I am amazed at some of these comments!! Just because you can understand what is going on technicique wise,or even are able to play the figures...DOES NOT mean you can solo like this!! We all know the same 26 letters that Charles Dickens knew,..but..,that does not mean you are gonna write a masterpiece like Tale Of Two Cities!! Simon has mindblowing skills,but just as important,is his creativity!! People would do better to pay attention to the IDEAS being expressed!! That is the true Artist!!
Damn, I will never forget that time I got my hands on a set of octobans and actually sat down and tried to learn that ending of this solo. I eventually made it, but i had to break it down note for note, and practice half a bar at a time... after a looyooong time, I finally was able to set it together xD Never thought I would ever be able to make it. But somehow it was quite fun as well... apart from darn frustrating.. xD haha. I was so proud to finally be able to copy it.. then I saw him live on a TOTO concert where he had advanced this part further... I gave up trying to copy that xD haha
I've loved this ever since I first saw it. The last minute or so with the octobans and the 3 over 4 groove, has to be one of the most killer things ever thought up on a drum set. Very 'chopsy' yet totally musical at the same time. Just wonderful stuff!!
I can not believe what I just saw him do!! I had to step away from Dave Weckl for a minute to surprisingly be amazed with Mr Phillips here!! I am kinda in shock right now that I have not already explored these videos but very excited to have these to obsess over now. I love it!!!
keep in mind...during the 80's simon changed his 'time keeping' hand from right to left. Lowered his hi hat, and you see him now and you may think he has always played with his left hand handling the time, but it wasnt always like that. like it or not is one thing, but you have to respect it. he's an awesome drummer.
09:35 Every time I hear this part I get chills.. Its so freaking awesome.. sorry but its just great.. Makes me wanna play drums.. THE WHOLE KIT MAKES SENSE.. That gone drums is by far the best gone drum ever tuned, played and mixed. I just LOVE the way these TAMA sound. SP is a MASTER.!
@BleuboxTV I had already read your comment before 9:37 came, so I was waiting to see what he did. Man, you are so right. That polyrhythm he's playing with his left hand on those Octobans is crazy! I've got to get me some of those. Just one or two would be plenty for me. Indeed, 9:37 is a killer!
@drewper73 There is a video in which he said he did it because "It was the 70's and drum kits were getting bigger." he continues on to say that if he lowered the hi-hat, he could fit in the 10" behind it, however lowering the hi-hat made it inaccessable to his right hand, or not easily accessable. His solution was to learn to play open handed, I'm sure the other reasons of open ability to play out with your right hand entered into it though. Check out the Book Open Handed Drumming.
He's an amazing drummer and he knows how to make a drumkit sound and to preserve the resonance of his . I would like which type of microphones he uses . We all know he had the kick mics installed into the drum itself as his octobans too . If anybody knows the brand or brands and types of the mics he uses, I would very interested to hear . I met him once , he is very cool lad . Come on SIMON makes us dream ...
Have any of you drummers out there ever noticed how a good-sounding kit will make your playing that much better? I think my kit sounds pretty good, but there are definitely better sounding ones out there. In the past, whenever I sat down to play on someone's really nice set of Yamaha's, or Tama's, or whatever, I would notice my playing would be a little better. There would be more creativity. I would try different things than I would on my own kit. Anybody else?
@girotube Do you mean gong drum? The big drum to the right of his floor toms is called a gong bass drum. If you have any doubts about it, look it up. Sorry if I sound condescending.
he's very musical with his toms and patterns..!! simon phillips is one of the few real drumming jems left..unlike these guys where it's all blinding speed and how many patterns can i play in 8 bars shit....he's fucking great !
@rwoods2k Why do you think he changed his 'time-keeping' hand from right to left? I've often wished I could play that way, a la Carter Beauford of Dave Matthews Band. Playing a right-handed kit but with the ride cymbal on the left side. It just seems like it would open up a lot of room for my right hand to play on the toms or whatever, while my left hand keeps time. I guess I could do it, but it would take lots and lots of practice. Did he ever say why he changed?
Oh yeah, he ripped it up after 9:00 ~ till the happy ending. I posted in video Free Fom Solo #1 that a few of his fills were off, but since its from the same vid, i guess he was just getting warmed up? ...no ill-fills here. He is actulally a better drummer now than he was back then. Watch "Simon Phillips - Drum solo"
@girotube I didn't mean for it to sound like a lecture. I thought the explanation was necessary since you had typed gone drum in all caps. I didn't know you were a drummer. I guess I should've. Take care buddy.
@bobbystockerdrums yeah all this solo is is just a bunch of single strokes doubles some buzes flams ruffs not hard individually but the way he plays them the order he puts them the arrangement around the drums he puts them is what makes it interesting and uniqe and very hard to play for anyone else
