less IS less
does anyone really understand the less is more theory?
i sure get the feeling lately, perhaps because i’m not as cool or hip as i like to think i used to be, that percussion in music has taken a turn for the worst. my feeling that there has been a significant shift in how drums are played and why they are played this way. what i am getting at is that it seems it is no longer cool to be a good drummer. i’m not sure if it is because there are not many great drummers, so when a band finds one they don’t like the change, or if it is because good percussion is no longer palitable by the masses. so what is my evidence for this observation?
- how many great drummers can you think of that have emerged recently? i can think of only a handfull all of whom are from bands that have now broken up
- when was the last time you went to a show and really got into the rythym section and not because it has big bass?
- drummers are even less cool now then before. who wants to play drums when you can join the ranks of millions of dime a dozen guitarists and so called “vocalists” that are typically considered the “band leader”?
in my view, many times less drumming is just less. stripping down songs and keeping them simple can often be a great thing. many times, however, applying this formula is just a cop-out from real composition. i think many bands refuse to take on the challenge of real composition and settle for a consistent less is more approach, which in the end has a dumbing down affect on the listeners. personally, i don’t enjoy playing simple songs all of the time because its just boring. from the listening end, who wants to stand there and listen to an hour of dry and monotonous songs. no amount of guitar affects and moby-esque keyboards can make it interesting.
in the end i think this bleeds rock’s heart dry. the rythym section really makes a band. if a rythym section isn’t allowed to experiment with composition and let loose we’re all left at the mercy of “lead” guitarists. drummers need to be both respected by their bands as well as challenged to play their instrument well. if they are not allowed to do so, a band should save themselves the pain and just leave a drum machine on stage.
here’s my list of great drummers either around or lost that i wish more bands would let their drummer be more like:
- ben kane (nymb)
- pete moffett (burning airlines)
- william goldsmith (sdre / firetheft)
- jimmy chamberlin (pumpkins)
- bryan st. pere (hum)
- jon theodore (mars volta)
- danny carey (tool)