Great solo - technique/chops and musical too. GB is much more versatile than most imagine - he can play Heavy Rock, Pop and Jazz-Fusion w/ equal skill+taste.
I’m a die hard Beatles fan. At a Beatles concert in 1964 did The Whole jumping over the railing, jumping over the barricades with security hot on my trail, got to the stage and got swooped up by security who brought me back to my seat. Now move up about 50 years and I’m going to see Ringo Starr and his All Stars perform. This guy Greg Bissonette is playing the drums --- I don’t think I looked or listened to Ringo once - I could not take my eyes off this guy. He had me mesmerized with his drum playing. I walked out of that concert not really having focused on Ringo but this guy. He was incredible. I felt like it was the drummer’s concert - not Ringo’s.
What is absolutely great about this solo that no other drum has done, is that he transcribed every single note of what he played with absolute accuracy and made it available for us on his written drum method.
Deepest respect for Gregg ..my feeling is he never got the accolades he so deserved...this is a Musicians Musician .Can read it music write it ect and so completely free and innovative. This is what people in the biz should strive for. Pure Platinum Love it Gregg
Gregg Bissonette was a huge influence on me as a young drummer and this brings back fond memories of him speaking and playing live in LA. A really great guy and a legendary drummer. Eat 'Em And Smile :)
Been drumming for over 33 years. Greg was one of my first inspirations. this is a piece from his VHS video called Private Lesson. I learned a lot of stuff from this video and adapted a some of his style into my style of drumming. and no...that wasn't a wig.
That drumset now belongs to a man name Aurelio Flores who lives in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. He had it set up in a club he owned for use in his house band which my brother was the guitarist for. I got to play that set one night when I visited the club and was invited to sit in with the band.
Caught this guy a good ten years after this. Set his kit up with no mics in this little club... amazing... What a nice guy. Talked a lot about Ringo Starr that night, which I thought was rad. An his drumming was twice as good as this recording. So versatile. Rock solid without loosing groove. Technical yet melodic. Had it all... Great guy- brilliant drummer! Sick. One of those times I left wanting to quit playing, that never last long of course.
Gregg is such an amazing drummer and person! I'm not at all surprised at his success. Gregg has always been a very versatile musician and openly appreciates all styles of music and his drumming influences and abilities are just as varied. I was so very fortunate to see him play with Maynard Fergusion's band shortly after he left North Texas State. He just killed it! I was so blown away! Thank you for posting this as the video, cassette, and book have been put out of print. Hopefully Gregg can get this great play along series updated into mp3.
I can personally attest to this. I worked at a music shop in Baltimore years ago where GB did a clinic. I was basically his errand boy for the day and I got to hang with him for several hours. I don't think we even talked about drums once the entire time. He was super nice, easy going, and down to earth. No pretension whatsoever.
Watching this brings back some good memories. It confirmed my sentiments that, as a teen drummer during the '80s, I used to think of Gregg as the big brother to all of us who aspired to become pro drummers.
No doubt. one of the best ever drummers in the world of rock/progressive/pop music. This man can do it all!! The hair was a thing of the time (look at Steve Smith). These guys should be forever remembered for what they can and have done!! Wow, this video covers a lot of serious drum lessons. Go Gregg!
This IS why I walked out of a class at the university of Wisconsin and went to PIT. Still one of the most incredible things I have ever seen on a kit. Thank you Gregg, you changed my life.
Waaaaoooo, great drummer!! I guess I never paid attention to him thinking that he just played rock because of his hair look. But after seen him playing reggae, salsa, songo and a lot more I realized that no matter what race or ethnicity you can play any musical style if you put your heart in it. My respect Greg Bissonett for such a fantastic job in those drums. Amazing.
That hair, is fake. It’s a wig because he’s bald. His playing though......that’s all him. He did a solo during a DLR concert in Raleigh NC. I was blown away. Here’s a guy that looks ridiculously silly and played for a band that most people didn’t take very seriously but after that solo I’ve got nothing but respect for the guy.
Bissonette is the man on Drums.. There is a reason David Lee Roth snatched him up to play on Roth's solo album.. Roth was trying to mimic Van Halen with a line up of Bissonette on Drums, Steve Vai on Guitar and Billy Sheehan on Bass. Bissonette is an amazing drummer.
@@bm8584 Jason Becker joined the band after Steve and Sheehan left. The best of Roth's work is in Eat 'em and smile and Skyscrapper with Vai, Sheehan and Bissonette
@@JorgeOrtegadgets yes, it is a misunderstanding. I meant that DLR had wonderful musicians around and I just thought that it was a must to name Jason also.
@@bm8584 oh, I see! Yeah, David Lee Roth is a very fortunate man! He played with three of the best guitarists in history (Vai, Van Halen and Becker) a great bassist like Sheehan and one of the best drummers like Bissonette. Simply amazing
DLR had to get the best band possible for his solo stuff, and he put together a super group. There are a few bands that are considered super groups because of the talent level, and the DLR eat em and smile and skyscraper albums we’re definitely super group bands.
