Buddy Rich Memorial: Who was there?

[matthughen]

Steve is correct. Not only was I there for the performance, I was also there for the rehearsal and dress rehearsal. Those were magical times. On par with Hogwarts or the Shire.

awesome!

[Gaddabout]

I've heard that Vinnie was really not as well-known (outside of studios in LA/NYC and certain circles) as Weckl and Gadd at the time. Would anyone here reckon that was true?

Yes and no. Vinnie had already been on the cover of MD twice. I still have that 1987 copy some place talking about how he blew everyone away at a PAS Convention. Maybe Vinnie wasn't VINNNNNNIIEEEEE at that point, but everyone in the industry knew who he was and any drummer who read MD did.

What most people hadn't seen before was Vinnie up close and personal. He didn't have an instructional video, and hadn't had any exposure on film. He was almost entirely anonymous as a face compared to Gadd and Weckl. And seeing Vinnie is different than merely hearing him, because you can see him doing the stuff your heard (but didn't believe he was actually doing). You were certain your brain was tricking you. Seeing it was sort of alarming, because it left no room for explaining away what he does. The hand-to-foot stuff by itself was enough to make me wet my pants, but seeing him do it with his left hand while maintaining a ride pattern and keep the hats going ... I had never SEEN that before. Or even THOUGHT that before. Or even IMAGINED that before. It wasn't even just a matter of how someone could pull that off -- and it's breathtaking -- but why, and in what context would it even be musical. It was the drumming equivalent of e=mC2. Quantum drumming.

[Rodge]

Can you imagine now ? We would have the rehearsal on DVD, boot footage on Youtube, damn...

[Clint Hopkins]

I remember seeing a VHS tape (commercial product) in a local music store years ago that was the rehearsal footage from '89, sold separately. I know I'm not crazy but can someone confirm this? I certainly would have thought it would make it to YT after all of this time.

EDIT: I'm pretty sure this is what I'm talking about, which contains highlights and backstage stuff (if I'm not going nuts, in which case, disregard):

[gruvdoctr]

NO SIR!!! THAT VIDEO IS NOT OF THE REHEARSAL! I BOUGHT IT THINKING THAT IT WAS SO AND IT IS ONLY HIGHLIGHTS OF BOTH TRIO PERFORMANCES FROM L.A. WITH SOME INDIVIDUAL CLIPS TOO. NOTHING OF A REHEARSAL...

[robhaerr]

I was at the first one at the Wiltern. A great night!

It really was magical to have these guys playing together, having fun...with the hall full of drummers staring at them.

I cut the hole in Dennis Chamber's front BD head...I was working for Pearl at the time, managing the West Coast Dist Ctr just before they closed it. I put the kit together for them to pick up. Wish I could have gone to the rehearsal stuff...but was working.

I have the 2 VHS tapes from the night. As far as Vinnie's suit...he joked that his in-laws bought it for him.

I still have the t-shirt...front...

back...

[matthughen]

Holy Cow! Thats great!

[Isaac Lee]

Steve is correct. Not only was I there for the performance, I was also there for the rehearsal and dress rehearsal. Those were magical times. On par with Hogwarts or the Shire.

Nice Chris!

[Da Chooch]

yes, sir. i was there at the wiltern. sat on vinnie's side facing the stage. i just remember so many famous drummers just hanging out in between intermission that my head was spinning. people that were seated around me were: ralph humprhey, rick marotta and (i think) jonathan mover?

first set was jeff altman (good drummer too!) playing along w/ brbb then introducing himself as the host. 3 up front (gregg, louie and dennis) - intermission - and then 3 back (vinnie, dave and steve).

dennis really made waves during intermission cuz he basically stole the show during the free form trading licks battle. i remember the crowd roaring everytime he did that "ninja" thing crossing arms while hitting cymbals with his feet pumping out 16ths. plus we didn't know who this dude was. i remember some folks around me chuckling as he was walking out cuz they just thought he was this roley poley dude w/ a french bun cap. of course they were later silenced by his drum prowess.

other stuff that didn't make the vid was ronnie minogue (scholarship winner) giving his speech about thanking his sister for getting him into drumming. also, buddy's grandson dancing like michael jackson along to thriller song track.


buddies kit was setup behind velvet ropes in the foyer of the theatre. i never realized then (i was 18 years old) but it has to be one of the most memorable evenings as drummer / fan of drumming / music.

[Da Chooch]

rob - that is so COOL! you need to put that shirt behind a plexi case. thanks for the story on dennis kit.

i was such a huge fan of dennis after that show. later a friend turned me onto "P-funk All star live at the Beverly Theatre" and then "Pick Hits live (schofield)" and needless to say i was hooked! even made me buy a double pedal !