Category Archives: amputee

Metallica Fridays (no. 12) Yeah! (and more thoughts and feelings and such)

Posted on by
Reply

Yes, i know today is Saturday. It took a while to do the editing, , so i’m posting this later than usual.

As i’ve probably mentioned before, i have a lot of music floating around in my head. So many things sound like music to me. So of course (because i needed to laugh) i put on one of those James Hetfield ‘Yeah’ compilations. As i’m sitting there laughing a rhythm popped in my head, and an idea was born.

i am a huge fan of house music; i’ve made a series of house songs and remixes before, and several beats were experimented on before the one which ended up here. Hetfield is (to me) one of the greatest voices in rock/metal, but his voice is musical enough to fit in various spaces. i’m not sure that strict metal fans would be into something like this, but hopefully folks will enjoy it. Though it took a while to create it was a lot of fun to make.

i have a feeling the most diehard of Metallica fans will know the specific footage, as well as where all (or most) of the ‘Yeahs’ come from. There is such an amazing wealth of ‘Yeahs’; if i were to put them all in a song, it would be a half hour song (at least). It was difficult to choose. i felt inspired by doing this one, i thought about what songs i could do for the other dudes in the band.

Stay tuned…

(All instruments and drum programming: me. All images and video courtesy of the internet)

i know i said ‘The God That Failed’ was the song that made me a fan of The Black Album (aka Metallica); however, ‘Through The Never’ has always been my favorite song on the album. i obviously always enjoyed it, but its significance holds a lot more to me since the accident. Not all of their songs are sad or angry (of course), but it’s one of the few Metallica songs that always put me in that happy place.

i have sketch of a tattoo inspired by the song. i have yet to get it because the person who regularly does my tattoos has been planning to custom make a piece for me.

‘Whiplash’ was a song i attempted practicing over the course of a few months, and was never able to get through it. What can i say? i’m a basic drummer. This was the first time i actually got through the whole song, and it was rough. My arms were killing me. i realize i didn’t always hit the crash on the ‘correct’ beat (and i know i messed up a couple of times), but look… i just tried to get through the song without falling over!

i’m already a pretty harsh critic of myself, but i have to say… the fact that i got through this song is an accomplishment. i usually can’t tell, but i actually realized as a result of finishing this song that my drumming, while not perfect (or on the level of my favorite drummers), is actually getting better.

‘Whiplash’ has one of my top 3 favorite riffs on Kill ‘Em All– the final one, with the 16th note ‘disco’ drums… i told y’all i was in love with the 16th note stuff in punk and metal. i love that they extend it during live shows. i also love the period when they did a tease of ‘Frayed Ends Of Sanity’ and ‘Wasting My Hate’ at the end of shows as well.

i game my arms a little break and kept it ‘back to (the very) basics’ for ‘Halo On Fire’, which is in my view, an extremely slept on song- the band only performed the song 90 times live. The song is one of their most cinematic, and in many ways, sorrowful.

Before the album version of the song i added a version of the intro they did during live performances, and added some keys there. That one was from 2018, in Stuttgart, Germany.

i know people like to clown Metallica for a variety of reasons, but if you actually sit and listen to their music, there’s something about it that is transcendent. There’s a reason they’ve been around for 40 years, and still going.

SST!

Posted on by
Reply

One of my favorite record labels coming up as a punk kid was SST, founded by Greg Ginn in 1978 (i definitely have my criticisms for Ginn, but one thing that is definitely a positive is that he loves cats). From Bad Brains (the greatest punk/hardcore band of all time), fIREHOSE, Hüsker Dü, Dinosaur Jr., Saccharine Trust, Negativeland, Screaming Trees, Sonic Youth, Soundgarden to so much more; the label had a variety of sounds, from straight up hardcore punk and reggae, to jazz-inspired and ‘avant garde’ rock, to country.

For this post i figured i would pay tribute to the label who inspired many a kid like me, and who sprouted more than a few bands who ended up being loved by many.

i’m gonna start with The Minutemen, one of my favorite bands of all time. i suppose you could technically file them under ‘punk’, but they were so much more than that. Like many other great bands they were heavily influenced by jazz, funk, ‘classic rock’ and a range of other styles. Mike Watt is one of the greatest bassists of all time (and happens to be criminally underrated), and ‘Joe McCarthy’s Ghost’ (the song i play here) is seen by appreciators of the band to be one of his greatest bass lines.

