Drums, Drums, Drums

Hey Everyone,

So its Saturday night here in Wales and I'm drinking a nice bottle of Hoorgarden (so cheap over here), and I have just finished packing up my drums. It's official...Drums for Gyro album number #4 are officially complete. Its kind of sad in a way because I have honestly had one of the most creative and inspirational drumming experiences of my life over the past few weeks.

I had heard stories about Gil being quite hard on drummers, but the truth is he simply has an amazing ability to bring the BEST out of drummers, and for me I can definately say this is the case.

Working with Gil on this record has been a real eye opener from a drumming perspective. All along he has really encouraged me to make the drum parts as exciting as possible...He's pushed me to the point where I have done things with my drumming on this record that I never thought possible. I even managed to pull a muscle (piriformis) in my leg from so much drumming. Whoo Hoo!

At the same time there has been a really wonderful spontenaity with recording the drum parts. On one song (Spider) Gil and I really talked about just playing whatever came naturally and so while we were doing drum takes I just did the fills really randomly...listened back to the takes and just went with the ones that felt the best.

In a number of instances we talked about drums in terms of the way they made you feel or the tension they created. All over the album are instances where the drums are inspirired by lyrics or the emotion in the music. (Chopping wood, Spiders running across beds, Running for the sun, Heatbeats) all went into inspiring the drum beats and parts. I really cant wait for you to here it.

Another big inspiration has been Rockfield studios itself. Kingsly the owner is forever telling us stories about bands that have been here and I've taken a keen intrest in learning about other drummers that have recorded in the very same room the drums have just been recorded in. Here are my 3 faves.

1. Roger Taylor - Queen

My dads favourite band and the one band I grew up listening too at home more than any. Queen recorded there Sheer Heart Attack and Night At The Opera Albums here. Including Bohemian Raphsody. The drum fill in Working With Wood is a little tribute to Roger's drumming and especially his drum fills. (You can see it below in the video, when we were going for a take of the song)

2. Igor Cavalera - Seputura

The crazy brazilians recorded Chaos A.D here in 1992. A furious metal album that I grew up listening too courtesy of my brothers booming stereo. Apparantly they were one of the most courteous bands to have ever recorded at Rockfield. Igor injected an an aamzing energy into his drumming. One that I hope I have been able to put into this new record.

3. Phil Collins - Genisis
Big Phil recorded on Robert Plants 1st solo album here at Rockfield. A drumming icon and according to Kinglsy the owner and all round good guy. The origional cadbruy gorilla knew a thing or two about drumming and great tunes. Thats for sure.

So as you can see some really big footsteps to be following in but at the same time brilliant food for thought when thinking about my drumming and this new Gyro record.

Anyway, Danny and Zok are now doing there thing and the songs are really coming to life. Zok is adding his array of technicolour to the songs through his amazing leads and Danny has begun adding the cream on the cake with his vox.

3.5 weeks to go and Album#4 is sounding better than I could have ever imagined.

ROB