Members JamesPeters Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 A friend and I were hanging out a few days ago, listening to come cool music (including "mathcore" and such). We ended up in Boston Pizza. The music in there was totally "stereotypical pop-rock 1980s" save for a few more recent songs (and those were pretty lame ones too). As a Journey song played, I mimicked the ever-so-simple drumbeat and we chuckled to ourselves. I mean not that I don't like straight-ahead drums in rock songs, but the song "Any way you want it" is getting just a tiny bit dated, IMO... At the adjacent booth, a couple guys in their late 30s were discussing Journey. One guy in particular was doing all the talking while the other just listened and said nothing. He went on about how great the drummer from Journey was, how the straight-ahead style was amazing (blah blah blah)--you know, the typical "if it's complicated in the slightest, it's not good" argument. My friend and I laughed to ourselves, hearing this. He went on to complain about a drummer he'd seen performing with Paul McCartney. The guy was "too jazzy", and had "a terrible jazz sounding snare going on". The drummer? "He was that guy from the Police." I listened closely, motioning for my friend to keep quiet so I could hear. "Yeah, well with drumming like that, after the tour guess what? Welcome to obscurity, buddy! Right back to nowhere, where you've been since 1984." My friend and I burst out laughing. This dork was saying that Stewart Copeland--who's not only an excellent drummer but a very well known composer--hasn't been doing anything noteworthy since 1984. After our meal we watched a couple episodes of Dead Like Me on DVD (great show, again, two seasons only because the general population wouldn't know a great show if it bit them in the ass). So the theme music is playing, and guess who's the composer of the theme music? Yep, Stewart Copeland. Like so many TV shows and movies he's done music for over the last 20+ years. Not including all the bands he's toured with since then, and so on. Yeah, just because he's not playing in a Journey cover band, he's "in obscurity". I found that hilarious, and rather telling of the average person's take on musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Duesentrieb Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Stewart was and still is simply outstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted March 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I agree. So many times as I'd watched a movie, I'd comment about the music being really good, and sure enough I'd see his name in the credits. I also can't imagine the Police without him. Synchronicity is still one of my favorite albums. I just listened to it again today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Duesentrieb Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I grew up with them, you know. And you are correct - without him they would have just been another Pop-Punk band, but esp. on Police live recordings his "fill ins here and there" were the "salt in the soup". Their Double-Live album is constantly in my player until today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathMonkey Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I hear that {censored} all the time - the drummer for Journey IS amazing, but not because of that simple pop crap. See them live, and he goes a bit more nuts. Thats like saying the drummer for Winger is great because he stays so steady on "Seventeen". No, he plays in Dixie Dregs, and pwns you, goofus. Sad to see any drummer who plays beyond the complexity of your average GarageBand loop dissed. When i started drumming, Stewart and Phil Collins (remember when he was a drummer?) were my heroes. I actually started getting all Ringo with MY drumming because i knew I would never be able to play like Stewie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted March 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I don't doubt the drummer from Journey had his great moments (or still does for that matter)--but this guy was clearly not in favor of those aspects of his playing anyway. God forbid his favorite drummer from Journey actually did an interesting solo which was difficult for the average ape to mimick while driving in his Ford pickup truck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cavemanic Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I'm pretty sure he was playing with the Doors of the 21st century awhile back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZomBiE DinkLE Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by JamesPeters After our meal we watched a couple episodes of Dead Like Me on DVD how is the 2nd season? I enjoyed the first but never got around to watching the 2nd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1big1 Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 dean castronovo was playing drums for journey the last time i saw them. he used to play with ozzy. he's a mad man on the kit and beats the hell out of his set. i have no other comment to make except that i'm no judge. i can't drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GuidanceOfSin Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by ZomBiE DinkLE how is the 2nd season? I enjoyed the first but never got around to watching the 2nd. The second season is great. Better than the first imo. I {censored}in love that show. Its really sad that {censored} like My Name Is Earl and Larry the Cable Guy are huge yet great shows like DLM get canned. I guess the sheep didn't approve. On another SC note, anyone see Pecker? Great movie, lots of good music too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t-rave Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Journey may have been straight ahead sissy pop rock...but Journey Drummer Steve Smith is actually a fusion MONSTER.... the guys has a TON of chops.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GRIFF10672 Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Check out " Oysterhead " Stewart Copeland , Les Claypool , Trey Anistasio Some of the lyrics are a little weird , but the playing ...... HOLY {censored} . 3 friggin monsters of their respective instruments .... I heard recentley they might be releasing some more stuff . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members luckett Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by t-rave Journey may have been straight ahead sissy pop rock...but Journey Drummer Steve Smith is actually a fusion MONSTER.... the guys has a TON of chops.... Yes, Steve is a monster! Ansley Dunbar is a good drummer, he also played in Journey. James, what do you expect from the "general population" regarding drummers, music, tv shows etc...that's just the way it is. To those guys, Copeland is not in the spotlight much anymore so they think he's "in obscurity". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Digital Jams Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Stuart Copeland, as well as Andy Summers, is a monster percussion musician and the Police just cashed in on what was happening in Britain during the time. Hell, they helped the Pistols learn to play their instruments! Steve Smith is a great jazz / fussion player as well btw.Christ, the Police were freaking huge and this dork says that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Whoopysnorp Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I love The Police and I LOVE Stew's drumming. His style can sound simple at times but it is incredibly difficult to cop. I've never heard anybody manage to sound like Stewart Copeland on drums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evhfan Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 stewart's in my top 5 best drummers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LowandLoudx97 Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Stew's licks and grooves rule, he's so fluid. I love when busts out reggae style beats on the hats , he's killer... some people are just morons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t-rave Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 the Police definitley rule...I listen to there entire body of work regularly....Stuart, Andy and Sting went out as the biggest band in the world.... until U2 picked up there sloppy seconds;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul VanJohnson Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 I'm not a drummer but the drummers I know generally regard Steve Smith of Journey as one of the greats - but not for his work with Journey. He's played with some great musicians: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Smith_%28musician%29 I read Sting's autobiography last year and, according to his version of the story, Stewart wanted to blow off the whole prog-rock thing with Curved Air and cash in on the punk fad in the late '70s. Sting, Copeland and Summers are all first rate musicians who managed to cash in writing great pop tunes. What's interesting about The Police is that the band was deliberately founded by great musicians to play dumbed-down music to sell albums - and it worked in spades! I don't mean "dumbed-down" as an insult either - I love The Police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Benz2112 Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by GRIFF10672 Check out " Oysterhead " Stewart Copeland , Les Claypool , Trey Anistasio Some of the lyrics are a little weird , but the playing ...... HOLY {censored} . 3 friggin monsters of their respective instruments .... I heard recentley they might be releasing some more stuff . Probably the best playing of his career, that was one of the best super groups put together. Stewart is one of the best drummers in the business Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HottKarl Posted March 15, 2006 Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by GRIFF10672 Check out " Oysterhead " Stewart Copeland , Les Claypool , Trey Anistasio Some of the lyrics are a little weird , but the playing ...... HOLY {censored} . 3 friggin monsters of their respective instruments .... I heard recentley they might be releasing some more stuff . +1. Odd music....but the musicianship on this is extraoridnary. I saw a half hour live performance of Oysterhead on HBO a few years back. It was without a doubt one the of the best drum/percussion performances I've seen....Stewart Copeland is recognized (as he should be) as one of the great and influencing drummers of his time. That dude was an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted March 15, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 15, 2006 Originally posted by luckett James, what do you expect from the "general population" regarding drummers, music, tv shows etc...that's just the way it is. To those guys, Copeland is not in the spotlight much anymore so they think he's "in obscurity". I know. That's why I laughed instead of walking over to talk to him and correct him. It was just hilarious hearing it from someone right next to me in a public place, speaking loudly. Especially when my friend is a very accomplished musician who deals with ignorant attitudes about music every day. Having him there with me to hear this was the icing on the cake. Originally posted by Digital Jams Christ, the Police were freaking huge and this dork says that I figure after "going out" as such a success, how could they be criticized. I guess I was wrong. Originally posted by Paul VanJohnson I read Sting's autobiography last year and, according to his version of the story, Stewart wanted to blow off the whole prog-rock thing with Curved Air and cash in on the punk fad in the late '70s. Sting, Copeland and Summers are all first rate musicians who managed to cash in writing great pop tunes. What's interesting about The Police is that the band was deliberately founded by great musicians to play dumbed-down music to sell albums - and it worked in spades! I don't mean "dumbed-down" as an insult either - I love The Police. Nowadays, I can totally hear that in their songs. Not that "they're bad", but that they're "playing it cool", not stretching themselves much at all. When I was much younger (when Synchronicity was released) I couldn't tell this of course. That album sounded like jazz compared to most pop rock. Now, if I go to "drum along" with the album, I periodically get screwed up and smile--I get reminded of how clever the drums are despite the fact they seem so simple on the surface.I'm definitely going to have to pick up some of Copeland's other stuff. I could probably really appreciate it nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MsGradenk Posted April 3, 2021 Members Share Posted April 3, 2021 That "dork" might have been reacting to something obnoxious Stewart Copeland said about jazz and jazz musicians: I read something where a writer said that you have some sort of aversion to jazz? Stewart Copeland: "It's a fun party trick, but I am allergic to jazz. I was raised to be a jazz musician, my father was a jazz musician and I was steeped in jazz from the moment my ears blinked open, which is why I am immune to jazz. And my main reason why I love dissing jazz is jazz musicians. The problem with jazz musicians is that they are all crap. It's sort of like jazz is the refuge of the talent-less. If you really want to be a musician and you are prepared to really work hard at it, but you don't have the gift and you don't have any soul and you don't have any talent, jazz is what you should do; because all you need to do is just spend hours training your fingers to wiggle very quickly and you'll be a hero in the jazz world. Not so in blues. In blues you need talent, you need X factor, you need heart, you need to have lived a life, you have to have something to say, you need to be an actual musician to play the blues. Jazz, any fool can do it; all you gotta do is practice." -Stewart Copeland https://www.talkbass.com/threads/stuart-copeland-hates-jazz-musicians.337065/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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