> I went on to play in every type of band you can imagine from rock, pop, country, jazz (piano/drum duet, 4 piece combo, 18 piece big band) pretty much anything. Like Purdie, I was playing two to three nights a week by the age of 15 in night clubs, lodges, resorts, school dances, etc. In my spare time I developed a lighting rig that I rented out while playing gigs. I went on to Southeast Missouri State Univ and majored in music education meanwhile playing two to four nights a week in any type of group I could find.
Squint - Man, I would purely love to spend time with you just shooting the $hit! We have so much common history. You would have loved the New York scene in the 60's. I got to play a bunch of gigs in bars and clubs in Harlem and Sugar Hill with older cats (that were -decades- older than me.) One night I'd be backing a doo-wop singing group with just bass, drums and piano, working all night with just brushes, the next night might be a Go-Go bar/disco where I'd get to jam with a horn section, back up singers etc. and really lay into the drums, then the next gig might be at a raunchy Blues Bar on the Lower East Side where the smell of beer is so thick in the air, you can get bombed just breathing!. Man, I got to play so many different styles, it wasn't funny. It was a University level music education all packed into a couple of years. Most of the cats that really taught me "how to play" were much older, experienced musicians. Most them not even drummers. But they would coach me and give me advice, sometimes in between numbers, on what kind of sound they were looking for, what kind of 'feel' the tune had, or how they wanted me to play/handle a certain part/passage. I loved every minute of it. It gives you much confidence in -any- playing situation. Back then, just from the constant playing with all kinds of different people, different styles, there was nothing somebody could throw at me that I couldn't jump right into the 'right groove' for. Wish we lived closer, I'd love to do some serious jaw-flapping with you. We could talk about our mis-spent youth.... lol :p
John