The Minutemen’s catalog is full of love songs to the people’s class, heavily and consistently critiquing capitalism, neoliberalism, fascism, and imperialism- so it’s a given as to why they are one of my favorite bands. The band ended upon the physical death of D. Boon (due to a car accident) in 1985.

i am not as good of a musician as George Hurley (drums), D. Boon (guitar/vocals) or Mike Watt (bass/vocals), but i hope this updated ‘2022’ remix/rework of ‘Joe McCarthy’s Ghost’ is respectful to the legacy of The Minutemen.

One of my favorite albums ever released on the SST label is the Meat Puppets’ Up On The Sun. They are one of those bands who, like many metal and punk bands, started out a bit more ‘noise/hardcore’ oriented, then by the next album started adding elements of the things they would be more known for (think Kill ‘Em All to Ride The Lightning). You definitely hear early on what they would come to be; however, in general, the first (self-titled) album (or their EP In A Car) sounds fairly different from the second album, Meat Puppets II, and NOTHING like the third album, Up On The Sun. If you know me well enough, you know i love me some early Meat Puppets. That said, i am a sucker for some wonderful melodies. From Up On The Sun on, that’s what they did.

i may actually post some more Meat Puppets stuff at some point; as for now, here’s me playing drums to ‘Seal Whales’, a pretty chill instrumental.

(The photo at the beginning, while beautiful, is not real. It’s a digital creation by Elena Vizerskaya. Fur seals are in the southern part of the world, and Beluga whales are in the north. Also… sadly, seals and whales aren’t exactly friends. To me, seals and whales are both beautiful.)

The first piece of vinyl i ever purchased (at the age of 15) was catalog no. SST 003- Black Flag’s Jealous Again, the six and a half-minute ep. The rest is history.

Here, i play to one of the songs from that ep (where Ron Reyes was on vocals), ‘Revenge’, as well as ‘Police Story’ from the Henry Rollins-era Damaged album.

Robo (que tocó la batería en esos dos discos) es uno de los mejores bateristas del hardcore/punk.

Now we have another great SST release (017 to be exact), Kill From The Heart by Austin, Texas’ own The Dicks. Staunchly anticapitalist/antiracist/antifascist and pro-LGBTQ+ (Gary Floyd had no problem battling anyone who opposed his existence as a gay man), The Dicks had the kind of energy i wish bands still had. They understood that where you stood mattered, because, even though people love to claim punk and metal is for outsiders, regardless of ethnicity, orientation, etc.; the fact that Floyd had to fight people at shows proves this is not always the case. The fact that folks who are not European still get told they don’t belong in these scenes prove this is not the case. The fact that people who aren’t dudes are more scrutinized for playing ‘heavy’ music shows this isn’t always the case.

As a person who fills out some of the checks on this list, it’s important for me to know what position a band takes on particular issues.

Also, The Dicks had no problem being associated with the sickle and hammer, in one way or another (just as The Minutemen wrote a song literally called ‘Sickles And Hammers’).

Word. Also, The Dicks have a love song to Marilyn Buck. Therefore i love The Dicks.

From Kill From The Heart we bring you ‘Anti-Klan’ (pt. 1), and ‘No Nazi’s Friend’. Something tells me that David Yow (of the Jesus Lizard) was massively inspired by Gary Floyd.

And finally, we have a different kind of SST- a little nod to ‘Sade’s Sweetest Taboo’ (or Sea Surface Temperature?), by Prince Rogers Nelson.

i am gonna be honest. When i first saw the cover of SST years ago, the punk kid in me was scratching my head. ‘Is Prince gonna do some punk? Look out now!!!’ But no… the song is in regards to the devastation that occurred after Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005 (interestingly, that was Michael Jackson’s 47th solar return). The song is part gospel, part social commentary; not uncommon in Prince’s 35+ album catalog. ‘S.S.T.’ was released specifically to raise money to help those reeling from the disaster. All proceeds went to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s Hurricane Katrina Displaced Residents Fund.

i was messing around, and felt the song sounded pretty good in half-time, so that’s what i did here.

So Much Music In The World…

Posted on by
Reply

People keep telling me that i know a whole lot about music, based on the variety of the music i like. Also, based on the time i did radio for 11 years i was able to host many of the other shows, from punk to house to hip hop to gospel, at the station. The truth is though, there’s way too much music out there for anyone to really know that much about it. There’s whole worlds, past and present, i have yet to see.

