I just thought that Eric had some interesting thoughts on the music business and on drummers in this interview.
I look back now at all the drummers who’ve attained longevity in the music business…it’s not an easy task. Being a journeyman musician is different from being in a band. If you’re not a songwriter, or you’re not the principal owner of a successful band, to survive in this business is very hard work. A lot of drummers talk in interviews about their workout regimen and “I’m working on this ostinato thing where I’m playing this with my left hand,” and that’s all great and fine. But the majority of people will never be able to use that kind of technical ability unless they create some kind of niche for themselves. Ultimately most players just want to have a career in music, whether it’s as a studio musician or being in a band with some success, where they can just play for a living.
It’s almost like a rare art form to be able to play music for a living. And the way people view musicians in America is different from the way they view them in Europe. Overseas they look at dance and theater and music and all that as a cultural and artistic expression, and they really support and admire it and respect it in a different way. Jazz musicians are totally revered in countries like Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany.
When people ask me for advice about being in the music business and making a living, I tell them that you’re on not only a financial roller coaster but an emotional roller coaster as well, and you have to always remember that it is a business. Everybody is aware that musicians look at their art as being a part of our cultural fabric and that we are very emotional about it. Unfortunately, a lot of businesspeople are very aware of that. The best way to take advantage of people and situations is to tap into their emotional side, knowing that they’re not always going to make decisions based on logic. A lot of times the business can prey on that. I don’t want to sound negative; I just try to be realistic. There are some very, very shrewd people in the music business, and I think if you’re not business-minded you’ve got to remember, no matter who you’re working with—even if it’s the best friends you grew up with—the minute you throw some fame, success, and money into the equation, you will see people change. Not everybody—some people do retain their humbleness and their roots. But you have to be aware.
Early Years/Favorite Drummers
I watched bands on TV, and I saw many on Ed Sullivan’s show. I went to see concerts, I saw Led Zeppelin one time—so I did get to see Bonham live! I never got to see the Beatles or Jimi Hendrix with Mitch Mitchell or Cream with Ginger Baker. I was a little bit young for them. Even though I was aware of all that music because I had an older sister and brother, I only got to experience them on TV or on records. These days anyone can buy DVDs or watch performances by just about anyone on the Internet. Years ago, when I saw Tony Royster Jr. at twelve playing like Dennis Chambers, I was like, “Forget it, it’s over.” [laughs]
I remember another guy, Thomas Pridgen, coming to the NAMM show with his grandmother when he was a little boy. I used to talk to him all the time. He’s another one who has turned into a monster player. His grandmother made it her mission to help her grandson achieve his dreams. But she also taught him how to be a nice, respectful person. She is a great lady, and I give her a lot of credit for the success he’s had, because you need support factors in your life. My parents were both musicians. My mother played viola and sang, played a little piano too, and my dad played violin and saxophone and was a bandleader. And I started playing in my dad’s band when I was fourteen.
My dad also took me to see big bands all the time. To this day Buddy Rich is my favorite drummer, and he always will be. It’s tough to name the best all-around drummer, because what each person does is different. And I always like to think that if you play in a band and you do your thing, it’s not about who is better technically. What’s more important is who is right for the situation. I know guys that can play circles around me all day long, but they’re not the right person to play in Kiss. They might not have the right chemistry to work with Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], or maybe they don’t sing; there are a lot of factors to fitting into certain situations. It’s not just about the drumming.
But getting back to who some of my favorite drummers are…in my opinion Vinnie Colaiuta is probably the best all-around drummer today. If we have a modern-day Buddy Rich—if you want to use that term—a guy who we can say sets the bar and everybody else is a notch below it, that person to me is Vinnie. He can play anything. He played on Megadeth records, with Faith Hill, and he’s played with Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Sting…and he does it all well.
I love Dennis Chambers because I think Dennis is like Vinnie—a drummer who can go in and play with a fusion band and floor you, but at the same time he can just play a straight-ahead groove. I’ve seen Dennis play in a jazz trio at a little jazz club with a traditional kit, not play double bass, just old-school bop. And then I’ll see him playing fusion with Niacin, then real pocket stuff with Santana. Simon Phillips is another; he always has that real smooth groove, and his drums always sound good. He has a certain sound that he gets, and he’s really good about knowing how to pull that sound out of his drums. A lot of the sound is how you hit the drums and how you play. Steve Smith is another one that comes to mind who can play anything.
http://www.moderndrummer.com/updatefull/200001870/Just%20Being%20Himself
