Gregg Bissonette

[amoergosum]

[electrizer]

Tony Williams' sole criterion for whether a person could critique another person was talent - not age, not experience, just talent. One time, when someone told Tony he was a great drummer, Tony replied, "You're not good enough to make that judgment." Then the person said "Well, I enjoyed your performance." To which Tony replied, "That, you can say."

This is just gold Love it!

[percusski]

Who wouldn't want to hang with this guy? This part
of the biz overlooked...the hang factor!

+1,000

What I've heard about GB from people who've played with him is that he's a "sweetheart". Sweetheart = gigs.

U

This above is the most likely explanation I suspect. I met him at a drum event year ago, and he's clearly a master schmoozer, he would make b-lines towards whoever was more 'successful' or useful shall we say in the room, in this instance it was Ian Paice, but I'd imaging that's how he operates and in doing so gets the gigs he's had.
He's an ok player, but that's all for me. I'm amazed he gets half the mentions he does.
But as pointed out above I've got that all wrong.

[JohnDrum]

Just my 2 pennorth from across the pond: Gregg has had one of the most enviable gigs(to me at least) for the last 6,7,8 years in Ringo's All stars...a dream gig, totally nailing the various styles needed for each all star's songs, plus Ringo's own back catalogue. I doubt very much that he would have the gig of he wasn't held in high regard, and have the ability alongside his personable nature.

[Matus]

To be fair, Gregg may not be the most technically gifted drummer ever, but he's got a nice set of chops that you don't usually find among non-fusion drummers and has incorporated them to a more rock-like approach. And he plays them right, with confidence, musicality and great sound. Sure, he plays blushda all over the place, but that's how he turned me into it AND he was the very first person to ever tell me (at a clinic) how it's actually played.
Great guy, the nicest you'll ever see to anyone. He was so devoted to greeting and thanking everyone after that clinic back in 2000. And I got to tell him that his performance on this track made a huge impact on me and my drumming, which really seemed to touch him. I don't know, maybe I was younger and more impressionable, but he's always seemed to me like a guy who makes a difference.

[Matus]

And this really influenced me as a kid, can't help loving the guy

[amoergosum]

Just my 2 pennorth from across the pond: Gregg has had one of the most enviable gigs(to me at least) for the last 6,7,8 years in Ringo's All stars...a dream gig, totally nailing the various styles needed for each all star's songs, plus Ringo's own back catalogue. I doubt very much that he would have the gig of he wasn't held in high regard, and have the ability alongside his personable nature.

>>>

[drum solo at 59:18]

[geoffgilldrums]

if y'all have never checked it out....i have always LOVED Gregg's playing on Brandon Field's "the other side of the story": http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/The+Oth ... ry/5914034

+ aggressive tranquility is great [fills at 1:38 !!!]
+ the brain dance [great songo, odd meters, solo at 3:35]. i stole the shit out of the RLL(stomp) hi-hat thing & the hertas grouped in 7s. the 5:2 to triplets sh*t is great too.

[Mark P]

* I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ABOUT TO ARGUE ON THE INTERNET - WHAT A ROAD TO NOWHERE *

I just have to say my piece here, no idea what the purpose of debate is, I won't change anybody's mind and nobody will change mine.

Gregg is my absolute hero.

He has, personally, helped me more than any other musician I know, and aside from being an inspirational drummer that people want on their albums, people want him on their tour buses and on their live shows too.

What one or two of the non-professionals on this board may not realise about our business and can't seem to get past is, no matter how good a drummer someone might be, that is not the be all and end all. Equally, neither is the personality they possess. My best friend, a hilarious man, and one of the kindest souls I know fits windows for a living, do I want him playing guitar on my solo album just because he's a nice guy? No I don't. Equally, do I want a player, (no matter how good they are and how much I admire them as a musician) like _________________ - insert name here - instead? We have nothing in common and although he is an incredible player I don't want him on my tour either.

A little story about Gregg. Outside of a clinic, after returning back to the venue after some dinner, he sees some children looking at the poster for a drum clinic advertised for 'tonight'. Between them they haven't got the right amount of change to go in to watch the show, (which Gregg is the star of btw). Gregg takes them to the front desk and PAYS OUT OF HIS OWN DAMN POCKET for the two boys to go in so that the drum shop putting on the event isn't out of pocket, and the boys can enjoy the show. Imagine those kids faces when Gregg gets up to play. He is a class act and a total example to all of humankind. I have never heard Gregg talk trash about another human, and he is probably the only other drummer I would pay to be on a session I was on just to lift the mood of the room.

Percusski, do you know why Gregg would make a beeline for Ian Paice? Well, Ian is one of his heroes, and I'm sure Gregg would have been as excited as a little kid at the chance to hang with someone he looked up to. What could he otherwise have gained from him, a gig? I'll wager if you were in a room and Vinnie (* or insert other drummer who you admire of your choosing here *) walked in, you'd want to talk to them and hang. I know I would.

Check this link below of Gregg and Vinnie doing a drum duet as a tribute to Tony.

http://cdn-x.drummerworld.com/Sound/vin ... orTony.mp3

Could anyone seriously be saying that the kind of people that he has played with hired him just because he is a nice guy? Personality is 50% of the battle, but it's a given that Gregg is a world-class musician. On that basis Herbie Hancock should his mother to play saxophone for him because they get along? You need to be able to do the job, again, that is a given. The next level is what ELSE you bring to the table.

I'm going to bow out of this thread, because it's simply ridiculous trying to persuade anyone who can't see something to change their opinion through the Internet. I just have to show my support for a guy who is the reason why I have been able to buy my house in London, built solely by drums, and make a good living for myself travelling around the world playing music. Gregg was one of the first people that make me believe and then help me realise I was able to make a life with drums at the helm, and he's been there for support every step of the way, for no reason other than that he is a wonderful, wonderful human...

MP

[Julián Fernández]

Someone said he was a little out of league playing the BRMC... That´s it. No one said he can´t play or he´s just personality. That would be youtube comments material.
The thing I like about Gregg is that every time he talks I *believe* him... The same reason I can´t stand MJ (and even DF), I just don´t believe the vibe that they´re projecting... Feels unnatural to me (no offense).
Gregg´s passion is contagious and along his skills, he´s where he deserves to be imo. The thing that keeps me from listening to him more often is his sound; can´t say why buy I don´t mind his sound to much, but that´s all. Love ya Gregg!