What i usually post here is merely an incredibly small section of music i listen to, and of course its minuscule compared to what i don’t know.

i also think about how people tend to listen to and experience music a little differently these days. A pretty significant percentage of people who consume and/or listen to music tend to do it digitally, so they may not interact with the music in the same way if it were a piece of vinyl, or even a cassette or compact disc. i’m not sure of how many people look at an album’s credits on their streaming services.

i know people listen to music in different ways in this day and age, but do people actually even experience music anymore? This is not a sarcastic or anger-ridden question; i sincerely want to know. Do people say, ‘Give me something that’s not hard or cold’?

Because that’s what Yoko said.

i know people make fun of/create memes out of Yoko Ono and still blame her for the breakup of the Beatles (despite counters from the actual band on that issue); however, she actually has some pretty cool music out there. Approximately Infinite Universe is actually a pretty good album. i also remember seeing her host a film exhibition years ago at (i think) the Whitney Museum, and i love how people were trying to impress her by name dropping, and she wasn’t having it.

‘Give me Something’ (from the Double Fantasy album with John Lennon) is a song i always liked too. When i first heard it i thought it sounded like Siouxsie And The Banshees. Given that i only have one foot, i can’t open and close the high hat. So to create that ‘effect’, i just combined the ride and high hat. Not as effective as the real thing, but it does the trick.

For this entry i combined some Detroit (MI) and Venice (CA) punk, with Negative Approach and Suicidal Tendencies, respectively. Both bands were pivotal in the early midwest and west coast hardcore scenes. NA’s ‘Pressure’ (from the Negative Approach 7″) is one of the shortest songs of all time (not beating Napalm Death’s ‘You Suffer’ though). ‘Memories Of Tomorrow’ and ‘Fascist Pig’ (from ST’s (self-titled) first album) are also fairly short, so i combined all three.

There’s nothing like some good ‘ol classic hardcore…

…And there’s nothing like some good post punk/funk.

This next song, ‘It’s Not Me’ (from the Step Off album) by ESG, actually had only bass and vocals. i decided to keep Renee Scroggins’ vocals, play the bass and add drums. It’s an entirely different song. i also have a fascination with ‘unrequited’ love songs and films. This song is from the perspective of the recipient of the love. Who hasn’t heard the words of that song themselves? Rejection is very painful, but it can also be seen as a lesson.

We end the post on an interesting note- literally. No, really. Listen until the end of the song.

‘The Ballad Of T.V. Violence (I’m Not The Only Boy)’ is the final track off of Cheap Trick’s first (also self-titled) album. (note: It’s technically not the final track (as it’s the last side on side A), but i always listen to the sides in opposite order. So it’s the final track to me. The sides of some pressings read as ‘side A’ and ‘side 1’, soooooo…).

Originally the song’s lyrics were specifically about serial killer Richard Speck, until the record label (Epic) requested they tone it down. The original lyrics must have been stress-inducing, because the reworked lyrics aren’t exactly sunshine and rainbows. Many people probably think of the band as ‘arena rock’ or maybe even just ‘pop rock’. That said, they do have songs that are more harder leaning.

Metallica Fridays (no. 11): Bringing Back Some Memories…

Posted on by
Reply

i am not always a fan of reverb in music- unlike many, i actually enjoy the ‘drier’ sound of say, a Death Magnetic (no, i’m not even discussing the ‘loudness wars’ situation) or an …And Justice for All. Ride the Lightning was a massive recipient of the reverb, as was Master Of Puppets, to a slightly lesser degree. Hardwired… To Self Destruct to me was that perfect balance of ‘wet’ and ‘dry’.

That said… i did a little bit of experimentation. i went ahead and added reverb to the drums, because the dryness of electrodrums obviously doesn’t fit every song. Everything is dialectical, and despite everything i said coming into this post, reverb does have its benefits.

The more i play these songs on the drums though, the more appreciation i have for Lars. The more i play this music, regardless of the instrument, i have more appreciation for the band. Taking in the music as a listener is one thing. Taking it all in as a person who plays music is another. And taking it in as a writer is a whole other level. It amazes me that these dudes were in their early 20s, writing on a level both complex and melodic.

‘Disposable Heroes’ (my favorite song on Master Of Puppets) is one hundred seventy-eight (178) beats per minute. Looking it up i saw a range of BPMs, but in actually using a metronome for the song, 178 came the closest… at least during the pre-chorus. Imagine seeing this for the first time live, like many did in 1985 at the Metal Hammer Festival (to me, one of their top two greatest shows of all time). It’s always exciting to see them do songs yet to be officially released, or works in process, like ‘Vulturous’, ‘Death Is Not The End,’ ‘Lords Of Summer,’ the songs of Beyond Magnetic or this song, prior to its release on Puppets the next year.

