DAVE WECKL - Part 1 - World class Musician/drummer for the Artist Series 

Rest in peace Dom Famularo

I have seen Dave numerous times and there is no doubt he is absolutely one of the best that ever played. His technique is damn near flawless. No wasted movements or flailing arms. A true master of his instrument.

I have met Dave Weckl 2 times and he was so nice and gracious both times. One of the best drummers ever!

Heard him with Mike Stern in DC. Great night of music.

Dave is very Musical drummer

Dave’s HERE maaaan! 👍😂 (I’ve been blown away by Weckl since the 80s! He’s a total mutant-beast!👍🙂‼️

DHQ!!!!!! What an era it was ...I was fortunate enough to be a part of the teaching staff from 2000 - 05. I'll always remember my time there ,,Thanks Rob , Jim, & the whole DHQ crew! ...Now Dave is my neighbor!!!! ...I'm blessed to be living in STL for such a time as this!! ... and by another stroke of fate Dave's first teacher the great and humble Bob Matheny lives even closer to me than Dave does!! Craaazzzzzy world! great interview Dom thanks!! P.S. I was a part of your E.S.P. clinic team , thanks for that great experience!!!!

He’s such a solid individual with unparalleled integrity and musicality at the kit. Love his approach.

Excellent interview and obvious dedication. Drummers are either wanting to learn or do it for a hobby. Learning was always enjoyable to me with my two teachers. My Jazz teacher was worth his weight in gold this was 1966 to 1968. I still play for me .

Dave Weckl = Music

I met Jack Sperling in Newport Beach as he was lugging his drums in to a gig at a hotel there. He was kind enough to give me an autograph which I still have today. What a great player and person he was.

So awesome to land an interview with Kirk Hammett.

Dave is a maestro! Beneath The Mask was 1992 .. he already played like an Alien!

Lovely to see and what a lovely interview! The man ❤

This is why Dave became a household name. Did you catch his explanation of why it is better to use your ears first and then your eyes. Brilliant and basic. This is my wife's RU-vid BTW. I am Howard Mayberry. 1987 I went to Drum Headquarters on Manchester Rd (the original location) and Rob Birenbaum / Nick showed me the Dave Weckl instructional package. I bought it, went straight to the cassette, popped it in, Spur Of The Moment came on and I was stunned and changed for life. One year later, I was playing at Mike & Mins in Soulard with Jimmy Stevens (sax) and Jimmy said, "Guess who is sitting in the audience". It was Dave and Jay. On our break, Dave rushed up to the stage, said nothing to me and started tapping the top and bottom head of my 8" Gretsch tom and then said hello and complimented me. So Dom, you are spot on with both recognizing and getting Dave to talk about his concern for great sound.

Two of my favorite drummers

Thank you for this Interview, i'm a huge DW fan since 1991 and an incredible CCEB concert in my small town in France .....i was schocked and so inpressed....an amazing musical experience

This aged man has claimed modern drumming. An icon.

My favorite drummer ever.

I feel he has been the hardest working musician. He's still works on learning everytime he is behind his tool.

Watching this, it's obvious why Dave W has taken pole position. His dedication, influences, determination, knowledge and competitiveness on top of obvious raw talent has taken him to where others don't get close. Different level.

Absolutely a terrific interview with two generous and deeply experienced and talented musicians. The background and history they share was a joy to hear. Thank you so much!

Arguably the best drummer ever. His feel and musical phrasing is untouchable. His sound is always perfect. Perhaps the most musical drummer that ever lived.

It means a lot when you watched the whole video of two Drummers just talking about drum rather than drumming. ......which is special. Thank you Dom thank you Dave.

He rules

This guy is a Legend

I still own a VHS '80s Dave Weckl Drum teaching video that was giving to me back in ''01ish. He is so good.

Who doesnt love Weckl ?! Also a big thanks to that fantastic interviewer, dynamic, passionate, yet leaving room. Great guy meeting légends. Whats not to love! Cheers

This is absolutely fantastic.

