Random Play by Graham Reid

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Random Play: He bangs the drum

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  • FletcherB,

    My opinion of much drumming is similar to your own...

    Which is why this is one of my favorites....

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    How soon before someone says "Moby Dick"?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    My guess is that the objects of your ire were AK Samba. Since I belong to their equivalent in Wellington, I'm probably somewhat biassed. But you should be grateful to live in an age where organ grinders and hurdygurdy players no longer assault the ears of the decent citizen.

    Personally I find crap guitarists busking with dinky canned percussion and bass far more offensive. But I like hurdy gurdys.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    hell yeah, and I was a tradesman drummer as well.

    but the tools that really bring out my inner serial killer are the hippies who take their wee drums in their wee carry-bags to festivals and sit in earnest, crosslegged circles banging out the most tedious rubbish for hours and hours and hours...it'd be more fun listening to a field full of Farfisa organs (Farfisi?) set on samba.

    they belong in the same box as secular gospel choirs and faux-Latin gleesters.

    as for gig solos, they tend to get a little to close to the world of jugging and mime...just say no.

    man, my chest feels so much better now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I don't know if this really counts, but I'll take any excuse:

    Speaking of hippies at festivals, I recall a man at the BDO last year who decided to strum along on an acoustic during Neil Young's set (!). He was pelted with plastic water bottles by an uncharitable crowd, though.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    This version of Take Five got posted on boingboing yesterday (as part of the Adventures In Music series) and yes, that drummer - Joe Morello? - is one coool mother.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    The Quireboys from London (does anyone else remember them?)

    Barely. Didn't they have a hit covering an Argent tune?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    After seeing Keith Le Blanc play the Power Station with Tackhead, including two drum kits, and a touch pad programmable drum machine, which he did live, before playing his two kits, all else seems somewhat mediocre, IMhO.

    And I'm sure looking forward to the drumming during the Echo and The Bunnymen set next week at Laneways. Pete De freitas, who died at 27 in a car accident, will be sorely missed.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    Oh dude, you are SO dead to me now... :)

    For some people (me included), drumming stirs something deep in the soul, that flows from the top of one's head to the tips of one's fingers and toes. Sitting still is not an option, movement in time to the rhythm is absolutely imperative and cannot be denied.

    Whether it's the noodling of Take Five, African drummers of every persuasion at WOMAD, hippies on the beach or my very own beloved Batucada (hi Stephen!), drumming is what does it for me. Drumming (both playing and listening) has brought me so many moments of sheer, complete, total, utter joy and ecstasy, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

    I feel lucky to feel so moved by something that it can take me away and transport me to another dimension. How wonderful!

    Here's my favourite ever drum solo - Michael Shrieve of Santana playing Soul Sacrifice at Woodstock. AWESOME. Hippies galore - and proud of it!

    Right. I'm off to Batucada rehearsal now. Enjoy!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Green,

    Indeed it was AKSamba, and I was one of Sunday's "tub thumpers". One of our members is doing the Taupo Ironman and running the London Marathon this year, raising money for The Meningitis Trust, so we were busking in order to raise sponsorship money for her.

    You can sponsor Jeanette here.

    You obviously got unlucky. We were as far away from the Mission Bay shops as possible and only played for about 35 minutes. Sorry to put you off your bruschetta. We only have a busking licence for Auckland City, so I would suggest lunching in a different part of greater Auckland next time.
    Or come closer for a proper listen. You might even enjoy it.

    Thanks for the support Stephen Judd and webweaver. Sambistas gotta stick together.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 53 posts Report Reply

  • Snowgrrl,

    I saw the drumming group at Mission Bay and thought they were fantastic, and so did the rather large crowd that they attracted. The majority of people actually enjoy free quality entertainment, if you want a 'quiet' coffee, a large/popular public place such as Mission Bay probably isn't the place to go!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2010 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Sylvie Zlami,

    Graham, I’m one of the pesky noise makers. Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the percussive entertainment in Mission Bay. I’m guessing you may have been in a grumpy mood or maybe you were just hanging out for some peace and quiet (… although, Mission Bay probably doesn't fit the bill at any time of the year)

    Like Carol said, come closer next time!
    We’re not so good at providing quality sound spill, but we do great samba and generally put a smile on people's dial.
    Or better still, come to the Haiti fundraising gig at Totos on Sunday where we’ll perform also.

