
I cant speak for all drummers, but i can speak for myself and that myself speacking would secretly love to have the skill to front a band and shred on guitar.
I did start playing drums at an early age, but spent equal time in front of the mirror with a tennis racket playing sweet Van Halen (Eddie) riffs and dreaming of being a guitar god. I play in a Zeppelin band and worship Page.
This secret guitar god worship was continued in the 90’s when I discovered Dinosaur Jr. In the world of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the angst filled world of grunge threw away guitar solos and traded them in for the punk rock ethic of DIY and anti establishment, especially (Eddie)Van Halen.
For me, Dinosaur Jr (and the grunge era) filled my Van Halen (Eddie) void and added something else to it. The idea that you COULD do it yourself. This was added to by the fact that I thought I could sing better than J. Mascis.
I love J’s vocals for the emotion they communicate (the main job of the vocal), but I think we’d all agree he’s not shooting for Freddie Mercury(who I also thought I was better than. sic.)
SOOOO, the thought of interviewing Murph was a bit of a mystery. It’s no secret that I get a bit goofy when I do these interviews. I totally respect anyone who has the balls to make a career in music.
So, I try to respect the person I’m interviewing with intelligent questions relative to the persons’ place in the world and the band they’re in.
This made Murph a special case in my mind. And his take on his role in the band and as a drummer held great lessons for anyone.
For those of you who don’t know, Dinosaur Jr guitar god J. Mascis is also a drummer (He plays drums in stoner metal band Witch) . And through the history of the band, wrote (and sometimes played) the drum parts in many of their songs.
Through my years of being a fan of this band, I honestly (and regretibly) considered them ” The J. Mascis band” And I don’t think I’m the only one. I looked through a bunch of articles on the band and most of them are slanted to the idea that “it’s J and some side guys” Or J and Lou Barlow (who left the band to form Sebadoh, but reunited with the original line up in 2005) and an drummer named Murph.
My fear was that this observation on mine may offend my guest.
But when you talk to someone about themself and their ideas, you really get a simple truth.
Murph recognizes all of the above. And he handles his position with calm pride.
Watching the band that night I was waiting for “Feel The Pain” which has one of my favorite J Mascis guitar parts. J. played drums on the album version of the song. But I was waiting for the guitar solo. The song has 2 parts which change tempo, and the band played the slow part, real slow. And the fast part, real fast.
And in that moment I forgot about the guitar god and worshipped Murph, who with a simple and cool rework of the tempo, became thebestdrummerintheworld that night.
Here’s a live video for Feel the Pain. They did it cooler at the Fillmore. Just imagine the slow part, twice as slow and the fast part twice as fast, and you’ll worship Murph too. The Interview follows.
Here’s the Interview with Murph:
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 10:52 am. Add a comment
Just a note, as the site is relaunched I am busily editing the videos of the bands I’ve interviewed thus far.
Also, I’m trying to get the original site linked into the about page.
But, I’m a drummer, not a video editor or web guru.
Should have them up by end of the hoildays.
Also, If you have cool interviews you’ve done, shoot me an email and I’ll link it up
Peace
ian
Posted 2 months, 2 weeks ago at 9:26 am. Add a comment
This time of year, the coolest of the cool decide on whats cooler than cool, for the year.
For me, the standard of whats cool is pretty narrow. I’m admitedly slightly jaded. I dont watch American Idol and I dont care what Adam Lambert is wearing at the AMA’s
So thebestdrummerintheworld.com best of list for 2009 contains 2 records (I still call them records because it sounds cooler) in its top ten list.
They’re tied for first, although I listened to the first one more so far.
#1 Album of the year: HOT LEG – RED LIGHT FEVER.
If you havent heard this record, you must get it immediately. There is no mare fun a record than this. Out of the darkness of The Darkness, Justin Hawkins has assembled an amazing band and coined a much needed genre “MAN ROCK”
Led Zeppelin 2, The Ultimate Live Experience, is starting off the new year with some exciting shows, hopefully you can be a part of it.
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