Any big name drummers ever do something to rub you the RIGHT way?

Too many to list...Paul Barbarin's brother Lou (Paul played with Louis Armstrong) gave me
a couple free lessons when he realized I was trying to play. Guys like Gene Krupa, Shelly
Manne, Louis Bellson, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Ed Thigpen, all spent time with me talking
about things and/or showing me things. In some cases, having me sit at their kit and "whip
it out" so they would know exactly where I was coming from...talk is cheap after all. There
are more but if you approached these guys at the right time and showed a genuine interest,
they were more than eager to help you. There are many others....drummers are generally
very humble, kind, sharing people in my experience...just look at what goes on here!

Paul Wertico, Rusty Jones, and George Fludas are all very giving to other drummers.
 
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Nickropolis said:
That would be a great chapter in the GVD book, paying homage and respect by keeping the kit close to you.

Maybe some day you'll be in Elvin's shoes and helping another struggling musician, keeping the legacy alive.

(Not saying you already haven't, but I think you know what I mean) :)
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I honestly think that would complete my life.....being able to pay back what Elvin and Kieko did for me for someone else

that would be so unbelievably gratifying

I have lived with this anxious feeling of needing to pay it forward since Elvin passed in 2004

hopefully one day I will be able to do that

but yeah.....I want that kit from Steve like you can't even imagine
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
and I do treasure it every single day Jeff....and will for as long as I am breathing

they didn't have to do anything for me ....but they took me into their home and treated me like a son

my only regret is that I never got a chance to really give back to Elvin before he passed

he always said he didn't want anything from me and that my safety and happiness was enough .......but the person that I am wanted to do so much for him

I stay in touch with Kieko a bit .....not as much as I should though

one of his drum kits sits at Steve Maxwells drum shop in Manhattan......and I want to own it so bad ....and one day I will

Steve swears it's not for sale.....but every man has his price

:)
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Have you checked out Donn Bennett's shop in Seattle?

He used to have quite an extensive Elvin collection. Check this out.
http://www.bennettdrums.com/elvin_jones.php
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
I honestly think that would complete my life.....being able to pay back what Elvin and Kieko did for me for someone else

that would be so unbelievably gratifying

I have lived with this anxious feeling of needing to pay it forward since Elvin passed in 2004

hopefully one day I will be able to do that

but yeah.....I want that kit from Steve like you can't even imagine
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Something tells me that someone is going to show up at your door, with a bag on the end of a stick, any day now :)

Groove1's story is gratifying too.

From my own experience, all of the Greats I've met (with maybe an exception) have been gracious. And all of the Greats I've studied with have judiciously handed me tough love.

-John
 
brady said:
Have you checked out Donn Bennett's shop in Seattle?

He used to have quite an extensive Elvin collection. Check this out.
http://www.bennettdrums.com/elvin_jones.php
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They used to have that kit in the cymbal room for anyone to play! I think it's put up out of reach now though.

Speaking of Elvin, I had the privilege of him sitting himself down right next to me at the bar before one of his shows at Jazz Alley in Seattle in the late 90's. He is one of the most gracious, unpretentious celebrity/human beings I have ever met.
 
I've met quite a few "big" drummers and all of them have been awesome. I've heard some horror stories about guys like Weckl and Steve Smith, but Stanton Moore was really awesome, as was David Garibaldi.

Al Foster was one of the warmest souls I've ever met though, drummer, musician, or otherwise. He was just so humbled by the audience and the fact that I was there and enjoyed his playing so much (I think he was surprised by my age). He gave me a huge hug and was talking to my uncle about watching Elvin at the Vanguard for a while. He gave off an aura of kind, gentle, and still sharp as a tack.

I haven't met Keith Carlock or Steve Jordan, but my uncle is great friends with them, having played with a lot of the same people, and I always hear awesome stories about them (as musicians and as people). Plus Steve Jordan's environmentally-friendly snare drum is really cool of him.
 
?uesto said:
I've met quite a few "big" drummers and all of them have been awesome. I've heard some horror stories about guys like Weckl and Steve Smith, but Stanton Moore was really awesome, as was David Garibaldi.

Al Foster was one of the warmest souls I've ever met though, drummer, musician, or otherwise. He was just so humbled by the audience and the fact that I was there and enjoyed his playing so much (I think he was surprised by my age). He gave me a huge hug and was talking to my uncle about watching Elvin at the Vanguard for a while. He gave off an aura of kind, gentle, and still sharp as a tack.

I haven't met Keith Carlock or Steve Jordan, but my uncle is great friends with them, having played with a lot of the same people, and I always hear awesome stories about them (as musicians and as people). Plus Steve Jordan's environmentally-friendly snare drum is really cool of him.
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I'm curious as to what you have heard about Steve and Dave

while studying with them I found them to be extremely personable and very friendly ...... especially Steve ....he really let his guard down and opened up on a quite personal level
he's a really good man
same with Keith ......although I didn't find Keith to as good of a teacher as the other two .....he was a really great guy ......and being that he and I have a mutual friend I think he felt a little extra comfortable with me ........ in general he is a bit of a shy cat ....a sort of nervous speaker
Dave puts on a tough front ......and he is good at it .....but he has a heart of gold

all great guys ....I really mean that

I took a special shine to Steve though.........he really became just one of the guys during the week I spent with him .....just having a few beers and chatting about whatever ...whenever.....very intelligent guy
 
A friend of mine is good friends with the bass player of Dethklok. She got us back stage to hang with the band Halloween night 2009. I got to meet and hang with Gene Hoglan.

