Gadd

[Jean-Paul]

Gadd is the pioneer of applying rudiments to the kit. Whatever your opinion is, check him
out, listen, read and appreciate. I fully agree with Bigbone you got to respect his work.

Personally, I like this a lot, it's got nothing to do with Gadd from the 70's but it's music...

[cjbdrm]

Thanks for sharing the video. I remember that trio tour with Michel Petrucciani around 97-98. I saw them at the new Birdland in NYC. It was profound. Steve can go from pppp to ffff and still keep the intensity, groove, feel, and musicality going like few others. This video is a good example of that. I learned more in that performance about being a musician than the many years of schooling and lessons I'd had up until that point. At that time, I was seeing guys like Rodney Holmes, Keith Carlock, and Zach Danziger play around town...but then you go to see Gadd and it's a whole new ball game...his playing is so deep, man...DEEP!

[beat hit]

This is Gadd I always remember:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG_g3esQioM#t=3m00s

Yes!! Great clip to reference to!! You nailed it.

Gadd's playing on BRMC came from a soulful, highly-evolved place that I think Vinnie and Weckl have only recently begun to discover it.

I had a conversation with a world-class composer/musician on the topic of "BRMC" video back in the day and he absolutely preferred Gadd's performance over DW and Vinnie and if I remember correctly he indeed attributed his preference to Gadd's "soulful" depth and how he overall played to the music.

[Kurtis]

my spanish heart
friends
three quartets
the leprechaun

those albums with chick blew me away when i was first getting into fusion and jazz. lots of passion and fire on the friends album. that album has some of my favorite gadd moments.

gadd gang 1991 is another favorite. he's got his own swing thing. you know it's him the second you hear it.

he's done so many recordings. it's all quality playing with great musicians and writers around him. he's had one blessed career.

when people chime in saying he's not what he used to be and he's playing the same thing over and over... whatever. he's one of the drum gods. why isn't he in the HOD banner?

the buddy rich thing with vinnie, gadd and weckl is a mecca of drumming goop. it's all great.

[cjbdrm]

As an aside, I wonder how much the "Gadd hi-hats" would go for at auction? We all know what Weckl's and Peart's kit got...but those hi-hats? They've gotten some serious mileage...

[Henry II]

just my opinion on Gadd is all. people get so upset over other peoples opinions.

Gadd did some great work. but i never expect to see him in a modern playing environment, and doubt I will.


i went to one of the best musical schools in the world for drumming, and we had to transcribe a great deal of playing, Gadd was never in the mix. Im sure his ideas were an influence to those players that we did study. but none the less one could argue a bias of the instructors.

Joe Nocella - like i said, the artist you name are from that era. Gadd is not playing for modern artist. simple as that. they are artist from the 70's. and yes, great as James Taylor is, he aint selling out Red Rocks in 15 minutes. (TooL does though, 2 nights in under 15 minutes. And Danny Carey brought it big time.)

and yes, Gadd got his ass handed to him on the Buddy Rich Memorial video, with Weckl and Vinnie, it wasn't even fair and I felt bad for the guy. what was being traded between the drummers was UNREAL and Gadd couldnt keep up. are you saying during the trades that Gadd brought the same level of drumming?


sorry to offend but i think Porcaro brought it 1000x more then Gadd could dream of, shame he passed so early.


for the record as well Gary Chester played on more #1 hits the Gadd did by almost 5x the amount. Just saying. The name plays a lot in the game.

If Tool and Danny Carey are an example of what you mean by "modern playing environment" then than God that Gadd never did, and never will, play in a modern environment!

PS: And, you went to a crappy music school!

[Henry II]

I'm guessing you're under 30 years of age.

well under!!!


I had to learn '50 ways' and it was cool. but there was no concept to it. just a groove to learn and a name the "institute" holds on high. to me taking promo shots with huge rolled blunts does not an amazing drummer make.


i see it as a set of shoulders, giants we stand on, Gadd was one of those. Without a doubt. However he is a layer or two down at this point.

Only to those impressed with double bass, metal punk, blastbeat, wank! Obviously you know very little about Gadd. He was probably the most influential, imitated, studied drummer who ever lived other than Buddy Rich.

[bigbone]

As an aside, I wonder how much the "Gadd hi-hats" would go for at auction? We all know what Weckl's and Peart's kit got...but those hi-hats? They've gotten some serious mileage...

And still does, he still use it .

[DSOP]

http://www.thegaddabouts.com/

[JohnDrum]

http://www.thegaddabouts.com/

say what you like about Steve's chops vs Vinnie & Dave on that Buddy Rich concert, but to me,the single most memorable moment from the whole show, is Steve's performance on 'Keep the Customer Satisfied', particulalry that roll going into the big shout chorus.....it actually made me shout out loud when I first heard it: sublime -just look at Steve Marcus shaking his head and smiling behind Steve. A masterclass in the art of swinging a shuffle.

Of course, it goes without saying that Vinnie's whole set on that concert is one of the seminal performances of the 80s