Red Mosquito

Dave A. was an excellent drummer for when he was there. I love Vitalogy, it's in my top 3. The patterns on Tremor Christ and W.M.A. are still some of my favorites. Pearl Jam has always had a great drummer. Everyone of them has brought out something different that I enjoy. I honestly like Matt's drumming better in Soundgarden, but really enjoy his songwriting in PJ. I also love that he stopped the "Spinal Tap" phase.

What is odd about Vitalogy and Dave A's playing is he never really got the chance to get intimate with those songs. There are a handful that were rarely played live by him and others that hand a handful of plays. A track like Immortality could have grown into something else for the outro. Or it may not have. Dave A was great for the band at that time but did the band out grow him? Or would he have grown musically with the band?

I'm only musing musically here. No one can argue the value of Jack when he wasn't behind the kit. Could Dave have grown with them? Without much other recordings of his to go on I still can't answer that one with a definite yes.

I've said this before but my fav Dave A. is Vitalogy b/c he gets out of the way of the songs. Doesn't make it boring, it just fits the song well.

Strat wrote:

wease wrote:

taffer wrote:I for one, just cannot stand the drumming style on vitalogy sooo boring and unimpressive, one-handed drumming from dave a. "boom, boom, boom, boom". no crazy fills, no crazy drumrolls.

You're not listening closely enough.

I think Dave was a little restrained on the album. Listen to a few of those songs from earlier live performances and he definitely strips some flare for the studio tracks. Rather disappointing in comparison. Dave is a star on VS but Vitalogy not so much.

Listen to what he's doing on the softer songs like Immortality or Nothingman. Absolutely nothin Jack or Matt has ever done matched what Dave laid down on tape on those. It's what he did on that stuff that tells me he would've fit in fine with future material.

LetMeSleep wrote:What is odd about Vitalogy and Dave A's playing is he never really got the chance to get intimate with those songs. There are a handful that were rarely played live by him and others that hand a handful of plays. A track like Immortality could have grown into something else for the outro. Or it may not have. Dave A was great for the band at that time but did the band out grow him? Or would he have grown musically with the band?

I'm only musing musically here. No one can argue the value of Jack when he wasn't behind the kit. Could Dave have grown with them? Without much other recordings of his to go on I still can't answer that one with a definite yes.

Listen to Nothingman, listen to Tremor Christ. And even Immortality. He's doing more stuff in those than simply laying down a beat. As I mentioned earlier, it's his work on this other side of things that tell me, yes, he would've been fine. Would he have played patterns like Jack on Who You Are or In My Tree? Probably not. But WMA tells us he was capable of doing that sort of thing. Would he have played Off He Goes like Jack. Probably not. Look at what he did on Immortality. He would've been fine on any of that stuff.

Dave DID grow with the band. The songs on Vitalogy are much different than the TEN songs he started out playing with them.

I'm convinced. Fuck Pearl Jam.

There is nothing technically "wrong" with Dave's drumming. I just think a drummer like Jack or Matt is more a fit for the mature "neil young" version of Pearl Jam, and that Dave is more of a fit for a rap-rock or butt-rock kind of band, the way he rat-a-tat tats and uses thoe tiny stupid cymbals.

I have heard people say that Dave was famous and well-loved for his "tight beats" and I think maybe that's the problem. Pearl Jam doesn't need "tight beats". They need someone who is loose and grooves. (See what I did there?)

Matt has become too tight and boring and predictable, which is perhaps why people are tired of him. If he loosened up and went a little crazy more often like he did in 1998 and 2000, I think it would make a difference.

To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous. He oozes groove. Jack had groove. Matty has groove on TOTD and Soundgarden songs.

wease wrote:To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous. He oozes groove. Jack had groove. Matty has groove on TOTD and Soundgarden songs.

Its not stupid, its an opinion.
Which is all the drummer debate really comes down to.

I'd imagine Van Halen forums have the same heated debates over Sammy and David

People saying Matt has no groove........ Have you never listened to Binaural or Riot Act????

wease wrote:To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous.

He might have a groove, but it isn't a loose one. His playing is a little too tight and succinct for my taste.

MadTIGERmaN wrote:

wease wrote:To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous. He oozes groove. Jack had groove. Matty has groove on TOTD and Soundgarden songs.

Its not stupid, its an opinion.
Which is all the drummer debate really comes down to.

I'd imagine Van Halen forums have the same heated debates over Sammy and David

No one called anything stupid.

wease wrote:

MadTIGERmaN wrote:

wease wrote:To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous. He oozes groove. Jack had groove. Matty has groove on TOTD and Soundgarden songs.

Its not stupid, its an opinion.
Which is all the drummer debate really comes down to.

I'd imagine Van Halen forums have the same heated debates over Sammy and David

No one called anything stupid.

You're only stupid if you prefer Sammy.

I don't think I've ever heard a Sammy Van Halen song.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:I don't think I've ever heard a Sammy Van Halen song.

I remember when "Poundcake" was a huge fucking deal because he used a power drill on his guitar. And I haven't heard it in 25 years, which goes to show what a huge impact it had.

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:I don't think I've ever heard a Sammy Van Halen song.

I remember when "Poundcake" was a huge fucking deal because he used a power drill on his guitar. And I haven't heard it in 25 years, which goes to show what a huge impact it had.

Hahaha holy shit this is so lame

Those sure are some loose fitting shirts.

Eddie Van Halen is only 36 in that video.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:

LoathedVermin72 wrote:I don't think I've ever heard a Sammy Van Halen song.

I remember when "Poundcake" was a huge fucking deal because he used a power drill on his guitar. And I haven't heard it in 25 years, which goes to show what a huge impact it had.

Hahaha holy shit this is so lame

Hahahahahaha fuck that noise. VH blows so hard.

evenslow wrote:

wease wrote:

MadTIGERmaN wrote:

wease wrote:To suggest Dave A had no groove is ridiculous. He oozes groove. Jack had groove. Matty has groove on TOTD and Soundgarden songs.

Its not stupid, its an opinion.
Which is all the drummer debate really comes down to.

I'd imagine Van Halen forums have the same heated debates over Sammy and David

No one called anything stupid.

You're only stupid if you prefer Sammy.

Sammy's by far the better singer. Dave is the entertainer.