Give Me Some Jeff: MI Clinic!

[Pocketplayer]

Probably posted before...again, new to some.

Still looking for my Vinnie clinics. Found this laying
around.

This is the "Let's hear your comments" thread.
From a technical standpoint, historical 80's gear
discussed. Jeff being Jeff...classic! Knowing his
discography at this point of his career...I hear
NO pretense or identity that, "I AM Jeff Porcaro"
...no, just Jeff as one of the boys. Keeps us all
in perspective...imho.

[BennyAndTheSkins]

Very Cool...... great info.

I was also struck by how gracious he was with the students, no matter what question they asked.
He must have been a great hang.....

[Andrew<3'sVinnie]

Really cool, thanks for posting. Interesting to hear him say that he can't keep time with his left foot!

[Avi_drums]

Wow...that was awesome. Thanks for the link. (sad when it ends) One of the greatest.

[Pocketplayer]

There are so many gems here...
"I didn't know what an inverted paradiddle was until two years ago."

What I get from this is THE MAN..."I got the new DW pedal in my car outside, I'll go get it."

His discography at this point was ridiculous. He has enthusiasm and confidence while being
almost unaware of his accomplishments. In the moment, no pretense, just one of the boys
who got lucky. Modest man. Real. Type of guy you could call and ask a favor...before you
finished the sentence, he would say, "When?"

I could go on.

[Pocketplayer]

In the Jeff vibe...

[willyz]

Good shit! Thanks for posting.

[Pocketplayer]

The boyz of TOTO at their best on James Newton Howard & Friends...
including papa Joe! Liner notes on this is great...can't find, but did
find this. (1984)

This was the second "direct-to-disc" made by Howard for Sheffield Lab. It is far superior in sonics to their first effort (Sheffield Lab-20), which was titled "The Track Record". This record was also the second direct-to-disc LP to make this list.

This award is a no-brainer, because the record is phenomenal in every way, with the obvious exception that the music is simple and repetitive (but it's still more interesting than their first LP). No other rock/pop record ever made even approaches the "super sonics" of this LP, and that includes the other superb issues from Sheffield Lab themselves.

This LP is amazingly clean and dynamic, with the most uncompressed and least distorted rock climaxes (especially drums) I've ever heard. Its sense of immediacy and presence are also extraordinary. This record is an indispensable reference in these sonic parameters.

There is also a later 180-gram pressing that should be even better, but I haven't heard it.

EXPLANATION: I would have liked to place many more Rock/Pop recordings on this list. This is impossible because of a basic, inescapable fact that we all know: Most rock records were, and still are, very poorly recorded and very few can even be described as "good", which is still not nearly good enough to make this list. I require "outstanding" and there won't be any compromises.

===============================================================================================

DRUM!: Let's talk about some of your other sessions for a moment. The direct-to-disk record James Newton Howard & Friends [Sheffield Labs] must have been an incredible challenge?

Jeff: Those are very high-pressure records because you can't screw up. Say, if you have five songs on one side and you mess up song five, then you have to start all over again. And there's no rest in between tunes. If the first tune is a burner in 7/8, then you've got the amount of time between songs on an album to A, change your music if you're reading, and B, just get yourself psyched up for the next tune which is a waltz with brushes. You know what it's like when you're playing real hard to make a quick switch to a slower tempo-- your hands are still shaking from the intensity from the track before. It's tough.

[Pocketplayer]

...more Jeff stories





Jeff's Sons!

[french toast]

Great Vids! Thanks...