After talking with him for a good bit in the green room he told me he was gonna step outside to smoke a cig. I thanked him for his time and for being so cool. At which point he said I could come hang with him more if I wanted too. So we went out by the tour buses and hung out for awhile more. He was very gracious and he was very helpful with my questions.

You don't meet very many well known people that make you feel like you've known them for a long time. He was really that easy to talk with. He's truly one of the nicest guys I've ever met in the music industry.
 
Gvd, is it too early to sign up for the 2013 version of that event? I'm starting to put in for my vacation time this year and I seriously want to do that.
 
brady said:
Just looking for a little positivity to counteract that other thread...

I've met a few drummers over the years and I would say that Jeff Hamilton is probably been the nicest one.

I met him at a clinic a couple years ago, actually it was a jazz trio clinic but he did most of the presenting. At first he comes off as perhaps a little gruff but he was actually very nice and professional. Afterwards, I asked him privately a few things about Ed Thigpen (my hero) since he mentioned hanging around him so much. He shared a couple beautiful memories of the man and his apprach to music. That alone was worth the trip.

Also, had he chosen to do so, he could have been pretty rude to me. I accidentally temporarily blinded him a couple times taking photos during his performance. We actually laughed about later on. Where I apologized profusely...

All in all, Mr Hamilton was definitely a class act.
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I always appreciated the visit from Morgan Rose and John Dolmayan when they came to our Combat Support Hospital to visit the patients when I was in Iraq. It was great to meet them and show them around. Any of those artists who did USO shows were in some amount of danger and I don't think they got paid anything other than some travel expenses.
 
8Mile said:
Gvd, is it too early to sign up for the 2013 version of that event? I'm starting to put in for my vacation time this year and I seriously want to do that.
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I believe enrollment starts in March or April
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
I'm curious as to what you have heard about Steve and Dave

while studying with them I found them to be extremely personable and very friendly ...... especially Steve ....he really let his guard down and opened up on a quite personal level
he's a really good man
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Back in the 80's Steve Smith did have a rep of a huge ego and being hard to work with.

In 1992, the store I was working had him in for a clinic. I had people warning me he would be tough to deal with. I didn't find him that bad, but certainly not as warm and friendly as most.

But you know, that was a long a time ago. I think the further he gets from his rock star days of the 80's, the more he's mellowed out.

As for Dave, we did at least two clinics with him in the late 80s, early 90s. He insisted on some of the longest sound checks I've ever seen, but that was about it. Certainly no horror stories.
 
Last year, I was the drummer for Miami University's Jazz band ( pretty cool because i was only a sophmore and not a music major ).

We performed at the elmhurst jazz festival and Dennis Mackrel, the current drummer for the Count Basie orchestra awarded me with the 'outstanding soloist' award. If you don't believe me I have the award in my room and I can take a picture of it and post it on here.

But yeah, probably the coolest achievement of my life so far.
 
These are all some great and interesting stories!

8Mile said:
Gvd, is it too early to sign up for the 2013 version of that event? I'm starting to put in for my vacation time this year and I seriously want to do that.
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Add me to that same list.
 
dmacc said:
These are all some great and interesting stories!



Add me to that same list.
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I have rarely hooked up with music forum members over the years, but I would love to hang with you guys if we all go to this thing. I think it would be a blast.
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
I'm curious as to what you have heard about Steve and Dave

while studying with them I found them to be extremely personable and very friendly ...... especially Steve ....he really let his guard down and opened up on a quite personal level
he's a really good man
same with Keith ......although I didn't find Keith to as good of a teacher as the other two .....he was a really great guy ......and being that he and I have a mutual friend I think he felt a little extra comfortable with me ........ in general he is a bit of a shy cat ....a sort of nervous speaker
Dave puts on a tough front ......and he is good at it .....but he has a heart of gold

all great guys ....I really mean that

I took a special shine to Steve though.........he really became just one of the guys during the week I spent with him .....just having a few beers and chatting about whatever ...whenever.....very intelligent guy
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I've met both Steve Smith and Dave Weckl.

I found both of them to be very classy and professional. Dave even gave me a pair of his sticks after their show (he was playing with Mike Stern.)

A story I heard about Dave was that he went off on some guy who tried to put a Vic Firth sticker or something on his bass drum. Rightfully so though. The way I heard it was that the guy didn't say or do anything to Dave, just walked up to the kit and started messing with it. I would have gone off on the guy too.

Steve was really cool with me. I asked him a few questions after his clinic and was very cordial.
 
Gvdadrummasum said:
I'm curious as to what you have heard about Steve and Dave
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Too many Steves and Daves in my post, but I know you mean Smith and Weckl in this question. Haha

Most are horror stories from clinics they did at my store. Nothing ego related, just really shitty attitudes towards the guys who work there and some staff at the venue. Also heard similar stories from people who have met them after events or clinics.

I can't begin to put myself in the shoes of someone with that status, but people should still try to be a little nicer.
 
I had lunch with Marco Minneman in Buenos Aires on 2014. Very nice dude, Led Zeppelin maniac. A kind person and a true monster musician.
Jojo Mayer is also a really nice dude, quite excentric but a very nice dude as well. I heard some really great things about Dennis Chambers too
Almost forgot about Mike Mangini, I met him a couple of times and he was always very open for conversation. Very kind and energetic character.
 
I've never been rubbed by a drummer and, as a married man, wouldn't admit to it on a public forum if I had.

:)
 
Todd Sucherman, total class act.
Buddy Rich, Shook my hand and said "how are ya kid"
Dave Weckl, Very nice
Steve Smith, Very nice

Don Brewer, GFR egotistical ass, unless he was having a bad day?
 
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