Potential drummer discussion
Posted: Sat November 10, 2018 9:05 am
So this thread is not a drummer discussion. Meaning it's not about Dave K, Dave A, Jack or Matt Cameron.
This band had several moments to pick a drummer. They landed on any of the above. But what would happen if they landed on someone else?
Jeff, Stone and Mike made their first demo in 1990, the drums were done by Matt Cameron and Chris Friel. Then they asked Jack to be their drummer, he only knew a singer. Ultimately they ended on Dave Krusen who was not a well known drummer in the scene. Do you think Greg? Gilmore was considered? I don't think so, he and Bruce Fairweather started another short-lived band after MLB. Maybe Chris Friel was also considered. He was Mike's good friend and drummer on the first demo (Black and Footsteps). But since they only asked him for the slow songs they probably thought he was too light. Jeff was playing with Richard Stuverrud at that time, but he was in a popular band already (War Babies).
Summer of '91: They kicked Krusen out of the band, not because of his abililities or personality but the guy had drinking issues. They had shows planned and TEN was coming out in 3 months orso. Eddie suggests his bandmate from San Diego, named Brad Wilk. Brad flew out to England (were the record was being mixed) to try-out.
Brad Wilk in a recent interview:
But luckily for him he called Eddie when he had a new band months later. Eddie sent their A+R guy to see RAGE, and the deal was done.
The shows were coming up, a videoshoot was coming up. They needed a drummer! They landed on Matt Chamberlain. Matt was already an established drummer, he was very very skilled. But after a month of gigs he decided to focus on sessionwork. To this day he's done an insane amount of sessionwork. With the release of TEN only weeks away he suggested a drummer he knew from Texas called Dave Abbruzese.
In the summer of 1994 Dave Abbruzzese was fired due to personal reasons. Once again they needed another drummer, but this time around they had no rush. It was decided that each member could bring in one drummer. The famous drummer picks:
Mike's pick: Chris Friel
Jeff's pick: Richard Stuverrud
Stone's pick: Josh Freese
Ed's pick: Jack Irons
I have no idea why they have choosen Jack, but Im glad they did. But it does seems like an odd choice, both Stuverrud and Freese were interesting choices.
Couple of years later Jack felt he wasn't able to tour so they landed on Matt Cameron as their final drummer.
What would have happened if they had landed on any of the other drummers? This is not just another drummer discussion, it's a potential drummer discussion
This band had several moments to pick a drummer. They landed on any of the above. But what would happen if they landed on someone else?
Jeff, Stone and Mike made their first demo in 1990, the drums were done by Matt Cameron and Chris Friel. Then they asked Jack to be their drummer, he only knew a singer. Ultimately they ended on Dave Krusen who was not a well known drummer in the scene. Do you think Greg? Gilmore was considered? I don't think so, he and Bruce Fairweather started another short-lived band after MLB. Maybe Chris Friel was also considered. He was Mike's good friend and drummer on the first demo (Black and Footsteps). But since they only asked him for the slow songs they probably thought he was too light. Jeff was playing with Richard Stuverrud at that time, but he was in a popular band already (War Babies).
Summer of '91: They kicked Krusen out of the band, not because of his abililities or personality but the guy had drinking issues. They had shows planned and TEN was coming out in 3 months orso. Eddie suggests his bandmate from San Diego, named Brad Wilk. Brad flew out to England (were the record was being mixed) to try-out.
Brad Wilk in a recent interview:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/brad-wil ... -audition/“I’m like shitting my pants – I’ve never been out of the country. I’ve got to go get my fucking passport, I’m listening to the songs, I’m super-young and thinking, ‘This is my break. This is my time!’ I go to Europe and we play together. Me and Eddie have this history, and we’re bonding over in Europe. But to the others I’m just the new guy.”
Wilk admitted it was clear very quickly that it wasn’t going to work out. “Long story short, I go there, and I just don’t click musically, mostly with Jeff [Ament], who is an incredible bass player, awesome guy. … This is a classic case – it doesn’t matter how good you are, chemistry is everything. It just wasn’t clicking. … I just wasn’t the guy.”
But luckily for him he called Eddie when he had a new band months later. Eddie sent their A+R guy to see RAGE, and the deal was done.
The shows were coming up, a videoshoot was coming up. They needed a drummer! They landed on Matt Chamberlain. Matt was already an established drummer, he was very very skilled. But after a month of gigs he decided to focus on sessionwork. To this day he's done an insane amount of sessionwork. With the release of TEN only weeks away he suggested a drummer he knew from Texas called Dave Abbruzese.
In the summer of 1994 Dave Abbruzzese was fired due to personal reasons. Once again they needed another drummer, but this time around they had no rush. It was decided that each member could bring in one drummer. The famous drummer picks:
Mike's pick: Chris Friel
Jeff's pick: Richard Stuverrud
Stone's pick: Josh Freese
Ed's pick: Jack Irons
I have no idea why they have choosen Jack, but Im glad they did. But it does seems like an odd choice, both Stuverrud and Freese were interesting choices.
Couple of years later Jack felt he wasn't able to tour so they landed on Matt Cameron as their final drummer.
What would have happened if they had landed on any of the other drummers? This is not just another drummer discussion, it's a potential drummer discussion
