Popcorn Jam 8/21/16 Crabby Speedbeats

Personnel:

Tommy Bruner-Guitar and vocals (I hear you knocking, You Can't Do That)
Tim Canfield-Bass and vocals (Get Together)
Peter Stark-Electric Drums
Crabby Speedbeats-The other drummer

Music director: Terry McDowell

For the first ever, I managed to share the stage with another drummer, in this case Peter Stark of The Dunshee Moon played on the electric drums.  My choice was regular unplugged drums.  I have entertained thoughts of sharing the stage with another drummer in my bands but Terry had the idea of doing dueling drummers for the first time at the popcorn jam.

My thoughts are mixed; another drummer keeping beat allows you to do other things or vice versa does provide relief, plus it keeps you grounded.  Again the usual problem of me when I get too involved with the songs, I tend to play faster than normal, which came true during Get Together when somebody yelled "YOU ARE PLAYING TOO FAST" and yes I did and tried to pull back into the song.  I enjoyed having Peter playing drums to provide counterpoint but if I played too fast, there were times he was dragging behind the beat.  Which is going to happen on blind drum duets, the key is to try to work together and not apart.   Outside of that, I think we did well, although I eventually conceded and let him do the main drum rolls and cymbal hits. 

I may have to start working better with another bass player to keep things more into the beat and not speed up, or "gasp" try the metronome method.  When you in jams with other folks, if you haven't jammed with them, you really don't how they play or their methods, some are set in their ways. Get a drummer wild with a job that sucks and too much pop and they're not used to speed metal.  Not that I playing Get Together that fast, but I did up the tempo on the chorus to go into some sort of drum roll that might work. After that, I lost focus and just kept the beat.

For the first time also, I got to share the stage with Tim Canfield, who is an Iowa Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Legend, one of all time best bass players ever.  Tim took the place of John Hernandez who decided to take a break.  Again, 8 drummers showed up, but Steve and Captain Kirk were here last Sunday but I didn't play when they did.  Later Buddy and Dakota McWhorter showed up and they jammed the last two numbers with Terry back and drums and Mike Lint.  Mike did the most work, playing on 6 songs, Herm Sarduy did five,  DJ Hovenstot figured on a few numbers too.

One drummer Kevin Faulkner, amazed me with his stickwork, he doesn't use the Grip method but rather the traditional way of holding the drums sticks and the guy must have played in jazz bands.  On his Moondance number he quoted Art Blakey's snaretaps. and he had a very light touch to his drumming.  The guy was a far cry from the smash and crash of my playing, and for my money he was the best of the lot today.

For the songs we did, I don't think Peter knew You Can't Do That, he was pinpointing the drum accents of the recording more different than I did, and Tommy did a straight blues 4/4 of I Hear You Knocking.  Tommy also makes Crossroads sound like total blues.   Unlike me, Peter is more straight to the beat and not as chaotic  Plus he's plays more leisurely.  The one thing about drum intensity of mine is that I have play things more faster than usual.  Peter does hit the cymbals a bit harder or he has a way of hitting that makes them sound louder.  Granted with the pairings I was better suited for Peter rather than Herm or Mike, I would have been more at home with DJ or Terry but I don't think Terry likes electric drums either.

And so it goes.  I chatted with Jim Reisner for a while.  His band Flawed Logic played the Iowa State Fair this afternoon and he just back into town and didn't feel like playing the jam.  And Tommy, gave me an advance copy of his new album which sounds very good.  I thought about convincing Tommy to at least do one song or two from his original albums.  They would go over very well.

So anyway, this popcorn jam featured the debut of one Crabbapple Speedbeat, the guest drummer that tended to play the song much faster than one could keep up.  He's not real famous, but has played in Route 66, Open Highway, F.O.A.D., The Living End and guest drum on local bands around the area. Try to keep up with him if and when he is behind the drums. 

Photo: Brenda Snow (L to R: Tim Canfield, Peter Stark, Crabby Speedbeats, Tommy Bruner)