Without even trying, you’ve already heard the late Charlie Watts play on dozens and dozens of Rolling Stones songs throughout your lifetime, so you might as well read up on the dude a little bit. Besides, books are awesome.
Charlie’s official and authorized biography hits the shelves today. The length of the book’s title is antithetical to Charlie’s own spartan playing style, so that’s amusing already:
The book is penned by Paul Sexton, a very experienced music journalist who has spent three decades covering the Stones, and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have contributed forwards. Personally, I can’t wait for the audio edition just to (hopefully) hear Richards do his Pirates of the Caribbean voice thing.
Click on over to Billboard to check out an excerpt. We’ve posted a wee excerpt of the excerpt below.
Charlie had immense pride in the Stones’ dedication to their work, but knew that it was somewhat at odds with the unjust idea that their collective hedonism somehow undermined their commitment to their craft. “Unbeknown to a lot of people, the Rolling Stones are theatrical and terribly professional,” he said. “They always have been, about whatever large or small facet of talent they have. The band has only ever not turned up once, and I only ever missed a show because I got the wrong date,” he said, referring to the 1964 diary malfunction we heard about earlier. “Even as young tearaways, which we never really were…a lot of that was bullshit. I know people who were much more…whatever the word is. Newspapers are dreadful things, bless ’em. I can’t read them. I flick through the cricket page, and that’s it.”
And apparently pretty amazing. He just earned a professional certificate from Berklee college of music (you know, that little place that graduated drummers Cindy Blackman, Gary Burton, Will Calhoun, Tommy Campbell, Terri Lyne Carrington, Vinnie Colaiuta, Joey Kramer, Mike Portnoy, John “J.R.” Robinson, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Steve Smith, and Antonio Sanchez). He’s the youngest person ever to get the certificate.
Why do we care? Well, we weren’t around to post when the incredible Tony Royster Jr. first came on the scene in 1997, so we don’t want to miss the chance to jump on the Seba bandwagon now. If he’s super famous in another 10 years, maybe he’ll send us a free signature snare.
And for those of you who also missed prepubescent Tony Royster Jr., prepare for humiliation:
But we aren’t exactly sure how much. Drummer Gorman sued his former Black Crowes bandmates back in April for unpaid royalties. Explaining the lawsuit, Gorman said:
“For more than five years, my attorneys and I have made repeated requests to review the Partnership’s books to confirm the accuracy of royalty payments and my share, but Chris and Rich have consistently ignored my rights [to do so].”
Now the two sides have apparently closed in on a settlement, but the ink isn’t dry yet. Whatever the amount, we hope it keeps him in sticks and shiny new bangables for all his days.
[via Ultimate Classic Rock. UCR is totally kick-ass by the way, so check them out if ’70s and ’80s and a smidge of ’90s rock is your thing.]
This is a very cool bit of drum history. Have a gander at the original contract that John Bonham signed with Paiste 50 years ago today.
The first page says that Bonham agrees to allow Paiste to use his name in advertising and marketing. Bonham’s signature is at the bottom of the document.
The second page lists all the cymbals that Bonham received from Paiste. A whole lot of duplicate sets here, probably for different kits housed around the world as Zep was touring.
Bonzo got 15″ Sound Edge hi-hats, 18″ and 20″ Giant Beats, mammoth 24″ Giant Beats, a sprinkling of 2002s, a 38″ gong….and a solitary and clearly overworked 24″ cymbal bag. It looks like everything but the gong was free.
Bonham would have been 70 this year. To commemorate the birth of the gloriously-phat-footed one, a giant bronze statue has been erected in his hometown of Redditch, Worcestershire, in the UK. Cash for the statue was actually raised by Bonzo fans, so that makes it even better. Hopefully there shall be yearly pilgrimages. Who’s in?
Got a few extra millions in Apple stock or Bitcoin? Well, you are too late, you rich bastard, to put in the winning bid on Ringo’s original 1963 Ludwigs. The famous kit was purchased yesterday by the owner of the NFL Colts for $2.25 million.
