I have to start by saying that over the years that we’ve had YouTube and all these drum videos at our disposal, I’ve spent quite a bit of time watching drum solos, drum covers… trying to find new interesting players.
Sometimes I find it’s easy to forget musicians / bands… then one day it strikes to go back and listen to “a classic”. Well, I remember years ago watching the early VHS recordings of Bozzio’s videos that a friend had purchased and then seeing him in a couple of clinics… and my mind was blown.
I was a bit of a fan of his playing prior to seeing him because I was a Zappa fan (and still am).
But Mr Bozzio’s playing just always blew me away. Generally when people think of a drummer, unfortunately they think of a guy playing a beat… to a straight ahead 4 on the floor tune. Now, there’s is nothing wrong with 4 on the floor… keeping the beat to a song and helping the other musicians achieve a certain sound/feeling is what it’s all about.
But there are a few drummers who play drums as a melodic instrument. Terry is one of those people. Very few people enter the territory that Terry entered into so many years ago. I can’t help but to be inspired by the level of exploration and expression that comes out of Mr Bozzio behind the kit!
For professional and semi-professional musicians, 4 on the floor, generally, pays the bills. That’s what’s popular and that’s what’s promoted (in our increasingly fast food type music biz… that’s another topic).
I have so much respect for Terry in pursuing the “art” of music and of the instrument. It is a breath of fresh air in many respects (in my opinion). A path much less followed by not only musicians but any type of artists who truly seeks “a new way” and not to follow to path of the “$”… let’s face it, it’s very hard not to.
All this to say thank you Terry for your continued exploration on the drum kit and your commitment to education with DrumChannel.com.
You have been and continue to be an inspiration.