Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Just Some Things

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  • Deborah,

    It's still your birthday here in Adelaide, Russell, so... Happy Birthday.

    Drummers... Gary Brain, anyone? Does anyone know who I mean? Or my friend's lad. 16 and amazing and I won't put his name here because it's not mine to put here, but in 5 years time I will come back to this thread and say, "I told you so."

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Newsprint,

    Gary Brain, anyone? Does anyone know who I mean?

    Yes!
    Have very vivid memory of his visit to my intermediate school in the early eighties. At an impressionable age he made the orchestra cool.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 42 posts Report

  • Paul Rowe,

    I remember Pavement had two drummers when they came out in 1994 (?). They still had their old geezer drummer, who was wandering the Powerstation before the gig started offering people bananas.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Not being much of a rock chick, I'll got for the funky drummers and have a great affection for Sheila E. -- who is not only a kick-arse drummer/percussionist but managed to pull off the 80's Prince dress code (couture hooker) with a surprising amount of dignity. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And let's not forget Clyde Stubblefield, who laid down (I think) the most sampled drum solo ever (5.35).


    AIN'T IT FUNKY!

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • B Jones,

    I think of Gary Brain every time the flight attendant tells us to be careful opening the overhead lockers as items may have shifted in flight :-(

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I think of Gary Brain every time the flight attendant tells us to be careful opening the overhead lockers as items may have shifted in flight :-(

    Me too. I have yet to experience anything shifting (or the earth moving) but he sure was dealt a mighty blow.

    In respect of drummers, does Ginger Baker from Cream qualify? Or does his 40 minute long, rather self-indulgent solos rule him out? In terms of percussion (generally), you really need to put Tom Waits at the top of the list.

    The drummer with The Pretenders is pretty damn good too. When I saw them in Auckland two summers ago, the drummer was enclosed in a perspex cage. Never figured out whether it was for his protection, or for the audience!

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Andrew G,

    Moe Tucker has always been a favourite of mine. She has a style that is totally in tune with the VU songs, and that's not easy.
    At the other end of the scale, Dave Grohl on the QOTSA, "songs for the deaf" record (as someone mentioned earlier) is one of the great drumming records. If you are listening to "No one knows" in the car, there's a real chance you'll set off the airbag during the chorus.

    Napier • Since Mar 2007 • 53 posts Report

  • Mark Thomas,

    If you are listening to "No one knows" in the car, there's a real chance you'll set off the airbag during the chorus

    Hooray! Glad you agreed. I was getting concerned about all these drummers from before the 90's.... :)

    I think there's something about the mix on SFTD that brings the drums to the front. the snares are just so loud, there's bugger all reverb and they just rock so damn hard!

    ahhhh, i think i'll sit down now

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report

  • Mark Thomas,

    oooh, UMG have prevented embedding. i guess it messes with their advert-based commercial model

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report

  • mark taslov,

    many good drummers out there, but only one looks so damn happy:

    <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T9x6BgaCEGo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T9x6BgaCEGo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Moe Tucker has always been a favourite of mine.

    I actually quite like Billy Yule (__Live at Max's Kansas City__, plus Oh, Sweet Nuthin' and Lonesome Cowboy Bill on Loaded).

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Paul Rowe,

    I actually quite like Billy Yule (Live at Max's Kansas City, plus Oh, Sweet Nuthin' and Lonesome Cowboy Bill on Loaded).

    Speaking of which, can anybody point me to a digital copy of Squeeze? I know it's supposed to be pretty average, but I'm curious about it. Plus, I once saw it in a Palmerston North second hand record shop and decided to but Live 1969 instead. The right decision musically, but not the right decision as a Velvets geek.

    (and seeing as you ask, they we $20 each, a fortune in 1992)

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Speaking of which, can anybody point me to a digital copy of Squeeze?

    Heh. I was going to ask that too. There's a pretty bad copy floating around, cobbled together from 2 or 3 different rips. The album - judged on its own merits, rather than as a Velvets album - is actually not bad.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    Speaking of which, can anybody point me to a digital copy of Squeeze?

    Hasn't it been blocked from CD release by the owners of the name..ie Reed & Cale.

    I have a vinyl copy..it's ok as 3410 says but it ain't the VU

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • 3410,

    I wouldn't be surprised if Reed's objection is that Doug Yule's Lou impersonation is so good. DY sang lead vox on 4 out of 10 Loaded tracks, and even if you know the album well, it's fairly hard to tell which ones without checking. I didn't notice for years.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    I wouldn't be surprised if Reed's objection is that Doug Yule's Lou impersonation is so good.

    And as we all know it doesn't take much to make Lou grumpy.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    Dark irony corner -
    Dr Dragan 'David' Dabić/ Radovan Karadžić's email address:

    healingwounds @ dragandabic . com

    Ooh, I'm with Alistair, thats creepy.

    As for drummers, I was listening to some Stone Roses earlier today, and have to say that the baggy early 90's shuffle as pioneered by Reni still sounds pretty darn good.

    And Gary Brain, yes! - the big man made a few visits to Naenae College to get us all enthused about making percussion noises in metalwork :)

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    I think of Gary Brain every time the flight attendant tells us to be careful opening the overhead lockers as items may have shifted in flight :-(

    Me three!

    I recall him being interviewed prior to his accident about percussion generally - was very cool without being try-hard or patronising - it was on a kid/teenagers show with Danny whathisface from talkback now... sort of magazine style show... ack, damn memory... anyone?

    But yeah, I too think of him almost everytime the Stewards recommend caution or whatnot... not a bad legacy I 'spect though didn't he go on to be a conductor of note (better perhaps that a Timpanist)?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Sofie - Mishi/Mishka a 19yrold russian black, will be accompanying-
    much missed by a wide family- aue aue aue-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Sofie - Mishi/Mishka a 19yrold russian black, will be accompanying-
    much missed by a wide family- aue aue aue-

    Shooshy was also black with eyes.....eyes like an old russian lady,I wonder....
    My friend found out Wednesday morn about the kidney failure so he was biding time until yesterday.Rest in Peace.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Paul Rowe,

    As for drummers, I was listening to some Stone Roses earlier today, and have to say that the baggy early 90's shuffle as pioneered by Reni still sounds pretty darn good.

    I always thought that riff was nicked from mid-period Ringo, but I agree, it sets up the whole baggy sound.

    Hasn't it been blocked from CD release by the owners of the name..ie Reed & Cale.

    That wouldn't surprise me, though there is a Forgotten Velvets box set floating around made up of Lou-less Velvets live gigs in Europe. Japanese apparently.

    I wouldn't be surprised if Reed's objection is that Doug Yule's Lou impersonation is so good.

    Bowie tells a story about meeting Reed after a VU gig in NY in 1970 or so and talking to him for twenty minutes, only to be told a few days later that he'd been talking to Yule. Reed had left a few nights earlier apparently.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report

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