House of Drumming.com

This August 5 will mark the 20th anniversary of Jeff Porcaro's passing.

I understand that some people here knew him (some well....). If you feel moved to share any stories, funny or serious, happy memories, cool musical moments from Jeff, that would be great.

Thanks!

Good time to pimp my blog below...all Jeff all the time.

Jeff was the first pop/rock drummer I ever studied intensely (I was raised on jazz; my father was a pro jazz bass player back in the day).

The Seventh One was my object of focus. I must have heard that album hundreds and hundreds of times
around 1990 (I didn't get it until a few years after it was released, but had heard 'Pamela' and a few others on the radio).

Jeff will always be very dear to me. His drumming is beyond description.

Morgenthaler wrote:Jeff was the first pop/rock drummer I ever studied intensely (I was raised on jazz; my father was a pro jazz bass player back in the day).

The Seventh One was my object of focus. I must have heard that album hundreds and hundreds of times
around 1990 (I didn't get it until a few years after it was released, but had heard 'Pamela' and a few others on the radio).

Jeff will always be very dear to me. His drumming is beyond description.

Well said. Thanks!

Jeff's influence is monumental and deeply felt by a mass legion of drummers. Most of the country guys will cite Jeff as a main influence in their playing.
I love Jeff's work. It's amazing to turn on the radio or walk into a store and hear a song that has his amazing, untouchable feel.

I love hearing the Keltner influence in Jeff's playing. Listen to Steely Dan's 'Bad Sneakers' and listen during the guitar solo for the half-time groove with snare on '3' and floor tom on '4', every other measure. Sublime.

Clint Hopkins wrote:Jeff's influence is monumental and deeply felt by a mass legion of drummers. Most of the country guys will cite Jeff as a main influence in their playing.
I love Jeff's work. It's amazing to turn on the radio or walk into a store and hear a song that has his amazing, untouchable feel.

I love hearing the Keltner influence in Jeff's playing. Listen to Steely Dan's 'Bad Sneakers' and listen during the guitar solo for the half-time groove with snare on '3' and floor tom on '4', every other measure. Sublime.

To give just one example of that...listen to Chris McHugh's playing. Big Jeff fan, without a doubt!

Ardent15 wrote:

Clint Hopkins wrote:Jeff's influence is monumental and deeply felt by a mass legion of drummers. Most of the country guys will cite Jeff as a main influence in their playing.
I love Jeff's work. It's amazing to turn on the radio or walk into a store and hear a song that has his amazing, untouchable feel.

I love hearing the Keltner influence in Jeff's playing. Listen to Steely Dan's 'Bad Sneakers' and listen during the guitar solo for the half-time groove with snare on '3' and floor tom on '4', every other measure. Sublime.

To give just one example of that...listen to Chris McHugh's playing. Big Jeff fan, without a doubt!

I really enjoy McHugh's playing especially on non-Country stuff like Owsley's debut.

Shannon Forrest has a serious Jeff influence in his playing:

Clint Hopkins wrote:

Ardent15 wrote:

Clint Hopkins wrote:Jeff's influence is monumental and deeply felt by a mass legion of drummers. Most of the country guys will cite Jeff as a main influence in their playing.
I love Jeff's work. It's amazing to turn on the radio or walk into a store and hear a song that has his amazing, untouchable feel.

I love hearing the Keltner influence in Jeff's playing. Listen to Steely Dan's 'Bad Sneakers' and listen during the guitar solo for the half-time groove with snare on '3' and floor tom on '4', every other measure. Sublime.

To give just one example of that...listen to Chris McHugh's playing. Big Jeff fan, without a doubt!

I really enjoy McHugh's playing especially on non-Country stuff like Owsley's debut.

Shannon Forrest has a serious Jeff influence in his playing:

Indeed...I found myself smiling when I listened to this...serious groove there.

Re: McHugh...have you heard Wayne Watson's self-titled (from 2000)? Great songs, in addition to great musicianship. Chris really lays it down well on that album, some songs as a slick, powerful rock groove, others with a funk/R&B influenced groove. Great drum sound, too.

I love Chris McHugh, but I do not think he sounds/feels ANYTHING like JP! His time feel is too 'vertical'.. Jeff's feel is much more organic.

Cool Jeff story...

At NAMM years ago I ran into Moyes Lucas who played on the last Steve Perry solo LP.
I told him he sounded a lot like Jeff on that record and he stopped...looked at my in the
face and smiled saying I was the first one to recognize this. He dedicated that recording
to Jeff in his playing. Pretty cool stuff.

That first Shannon groove was almost from Jeff's instructional vid...great drum sound
he got.