The song succinctly captures the dehumanization of those who are used as pawns in an imperialist war. It’s an incredibly haunting song with two perspectives: the exploiter and the exploited. i understood what the song was about as a teenager carrying this cassette around, listening to Puppets on repeat. However, i was a punk kid who loved the thrashiness of the song, and it wasn’t until i was much older before i truly took in the IMPACT of the song.

(No, i did not play the drums note for note- don’t come for me please…)

My greatest memory of ‘Escape’ is sitting around with 14 or 15 other people in a small room (after seeing Metallica on December 3, 1991 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium), and listening to Ride The Lightning in full, pontificating on how Metallica was the greatest band in the world. i remember people in the room were going on about how Lightning was their greatest album, and i may have been one of the few who said Puppets was. It makes me laugh now, because i do wonder how many of the diehards still rock with the band today, or did they fall off after Load/ReLoad… or St. Anger?

‘Escape’ is one of two songs (as far as i know- the other being ‘Hero Of The Day’) that is written primarily in major key. For some reason, James Hetfield hates the song, and while they jammed on it briefly a few times (and jokingly played the intro) they only performed it in full once (at the Orion Music + More Festival in 2012).

It’s not as ‘deep’ as other songs on the album, but it’s still a good song.

Yo… In playing to ‘The God That Failed’, it led me to remember that when this album came out, this was my jam, for real. It was the song that got stuck in my head, before any other song on The Black Album. That bass intro, with that 4 on the floor beat, went HARD. It’s a straight head nodder. It was probably the one song that actually made me a fan of the album.

i also remembered that, despite Hugo Burnham, David Lovering, etc. being major drumming inspirations for me, it was THIS song that subconsciously influenced my playing as well, in my formative years as a drummer. Lars’ fills are dope on this song, and i realize that i used to also kind of play like this.

Even though ‘Fade To Black’ is technically the first ‘personal’ song (and ‘Dyers Eve’ is the first where you see the exploration of the broken relationship between parent and child), ‘The God That Failed’ is one of a couple on The Black Album that begin to explore the subject a bit deeper.

One Of These Things…

Posted on by
Reply

There’s so much music in the world, that it amazes me how people can only listen to one type or genre. Being a punk kid (and something that obviously influences my playing), i also know that if i only listened to that i would get bored.

And bored is not a word i particularly utilize in my vocabulary.

This is not to say that someone who only (or i should say predominately) listens to one type of music is a horrible person, or has bad taste. i’m just saying it’s something i don’t understand, especially when your favorite band most likely listens to a diverse range of music themselves.

In terms of my playing, as you have seen, i am pretty basic. So there is no way i would attempt to play to, say, a Billy Cobham song, without it totally sounding like a giant wreck. And he happens to be one of my favorite drummers of all time. So i do stick to stuff that’s a bit more doable for me. And even then, the drummers in the bands i cover are far more advanced than me.

i’m not saying any of this to complain… i’m saying this as a reminder that IT’S JUST A JOURNEY.

Sooooooooo… The first post we have today would be a musical reminder of this, from my favorite punk/hardcore band of all time, Bad Brains. i gotta remember to have that ‘Attitude’… that PMA, when i’m struggling to get better in this journey. i am DEFINITELY no Earl Hudson, but i hope i at least did okay. Playing music is a healthy outlet, in response to whatever trauma i’ve faced.

(i know that a lot of people understandably felt an immense amount of sadness upon hearing about Taylor Hawkins’ passing; i do know that if anything were to happen to H.R., i will be inconsolable. i just want to put that out there.)

The next song is one of those underrated proto-punk/garage rock inspired gems, ‘Social End Product’, by New Zealand-based The Bluestars. Of course, this song goes after my heart, with the line, “I don’t stand for the Queen/In a house where those traditions mean”. In a time when the Royal Family was currently doing apology tours in the Caribbean for colonialism (without actually addressing the rectification of its effects), these fellows in 1966 knew what was up. Of course the Sex Pistols, The Queen Haters and many others followed suit in their derision for the monarchy (as well as the neoliberalist policies and actions of Margaret Thatcher). But the Bluestars walked so all of them could run.

