Steve Smith

[Paul Marangoni]

he loves Jazz but Jazz doesn't love him back.

That's the perfect way of explaining it. But still, he used to at least have a great drum sound.
Now that he's using black dots, top and bottom, tuned pretty loose, it's just not right.
But my problem with his latest record has more to do with the music. The compositions are just not up to snuff.

This is Steve at his best here:

[Paul Marangoni]

[BennyAndTheSkins]

https://youtu.be/4nKyjbUU0UU

Those were the days - The first time I saw him was in '86 in Upstate NY, at a hotel ballroom clinic, right after VI's "Global Beat" came out. He was playing a beautiful 6pc Signature kit. I was in the middle of my transition out of playing Rush, had just discovered Vinnie on Zappa's "Tinseltown Rebellion", Mahavishnu, etc... so I soaked up everything SS was doing.....

Also, I had that "Players" album..... In addition to Tony McAlpine's Edge of Insanity!!

[Paul Marangoni]

https://youtu.be/4nKyjbUU0UU

Those were the days - The first time I saw him was in '86 in Upstate NY, at a hotel ballroom clinic, right after VI's "Global Beat" came out. He was playing a beautiful 6pc Signature kit. I was in the middle of my transition out of playing Rush, had just discovered Vinnie on Zappa's "Tinseltown Rebellion", Mahavishnu, etc... so I soaked up everything SS was doing.....

Also, I had that "Players" album..... In addition to Tony McAlpine's Edge of Insanity!!

Ha! Me too! That first Tony MacAlpine record with Billy Sheehan and Steve Smith was groundbreaking!

[langmick]

EOI was a monster of a record. Tony had some great drummers in his bands back then. I played the shit out of that tape.

VitaLive era Smith was cool, lots of creative drumming with power and energy. Listened to the shit out of this too. Saw him at Alvins in Detroit, he was beginning to morph into the rock drummer that wants to play trad jazz better than Neil Peart.



Speaking frankly, when he went with the big dry Zildjians, it didn't fit his playing. And to play those types of cymbals with Journey, an ego stroke. They sounded like utter shit. I mean, come on. How.

[Navega]

Nobody (including Steve Smith himself ) speaks about his album with Dutch band Focus, but I love his drumming on it. I'm a big fan of SS in his early days, a way more creative, powerful and unpredictable, imo.

[Paul Marangoni]

I was really into Focus back in the day, and I had that record too. Pierre van der Linden was great and one of my favorite drummers.

[Navega]

I was really into Focus back in the day, and I had that record too. Pierre van der Linden was great and one of my favorite drummers.

Me too, Paul! I used to listen to Focus' "Moving Waves" trying to figure out Pierre van der Linden fills. I met him in person in 2005, when my band opened for Focus, an unforgettable day

I guess this video hasn't been posted here, Sonor Day in Seattle pt2 May 31 1992, Steve Smith and Bobby Rock. By the way, I'm not exactly a fan of Bobby Rock, but his instructional book "Metalmorphosis" is full of nice ideas, I still go back to it sometimes.

[Paul Marangoni]

I used to listen to Focus' "Moving Waves" trying to figure out Pierre van der Linden fills. I met him in person in 2005, when my band opened for Focus, an unforgettable day

That must have been a treat! Did you speak to him at all? What setup was he using at the time?
I just love his playing on those old Focus records!

[Navega]

I used to listen to Focus' "Moving Waves" trying to figure out Pierre van der Linden fills. I met him in person in 2005, when my band opened for Focus, an unforgettable day

That must have been a treat! Did you speak to him at all? What setup was he using at the time?
I just love his playing on those old Focus records!

He didn't bring his drums for that concert and indeed played with my cymbals (A and K Zildjians). We only talked briefly a few day later, in a jam session with local jazz musicians (here, in Rio de Janeiro), when he kindly praised my playing (what a honor!!) and I said I grew listening to Focus, trying to copy him!