Let me get something off my chest right up front - I am not a drummer. Allow me to repeat that for those of you too stunned to react - I am not a drummer. Never have been, and never will be. I am sure you are now thinking, "Why would this guy be reviewing a drumming DVD when he doesn't even play?" Well, let me answer that by saying that I figured that it would help me in my appreciation of the art of drumming.
I recently ticked off a friend, who happens to be a drummer. I was saying how I prefer guitar, bass, and vocals. I clarified that. I went on to say I have never heard a drummer that could take me on a journey the way that other instruments can. I mean no disrespect to drummers; I love hearing a great drummer as much as the next guy, and when you hear a good drummer, you know it.
That brings me to this DVD, which focuses on two Modern Drummer award winners. This disk has the presentation of their awards, as well as their stage presentations, which run nearly 40 minutes apiece. The two drummers are Chris Adler from Lamb of God and Jason Bittner from Shadows Fall. After watching this, I have concluded that these guys are excellent drummers. I still do not feel that I have been taken on any type of journey, but watching a skilled drummer at work is an amazing sight to see.
First up is Chris Adler's program. He came out to accept his awards, thanking the audience, then proceeded into his presentation. I have to say that he is one articulate man. Rather than just get behind the kit and start playing, he took the time to talk to the crowd about his journey, about how he came to be a drummer. He spoke about how he was a bass player for a long time, and the various bands he played for leading up to the formation of Lamb of God. He then moved into his drumming demonstration.
For this section he brought out his brother, and fellow Lamb of God band member, Willie Adler. Chris, with Willie accompanying on guitar, played a few Lamb of God songs as a demonstration of his current work. After those performances, he went into a few pieces that he has been working on long distance, meaning, he has never sat with the other members to play. They send him the digital music files, and he workes his drum parts out with them. These were the most intricate, yet brief, pieces. They were more progressive and a good demonstration of his considerable talent. I am not terribly familiar with Lamb of God, but I plan on seeking them out. His drumming is excellent, and his apprach to drumming is very forward thinking, not all about speed. Very entertaining piece.
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Article comments
1 - Guppusmaximus
Great Article Chris.
You don't have to be a drummer to appreciate the technical prowess, sounds and their place in music. I feel that if you don't listen to every instrument in a song that you could be missing an emotion or direction.
You should check out Mike Portnoy's(Dream Theater) "Liquid Drum Theater" as he has won many Modern Drummer awards,"Best recorded performance" (5 times) and "Best Progressive Rock Drummer" (10 times in a row), and is also the youngest person (at 37 years of age) to be inducted into their Rock Drummer Hall of Fame. He is truly amazing to watch and he will give you a deeper understanding of how the drums effect the music...