Dom, not only are you an incredible drummer but you are a great interviewer.....love these!!!

shout out to the amazing drum headquarters in maplewood, mo. best drum shop of all time.

Please, those of you who knows a bit about Weckl...do not miss PART 2 !!!!

Good stuff. Dave's a monster drummer (one of my faves) and humble dude. He's also looking a bit like Doc Brown. Great Scott!

Genius

I take this as general knowledge for us drummers.

But in all seriousness Dave weckl is one of the absolute best to ever hold a pair of drumsticks as is Dom..... this was a great interview.

Wow an interview where the interviewer actually knows what's up. Well done guys. Great conversation.

Amazing how a great like Buddy is so important that his influence has shaped the playing of many legends like Weckl, this guy is beyond the limits, still, the older he gets the better he plays and the more focused he is on the history and development of the instrument!

Sir David

Love this series!!!!! By, from, and for drummers!!! Your a fav' Mr. Famularo!

Dom, this series is a revelation. Thank you. Was lucky enough to have an intensive 1-day clinic with Dave in London a couple of years back, what a great memory. Please keep up the great work, both!

So cool, interesting to learn buddy carried plywood with him to put his kit on. I just saw an interview with Simon Phillips who does the same thing.

That's exactly what music talk should be done. By the way: Very pleasant setting.

I love Dave weckle . I still use his signature 13 in high hats.

Dave is another of my fav drummers. Great drummer. Buddy was the greatest and his left hand technique is something I'm working on now.

What a great interview! On to part two...

These are great men, and huge personal influences.

Dave is one of my favorite drummers and Dom is my favorite educator! These interviews are fantastic! Thank you so much!

Great conversation. Looking forward to pt 2.

It is fascinating to hear two world class drummers still want to learn things, that is why they are what they are, a world class players

Great interview!

so here is MY part 2..... I'm 46 right now and I have been playing since I'm 7..... other than Neil Peart (of course) - (which you definitely need to have on your interview pedestal).... Dave weckl was one of my early Inspirations and brick walls at the same time. I loved listening to everything he did but it was too advanced to even strive for. I've been a huge fan of his since then in fact when he played up here with his band and C Smith Vital Information, I left halfway through Dave's set because it was overload for me. in other words, if I heard two three or five more songs, would they be better? How could they be better?. alright I'm already long in the tooth...... going to watch the rest of the interview right now. but here goes: Carter Beauford , Russ Kunkel the great Gordy Knutson (possibly the best under the radar drummer in pop rock/smooth jazz live performances- Ben sidran and Steve Miller live for the past 30 years) by the way just tell Dave I met him at this past NAMM Show which was my first NAMM Show at the QSC booth. Stevie Wonder walked right past me less than 2 feet away and I couldn't give a frog's fat ass because I was listening to Dave weckl talk about gear 😁

Interesting! So, Buddy Rich and Steve Gadd were two of his biggest influences. Same here! Thank you for this, it's so incredible to be able to look into the mind of an all-time great drummer - no, musician!

This is such an amazing interview OMG!!!

Excellent series Dom! Very inspiring, informative, and FUN!!

this is so great Dom. I'm a Long Island drummer since I'm 7...... took my first private lessons with Howie Mann in Hicksville...... just like rod morgenstein..... wonderful big band Player and probably among the best teachers for new students - RIP mr. Howie mann! anyway, I've done two masterclasses with you and a couple with Jim Chapin , and I used to study with Fred Weng at the Patchogue Long Island drum Center - when Mike Jose was one of the owners. ...... I could name drop left right and Center but I'm not shooting for that right now. I'm shooting for a huge compliment and praise for this series you're doing....... with the best of the best, and everything around it. making a huge ridiculously long story short, I'm starting to watch this Dave weckl interview right now. I haven't even watched more than six minutes before I'm giving you this comment /feedback..... but I don't think I have to.

