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Re: John Entwistle/Beatles/etc



> Technically speaking, there have always been better players
> that Moon and Entwistle, but it's the energy, drive & originality,
> that make them better than other *technically* superiour
> musicians.

Agreed.  That's what I was talking about earlier in regards to Simon Phillips.
The drummer has to know his place; he's part of an ensemble of musicians.
It's one thing to be technically tight, any moron, with enough practice, can 
master that.

But it's quite another thing to have the *mind* to approach your role in the
ensemble with ingenuity, freshness, risk-taking, & above all, a dedication
to the *song* & not yourself.

Moonie is sometimes called a "showoff" drummer, or a "showman."  That's
not true because - 1. He wasn't really showing off, he was just that damn 
good & 2. He always did what the song required & nothing more.  When
he was supposed to be quiet & reserved, he was.  He knew his role.

I saw a local band a few weeks ago & the drummer completely overplayed.
He played way too loudly for the room.  He was all over the place when he
didn't need to be.  And every tune had to incorporate a massive 16th note
double-bass pedal pattern which really had no place in the song.  

The guy was fantastic technically but as for knowing how to play in a *band*
he sucked horribly.

A lot of times you can estimate a musician's intelligence by their approach to
their instrument & how they play.  Unfortunately, when Rock became big, the
intelligent creative people were inundated with a flood of dolts & dummies 
wanting a piece of the action.  

> Allen Woody of GOV'+ MULe is the only bass player
> other than Jack Bruce, IMO, to equal or surpass John.

What about Mike Watt of The Minutemen?  Now there's a real meat-and-
potatoes kind of bass player.


- SCHRADE in Akron