“I’ve been labeled as an angry young man
Because I don’t fit into the master plan
Under society’s microscope
I look funny but it’s no joke…”

We have another song from another one of my favorite ever punk bands, Bad Religion (i may actually do a dedicated post for them, who knows?). ‘All Good Soldiers’ is one of those songs i don’t hear a lot of people talk about. But it’s definitely up there as one of my favorites. i’m not an atheist, nor am i an agnostic (and i know that members of the band have mixed belief systems themselves); however, this song (as are many of theirs) is accurate.

This final post, you may be asking yourself ‘Why ever would you post this, in the midst of a bunch of punk songs?’ And to that i say, why not? Also… i would say, go back to the beginning of this post.

‘Somethin’ Deep’ is one of my favorite ever songs from Chaka Khan. Chaka Khan is also a drummer. She comes from a time when people were a lot less accepting of women drummers than they are now. Also, it was nice to just play a simple ‘pocket’ song.

Also… One of these things…

You finish it. Except know that it DOES belong.

Metallica Fridays (no. 10): Letting Go, And Getting Reacquainted…

Posted on by
Reply

Before we get into things, i just wanted to say that i reconnected with the folks i was in my first band with (you can hear one of our songs in the first ever post i made). It was a very nice surprise. It was over 20 years since we all spoke. Apparently, they found me through this site.

So whoever is sharing this site with others, i appreciate you.

Now, i’m going to say something else you all probably know (especially since i make these posts every Friday), but in figuring out what songs to do this week i kept thinking, ‘Metallica is so good.’ i know they are ‘technically’ a metal band; however, the musical and lyrical content are shaped in ways that are relatable to many.

The songs i chose this week, i think fit that description.

i realized that i covered songs from every album (not including EPs, collaborations, live or covers albums) for these posts… except for Hardwired… To Self Destruct. It’s strange that i have already covered every album (because it doesn’t seem that way), and it’s strange that i haven’t done anything from Hardwired (because i love that album, as i love them all). i figured that ‘Moth Into Flame’ would be a good first song. It’s one of a handful of songs that discuss the ‘dangers of celebrity culture/fame.’ James Hetfield spoke in interviews how the lyrics were inspired by seeing Amy Winehouse.

It’s not a life i wish onto anybody.

It’s a pretty sad song, if you really think about it.

Onto more sad songs… A lot of people dub St. Anger as the band’s ‘therapy’ album; however, i maintain that Load (my favorite Metallica album) and ReLoad (my 4th favorite of theirs) walked so St. Anger could run. So many of those songs are tales of self-reflection, addiction, regret and so many other struggles.

‘Low Man’s Lyric’ has been interpreted as being about so many things, but that’s (again) what makes the music of Metallica so effective. i was thinking about how i could ‘reinterpret’ the song… Firstly, i don’t have a hurdy gurdy (the one thing which drives the main musical theme of the song). Secondly, i’m not the greatest musician. Third, i don’t have the equipment to do a ton of layering in the way the song deserves.

i asked myself how i could translate the pain of the song into something on the keyboard. i hope i did alright. Everything (except vocals and drums) is me.

‘Mama Said’ is my 4th favorite Metallica song of all time. Again, i was wondering how i would do justice to such a great song. This one was incredibly hard to do though (especially since i’m not the greatest singer or musician)- this is one of those songs that make me cry. i did have a bit of a chuckle though, listening to Lars’ drumming. His drumming is unmistakable, and this was also during the ‘Bob Rock’ period, so the sound was pretty massive.

This song means a lot to me though, and i did get a tattoo (on my palms) inspired by it):

The tattoo has long since faded. But what’s left of it still a reminder to let go, and be still. In order to grow, you must let go. You have to be able to take the things you learned in life, and not be paralyzed by the heartbreak of ‘what could have been.’ You have to be able to stop wanting love from those who don’t have the capacity to give it.

Let go, and be still.

Everything here is me: vocals and keys.

Taylor Hawkins…

Posted on by
Reply

“I don’t say goodbye. I don’t like to say goodbye. Because I know that we’ll always come back. So if you come back, we’ll come back.”

That was a quote from Dave Grohl on March 20, 2022 in Argentina, before the Foo Fighters’ performance of ‘Everlong’- unknowingly the final song to be performed with Taylor Hawkins.

Admittedly, i don’t know a lot of music from the Foo Fighters. There are only a few songs from the band, as well as projects like Dave Grohl’s Play (which is quite good), that i’m familiar with.

