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Each month we will be featuring different drummers
and styles of music, letting them speak their mind on all aspects
of drumming, equipment, what they love about the drums, philosophies
and their reflections on music from the drummers unique perspective.
Please contact us
if you would like to share your thoughts at info@MetroMusicMayhem.com.
Like many kids my age who watched
Beatles cartoons, I always thought Ringo was the coolest.
I took coat hangers and pounded on the furniture pretending
I was he. This, as one could imagine, did not endear
me too my parents.
It was while riding in the
car with my mother and sister that the first epiphany
occurred. I heard Born to Be Wild on the radio. This
was before seat belts, and my poor mother thought “oh
crap….the kids epileptic” But it was orgiastic
joy that prompted my gyrations. I knew right then and
there, that was what I wanted to do for the
rest of my life.
So I started playing with my little practice pad, unaware
that epiphany number two was about to occur….Hendrix’ Band
of Gypsies album. One: it got me interested in funk/R&B.
Two: I didn't
know drummers were allowed to sing !! |
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While exploring funk, I learned about being down on the one,
and the beauty of space and simplicity. I wasn’t able
to hear that in the drum idols of my peers, who played an
awful lot of rolls and embellishments (The exception was
Bill Bruford, who made simplicity elegant). They were
out there though…great drummers who played sparingly
and simply, but played with power….I later learned
words like minimalism and pocket player…..and proudly
consider myself guilty of those two crimes to this day.
I would add more, but apparently I’m a minimalist writer
as well. Thanks to Metro Music Mayhem for allowing me to
express my views. |
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Bobby is the metronome that swings. He's
best known as the drummer/songwriter/vocalist for legendary
Florida bands The Cichlids and The Bobs, but he's done dozens
of other musical projects over the years, including touring
with Charlie Pickett. Bobby can be reached at btak2@att.net
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