Considering my age and the huge amount of educational content available online, I’m sure I don’t have much to offer as far as “drum lessons” go. When it comes to advice for drummers and opinions on the current state of the music industry, I’m full of it! So there’s something to look forward to.
For now, here are some videos of my favorite and most influential drummers. For those of you who are fans of the drums and drummers in general, I hope you find these as interesting on a personal level as I did.
I chose these videos because they closely sum up many of the concepts that allowed me to have a decades-long career without always being aware of what I was actually doing right. Or why it worked. It just did. It helps to be confident, not meek. Competent, no arrogant. I got over those hurdles pretty quick. While I knew I was not proficient, I was definitely passionate. I was always prepared. I knew the sound I wanted from my instrument and I worked with intent to get it. Like Charlie Watts, I love the drums for the part they play within the band and the music. So, with that singular goal I created on the drums what I wanted to hear in the music. And it worked.
Todd Sucherman
Todd was my go-to coach on Drumeo for 4 years. He’s also the drummer for one of my all-time favorite bands, Styx. That really caught my attention. Discovering his unparalleled passion for coaching helped to reignite my love of the drums following a stroke in 2009, heart surgery in 2012 and nearly 10 years of indifference to my instrument. I had also grown extremely tired of certain attitudes within the music industry itself.
When friends asked what I was doing now I would often reply, “I’m taking drum lessons so I can figure out what I did wrong.” haha.
Early on in Todd’s Rock Drumming Master Class he described a list of attributes that made for being a good drummer. I was nearly brought to tears as what he described was what I had done from the beginning. Things like; be on time (be early), know the material, make sure your gear is in working order and that you have everything you need (and spare parts). He goes on to say, to listen to the music. Listen for the feeling and what it’s expressing, and play to it. Play with confidence. Play with passion. Leave your band mates with a feeling of joy that you were there. Do these things and you will always get a call back.
Here’s a world-renowned drummer expressing to me that I had done more things right in my career than I had ever known. Certainly more than I gave myself credit for. Luckily I had the natural talent to, um… “fake” my way through actually playing the drums without having taken a single lesson. (I’m not at all proud of that, btw) All those years of playing along to the radio took me a long, long way. Maybe as far as I can or will ever go. Which is great. Now it’s time to look back, tell my story, take stock and, out of respect for the God-given-gift itself, take some lessons!
https://toddsucherman.com/
Simon Phillips
I had no idea how much influence Simon Phillips had on me until just recently. I’m not a fan of drum solos (at all), but in my opinion his are the most unique. I stumbled across one that lead me down a rabbit hole of research. Simon has worked with rock bands and artists including Jeff Beck, Michael Schenker, Nik Kershaw, Mike Oldfield, Judas Priest, Mike Rutherford, Tears for Fears, 10cc and The Who. After Jeff Porcaro’s death in 1992, he became part of the world-famous rock band Toto. Toto happens to be one of my all-time favorite bands and one I learned to play the drums to. I could never get it just right and now I know why. While the late, great Jeff Porcaro will forever be remembered as one of the greatest, more innovative drummers of all time, Toto could not have had a more notable replacement than Simon Phillips.
To me, Simon played to Toto’s intricate melodies better than any drummer I’ve ever heard. Of course my love of Toto and their style makes me completely biased. I like a lot of bands, but few, if any above Toto. It’s subjective for sure.
Listen to some of Simon’s numerous other YouTube videos and I think you’ll discover his genius just as I have.
https://www.simon-phillips.com/
Charlie Watts
Other than his move into jazz, Charlie describes a very similar experience and belief when it comes to drumming.
He didn’t take lessons, but says he should have. He likes the drums and drummers in a band, but not a fan of solos. Doesn’t take them. Doesn’t listen to them. Amen.
Rock & Roll is 4 on the floor, straight forward dance music. It should swing and bounce. It’s a feel. I’d add that if the girls can’t dance to it, the drummer isn’t getting the job done. It’s how we make a living.
He knows there will always be guys out there that are better. It’s frustrating. That’s for sure.
“I’ll never, ever, ever get there.”
~ Charlie Watts
“Better than most, Charlie. By a lot.”
~ Mike
https://www.facebook.com/thisischarliewatts/
https://www.youtube.com/@CharlieWattsOfficial
Stewart Copeland
I was definitely a fan of “The Police” and awestruck by their amazing drummer, Stewart Copeland. It wasn’t until just recently that I came across some of his content on YouTube and learned that I truly like him as a person. It’s this kind of personal interest that inspires me to learn not only who he is, but how he does what he does. Once I get to that point, I start to think I just might be able to play drums a little bit like him. Now that’s something to get excited about. Especially at my age.
The Stewart Copeland interview, along with my own experiences inspired this quote.
“There’s a lot that goes on in the world of bands and making music. It’s most often a collaborative work of art, yet sometimes dreadful. The idea of being in a band seems at first mysterious. And then one day you learn how the sausage is really made.“
~ Mike