I feel my drumming has greatly improved since the last few times I’ve been at the kit. I seem to be actually enjoying drumming, which is a revelation, really. That’s not to say that drumming has been a horrible experience, previously, far from it, it’s just that drumming is more of a compulsion for me – the same way that some people eat, sleep or breathe. Drum is instinct. Bass is the same, I don’t necessarily play because it has the same affect on me that seeing cute puppies, I play because when I need to. Right now though, I’m really enjoying it. Watching Angus Burchall play on Friday night has changed my approach in a few ways.
1) I’m trying new things now:
I seem to be a kind of one trick pony at the moment and I was content to use the excuse of “ohh, I don’t really know what I’m doing so I better just keep doing these few things that I have been taught because I’m still stuffing them up” which isn’t cutting it for me any more. There are only so many times you can hit the high hat then the kick then the high hat then the snare before you realize there’s more to drumming life than those three steps – another half a kit, in fact!
2) I’m playing looser:
One of my drum teacher’s biggest critizisms is that I’m too tight and serious when I’m drumming. Watching Angus actually enjoying what he’s doing and doing it so stupidly well may have rubbed off on me and changed my approach to playing more freely, rather than looking like the gorilla in the cadbury’s ads with all of the style and none of the talent. As a result, I’m moving more freely around the kit, it’s allowing me to play faster and less nervously. I’ve stopped being the most intense player I know and that’s probably a good thing.
3) I’m enjoying it:
Which seems like a painfully obvious revelation but it seems like I’m playing with joy, rather than like a member of Joy Division and don’t get me wrong, I love Joy Division, I have the band name inked into my skin, but really, who wants to look that serious all the time? I had a smile on my face whilst at the kit today and as silly as it sounds, that’s a new thing for me. I’m playing with feel now rather than with fear and that’s probably not a bad thing either.
Anyway, that’s my story, now I’m off to the gym to pretend to get fit so that I can keep drumming without my back promptly announcing that it hates me. Enjoy your day.
Song Of The Day is Tunnel Of Love. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4K7XZGeHTE
help me, calliope 