{"id":13091,"date":"2012-04-24T20:10:43","date_gmt":"2012-04-25T00:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/?p=13091"},"modified":"2012-04-25T09:43:35","modified_gmt":"2012-04-25T13:43:35","slug":"taking-a-stance-on-rock-drummers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/taking-a-stance-on-rock-drummers\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking a Stance on Rock: Drummers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A drummer worth watching.<\/p><\/div>\n

A few years ago we promised to examine the stage stances of rock musicians by instrument, beginning with a mostly likely eventually groundbreaking piece on bassists<\/a>. I don’t think we ever took this series any further…until now.<\/p>\n

You hear the phrase that a great performer is “larger than life.” For rock musicians, that larger than life pose is literally grounded in the musician’s basic stance. Everything the musician does from that initial stance\u2014be it swaying to the music, keeping time with his or her foot, placing a foot on the monitor, punching the air with a sweaty fist\u2014flows from that initial stance, or gesture. You might find it curious that we’re rebooting this series with an examination of the stance of drummers, since few drummers actually stand up in the first place. However, I encourage you to think of a drummer’s stance in broader terms, that is, as the drummer’s presence from behind his or her kit. A distinctive drummer “stance” can add a lot to one’s enjoyment of a band’s live performance.<\/p>\n

There’s no “right” stance, although as we examine the rock stances of various musicians, we may argue that there are “wrong” stances. I wouldn’t put it past us. It is highly likely, throughout the course of this series, that we’ll overlook an important stance. Please don’t hesitate to add to this base of knowledge. In fact, I am incapable of doing this survey justice alone.<\/p>\n

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Giving the drummer all he ever wanted.<\/p><\/div>\n

In terms of stage presence, drummers are challenged by two main factors. First, drummers are usually seated at the back of the stage and obscured by their gear. Even Neil Peart<\/strong> of Rush<\/strong>, who writes the band’s literary-aspiring lyrics and serves as its primary mouthpiece, is overshadowed by his 2 bandmates and their 4 necks<\/a>.\u00a0Second, drummers are expected to play a supporting role, as not only evidenced by their positioning on stage but by their bandmates’ expectations for consistency and reliability above all else. Drummers can’t get away with “leaving space,” the way Keith Richards<\/strong> does on guitar, for instance, when he follows his patented “no-hands” move<\/a> with a measure or two of preening about the stage without hitting a note. When one song ends it’s the drummer who’s got to be ready to kick off the next song. Drummers don’t get many in-song breaks for refreshment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Happy doing what he's doing.<\/p><\/div>\n

Class Clowns<\/h2>\n

Rock drumming’s Class Clowns, Keith Moon<\/strong> and Ringo Starr*<\/a><\/strong>, prove that a big smile projects further than any fancy stick twirls. Class Clowns have a direct line to the audience. A fun-loving drummer who projects a whistle-while-he-works nonchalance is a joy for audiences to watch. Their joy in providing the big beat is infectious, probably helping the crowd to loosen up and bop around. Keith’s conspiratorial shenanigans with the audience were legendary, both highlighting the mischief of The Who’s songs and undercutting Pete Townshend’s bouts with extreme seriousness.\u00a0Ringo’s head bop and smile were in tune with his audience. He projected a sense that he was as pleased with backing his band as the audience was watching them. Are there any images in rock photography sadder than those of Let it Be<\/em>-era Sad Ringo<\/a>?\u00a0So sad about Ringo. It’s rock photography’s equivalent of the Crying Indian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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"I believe in you!"<\/p><\/div>\n

Enablers<\/h2>\n

I regret that the term\u00a0Enablers<\/em> has a negative connotation, but the unconditional love and support these drummers provide works both way, having the ability to both unlock the highest of highs and the most self-indulgent of self-indulgences among their bandmates. Whereas the Class Clowns have a direct line to the audience, the Enabler is wholly focused on his or her bandmates, or bandmate in the case of White Stripes<\/strong> drummer Meg White<\/strong>, who projected a strong sense of empathy and support that screamed, “I believe in you, Jack!” Enablers come in different forms, including The Uncle<\/a>, Charlie Watts<\/strong>, and The Cajoler<\/a>, best represented by the late\u00a0Levon Helm<\/strong>. These drummers are spark plugs, always looking for an opportunity to fire up a bandmate, cheering on a cool fill or directing one distracted band member’s attention back to the action. The aforementioned White brought a sexual aspect of enabling to her performances with former bandmate Jack White<\/strong>. She was what I call a Moaner, tilting her head back and to the side, her eyes closed in ecstasy. And please, no charges of sexism; there are other Moaners behind the skins of both genders and a range of sexual orientations. This is about the drumming style. Meg is the best example of this approach.<\/p>\n

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Moaner.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Field General<\/h2>\n

Whether the stated bandleader or not, the drummer often functions as the “captain” on stage. Some drummers take this responsibility to heart, clearly leading the band from the riser at the back of the stage. I call these the Field Generals. I’m probably missing some great examples, but I pity the ego-laden bandmates who crossed a Ginger Baker<\/a><\/strong> or a Mick Fleetwood<\/a><\/strong>. Hell, the giant Fleetwood’s not afraid to come out from behind his kit with that African talking drum<\/a> to restore order.<\/p>\n

I bet Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s Max Weinberg<\/strong> aspires to Field General status, but someone’s always standing in his way<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The Bruiser.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Jock vs The Bruiser<\/h2>\n

Power is a cherished quality among rock drummers. There are Jock drummers like The Minutemen’s\u00a0George Hurley<\/a><\/strong> and King Crimson’s\u00a0Bill Bruford<\/a><\/strong>, who mix in speed and grace, and then there is the Classic Rock-era kick-and-snare focused Bruiser, like John Bonham<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Other Areas to Explore?<\/h2>\n

Like I said, this is just a start. Certainly there are other areas to explore, other styles to identify. I know nothing about drumming styles of heavy metal drummers, for instance. Are those drummers anything but Bruisers and Jocks? One thing I’m curious to learn about is whether there is an ideal stylistic balance required in bands with 2 drummers (eg, the Dead, the Doobies, the Allmans, now Radiohead).<\/p>\n