I love how they pull off 15 minutes of battling back and forth, sometimes seeming to be at complete odds with competing time signatures or playing intentionally off-time solos as the other keeps a perfect backbeat. But it was the ending that really got me. There is a moment at the last minute where they go from chaos to perfect synchronicity, very abuptly they begin playing EXACTLY the same thing as they approach the finale. Howwwww??? Amazing!
Brought a huge fuck-off smile to my face watching both sides of the human coin banging out impossible beats! What dexterity, ingenuity, and sheer creativity. Many, many thanks for posting this gem. Paradoodle day!
Dois bateras respeitados, consagrados, admirados, super envolventes, criativos ao extremo, mestres, duas referências mundiais, hiper mega velozes, hiper virtuosos e AINDA POR CIMA, simples e simpáticos... Isso aí é uma aula NÃO APENAS DE BATERIA, MAS, TBM DE RESPEITO E CONSIDERAÇÃO, olha como eles se respeitam.. Isso SIM é arte e música...são duas referencias pra mime com certeza pra muuuuitos mundo a fora!
Guys. These are two very different drummers but both unfathomably great in many categories. They're literally improving and trading ideas together. They're 100% not competing.
Thomas toms are always tuned to perfection, at least to my kind of taste. Damn, brings me back to the first video of Thomas that I saw for the first time. You still got it man, and by that I mean that you actually GOT IT!! Rosyter, always fun to see him play aswell, them DW practicekit videos man, and the first video of you that got viral blew my mind aswell. Wow...!
Absolutely the most professional, entertaining groove I've seen. It's extremely apparent Lang is phenomenal, but having seen Tony before, it's even more apparent Tony's holding back. Admittedly bias, Tony is my favorite drummer. However, that doesn't take away from the talent and musical entertainment perspective. Most people often misinterpret talent for presentation (like saying "Portnoy is the best, ever"- awesome, but not quite this caliber). These two clearly demonstrate the utmost talent, professionalism for each other, and pure entertainment value! Gospel Chops will show you TRUE, ruthless, embarrassing, no-holds-barred, bragging rights drumming, if you happen to disagree with my analysis....
I don't believe either drummer cut loose. both are great however I have two words for those who want to see and hear the total extreme in every way... VIRGIL DONATI!
What I like with Virgil Donati is that he uses more rests in his solos, which adds a kind of class and makes him sound very special. That is the only suggestion I would make to Thomas Lang (if I really had one; so perfect he already is) : fewer notes, and more rests. For sure he would also create mind blowing solos with fewer notes.
It's healthy to compare drummers but the real musicians among us know that every drummer and I mean every drummer has strengths and weaknesses. Some have less of more. But there is no best drummer. Steve Gadd can make a basic beat sound better than both these drummers put together but he wouldn't be able to compete with Thomas's technicality or Jnr's energy. But he is one of the great drummers in his own right. Then I can go into composition and there are hundreds of drummers that can write a better beat to a song than anyone else
Good stuff! Both great players! I will never understand people's opinions of most drummers with technique "can't groove"!? It's always the players pushing the envelope! In my opinion I think it's jealousy! And... it's ok to like someone more than another but to make Blind Faith Fan statements like-"no one's better than Tony" or "No ones better than Thomas"! Your right! Your opinion! I like both these players equally! They're not my favorites but I know they're faster and more technical than my favs! Every generation of drummers,as far as progressive Music,has raised the bar. Granted Buddy raised the bar so hi a long time ago! People are still trying to catch up with Buddy!; Billy Cobham,Buddy Rich,Steve Gadd, Elvin Jones, Vinnie Coliauta and Steve Smith, Kenny Clark and Tony Williams..... Without these drummers there would be no Thomas Lang or Tony Royster Jr.
Well said man. This to me was two amazing drummers using their technique appropriately with focus on performance, groove and entertainment. I totally enjoyed this. For some people to have watched this and thought it was some kind of fight to the death, you have missed the point of this performance. Both players held back and both players took the lead at times. Oh to have an ounce of these guys skill and talent.
This was all about the groove. Some absolutely amazing work by both. Watch their faces and you will see them both smiling and looking at each other. This was about jamming together... not just pushing the speed and technical skills. Amazing
They both have there stuff. One one is better than the other just different. If you think one is better than the other than I guess you think jazz is better music cause it's more complex. Again not better just different. Respect to every pro, amateur, and beginner.
Agree, but from what I’m seeing DW is also the company willing to dump the most money into sponsoring these kind of things - maybe one of only a few who can at this point.
There's plenty of to notch drummer's using Tama and Sonor kits to this day, Sput Searight just for one name drop who plays Tama but so many others in his playing level use Tama and Sonor too! Yes the most kits used are DW first then Tama second which is my favorite and what I own and then Sonar third. My favorite brand's among those are Tama first, Sonor a close second and DW a far third place. Not trying too on DW but I honestly don't like the sound of there drums but DW does make great hardware I'll give them that! Tama's hardware is the best in my opinion still though then DW!✌
For some weird reason I enjoy this a lot. I´m not a huge fan of mr. Langs style or these kinds of battles or what ever this is, but this jam brings the best (well maybe not the best, but very good:) out of these drummers I think. And there´s some very cool grooves there also.
Going on a limb here but I think that TL gets some dislike b/c he has the technical/speed part down so ridiculously well. I gather he's put in insane amounts of time developing that stuff. But I don't see how that should take away from his 'caliber' with regard to feel, groove, etc....a lot of which is (still) evident here. And he appears to be a good guy who is not full of himself. Why he isn't in a prog band, I'm not sure. Yeah, the speed stuff isn't always my thing (for sure) but not Buddy Rich's solos were pretty much a machine gun hand show. PS, at around 9:40 they 'square off' a bit on the speed thing and TL's technique is mint where TRJr. starts to throw some arm muscle in there.
i ve been to the wood chopper tour just insane!! talked a little bit to Tony. Such a nice and kind guy. we had a good converstion. Thomas was a a little cocky to be honest
