U2 and Green Day
Have got together and recorded a song of which was written many years
ago by The Skids, Richard Jobson etc. This single of which was produced
by Rick Rubin and is called The Saints Are Coming, has been released to
raise money for a New Orleans Charity. This track appears on next months
U2 best of, available on www.APPLE.COM/UK/TUNES.
Many congratulations to Zak Starkey for providing the outstanding drumming for The Who's recent sold out tour of The U.S.A, I heard that Zak was on top form.
It comes as no surprise to hear that Zak is in
constant demand for his drumming services for The Who and also Oasis.
Zak has been playing drums for many years now and it is rumoured he had lessons with Keith Moon, when he used to go with his dad Ringo to visit Moonie at his house.
I was researching some information about the rock band FREE, when i read
that the single Alright Now with drummer Simon Kirke and Bass guitarist
Andy Fraser and Guitarist Paul Kossoff. They played this track keeping
it very simple so as Paul Rogers vocals could be heard. The original
drum pattern that Simon was going to play featured the basic 4/4 beat,
counting four beats to each bar on the hi-hats. It was the producer of
this song that suggested to Simon to play the 2/4 beat whilst playing 2
beats to the bar on the hi-hats and this is what you can hear on the
track. If you log onto the very popular website, You Tube and click in
the band FREE and the track Alright now you will see Simon Kirke powering the band along with his superb drumming.
I remember trying to learn this beat back in 1973 when i was starting to
take an interest in drumming and i remember it was not an easy beat to
learn as it features some very busy bass drum beats. I am sure that you
will all agree that Simon Kirke is another drumming hero for many of us,
and it's great to hear that the band have a new D.V.D on sale.
Please don't forget that Poole Percussion will be closing down the shop
in Branksome, and moving to bigger premises their New Superstore
featuring everything to do with Drumkits, Cymbals, and Percussion will
be open to you the public on 1st January 07 the new superstore is next
to Toy's R Us on the Nuffield estate.
why not visit their website at www.poolepercussion.co.uk
26/11/06
When i was working in Liverpool during the early 80's i had the pleasure
of working with Pete Wylie. Pete's band was called Wah, i was playing a
gig at a club in Liverpool called Brady's this was the opening night.
The club used to called Eric's, i was working for Dead or Alive as you
can imagine the place was packed out as Eric's used to be a meeting
place for just about anyone who was into music at this time. Lot's of
people came to this gig just to see what Dead or Alive were like and to
check out who was playing for the band. This was a good gig and created
alot of interest for the band as well as Pete Burns.
When the gig had finished i made my way to the bar for a well deserved drink, when i heard the comment made by Wylie the band's crap but you are a great drummer how would you like to come and work for my band.
Pete Wylie and Pete Burns were under the same management and recorded on
the same record label Inevitable records. I soon found myself working for both bands and this used to annoy Burnsie as he was always afraid
that i would go off and join Pete Wylie's Wah.
I went with Wylie to his managers house and after a chat i was asked if
i would be interested in doing a small tour of Ireland, i agreed then i
started to rehearse with Wah and learn all of their material. They had
just released a single called Better Scream of which featured their
original drummer Rob Jones. The tour of Ireland went very well and
created alot of interest for Wah and after a tour of Britain and some
selected gigs in London Wah were signed to a major label.
I was asked to play drums on the record of which had a strange name,
Nah= Poo- The Art of Bluff. This was released and it got rave reviews in
the music press and even got given, One of the best albums of the 80's.
It was alot of fun to record and it was produced by Gill Norton, a great
guy who went on to be very successful producing The Pixies etc.
To get a big sound of which Wylie wanted, i suggested to record the
drums in the toilet as the floor and walls were tiled and this would
give the record a big drum sound this was agreed and we recorded this
album at Amazon Recording Studios in Kirby. The place were the recording
studio was, was used as a MOT testing place by day so we had to record
through the night usually starting at 11.00pm and finishing early
morning.
It might sound a bit strange but i was also working with Dead or Alive
while this was going on.
Burnsie was always a good laugh and interesting to work with and i
remember him as being very generous paying for drinks and anything that
we needed to do with Dead or Alive, but he was a very jealous person and
hated the fact that most of the other bands in Liverpool had signed with
major labels before him.
The moral of this information is, you should try and work with as many
musicians and bands as you can as you never know were it will lead. I
enjoyed my time working with lot's of different bands and musicians in
Liverpool, and when i think about it it does'nt seem like 26 years ago,
it was alot of fun working with all of the different people but you have
to move on with your life and i decided to move South when the session
work went quiet. I am glad i made that decision and have never regretted
the success of the musicians and bands that i had the chance of working
with ie Heroe's, Dead or Alive, Pete Wylie, The Farm, The Mighty wah,
It's Imaterial.
Many congratulations to Zak Starkey for providing the outstanding drumming for The Who's recent sold out tour of The U.S.A, I heard that Zak was on top form. 
I was researching some information about the rock band FREE, when i read
When i was working in Liverpool during the early 80's i had the pleasure
When the gig had finished i made my way to the bar for a well deserved drink, when i heard the comment made by Wylie the band's crap but you are a great drummer how would you like to come and work for my band.
I was asked to play drums on the record of which had a strange name,
To get a big sound of which Wylie wanted, i suggested to record the
Burnsie was always a good laugh and interesting to work with and i