What's
Dave like?
Dave's
like 6'2" and trim. Seriously, he is one of the
brightest people I have ever met. He seems to know more
about any subject than someone should know. You think
to yourself 'how does he know about that person' when
referring to some obscure topic. He seems capable of
turning on the humor at will and is lightening fast.
He is an incredibly hard worker and expects people around
him to do the same - and is appreciative when they do.
He handles people with respect and difficult situations
with grace. I never get tired of his humor and he genuinely
loves the band - which makes the gig so much fun. All
in all - a great person to work with and for.
What's
Paul like?
Paul
is a great bandleader and musician. He makes it all
look so effortless but make no mistake, his job is demanding.
His ability to pull songs out of a hat, banter with
Dave, conduct the band and play great - all at the same
time, is astounding. He is an encyclopedia of music
and treats songs like classical pieces - to be lovingly
preserved in spirit. He is a demanding bandleader in
the sense that he takes care of the details and rehearses
each section of the band until he is satisfied with
the parts and the sound. Once he feels you have the
essence of the music he will leave you to input your
own creativity. He is also an excellent sideman when
called upon to be in that position.
Can
you get me tickets to the Letterman show?
In
a word, NO!!!. The powers that be have ruled this impossible
for anyone on the staff. So as much as I would love
to get you all in - 'cause it's a great show live and
I'd like to help you out - I cannot. Write in or email
the show's website (see my links) and come hear the
band play through the commercial breaks.
Do
you have a songlist that you use for the commercial
breaks?
Every once in a while Paul calls an outside rehearsal
and we learn some new songs - [usually about 6 at a
time]. Otherwise we rely on this
list which we have gathered over the years. There
are also occasions when Paul calls a song we have never
played. Since we all have inner ear monitors he is able
to talk to us during the show and can explain the style,format
and parts of the song if need be. Also we can extend
the arrangements of the songs by verbal cues eg. 'Back
to the top of the song' or 'Keep playing the vamp' etc.
[View list sorted by artist
or by song.]
Did
you play on KISS Albums?
As
you know I have played on almost all of Ace's solo albums
and there have been rumors for years about KISS. While
I have never really addressed this question publically,
I believe that Gene has acknowledged in his new book
that I played on 'Unmasked' and recently I saw in the
remastered version of Dynasty, the liner notes have
credited me with the drumming on the album [except for
'Dirty Living'] So it never came from me, but since
all this information is now in the public domain, I
don't think it would be innapropriate to say that this
information appears to be correct.
What's
Ace like?
When
I first met Ace I didn't even know he played lead guitar
- that was on his demos for his 1st solo record, but
since that day we have hit it off. He is a great guitarist,
very intelligent and a generous spirit. He has been
a real good friend to me and is one of my oldest American
mates [23 years and counting]. He is strong willed -
which you can hear in his playing - and has tremendous
drive when he wants to get something done. He loves
playing blues and will play all night when in the mood
What
is a typical Letterman show for you?
Generally
the show requires me to be there from 3:45 - 6:30 Monday
- Wed and 2:45 - 8:00 on Thursday because we tape 2
shows on that day. Our rehearsal is usually about 15
minutes if we are not playing with the musical act and
about 45 minutes more if we do.
Everything
goes super fast - sometimes charts and reading is required,
often things will change during the show with Paul calling
a lot of audibles. Songs for the play-on are chosen
by association with the guest [eg 'Chest Fever' for
Dolly Parton] or by the title of their current project.
If
we play with the guest as a sit-in, such as with Herbie
Hancock today, we may run over the heads of each song
once or twice [if absolutely necessary] with abbreviated
soloing. With a musician like Herbie, I know Paul wants
to keep it absolutely fresh so that it all happens on
the show.
If
we are playing a feature song with an act we are expected
to know the song before we begin. We could rehearse
the song 4-5 times for arrangement as well as sound
and camera. If there is time we will go to the booth
and listen to a play back. Time permitting we may run
it again. The playback is very helpful for making adjustments
to one's own parts.