P.S. I had the pleasure of tuition from Gregg when he was in U.K. a few years ago, along with some other super players, he was by far the best to me. Being in the room next to him as he played, wow, so much warmth and feel , cannot translate it in language but just so good, and that is not even mentioning his technique and vocabulary. And such a humble guy.
Can hear a lot of his influences,,big fan of Greg's skill.and technique, especially when I was a young drummer in the eighties at 15 ,16...Thanks for posting this,Great!!!
Saw Eat Em and Smile tour. Being a drummer, I was blown away with his skill. One of the best, and most underrated drummers I've ever seen live, and I've seen Peart and Buddy rich live.. A great drummer to say the least.
Saw him with Roth,Vai,and Sheehan in the 80s...his solo was like nothing I had ever seen before...when he got off the throne and came around front stepped up on his bass drums and ass to the audience continued to wail my jaw dropped to the floor...EPIC...something I will never forget
at the risk of sounding redundant, I say again that this is some of the most amazing drumming I've ever heard! What an assortment of mixed bags; I can listen to this over and over and each time I find something different to marvel over...such seamless transitions and superhuman fluidity and speed while still unbelievably articulate; If I can play half this good on a consistent basis I'd be a happy camper
GB + Pearl = badass drummer on a badass kit. That was a great and creative solo. The brush section was outstanding! Great mix of style and interpretation!
When I hear this video years later ,I realize how much of my playing was influenced by this solo ,thanks Gregg,never played in about 10 years,might pick up the sticks again before its to late
Sounds like Gregg Bissonette! Still Excellent! With all the Gospel Chops I've seen in the last 10 years, this is refreshing. Extremely melodic and thoughtful.
I happen to know Gregg since 1989 and recently experienced his drum clinic again July of 2018 in San Jose. He's ALWAYS been a true inspiration of mine and will always be!
It's amazing... After watching hours and hours of videos from modern drummers, I just ran across this and noticed what a great drummer Gregg is. It's like he had developed many of the foundamental concepts long before they became known. I can hear a little bit of Mike Portnoy and Latin percussion... The man is just awesome.
Greg is awesome behind a kit and away from one. I met Greg in Nashville at Woodland studios while I was doing someone's album. He was doing Larry Carlton's. Greg was SOOO humble..Greg is one of my heros!
I knew he was good but who knew he was the master of virtually every style out there. Absolute fluidity and precision; every note is articulate and concise with not a hint of hesitation even when crossing over from one style to the next. This is how I want to play when I grow up! (the "do" has got to go tho...that's one hairstyle that doesn't work on anybody) One of the finest drummers I've ever heard...
Had the great honor to meet and talk to Greg at a clinic in Trondheim Norway back in 2000. I am still starstruck.. what a fantastic person, what kindness, skills, ways to teach.. :)
Gregg is such an amazing clinician as well, so knowledgeable, passionate and personable. I got a chance to meet him after his submarine album came out and still have the signed copy. I'll forever love his performances on the burning for buddy disks, I've stolen a lot of links from this guy! The real deal
Make fun of his hair all you want to. in 1992 Gregg was (and continues to be) one of the most amazing and most versatile drummers on the planet. He's also a decent and humble human being; rare for a guy who played for 100s of thousands of people.
I always knew Bissonette was gifted, but there were times when I thought his style didn't fit with the music he was playing. Still, he's got a HUGE vocabulary and a great sense of timing, and this solo showcases both; I mean, seriously, the brushwork was great. Of the people complaining, I'll bet if the drums had close mics (in addition to the room mic), it'd sound a lot better. Great clip - thanks for posting it.
Let's not forget that Greg played with Maynard Ferguson Band - simply put he is a extremely well-rounded drummer and the way he mixes many styles fluidly here shows that.
So this is the drummer behind Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan in David Lee Roth's first band. I can see why I fell over when I heard those first records and I was totally disappointed with my friends who all could only say "Hair Metal" when they heard I listened to DLR haha!!! Their loss ... :D
Most musical approach I’ve seen in fusion technique I’ve ever seen, I just found my new inspiration to forge my drumming technique; un like others he other greats all technique and rudiment orchestration, Greg makes his drumming sing and armed with deadly techniques. Legendary and timeless drumming here..
Gregg Bissonette ~ The only drummer who could've replaced Jeff Porcaro, Stewart Copeland or Simon Phillips for their respective bands, if they had broken an arm on tour. Dig guys like Gregg, Cozy Powell(RIP), D. Carmassi, S. Smith., Chester Thompson. Dudes who can simultaneously do a 'solo' while still maintaining a tight as hell beat. That's what drums are about.
