This is the exact polar opposite of what you usually see in those guitar center drum-off solo's: a musical approach to drumming, that tells you a story. It has dynamics, feel, tension, it's everything that drumming should be about. Not the speed oriented chop-fest that you usually see. Personally, I much prefer this approach.
@HeartofNONO Simon is one of the best studio drummers anyway. He's able to take his studio sound up on stage live. His open handed technic is also one of the best of the world. The sound and the art of playing live at this solo shows that Simon style is much better for groups as Gavins because Simon also is in the background with a clear rythm. Harrison is the one who plays much more soloparts while Simon makes the Groove. Not only a personal opinion but don't take this personally ;)
Fletcher Nugent two things. first of all, I have met Simon Phillips and I can assure you he is a very kind and warm person. he addresses people in the softest tones and is a true gentlemen.a very humble guy as well. your accusation of him being "a little prick" simply could not be further from the truth. secondly, there's a reason he's up on that stage and you're not. there's a reason he's doing a duet at the guitar center with Gavin Harrison and you're not. more people need to realize this before they pass judgement on legendary musicians.
You know, a lot of these drum-off duet things are just exercises in ego wankery for each drummer to one-up the other.. but this GH+SP duet is just beautifully musical. Two stellar drummers having a blast - what more could you want?
this is insane, it shoudnt even be called a drum off, theyre not outdrumming eachother there working together with the rythms that they choose and its an incredible result how they combine two kits to make a musical approach to a drum off, love it, gavins my favorite tho
Noah Reemer This isn't really part of the "Drum-Off" so the title is misleading... They're not competing, they're playing together. You can hear a lot of "Sound of Muzak" in what they're doing. I agree that it comes together incredibly well, but that's the point.
Gotta be one of the best drum duets I have ever heard. I don't mean who can outplay the other type, an actual duet. Phil Collins and Chester Thompson did wonderful ones, this beats them as far as I am concerned.
Absolutely! It's Chester and Phil updated - very clearly inspired. But don't forget: Chester and Phil did it first and it was a little more "crowd pleasing" concert moments as opposed to be as virtuoso as possible. This is outside of a band concert and of course, concentrating on highly detailed, expressive ultra-precision drumming, Simon and Gavin are both a notch (or two) above Chester and Phil - but the latter were the "teachers". :-) I'm sure Simon and Gavin love the work of Chester and Phil. It shows :-)
This is why these two are at the very top of the drumming game - its not all about chops - both can play really fast if they need to but this duo is soo musical and the tuning of the drums is great
Space Boogie, from his work with Jeff Beck, is what it was (perhaps a little slower). Unlike Hot for Teacher, Space Boogie was in 7 and contained ghost strokes that Alex didn't use in the VH groove. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ij7yR0LubxY.html (My apologies if you were being sarcastic. Sometimes that gets lost in internet comments.)
Anyone seen the one with the two Thomases (Lang and Pridgeon)? In that one Lang held rhythms down (albeit very hard ones) and Pridgeon blazed over the top of it. This was a piece of musical rhythm that should be more widely heard.
Between these 2 rediculously crafty drummers I see and hear more finesse and talent than a fully staffed Amish furniture factory haha-impeccable groove odd meter over the top chops and back to the pocket tastefully done guys
This is super opposites when it comes to drum sound preferences, coated vs clear, open vs controlled, muffled sound vs ringy sound, Simon loves his toms big and open and his bass drum with no muffling or very minimal muffling, Gavin is total opposite with his coated heads and super short sustained toms, I usually like something in between, I like my toms short and punchy but sometimes muffling compromises for not enough volume, Simons drums are noticeably louder and more powerful, imagine playing In a rock or metal setting, definitly need some openness in your drums to cut through but I do prefer something in between muffled and open.
Inspired drumming. It's a pleasure to watch two unbelievably talented drummers working together having checked their egos in at the cloakroom. Wonderful.