At
5 [4 on Thurs] the audience is let in and we swing into
2 warmup songs. Then the show is taped 'live' 5:30 -
6:30. Very rarely is anything corrected after the fact.
By 6:40 there is nobody around.
What
is a typical day for you?
For
the past few years I would spend 11 - 3:30 and 8 - ?
working on my record - that is if I did not have any
recording sessions or live gigs. When that happens I
reschedule the day so that I make it to the show on
time or have a car waiting so that I can fly out of
there. I have been lucky in that I seem to work fairly
steadily [outside of the show], but not everyday is
wall to wall sessions, which is why I can do my own
projects. Now with the record done I am spending time
getting the website together so that I can promote the
album. I have also started doing a few demos here and
there in my studio. When the show has a week off I try
and schedule work. On our next break I am doing an album
Mon - Fri. but some weeks I just take a complete break.
It's nice to come back to the drums after some days
off, even if the chops don't feel as strong.
How
did you get the Letterman Show?
Around
1985 I was doing some high profile sessions [Jagger,
Dylan, Cyndi Lauper], and playing around town in bands
like Robert Gordon - with Tony
Garnier on bass [now Dylan's bandleader] and Chris
Spedding [on tour with Roxy Music] on guitar - that
was a great modern rockabilly band. Anyway I always
wanted to play on the Letterman show but never had the
chance. The incredible Steve Jordan was the regular
drummer but he left for a while to play with Neil Young
and so I got the call. [Actually Paul
and Will came to check
me out at a Robert Gordon gig just before and I'd heard
they were asking questions about me]. I had played with
Paul on Joan Armatrading's record 'Me Myself I' [a classic]
and 'Paul Butterfield Rides again' his last record before
he passed away, and also with Will on the Joan Armatrading
record and at Live Aid with the Thompson Twins, so we
were not strangers. Anyway Paul asked me to do a week
and then another week. About 3 weeks later he said Steve
was not coming back and did I want to do it fulltime
and so I readily accepted. It was a combination of luck
and ability and I have been most grateful for the opportunity.
15 years later I am still there and loving it!
How
did you start playing the drums?
I
don't know how I got interested in the drums, I just
always found myself playing [since about 4 or 5]. If
I heard someone playing I would have to go and hear
what they were doing. I also loved music and would listen
to it for hours and make up stories in my head. My parents
love jazz and classical music, so I grew up in a house
listening to a lot of that. My grandfather bought me
a snare drum and bass drum as a result of my constant
banging on pots and pans. Every year after that he bought
me another tom or cymbal. By the time I was 9 I had
a full set. I was gigging in bands when I was 8. Because
I grew up in Cape Town we did not see many acts. We
had to learn from listening to records. My earliest
recollections were African music on the radio as well
as American music. Songs like 'Rock around the Clock'
by Bill Haley, 'Personality' by Lloyd Price, 'Blue Suede
Shoes' by Elvis. When the Beatles hit everything changed
and with the full on English invasion I was a commited
music fanatic.
What
drummers do you like?
There
are so many, and I know I'll be leaving important people
out, so I will be brief rather than detailed. I heard
Earl Palmer playing on tons of records, but I did not
know it was him until I was older. I was very conscious
of Ringo, Charlie Watts, Mitch Mitchel, Ginger Baker,
Kieth Moon, John Bonham and Al Jackson in my teens.
Just before I came to America I started listening to
Miles Davis with Tony Williams [my favorite] on drums
- thereafter Jack de Jonnette and Elvin Jones with John
Coltrane. When I moved to New York I started listening
to Steve Gadd as well as 'new' guys - for then - like
Stewart Copeland. Then Jazz/funk/ hybrid monsters like
Dennis Chambers. Now there are so many incredible drummers
around it is frightening and inspiring. I guess it's
time to practice a lot.
with
Charlie Watts [center] and John
DeChristopher of Zildjian
at Charlie Watts' gig at The Blue Note, 2002
