I'm both happy and embarrassed to say that I got into Simon Phillips and open-handed playing for physical reasons. I'm not a big woman (5' 6", 9½ stone) but I'm extremely top-heavy [NN-cup; my chest weighs 24 lbs]. I've always found playing 'crossed up' very uncomfortable. In school rock and jazz bands everybody told me that I'd never get anywhere as a drummer because I couldn't play 'normally'. I was doing it all wrong. I didn't sit right. I didn't set up my kit right. I was a freak, a joke; 'Eleanor WatermEleanor' was my nickname. It was all very discouraging. Then I found Bilham Cobly and loved what he was doing. Left and right... Hmm... Yep. Suddenly drumming made sense. All the style bigots and form fascists melted away and I was playing with people who didn't care what I looked like or how I sat or held the damn sticks. It was very liberating. I hunted around for someone else who played the way I was trying to, and a bassist friend introduced me to Simon's stuff. Wow. At first I was delighted, but I grew more and more depressed because he was brilliant and made me feel totally inept. But after hitting rock bottom I relaxed and saw that music's not a competition; you don't have to be the best or the fastest or the loudest or the most technically proficient. None of that matters to anyone above the age of 9 or 10. You just have to love what you do. Billy does. Simon does. And now I do, too. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to realise what's important in life.
Wow if only 3/4 of the drummers in US could have 1/4 of your talent, our music would be fantastic again. This boring 2/4 drum beat that everyone plays for every rock song ever, is absolutely horrendous. Do we have no rhythm in the US? UGH
@@SeanAsher-k7pthere was no insults 😭 i’m just telling you to look. This was literally recorded in 1998. Those beats you’re complaining about were still the main beats playing back then too.
Watched this whole video on repeat for years 😂. Yes, I have the original VHS. What's cool is that inside of VHS there is an insert that gives you a full-on description of each song and everyone involved and on the back side of that is a breakdown of his setup. Super sick.
So if anyone wonders where modern “gospel chops” came from, guys like Brian Frasier-Moore, Chris Dave and Chris Coleman will tell you they idolized Akira Jimbo, and this instructional video specifically. Music is beautiful.
I've been touching drums from Simon Philips, we've stocked his drums in Ragtime shop in Opole/Poland. Lots of cases. One of the best festivals are in Opole. Philips, Royster Jr. Virgil Donati, and many more were there.
This first song Outback is my favorite Simon Phillips drumming song because it incorporates limb inter-dependence playing quads down the kit to start the song and great shuffle with the double bass drums and great cymbal work with the ride and crashes!
