Drum solo it to death

It’s the Fourth of July and I’m sitting here thinking about drum solos. Makes sense, right? Fireworks go boom. Drum goes boom boom.

Actually, what got me interested in this was yesterday I was playing Derek and the Dominos In Concert. Now their sole studio album is one of my favorite all time records. This concert album is missing Duane Allman and in need of some editing but it is good to hear Eric Clapton blaze away. And Bobby Whitlock always made it fun with his back up vocal shouts and keyboards.

So side two, record 1, has two songs on it. (Dead giveaway it’s a live album). The songs Let it Rain and Presence of the Lord. Now, these are fine fine songs can be played on low volume or high, so I turned it up. I’m moving along, listening to guitar solos and vocal harmonies with Bonnie Bramlett when suddenly Jim Gordon launches into a drum solo halfway through a 20-minute Let It Rain.

And after a few minutes I wasn’t digging it.

They needed to stop the solo, dip back into the lyrics and melody and end it quietly. (eventually, Clapton pulls Gordon out of the drum banging showcase with some stinging guitar fills before moving back to the song. And I was happy again.)

When it started, I thought to myself ‘Don’t drum solo this.”

Now I think I’ve invented a new catch phrase like ‘woke’ or ‘the big lie.’ Here’s the usage: Biden is on TV talking to the American People, And he’s talking and talking. You shout at the TV: “Biden, don’t drum solo this.

In fact you can shout this at any politician who goes on for more than 45 seconds.

Your spouse is giving you a piece of mind about failing to take out a particularly large and stinky bag of garbage so the collectors can haul it away. Now we’ll have to wait until Monday she says. Do you know how much that is going to smell. As she continues, you politely say: Hey I get it. No need to drum solo this. Meaning no need to go on and on.

‘To drum solo something helps one avoid the violent cliche’s: Don’t beat it to death or don’t beat a dead horse.

I am hereby formally announcing claim to this new verb I’ve created. Use it freely just remember where you heard it first.

Now I was going to give you top drum solos or best drummers but I’m out of my field in this, even though my brother played drums in a band. At the risk of drum soloing myself I’m going to list a few good, technically adept drum solos as praised by rock fans. And then introduce you to a drum solo that I actually think works — even though neither the band nor the drummer ever really made it big.

John Bonham, Led Zeppelin (Moby Dick). Sure it’s good but I could have gone to the kitchen, fixed myself a turkey sandwich, let the dog in and called my Mom and JB would still be hitting the drums.

Ginger Baker, The mad wild genius with Cream. Clapton scowled at Baker taking so much time on a drum solo, then Baker would scowl when Clapton guitar soloed. See GB here.

Keith Moon The Who, also wild. Also crazy. But not Ginger Baker crazy.

Neil Peart, Rush, The guy has more drums than Rush has signature changes.

Phil Collins, Genesis; (‘In the Air Tonight’ opening as solo artist.) And like Collins, anyone who can drum and sing lead vocals gets my attention like the Band’s drummer Levon Helm.

Ron Wilson, Sufaris, iconic drum solo in Wipeout.

Charlie Watts, Stones. (Honky Tonk opening).

Karen Carpenter, the smooth voiced singer played drums since childhood. She played in concert and on records.

Grand Funk (opening to We’re an American Band.)

There’s hundreds of good drummers out there so I won’t drum solo this. But I will leave you with one as I promised to see if you think it is any good. The group is called the Illusion.