Happily, you can still purchase your very own set of new Black Oyster Pearl Ludwigs for only 3 grand or so, but there is absolutely no guarantee you’ll ever record a hit song like “Can’t Buy Me Love” or “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Jay-sus, man. Lots of changing musical drum thrones lately in terms of endorsements. Sonor and Tama are the big losers here as Thomas Lang and Dave Grohl jump ship to sign on with DW. Also joining them in Drum Workshop’s ample, woody bosom are extreme metal master Derek Roddy, Creed stickman Scott Phillips, studio legend John J. R. Robinson, and Muse drummer Dominick Howard.
Levon Helm, one of the great all-time drummer vocalists, is about to blow out a shit load of candles this Saturday. He turns the big 7-0 on May 26, but he’s hosting a “Midnight Ramble” concert at his studio in Woodstock this weekend. It’s an annual affair for the former Band drummer, though this year he’ll also be helping out Little Feat stickman Richie Hayward, who is ill and apparently in need of some cash (a disturbing trend lately for our dudes), by raffling an autographed Yamaha kit. To enter the raffle, you can buy a ticket for $250 at levonhelm.com until 9 o’clock Saturday evening.
Metal legend Ronnie James Dio succumbed to stomach cancer on Sunday, and well-deserved tributes and remembrances have been pouring in over the e-wires ever since.
Lars Ulrich posted an open letter to RJD on Metallica’s website:
Dear Ronnie,
I just got off stage in Zagreb. I was met with the news that you’ve passed on. I’m kind of in shock, but I wanted you to know that you were one of the main reasons I made it onto that stage to begin with. When I first saw you in Elf, opening for Deep Purple in 1975, I was completely blown away by the power in your voice, your presence on stage, your confidence, and the ease with which you seemed to connect to 6000 Danish people and one starry-eyed 11 year old, most of whom were not familiar with Elf’s music. The following year, I was so psyched when I heard the results of you joining forces with my favorite guitar player. You guys sounded so right for each other and I instantly became Rainbow’s #1 fan in Denmark. In the fall of 1976, when you played your first show in Copenhagen, I was literally in the front row and the couple of times we made eye contact you made me feel like the most important person in the world. The news that you guys were staying in town on your day off somehow embedded itself in my brain and I made the pilgrimage to the Plaza Hotel to see if I could somehow grab a picture, an autograph, a moment, anything. A few hours later you came out and were so kind and caring… pictures, autographs and a couple minutes of casual banter. I was on top of the world, inspired and ready for anything. Rainbow came to Copenhagen a couple more times over the next few years and each time you guys blew my mind, and for a good three years were my absolute favorite band on this planet. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to run into you a half dozen times or so and each time you were as kind, caring and gracious as you were in 1976 outside the hotel. When we finally got a chance to play together in Austria in 2007, even though I may not have let on, I was literally transformed back to that little snot nosed kid who you met and inspired 31 years earlier and it was such a fucking honor and a dream come true to share a stage with you and the rest of the legends in Heaven and Hell. A couple of weeks ago when I heard that you were not going to be able to make it to the Sonisphere shows that we would be sharing this June, I wanted to call you and let you know that I was thinking of you and wish you well, but I kind of pussied out, thinking the last thing you needed in your recovery was feeling obligated to take a phone call from a Danish drummer/fan boy. I wish I’d made that call. We will miss you immensely on the dates, and we will be thinking of you with great admiration and affection during that run. It seemed so right to have you out on tour with the so-called “Big Four” since you obviously were one of the main reasons that the four bands even exist. Your ears will definitely be burning during those two weeks because all of us will be talking, reminiscing and sharing stories about how knowing you has made our lives that much better.
Ronnie, your voice impacted and empowered me, your music inspired and influenced me, and your kindness touched and moved me. Thank you.
Much love,
Lars
Megadeth drummer Shawn Drover also posted this tribute:
I am at an absolute loss right now upon hearing that Ronnie has passed away. I had the pleasure of touring both Canada and America in 2007 when Megadeth toured with “Heaven and Hell” (Black Sabbath in my eyes) and I swear to you he is 1 of the nicest human beings I have ever met, period. Many a night on that tour, Glen and myself would have amazing conversation’s with Ronnie about his career, etc. fully knowing he had probably told these stories 10,000 times to people and yet he answered every question I had with a big smile. I can recall so many times making eye contact with Glen sharing the exact same thought – “Dude, I can’t believe we are hanging with RONNIE JAMES DIO!!!!!” If you are lucky enough in your lifetime to actually meet 1 of your idols (let alone tour with them) and they turn out to be even nicer than you could have envisioned, that is something you would truly treasure. Lucky for me, I will cherish those memories forever.
Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante said:
The first time I heard Ronnie James Dio, I thought he was a larger person, because the voice was so huge!….It was Rainbow and I was a fan of his from then on. ‘Man on the Silver Mountain,’ ‘Heaven and Hell,’ ‘Rainbow in the Dark.’ The songs are endless. The sound of his voice with those bands was always so perfect….It was his God-given instrument. He was true metal and the creator of the metal hand sign. He was divine.
And Mike Portnoy added from his Twitter account:
Looks like Dime, Randy, Cliff and Bonzo just scored the ultimate singer….this is one of the saddest days in metal ever…. : (
Mike also posted this great pic of him and Ronnie.
It’s not yet confirmed, but Rocks Off, a Houston-area music blog, is reporting that longtime Willie Nelson drummer Paul English has suffered a stroke. The site’s source is said to be reliable, but Willie’s publicist hasn’t confirmed or denied English’s condition. The drummer started with Willie way the hell back in 1955, when country music was still cool, or more authentic, or at least not entirely fucked-up boring. According to the almighty Wikipedia, English was also the strong-arm, asskicking collection agent for the band in those early days. Here’s hoping he can beat the bollocks off this thing too.
What the hell? We just reported that Paul English, the longstanding skinsman for Willie Nelson, might have had a stroke, and now we learn that drummer Dan Duggins definitely has suffered one as well. Duggins made his name keeping the beat for Hot Rod Circuit, Lazycain, and most recently Queen Killing Kings. He is only 34 years old and, like most musicians who aren’t in U2 or the Rolling Stones, he doesn’t have health insurance. If you got some spare cash and a whole lot of goodwill, help the fellow out by donating to his PayPal account.
That’s what everyone wondered when it was announced last week that he was out of the band. Looking no doubt to quash all the sure-to-be-insane rumors, Jimmy himself answered the question on his site:
By now you have heard the news of my departure from the Smashing Pumpkins. I will say, without going into any unnecessary details that this represents a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don’t fully possess. I won’t pretend I’m into something I’m not. I won’t do it to myself, you the fan, or my former partner. I can’t just, “Cash the check” so to speak. Music is my life. It is sacred. It deserves the highest commitment at every level and the Pumpkins are certainly no different. I’m sorry but it really IS that simple. There is no drama, bad blood, or anything else but a full commitment to music. My best goes out to Billy and I’m glad he has chosen to continue under the name. It is his right. I will continue to make music with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex as well as pursuing other musical interests. I feel that I have a long way to go and a lot to give. Thanks to everyone for your kind words and support through all of this. I am constantly humbled by all of you! It is an honor and a privilege to play music for a living and I don’t take it for granted not even for a second.
Is Axl Rose really a crazy, ego-maniacal pain-in-the-rump? Not at all, at least according to drum-meister Josh Freese, who chats about his 2-year stint in Guns N’ Roses:
Everyone always baits me to give them a crazy Axl story. I don’t really have any. I spent two years in a studio with him [and] I never saw any mood swings. He was never not cool to me. So, I am always quick to defend the guy, even though I know his reality is different than mine. Then again, everyone has a different reality.
We shit you not. And though “supergroup” may be an overly generous and optimistic description of Bun E.’s new band, Tinted Windows, we can totally dig such unabashedly cheesmo pop. It takes either a complete lack of musical integrity or enormous hairy testicles to play music like this. For now, we’ll give Bun a check mark in the big balls box. Check out the promo vid below.
And, no, we don’t mean his drug-addled life is like a horror movie. The former Guns N’ Roses drummer actually has a role in an “action/horror/sci-fi comedy” film called Dahmer vs. Gacy. In it, serial killers Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy go mano a mano to see who is the craziest crazy in the land. Adler’s character is apparently one of the victims.
Awesome. And though it prob won’t make as much money as The Rocker, it might just be more (unintentionally) hilarious.