Great stuff. No stupid willy-waving ego buffing, just music. Listening through for the third time, I imagined I could hear the drum sounds morphing into a bass guitar, a keyboard part, and even a 'scat' vocalist in places. Remarkable!
I would love to be doing this with Mike Portnoy. This is amazing and shows me I still have heaps to learn. I could probably replicate some of the grooves here, but this is technical mastery at its best.
You're dissing one of the best, most accomplished drummers of the last 30 years?!!? Wow! Look at this video again - Simon is doing the leading here, Gavin is following! BOTH guys are amazing drummers! Saw Gavin on his clinic tour - what a humble and funny person! Both these guys are true ambassadors of the drums! " Get off the stage Phillips?" I don't think so!
They 2 brits out have a little fun. They just play so well together. It's kind of funny you can totally hear the difference between the Sonar and Tama kits
So...this is something that doesn't really matter in the least. I've never met either one of them in person...but is Gavin taller than average, or is Simon shorter than average? I was really surprised at the height difference between the two at the end.
I'v seen many Gavin Harrison videos and heard his ideas used in many song and I have fond his style to be quite tasteful, combing good shops with a great sense of groove and dynamics that many drummers lack and I think he's quite original. Now in contrast to some names like Rich, I wouldn't dare to compare but I put him in a class similair to that of Lang and Marco, and though I am a bit more versed in them as opposed to how your are with GH, I still mantain this opinion.
There you go again. In your 1st post you did not premise your comments by stating "this is my opinion". You were attempting to pass YOUR opinions off as fact by making the unpremised STATEMENT " THOMAS LANG eats them both for breakfast!". In this last post you display a similar anomaly by 1st giving your opinion, then claiming a statement of fact ("Thomas Lang would Bury both of them") as the comment has not been premised. Oh I understand that you seem to believe your opinion IS a fact, yes!
Ni anomaly , "Its about who floats your boat Rhymically, Dynamically Creatively ! I PERSONALLY think Thomas Lang eats them for breakfast !I am stating my preference ! Now if you were to line all 3 up and make it a SOLO competition Thomas Lang would Bury both of them ! I dig Simon Phillips , great player but Lang is the Drumming Amadeus , Gavin Harison is punching above his weight .Do you understand MY opinion this time?
Dont really know Gavin Harrison , seems ok , Simon phillips has played on some of the biggest hit songs of the last 20 yrs and to close THOMAS LANG eats them both for breakfast! But its not a competition its about who floats your boat Rhymically, Dynamically Creatively and pulls the best Heads while playing! ha
yes ! impressive as usual.... I don't know what's in the water they drink, but in france, we don't have that kind of talent.....makes me wanna move !! and sad thing is the fact the porcupine tree almost never tour in France : I don't give a fuck about cheese, wine, or the eiffel tour....
Thomas Lang is quite a good drummer and I can respect his opinion(and yours for that matter :) ), but I personally disagree with him and you on a few points, and I also believe Gavin is "better" (however abstract a term like that can be) than lang. Not very familier with Philips though.
I love the way Joey Jordison plays and I liked this video... In fact I really enjoy those two drummers. The key is open-mindedness. You know... like not bashing other people because of what they listen to...
Check out Pierre Moerlen and his work with Gong ("Expresso II" is a fine album that showcases his talent)... Lots of session work too (Mike Oldfield, Mick Taylor, etc)... One of France's best
He was very ill some years ago, colitis or something like that. But as far as I know he's perfectly OK now. A Toto Spring/Summer Tour is about to start and he will be on board.
You say it's not a competition yet you make it one by comparing them to Thomas Lang, and to top it off you do it without defining the parameters by which you are comparing them.
You should probably hear a bit more of Gavin Harrison's work before stating your opinions with such certainty. And I still think Lang is an absolutely fantastic drummer.
![Gavin Harrison & Simon Phillips [Part 4] Guitar Center's Drum-Off 2010.](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