That said, the passing of Oliver Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters’ drummer) is fairly layered for me. As a drummer (albeit not as good as Hawkins), it made me sad. A fellow drummer has left this earth. As someone who is 4.5 years to 50 (the age he left), it made me sad. As someone who lost a best friend (i lost (my rock) Barry in 2011. He was in his early 40s), i feel so much sadness for Dave Grohl.

Taylor Hawkins was the Lars to Dave Grohl’s James.

The funny thing about all of this is, i was watching a series of interviews of the Foo Fighters out of the blue right before Hawkins’ passing.

As a person who almost DID die after getting hit by a semi truck, i don’t believe in the saying, ‘tell everyone you love them because you never know when the end comes.’ Interestingly, when you are at your most vulnerable, i learned that’s when people actually drop out.

At the final show five days before Hawkins’ passing (in Argentina), the love between he and Grohl was the kind that people who struggle together share. Those compliments they gave to one another (which you can also see at other shows) was sincere, and actually proves my above point. Though they did, they didn’t have to SAY they loved each other, because you saw and felt the energy.

The people who truly love you will show up in ways beyond words.

What i think holds truer (especially having experienced almost dying) is living your life to create positive change in making the world a better place, and doing what you love as much as you can, because you CAN go at any time. Hopefully both of those things are combined.

i can say for sure that Taylor Hawkins did at least one of those things.

Again, i am not as good of a drummer (and i did a couple mess-ups), but i hope i did him some justice.

i know that ‘Alone + Easy Target’ was on the band’s first album (and Grohl played most of the instruments on that album), but it’s one of the few songs of theirs i know, and Hawkins did end up playing it in live performances.

i like ‘But, Honestly’ because (to me) it discusses the freedom of letting go. And given the context of the loss of life, the work on letting go is quite important.

i’m going to say that ‘I Should have Known’ is perhaps my favorite Foo Fighters song (at least from the ones i’ve heard). From a musical standpoint it’s got echoes of Bowie (with a pinch of the Kinks). In terms of subject matter, it’s heartbreaking to listen to.

It actually reminds me a lot of ‘The Outlaw Torn’.

Emotionally, it was not an easy song to play to.

Though i have no fear of death, and though i accept the inevitability of it; 11 years later i still have yet to come to terms with Barry not being here. As a person who almost died (and who has made attempts to end my life several times), i understand both perspectives- the despair of the person who leaves, and the confusion and anger of the person who is left behind.

Not everyone who leaves this earth shows signs.

i hold no anger towards the man who hit me, but i also wander in an inexplicable space when i see no leg there. We cannot remove the past, but for a fraction of a second i occasionally wonder what i would be doing now if i still had two legs. i don’t feel guilt, but it’s a particular type of feeling that feels like it sometimes.

i hold no anger towards him, but i can’t say that i forgive him either.

i also know that the death of a leg has given me an opportunity to rekindle my love for playing music. For that, i am grateful.

i cannot imagine what the band is experiencing right now, given they were in the middle of a tour. It is possible they could cancel (note: i just found out they did cancel all dates), and it is possible they could finish doing the series of shows, like the Rolling Stones did after Charlie Watts’ passing (note: they’re not).

My heart is with everyone who has ever been a fan or appreciator of the band; and any friends, family and loved ones of Taylor Hawkins.

This post is for you all.

“I don’t say goodbye. I don’t like to say goodbye. Because I know that we’ll always come back.”

See you again, Mr. Hawkins.

Metallica Fridays (no. 9): just as soon as the drums belong, then it’s time they malfunction…

Posted on by
Reply

So yeah… It’s been a time. Maybe Cliff Burton is looking down angrily and going, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!” But everything that could go wrong did indeed go wrong.

The battery on the laptop i was using to record died (so i had to go plug it in); the camera i was using was about to die if i didn’t plug it in. The snare kept falling so low to the point where it became impossible to properly play. The post that was holding the snare popped out. The trigger to the kick randomly went out- then it was fine. It was one thing after another. Things have definitely happened before, but it was a combination of so many things that i just wanted to cry and quit.

But i didn’t, and got through it, mistakes and all.

This experience really did put things in perspective though. i’m pretty open in my appreciation for Lars Ulrich- which, besides my connection to Metallica’s music over the years (and especially since being an amputee) is the reason i decided to do these ‘Metallica Fridays’ posts. i decided to, for some reason, search a few posts on why he is hated as a drummer by so many. i saw the usual ‘he can’t keep proper time/he’s boring/he’s too basic’ reasoning. i started thinking about it, and for a guy who is not classically trained (or hasn’t had much training at all, in comparison to other drummers), the dude is great. If he was a metronome, Metallica would not be the same band. Is the fact that he is not a metronome good for someone who wants to practice Metallica songs, and is literally just starting out on drums?