    Oh, and as for drumming per se, I’m a tad surprised that you’re so dismissive of it. I’ve always thought that humans relate to it rather intuitively. After all we spend nine months in our mother’s womb hearing predominantly the drum solo of her heart beat …

    See you Sunday?
    :)

    auckland • Since Dec 2007 • 31 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Is it technically a drum solo if more than one drummer is playing? I don't much like solos either, but I've been hearing drumming groups since primary school, it being just about the only instrument native to the Pacific Islands. I that kind of thing quite a lot, particularly stuff that is designed around a dance.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Oh and those guys who all wear the same shirt and wear their drums, and march along - they're good for a while, but yeah I can dig that hours of it would grate. Is that AKSamba?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Bring back Drum Majorettes and Marching Girls I say.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    Heh. @BenWilson - well we don't generally play hours of it cos we'd all fall down in an exhausted heap, but yes, the guys in matching shirts who wear their drums are most likely the street Samba bateria native to your particular city.

    Auckland has AKSamba, Welli has Batucada, and there are a couple of other smaller crews whose names escape me right now.

    Batucada in Wellington play at a huge range of festivals, street parades, fundraisers and other gigs. We're funded by the City Council as a community group which means we are open to anyone, and we have regular beginners' courses throughout the year, as well as rehearsals for the main group at Thistle Hall every Sunday afternoon.

    This is Batucada at last year's Cuba Street Carnival (we won Best Music and also the Supreme Winner award). You can hear us right from the start, and you get your first glimpse of our dancers at about the 38-second mark. It kicks into full gear at about 1 minute in.

    ...and waiting to begin the parade:

    ...and here we are leading the Sevens Parade

    See you at the Sevens this year too!

    More Batucada video and photos here in case you're interested...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    It's always interested me that we have this whole South American influence in Welly, just because somebody chartered a boat called "Cuba" to check out the site of Wellington in 1840.

    I guess we are lucky the Scunthorpe didn't win the bidding.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ey up. It'd be kippers rather than coffee in the quarter..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Drumming. Hmm! There is good (Gene Krupa, Ginger Baker) and bad (bongos and those tedious drum solos we had to suffer through in the 1970s--and in some live concerts today, when every member of the backing band has to have their 5 minutes of audience attention*). In the Waikato, we have the Waitako Drummers, who are influenced by Japanese traditions and something quite special. So are Pacific Island hollow trunk drums.

    * in respect of the Al Green concert last Thursday, such attention was deserved, with such a tremendous backing band.

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

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Ey up. It'd be kippers rather than coffee in the quarter..

    ...and exotic pork pies and tantalising toad-in-the-hole. Incidentally, I caught a portion of a programme the other night, about improving the fare at Little Chef roadside 'restaurants' in the UK. That would be an uphill battle. I had possibly the worst meal in my life at one near Nottingham a couple of years back.

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

  • Stephen Judd,

    RoO -- I honestly don't think the accidental name of Cuba St has anything to do with the Batucada, at least. It has a lot more to do with the tastes of a few crucial people who decided that street art and performance was something the city needed more of. (And of course Carnival isn't a Cuban thing anyway). The first capoeira group in Wellington started about 2000 and although I'm vague on the details because it predates my interest, several of Capoeira Pasifika's members were instrumental, as it were, in the early days of the Batucada. If I was going to blame anyone, I'd blame them, not the street name.

    And there are lots of South Americans in Wellington now. I hear Spanish and Portuguese on the street quite frequently. I'm probably mixing with a particular subculture now, I admit, but last night I was out with a random assortment of people that included some from Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay, only one of whom I was actually expecting to see.

    {on edit}

    Geoff's comment reminds me, as web weaver was reminiscing with me today, the drum circle at the old Cuba Cuba cafe goes back before Batucada days and probably contributed a lot to that particular element of the Cuba St-based subculture.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    improving the fare at Little Chef roadside 'restaurants' in the UK

    Caught the look of horror on Big Chef's face in passing..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    influenced by Japanese traditions

    Ah, the mighty taiko drums opening and closing the Gathering. Sublime.
    Thanks, Ali.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    actually, to be pendantic, they're called wadaiko.

    um, if there was a good chance of booking half a dozen decent gigs, i might be keen to approach Gocoo about whether they were interested in doing an NZ tour...any opinions?

    it would be cool, imho.
    (don't worry Graham, not many drum solos ;)

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

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