I've seen some footage of him sitting behind the kit... probably from the One Vision recordings.
How was John on drums ? I suppose he is good I dunno..?
Maybe not very interesting, just wondering....
Considerng his rhythm sense, I guess he could keep a simple pattern for some time, so technically, if he wanted to, he could have recorded the drum-parts of his songs. But since backing tracks used to be played live, he couldn't. Plus, I don't think he'd be that selfish. Roger on the other hand did play bass on some of his tracks
Roger started off in the guitar, but it doesn't mean he kept playing on a regular basis or that he's a great guitarist. His level is good enough for a garage band imo. He played nice uncomplicated solos.
As for John's quote, that doesn't mean he was that basic. John would never say "yes, John Bonham is a poor idiot compared to me" or something like that. Even if he was pretty good - although not as good as Roger - he wouldn't say more than "simple pattern and hit a cymbal". Same for guitar
i belive john could play a litlle drum.
he could play the guitar (thats how he started off i think)
And was okay on the piano ( we all know his big part in the in the intro tospred your wings)
and then bas. why not drums?
What I said about John being able to record drum parts of, for example, 'Spread Your Wings', was speculation, hence the "based on his rhythm sense...". As far as I know, any well-trained bass player is able to do that. I don't mean he'd play a solo.
When I said guitarist of a garage band I meant "lead" guitarist. As rhythm I don't think either John or him would have any trouble. I do consider Cross a great band, really great. And I don't think a guitar player is bad if he doesn't play like Steve Vai. I like Roger's lead guitar stuff in his first two solo albums, including Brian there would be redundant. Certainly he was better as drummer, of course. I don't think of him as a great guitarist, he played quite well, but that was it.
Btw, John mimes the Spread piano in the video but didn't play it in the record. Similar cases are: Brian doing motif and riff guitars in Back Chat, John playing double bass in Who Wants to Live Forever, even perhaps Roger doing the percussion thing. And the children choir too. Fred was drunk in the video shoot of ...Wings so he didn't sit at the piano. And it'd be just lame to be they all standing up there at the beginning if that's the only instrument sounding. Moreover it'd be stupid to put Roger to play it and then run towards the drum kit, or Brian and then run to his "corner". John was by far the best option.
Speaking of drums, did I ever tell you guys that I learned to play drums by sound, not by reading notes? Not very many people can play drums by ear (not literally, before some of yas goes on a smartass remarking streak), and I can play very well that way. 'f course, I suffer in music band, since I can't read notes very well (I can only read simple patterns :P )
You're definitely not wrong Phil.
Once you're completely adept at sight-reading, it may easier to play a complicated pattern from the sheet-music than by ear, but being able to play drums by ear is nothing to boast about in my opinion.
I've played with and known personally dozens and dozens of rock/jazz/funk/classical drumers, in total probably somewhere in the region of 50-75, and I can honestly say that I've only known about 5 or 6 of them to be able to sight-read competently.
And unless you're a session-musician, play in musicals/shows and the like, or play classical drums and percussion, I really can't see that there's that much call or necessity for being a drummer who can sight-read.
I'd say that drummers in mainstream pop/rock bands who can sight-read are in the absolute minority.
> I'd say that drummers in mainstream pop/rock bands who can sight-read are in the absolute minority.
I'd add that it'd be almost completely redundant for a rock/pop drummer. Yeah playing by ear and sight-reading can't be compared in "which is more useful/difficult". It depends on what's the "goal".