The other day I went out to some lockouts and saw a friend of mine’s band. I hadn’t seen this band before and it’s been a few years since I’ve seen him play. Their lockout was really tricked out and rad which made me a little jealous, but when it came time to play I noticed a few little interesting quirks. I felt like the guys were playing to impress which I suppose is a great form of flattery, but the songs came off a little uneven. This wasn’t a show so it’s tough to be too critical, but we all tend to play like we rehearse. <Click on this story’s header for more.>
So I talked with the drummer later and he pretty much asked me point blank for my thoughts and I gave ‘em to him. First let it be understood that metal kinda isn’t my thing so much anymore. I love heavy music, but it tends to venture into that place where things must be heavier, faster, louder, more distortion etc. where it’s more of a challenge to listen to with complex changes and difficult passages, rather than great songs that stand on their own. I mentioned that they could use to simplify in many areas and not be so aggressive at times. Cool fills are cool fills, but when you blow your whole toolbox of cool shit in one song, it’s hard to generate a sense of development and excitement in a single song. It also becomes challenging to play more fills in other songs because you’ve already used most of them up. I told him, I felt like he was playing to me (the drummer watching him) which is fine, but I was more interested in them playing more for the average listener. The average listener is impressed by cool fills, but they have much less impact when the timing is off and whenever songs are so complex that it becomes tough to navigate easily.
Rush is a great band but they have a little bit of a learning curve for some of their songs. Same as Dream Theatre, who have a tendency to come off cold at times. I love both of those bands but as a young band you have to be conscious of your audience and have them on your side rather than trying to navigate all off your vast musical territory. It’s a really fine line because too simple is too simple and doesn’t draw much attention, whereas too much is a turnoff as well. That’s the tough part of confining your sound into one genre, and one that metal specifically falls into more often than not.
The point being above all else is this, as a drummer you’re looking for one thing very specifically. You’re looking for that guy or girl in the audience nodding their head (or even better dancing!!) If you have that, you have them on your side. You have communicated something to them which they probably don’t understand on a conscious level, but once the audience feels your pulse they can focus on other aspects of the sound without that feeling of unsteadiness.
Play to your audience, they came to see you after all.
