Drum Solos and why you like them, or not

Generally speaking, I'm also not exactly into drum solos.

If it's just showing off chops... well, maybe I'm just jealous... but it's a bit like someone's ha-
ving a wank on stage... which I do not want to see...

On the other hand, I have gotten into Mike Mangini's solos... for the sole reason that he is
just on such a ridiculously advanced level (technique & coordination), IMHO. Musically,
he does not move me at all.

The solos I really enjoy are the ones that have a certain something to them... In my books,
Messrs. Bozzio, Baron (Joey), and Morello qualify.

Patrice
 
I prefer solos in the context of songs as opposed to just stand alone solos. When it turns into some technique wankfest it becomes extremely annoying, and I think the art of making a solo musical is lost on most drummers. Even Bozzio at times seems to have a melody that exists only in his head and doesn't necessarily translate to what he's playing on the kit, except maybe to the drum super geeks (aka fan boys).
 
ChaosDecides said:
I prefer solos in the context of songs as opposed to just stand alone solos. When it turns into some technique wankfest it becomes extremely annoying, and I think the art of making a solo musical is lost on most drummers. Even Bozzio at times seems to have a melody that exists only in his head and doesn't necessarily translate to what he's playing on the kit, except maybe to the drum super geeks (aka fan boys).
Click to expand...

I get the first part.

But what do you mean by "... only in his head and doesn't necessarily translate to what he's playing on the kit,"? Please explain.

Patrice
 
There are so many mediocre and bad solos out there that it's understandable
that many don't like them. But does that make drumsolos unnecessary?

I think people who don't like drum solos have never heard a really good one.
It's kind of like music in general. I can't say I don't like music just because all
I've ever heard was Lady Gaga, can I?

Why should the music created by a drummer (or drummers) be redundant?
 
I love drum solo's. Why wouldn't I. It is usually a chance to see a good drummer show off what he can do, without all the other instruments getting in the way.
 
I honestly don't think drum solos add anything to a song, and I don't care for them. You may now throw fruit!
 
I don't really like anything that breaks the groove, so 4 bar breaks at the most for me. And I'm never going to sit and 'listen' to a drum solo, except maybe the occasional one, like Morello in Take 5 (and even that goes on too long for me)
 
sticks4drums said:
I love drum solo's. Why wouldn't I. It is usually a chance to see a good drummer show off what he can do, without all the other instruments getting in the way.
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I'm with Sticks on this one. Hell, I was taken to heaven and back by a Carl Palmer solo a couple years ago while on tour with Asia. Yeah, a over the top cheese rock group, but friggen talented as hell :) Looove drum solos.
 
patrice said:
I get the first part.

But what do you mean by "... only in his head and doesn't necessarily translate to what he's playing on the kit,"? Please explain.

Patrice
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Well I assume when he's soloing he's got a beat or concept in his head that he's creating as he goes along, and though he may think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread and he's really getting into it, it may just come across as bland or uninteresting to the audience (depending on taste of course). I don't think this applies to all he has done, and I've seen this with other drummers as well. Sometimes what they do just doesn't come across as that musical, which I'm sure is not what they are all trying to accomplish.
 
Next month, I'm supposed to take on a really long US tour with some fresh Nashville headliners, new to the charts, but who are getting strong push/play and pull in big crowds because they're different. My boss has added a drum solo to the show because they know I can do one and because they know that a lot of drummers who exclusively play this kind of music can't. They've also noticed that the moment a drummer does anything, the crowd goes nuts even when it's not that much.

I think I've said this before, but I've always felt this dislike for drum solos was almost exclusively among drummers, while the average person never feels this way. In fact, I've always believed that we as drummers get far too much credit for drum solos, even when they aren't that good. So in regards to show biz type issues, maybe we should view this with a different set of eyes and ears.
 
i don't like solos in general. mainly because i feel a solo on a melodic instrument is far superior. most solos jut seem poorly thought out. like an afterthought. there is no point in that.
that said there are a few people i can appreciate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KJFE8E3MpQ
 
toddy said:
i don't like solos in general. mainly because i feel a solo on a melodic instrument is far superior. most solos jut seem poorly thought out. like an afterthought. there is no point in that.
that said there are a few people i can appreciate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KJFE8E3MpQ
Click to expand...

The drums CAN be a melodic instrument! If you don't believe me check some of my videos..I may not be great, but I am melodic.
 
I am not really a fan of drum solos. To me drums are an accompanyment instrument and the music benefits from the drums, and vice versa. I like watching some of Buddy's, Weckl's, etc. but more from a technical and "wow" point of view. Another problem especially these days it's all double pedal and speed drumming around the kit which gets tedious pretty quickly (even though I do like rock/metal music).

I especially don't like playing solos, though that's probably because I'm not good enough ;-)

However, oddly I do like this one from a link shown in another thread about weddings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6Vewad_UKY&feature=related

It's not flashy but it sounds and feels great. I think it is probably harder than it looks too, especially in a wedding dress!
 
I like drum solos played along guitar or vocals, with no previously written music notes, but all from head, in other words lyrical drumming, only one man has ever done it,-- my man Keith Moon.
 
I find that jazz drummers tend to have more interesting solos, as well as big band drummers. I could listen to rich and Kruppa all day, as well as Morello, and Gadd. Somehow the solo has to fit the music on each end, and should be a continuation of the piece, not a "carve out." People get tired quickly of crash, bang, boom.
 
jimtyler said:
The drums CAN be a melodic instrument! If you don't believe me check some of my videos..I may not be great, but I am melodic.
Click to expand...

..Your stuff is the most original I have heard....your setup is something else too. I watched your videos awhile ago, definitely inspirational.
 
Jim Tyler I remember seeing your when the saints go marching in video, great idea keep rockin out and showing the world just what drums can do.
 
I appreciate the kind words guys, but I'm nothing special. The approach I take to drumming is just different. This thread about drum solos just makes me want to make more drummers aware that a solo does not have to be a chopfest, it doesn't need to be just 4 bars in a song, it can be whatever a drummer wants it to be. We are musicians after all.
 
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