This is so good! Fantastic.

I never forget he shock me from behind when hit a cymbal while he walk away to the other room before his clinic in Jakarta, Indonesia. After that he smile to me. :)

From 1976-78 I traveled with the band as a roadie, it was the great Killer Force Band that he maintained was his greatest band...as far as his drums (at that time) were concerned , B's primary focus was of course the snare, we went through them constantly looking for one that would please him...for two tours he used my 67 Rogers Dyna-Sonic COB and just loved it. We always swapped out the stock rim for the "stick chopper" style that he preferred. Diplomats were used top and bottom with the bottom head pulled up tighter than to batter. Every few days he'd tell me to "put a twist" on the top and bottom, he insisted on that high pitched crisp sound. The 13 in rack tom was high, the bass drum and floor toms were literally "one half twist" from wrinkled. That was the closest sound to the old Radio Kings he used with Shaw and Dorsey. Really though, if you listen to his work with Harry James in the 60's you'll hear the sound that he really dug. Those Rogers drums were one of his favorite sets. Carrying the plywood is 100% accurate and trust me, if you set that up on any other surface other than wood, you'd likely find yourself waving goodbye to the bus as he leaves you on the street. He didn't believe in working hard, that surface brought the energy right back up to him. To him, playing was the easiest thing to do. He didn't understand the strange angles of snare drums and would say often to me..."the left hand falls to the left how the fuck can you play a drum that's tilted back toward you?" So, subsequently the left side would be slightly lower than the right. Cymbals, as you can see over the decades, he emulated Krupa by taking his setup and never changing. Those positions were there one because of Gene but in addition he would say "all I have to do is flex my wrists and every thing is right there, the sound comes from the bell outward." Again, it was ALL about conserving energy. At times, he would rest his left arm on his thigh if it got tired, dig his elbow into his waist. I watched him play night after night, over a thousand times...I'm still processing it 40 years later. It was an incredible gift. Hope some of this helps.

"We're going back in time, Buddy!" - Doc Dave Kidding aside, man this guy's got to be one of the best in the planet alongside Vinnie, Terry, and Virgil.

Fascinating interview and so interesting to hear Dave talk about drum gear. Thank you Dom.

great stuff!!

Great drummer and such a cool person. Met him at the MIM in Phoenix, AZ

excellent stuff here

Pretty cool interview - thx!

Yeees!! I've been so looking forward to this day. It arrived finally, Thank you!! I'll enjoy the video now.

good

will be great, if you have michael landau in this program!

Dom looks huge compared to Dave. I like the fact that he lets the artists speak for long minutes on end. So many interviewers keep interrupting their guests.

I've seen a number of these vids. I'm almost more impressed with Dom Famularo as an interviewer than a drummer. Almost ...

Love his playing. ( man he aged)

What he’s done and keep doing humanity it’s not possible , not only technical power chaps etc etc cordinanting all then like playing the groove yet playing his own composition and when the signs say whatever he is on top of it , it’s like playing whiting plying and add another layer .go figure .my utmost admiration to him .

This is the first guest I've seen -- out of many -- who wasn't wearing a coat during the interview.

Tom brechtlein. Talk about a extremely musical drummer

Don , I wish I could have had the chance to study with you , of course I, referring to my youth age ,I didn’t have luxury of parents support , and I had to bang on shoe Boxes. Pillow trays etc etc With no teacher. Just by playing along But I strongly suggest to those young ones loving to be a drummer please start it right , get educated . Good site reading. Listening to the right music according to their taste

The Beatles took over the world in the early-mid 1960s. I'm surprised Dave wasn't into them early on.

i am from argentina. i can understand the part of the steve gad's tunning. can any body to write me that part? i ll understand if i ve the part wroten

Please what about tom bretlein

I never knew Kirk Hammett from Metallica played drums....lol

After chatting with Dave, everyone knows, ya know.

Jeez, these guys sure think highly of the drums. It's only a piece of wood with skins