Absolutely not. There are some songs of theirs i’ve drummed to (including one i’m posting today), and it was clear he was not using a click track. i do practice with one on occasion, but you have to throw all of that away when drumming to a Metallica song, for real.

i know that saying Lars is the anchor for the band may sound strange (given that people negatively critique his drumming consistently), but it was very clear to be during the 40th anniversary shows that he was. Metallica is his baby, and he uses drums as a means to serve the rest of the music. i also love how, during the bridge of a song (or even a solo) one (or all) of the band would turn towards him, or go behind him. i’m sure it’s a way for all of them to keep time with each other, but it still looks like they are getting energy from the anchor. In 2008 he spoke about how the negative criticism bothered him at one point, and as a result he “spent a lot of time overcompensating for that on the early records. But then you wake up one day and you’re like, whatever. It hasn’t bothered me for about 15 years. I’m no Joey Jordison, I’m no Mike Portnoy, and I have nothing but love and respect and admiration for all those guys. When I hear some of the young dudes, they blow my mind with what they can do with their feet and stuff — but it’s not something that makes me go, ‘I need to feel better about myself so I’m gonna learn how to do what they do with my feet.’ I’m not a particularly accomplished drummer but I am very, very, very good at understanding the role of the drums next to James Hetfield’s rhythm guitar. I guarantee you I’m the best guy in the world for that, and that’s enough for me!”

He understands his limitations and respects those who are technically much better than him, and it’s something i deeply respect. To me, Lars is a ‘hero’ to those of us who are not technical, and ‘basic’. Of course you always want to get better, but you don’t want to beat yourself up over the fact that you aren’t on the level of some of your favorite drummers/guitarists/bassists/pianists/etc. either.

So as usual, even with all the imperfections, we have another edition of ‘Metallica Fridays’. Today we have my second favorite song on what was for 30 years my favorite Metallica album. ‘Master Of Puppets’ is my 3rd favorite Metallica song of all time, but my second favorite song on the album is ‘Leper Messiah’- the first favorite being ‘Disposable Heroes’. i definitely messed up towards the end, and came in a fraction of a second early a few times, but it’s all in the journey.

Now we have a song from the album that knocked Puppets out of the number 1 spot: ‘2X4’. While playing to this song i just kept saying to myself, Lars is a dope drummer. His style is more diverse than people give him credit for. Does he have particular staples (like the crash on the 2)? Of course! But no one Metallica album sounds the same, so he couldn’t survive on any of those albums if his style had no diversity. Go listen to Load and tell me Lars sucks.

The mishaps also happened during ‘Leper Messiah,’ but the bulk of them happened here (to the point i wanted to cry).

i hope i still did alright though.

i’m really not trying to make you mad Cliff. i promise.

¡¡¡RAMONES!!!

Posted on by
Reply

Let me tell you something… If someone tells you that Ramones music is easy to play, they are lying. The simplest-appearing things are the most deceiving. All those downstrokes (though easier on bass than guitar) are hard on the wrist, and the constant fast 16th notes on the drums are an arm workout. i was pretty much just doing power chords too (i didn’t focus on the barre chords, so don’t beat me up too much!)

i got into a whole bunch of bands at the same time. i saw no problem being into both (the) Ramones and Metallica, and also groups like De La Soul. The first person to introduce me to (the) Ramones was the dude named Anthony. While my sister hung out with the popular kids in high school, i hung out with mostly the misfits, punks and metalheads. Anthony was the biggest Ramones fan i knew at the time. He was absolutely obsessed with them. i think he played drums and went to band class.

i ended up getting their albums on cassette and bringing them to school, when people asked me if Howard Stern was in a band (If you don’t know what Howard Stern OR Joey Ramone look like, go look them up now, then come back to this). Interestingly (or not) (the) Ramones were a massive staple on Stern’s show throughout the 80s and 90s. So yeah, while i KNEW of them, saw them on the tv and movies and even heard their music over the years, i never was FAMILIAR with them until i met Anthony.

So thanks guy, wherever you are.

_____________________________________________________________

(The) Ramones are a strange one. They absolutely (very publicly) hated each other. They were famous, on major labels and sold out stadiums, yet remained underground at the same time. They were on total opposite ends of the political spectrum.

