| I was in a musical funk and in search of some | | | | (They recorded an entire album with another |
| new material to listen to. An album that would | | | | drummer and shelved it after it was decided "it |
| reveal a little more upon every listen. In the past, | | | | didn't sound like Aerosmith"). What about R.E.M. |
| records by Wilco, The Jayhawks, Boston, Weezer | | | | and Bill Berry, or The Replacements and Chris |
| and Pete Yorn had done the trick. Now, I was | | | | Mars? Some of these bands have wisely |
| coming up empty. I blindly reached into the CD | | | | reconnected with their drummers. However, it |
| case and pulled out the first disc I touched; The | | | | looks to me that these break-ups were an effort |
| Police's Zenyatta Mondatta. Jeez, this vinyl record | | | | by the artist to move on, move up, be better |
| had lived on my turntable for months when I was | | | | and reach a higher station in the business, as if it |
| in college. I spent a semester listening to the | | | | was the drummer holding them back. |
| entire album at least once a day, digesting every | | | | So, how did it work out? Has Tom Petty |
| lyric and drum fill. Now as I was driving, I stuck it | | | | exceeded the standards of "American Girl" or |
| in the player waiting to hear how it would sound | | | | "Breakdown" since the firing of Stan Lynch? How |
| after all this time. | | | | did it go for R.E.M.? If today were the beginning of |
| It was just what the doctor ordered. A real band | | | | their career, where would they stand? Stewart |
| playing music before the pro tools era of "fixes." | | | | Copeland's drumming was integral to the success |
| Simple arrangements allowing the instruments to | | | | of The Police. Perhaps a little too much so. Is it |
| breathe and the spaces to take effect. And of | | | | possible that Sting ditched The Police partly |
| course, the unparalleled creative energy of | | | | because the drummer's style branded the music? |
| Stewart Copeland's drumming. This guy wrote the | | | | Has Sting truly done better and more innovative |
| book on a style of drumming that we haven't | | | | work since dumping Steward Copeland? It |
| heard before or for that matter, since. Songs like | | | | appears that some recording artists ruin a good |
| "Bombs Away" and "Driven to Tears" now | | | | thing just so they can say, "This is all mine and I |
| sounded as fresh as ever. His bell and ride cymbal | | | | did it all by myself." |
| patterns transcend rhythm and at times sound | | | | Conversely, I imagined The Rolling Stones without |
| like counter melodies. Granted, Sting has proven | | | | Charlie Watts and Rush without Neil Peart. Dave |
| to be a star all on his own, but I think that some | | | | Matthews without Carter Beauford, but I couldn't |
| recording artists are not better going solo. | | | | do it. Thank God that Page and Plant did not |
| This got me thinking about artists who also parted | | | | pursue Led Zeppelin without John Bonham. It |
| with their drummers. Tom Petty and drummer | | | | seems that these artists embraced their |
| Stan Lynch. The Pretenders and Martin Chambers. | | | | drummer's musical personality, making it part of |
| AC/DC and Phil Rudd. Aerosmith and Joe Perry | | | | their brand, front and center. |