The music industry lost another giant last week with the passing of music producer and engineer, Andy Johns. Andy and I go way back. During the late 1980s, I lived in LA and in 1987 was signed to Atlantic Records. Andy was the eccentric king of all record producers during this time period. Every week there would be a showcase at SIR (or somewhere in Hollywood) or something called a “showcase” just to have an excuse for everyone to get lit on a few free drinks and reconnect. I remember when Andy and his wife Annette would enter a room of people. It was pure magic. Annette always reminded me of Paul McCartney’s late wife, Linda- British accent, class, and all. And then there was Andy-always with a cigarette and cocktail in hand. He was on fire in the late ’80s. Everyone knew of his work alongside the Stones, Zeppelin and many others, but it was the ’80s time in music and in LA our circle, we all wanted the huge Andy Johns’ tones. Andy had just produced the debut album by the band, Cinderella. It was a damn good album to all of us out West–their follow-up was even better. It made Cinderella rock stars virtually overnight. From there it was the McCauley/Shenker album. The album did good. Michael Shenker was an international rock star so the album expected to do great. It did well. Andy would always roam the hallways and pop into the tiny and filthy TV lounge at Sound City where I rehearsed and recorded for over 10 years. I would say hello to him but didn’t get too chatty. He somewhat frightened me. You see, I was a drummer and if you ask any drummer, Andy Johns could be very frightening if your…
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Tags: Andy Johns, billy mccarthy, ferocious drummers
Do you know who the guy in the picture below is? Take a good look at him. Eight out of ten serious musicians don’t know who he is. I’ll bet the farm, ten out of ten lead singers and guitarists definitely don’t know who he is. They grew up on him. They heard him almost every day on their radio, but yet most of us never put the beat with the face, the name or the man. If you’re a serious drummer, don’t be embarrassed if you’re still stumped. I had no idea up until 10 years ago who this guy was and I started playing way back in 1976. He is Hal Blaine–and he is undeniably the greatest drummer alive. He’s drummed on 50 number one hits, over 150 top ten hits and has recorded on 35,000 pieces of music or more in over four decades. He is the drummer on 6 consecutive Records of the Year. That’s back to back. As in winning six World Series in a row, or six Super Bowls in a row. Hal Blaine doesn’t play football but he is a Hall of Famer. BEAT THAT. When I was 5 years old I would sit in my bedroom in a red leather chair that had big padded arms. On the stand next to the chair was an AM radio. I would wait every hour on the hour until the DJ on WLS played my favorite song… “This Diamond Ring,” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. There I would bongo over the beat on the dominating presence of the song. Just the way the snare cracked, it was so prominent–so crisp. More crispy than even the Beatles. When it was over I’d stay seated and wait until the song came around again at the top…
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Tags: ferocious drummers, Hal Blaine, The Wrecking Crew
I can go through our drummers already filmed and share my thoughts upon meeting them, but I’ll wait until the film is wrapped. Instead, I’d like to share some quick “glimpses” of a few drummers I would hang and bump with during my Hollywood heydays in the 80′s… Tommy Lee: Motley Crue. Lived above him at 1040 North Clark in Hollywood, 1982, when he was roomies with band mates Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil – in a one bedroom apartment. Good swimmer. Was actually a shy guy. He saw my 28 inch Ludwig bass drum at Sound City rehearsals several years later and was floored by its presence. Weeks later the Dr. Feelgood video debuted on MTV where Tommy entered opening frame behind his new 28 inch bass drum. I remember laughing and loving it. Roger Taylor: Queen. John Deacon, his bass player, was a regular at the Rainbow Bar & Grill whenever he was in town, but when I saw Roger Taylor one night I slipped my way into the booth next to him to strike up some conversation. Taylor was the first real big concert drummer I had ever seen in 1977. He was an extremely pleasurable guy to meet. He was one of my earliest drumming heroes who shared his whisky and water with me. Eric Carr: Kiss. Never met Eric until we happened to sit next to each other in the bar at the Rainbow in 1989. It was a weeknight. We got to drinking some beer, then shots, and we were disagreeing and debating very strongly on music of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, who were not all that much to me back then. Eric disagreed. Neither one of us let up. I jumped from my seat,…
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Tags: Eric Carr, Eric Singer, ferocious drummers, Randy Castillo, Roger Taylor, Steven Adler, Tommy Lee
Last night, while watching the Kennedy Center Led Zeppelin induction on CBS, several thoughts ran through my head. When the camera panned on John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, I couldn’t help but gauge their personal character beyond any music. There sat (in the spirit of the holiday season) the three wise men. Three common fellows, but extremely gifted musicians, who were forced to make a big decision some thirty-three years ago following the death of their only drummer, John Bonham. They could call it a day and preserve a legacy that was created by all four of them, or continue on to more financial and egotistical rewards within Led Zeppelin at any cost. The three wise men chose to preserve their band’s legacy. At the time of his death, John Bonham was miserable on the road, drank too much, and according to most- often came to physical blows. These are perfect excuses for a lead guitarist or lead singer to begin the replacement process. Dead or alive, John Bonham was never replaceable. He didn’t plan out drum parts in advance before executing. He naturally fell into the song. He drummed on instinct. Things came to Bonham on drums from somewhere that many of us drummers will never figure out. Bonham was, and always will be, the unexplainable in drumming. His parts were unpredictable and radical, and yet fit so beautifully perfect. Only John Bonham was meant to be in Led Zeppelin. Like Ringo Starr was meant to be in the Beatles. Like Neal Peart is meant to be in Rush. Like Rick Allen is meant to be in Def Lepard. Drummers who all faced tragedy and loss in one-way or another, but were blessed by the undying loyalty of their band mates who never…
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Tags: ferocious drummers, Jason Bonham, John Bonham, Led Zeppelin
I saw a great documentary the other night, “Inventing David Geffen”–on the life of record, movie mogul, David Geffen. I learned several things on this film–one of which that Geffen was portrayed by many early on as too over the edge. He wouldn’t be able to make the impossible, possible. His vision in music seemed too enormous–his passion for his artists–too emotional. One of the many fascinating moments of the film was Geffen’s hiring in the mailroom of WMA (William Morris Agency) after lying his way into the job without a (required) college degree–No fresh news for industry types who have known for decades, yet a ballsy shocker to any outsider. Within the first few weeks of WMA hiring Geffen, he was consumed entirely on intercepting envelopes to the mailroom from UCLA who attempted to notify WMA to no avail that Geffen never attended the University…. let alone graduate. It’s one of the most open and obvious hoaxes ever in Hollywood–and for David Geffen it worked. After a brief stint as an agent and manager, Geffen Records was formed. Icons were born in Guns and Roses, tailing out with Blink 182 as in between sensations Edie Brickhell, Nirvana, Whitesnake and more, making their mark in music from the machine out of a one story innocent looking town home on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Watching this documentary got me thinking–what has happened to the band? Today it’s American Idol, The Voice, and the lead singer. Get em’ in, get em’ out. I don’t think we’d be shooting Ferocious Drummers if it weren’t for David Geffen, Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun and the many other top tier music executives who rolled the dice through guts. Today the record industry rolls the dice through “vote via text.” “Inventing David Geffen” is inspiring, entertaining and educational. …
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Tags: billy mccarthy, David Geffen, documentary, Edie Brickell, ferocious drummers, Whitesnake