22 years may not seem like a long time in comparison to other bands celebrating their 30th and 40th years together… But that’s a long time for a band like (the) Ramones.

(i’ve met two out of four of the OG Ramones- Joey and Dee Dee. Interesting times…)

My favorite Ramones song of all time is ‘I Don’t Want You’. i know people tend to gravitate towards the faster, classic, ‘edgier’ songs, but the Joey-leaning (and penned) songs are among my favorites. The bridge always breaks my heart: “I want you, I want you to stay/But I guess it just can’t be that way…”

i am doing everything here: guitar, bass, drums and ‘attempted vocals’ (shout out to a Mr. Kirk Hammett).

My other favorite song of theirs is ‘Here Today, Gone Tomorrow’. This version posted here was recorded either 2014 or 2015. i think when i recorded it, i think i remember the mics being hot, and i totally forgot to check.

‘Chasing The Night’ is another Joey penned song (along with Dee Dee and funk/rock bassist Busta Jones). This is another one of those ‘deep cuts’ that tends to get skipped over. There’s a version floating around where drummer Richie sings; however, i’m drumming to the album version.

One of my favorite things about (the) Ramones is that the bass tends to be higher in the mix- especially in the earlier recordings. You started hearing less of that, from Road To Ruin (perhaps my favorite Ramones album, and also the inspiration for my favorite punk/hardcore band, Bad Brains) on. In many guitar-centered bands, the bass is usually buried. Whenever i record i do my best to mix things as evenly as possible, so nothing is prominent over another thing. That said, ‘Go Mental’ has a bass line that needs to stand out. So it is a little higher in the mix here, than it is on the album. Their lyrics are much darker than a cursory listen lets on.

i’m just playing bass here.

Leave Home is probably my second favorite Ramones album, and i wanted to open the final song with a little ‘easter egg’ before we got into the actual song, ‘Chain Saw’! i DID NOT attempt vocals in this one, so you got the original here. i did however, play drums, guitar and bass.

i am no Joey, Tommy, Dee Dee, Marky, Richie, CJ, Johnny (or Clem Burke). But i hope you enjoy!

(This one’s dedicated to Derek, the biggest Ramones fan i currently know.)

Going Back, Yet Moving Forward…

Posted on by
Reply

Despite being half a century in a few years (which is weird to say) and experiencing massive things as an adult, i’ve done my best to live life as simply as possible. i’ve never really been that interested in all those things you’re expected to be into at my age- the long career where you begin to identify with your job, ‘investing’ in a house, the so-called ‘2.5 kids and a dog’… i actually quite like being an adult, and have no desire to relive my youth. i just don’t support the societal expectation and limitation that adulthood entails.

There are definitely things from my childhood that make me smile when i think about them though.

i saw Rainbow Brite And The Star Stealer in the theater when it came out. It was released just after i turned 9. i honestly don’t remember anything about the plotline; i do, however, remember the song that played during the end credits. i do remember the film credits being similar to the end credits of the tv show- Rainbow Brite riding the horse (Starlite), with a rainbow palette constantly moving in the background. i guess i remembered wrong, because while the credits DO have a rainbow palette constantly moving, it’s the credits themselves that are rainbow.

i absolutely looooooove ‘Rainbow Brite And Me’. Yeah it’s sappy and the synth drums are bad, but i don’t even care what anyone says. i’m absolutely sure the machines behind the Rainbow Brite franchise are horrible (the Hallmarks, the Mattels, the DIC enterprise, etc.) but that song makes me cry of happiness.

And rainbows themselves are some of the most beautiful things on earth. There should be more songs about rainbows. Kermit is wrong- there’s not enough of them.

Still in the ‘land of synth drums,’ i decided to play around with another memory of my youth- The Facts Of Life. The theme was one of many co-written by Gloria Loring, Alan Thicke and Al Burton, and was sung by Loring. Like many theme songs, there’s a longer version (which i am playing to here). Again, though i watched the show a lot as a kid i don’t remember a lot of what happened. One thing i do remember was the introduction of Geri as a primary character for a while. It was really cool to see someone with cerebral palsy living their life on a popular tv program, because as i mentioned in another post, you don’t see to many folks in the disabled community as primary characters in popular culture in a way that’s not pathologized.

And heeeeeeere’s where we get out of childhood and more into teenager-ism, with Wire. Pink Flag is one of my favorite ‘post punk’ albums, and ‘It’s so obvious’ is a pretty great deep cut. i was thinking of playing it on drums, but i decided to just play it on the (still unnamed) bass.