drums and drumming

Friday Fill In #190

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1. Laughter wasn’t used in any of the operating room scenes in MASH; the producers felt a laugh track took away from the seriousness of what was on screen.

2. “I wasn’t at” are the three words that started off the last email I sent.

3. What I’m most looking forward to today is my family coming home from a week at camp.

4. The prayers of my children puts a smile on my face.

5. Where in the world can you find a Gladstone snare drum for $6.00? If you know, please call me immediately!

6. The Cars had a song that included the lyrics “ just what I needed! ” and Susan and I were talking about American new wave bands the other day. (Other than The Cars and Blondie, I couldn’t come up with any more.)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to having Susan (and the kids) home, tomorrow my plans include driving three hours to a gig in Machias, playing three hours, traveling three hours home, and then going to another gig and Sunday, I want to probably get some rest!

Friday Fill In #188

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1. Life is moving along pretty fast right now; after all, it is summertime in Maine.

2. I’ve got a couple of cars, both over 10 years old, both with 150,000 miles, and both with lots of creeks, squeaks, and rattles. I’m not sure how long they’re going to keep going.

3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: Umm, I have no idea. I don’t use IM much, and I’ve never sent a text message in my life. Honest. I’ve only received (excepting spam text to but more Tracfone minutes) less then 10, and those have all been from Pastor Dave or my friend Mike.

4. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli with red pepper flakes is what I’m thinking about for dinner sometime soon. (And that sometime soon is tonight!)

5. On the 1st day of August my true love sent to me a Tama bell brass snare drum from the ’80s and all the Hostess cupcakes I could eat.

6. Hang out with my twin boys for the afternoon and they’ll give you the definition of lively and energetic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a super supper cooked by my favorite laddies, tomorrow my plans include working at the office and playing a gig at the Lobster Festival, and Sunday, I want to mow the lawn after church is over!

Friday Fill In #186

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1. I feel much better than the last two days. (It seems that 24 hour stomach bug has finally passed.)

2. I recently came back to work after a week’s vacation; it took me a day or three to catch up.

3. Do You Feel Like I Do is one of those “guilty pleasure” songs I’m almost embarrassed to say I still like.

4. There aren’t too many things out there that are completely unique.

5. It’s hard to know how much money is going to come in from that ebay auction; sometimes someone gets caught up in auction fever, and the price goes through the roof! (Too bad that never happens to any of the stuff I’m selling!)

6. Usually, whatever one of my twin boys does, it isn’t long before the other one follows suit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to playing a gig in Kenduskeag, tomorrow my plans include playing a gig in Thomaston and Rockland, and Sunday, I want to squeeze a nap in after church before my Sunday wedding gig!

Joe Morello’s Left Hand

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In another installment of “Bill’s Youtube Videos He Watches Over and Over,” I bring you Joe Morello:

Joe was Dave Brubeck’s drummer for years and years. Here, Joe takes solo in the Brubeck classic “Take Five.” The original recording is fantastic; one might even say monumental. Like Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue,” Brubeck’s “Time Out” album is a Jazz album for people who aren’t into Jazz. You don’t have to be to dig this album. Anyway, here Joe offers a different solo than the original recording. Dig the one handed roll at about one minute in. Joe is a big proponent of what’s called the “Moeller Technique,” a way of snapping the drumstick and using the stick’s natural rebound to turn your arm into an engine, cranking out hit after hit after hit. Here Joe shows his tremendous finger technique, coupled with Moeller, to give us those super tasty one handed yummies. For non-drummers, it probably doesn’t look like much. No flash flailing, no rolling around tons of toms for days and days. But for those of us who know what he’s doing, well, we can tell you that little one handed drum roll is crazy hard to pull of.

Friday Fill In #177

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1. Louis Armstrong’s singing never fails to make me smile.
2. I’m looking forward to a vacation sometime.
3. The whir of a fan is what I’m listening to right now.
4. Potato salad must have bacon in it!
5. Raisin Bran was the best thing I ate today. (Of course this early in the AM, it’s the ONLY thing I’ve eaten today.)
6. Today was not even a “was” yet. (It’s too early. I can’t answer these past tense questions about “today” first thing in the morning.)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to playing a gig in Bar Harbor, tomorrow my plans include lawn mowing and kid watching, and Sunday, I want to maybe go watch alewives swim upstream!