The Role of the Drummer

Drummers have a nearly impossible task. The part where they have four limbs operating independently is the easy part - anybody can learn that with some patience and a good tutor. The tough part is the intangible; the nuance that makes it possible for you to tell when a band on the radio is using a drum machine or a real drummer. It's that extra step above "proficient" that is not really teachable.

That nuance, if I can explain it, is being able to play both with energy and expression, but also with a swagger. A drummer who is anxious (nervous, unskilled - describes my style) will speed up through fills and create a subtle but perceivable gap between the rhythm and the rest of the song. A drummer who is over-confident/over-practiced might hit some stellar fills or rolls or complicated rhythms but might have a sterile feel which can drag a band into the sand.

The ideal drummer is skillful but also natural. If you don't notice the drums, that's probably the case. If you feel like something is a little "off" with a band but you can't put your finger on it, I'd bet it was the drummer. The reason you hear about John Bonham a lot is not because he was a super technical player. I'm pretty sure I could hit the notes of his more complicated drum solos (and I'm a hack). The reason he's legendary is because he was clearly proficient, he came up with interesting grooves, and his energy drove each song. Talk about swagger! For proof, check out the song Poor Tom on the overlooked Coda EP.

For further proof of a drummer making a band, listen to Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights and try to discern the drum parts, then the guitar and bass parts. The drummer turns out an impeccable performance and in the meticulousness and in the style, it totally sounds like C. Swaff (Luminous, Klugs) to me. He didn't start out with the swagger - I remember - but by the time Klugs 2.0 hit the scene, he had it in spades.

Next, my take on guitar and bass...