MD: What other studio work have you done recently?
Gregg: I got to play on the nine-time Grammy-winning Santana recording Supernatural, which sold more than 25 million copies. The tune “El Farol” was named Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 2000 Grammy Awards. In 2002, I played on Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather's CD No Substitutions, recorded live in Osaka, Japan, which won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Another project I did was a concert with Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra, which was released in 2001 on a DVD called Zoom Tour Live. My brother, Matt, played bass on that. And I did a really cool album with my brother and Ty Tabor of King's X called Jughead.
I played on an album with Katharine McPhee, who was the runner-up on American Idol's fifth season. I recorded with Ryan Cabrera and with Kenny G on his last album, which featured a lot of standards. In June I recorded on the new Doobie Brothers CD, which was produced by Ted Templeman and engineered by my good friend Ross Hogarth—I've been a fan of the Doobie Brothers since I was a kid. In July I recorded with Barry Manilow, and my brother played bass with me on four songs. I played for Clay Aiken, Keith Emerson, and Andrea Bocelli, on his DVD Vivere Live In Tuscany. I've also toured several times with James Taylor, who's a wonderful guy to work with.
MD: In 2003 and 2005, you toured with Ringo Starr as he promoted his albums Ringo Rama and Choose Love. And in 2008, you toured with his All-Starr Band. What was that experience like?
Gregg: It was just a dream come true! He's been my drumming hero since my dad took me to see the Beatles live in 1966 when I was seven years old. On these recent tours, when Ringo would go up front to sing his hits, I would be playing drums behind him. And when he would come back to play drums and sing behind the kit—which is his favorite thing to do—we would play double drums. To play alongside him, travel with him, talk about the Beatles, talk about life…it was an honor and a thrill! I will be featured on his new DVD, Live From The Greek Theatre, which we recorded last summer.
MD: After Ringo, your favorite musician to play with would probably be your brother, Matt. How important is the relationship between the drummer and the bass player?
Gregg: I play with my brother more than any bass player, and we've been in bands together since we were in junior high. It really is the most important relationship that you can have with any musician in the band. If the bass and drums are really locked, then the tempo can't move too much. Most of the bass players that I've had the honor of playing with have just been fantastic. But Matt and I grew up together and had exactly the same musical influences. We really feel all different styles of music in the same place. The placement of the bass player's beat is what's key. The way he or she plays 8th notes in relation to where you're hearing the 8th notes on the hi-hat in a rock groove, or the way the quarter notes on the bass fall in relation to your ride cymbal with a jazz groove—that placement is everything.
MD: You've done drum clinics all over the world. What do you try to teach in your clinics?
Gregg: I hope to get across the fact that you should be a musical drummer. You need to concentrate on keeping the tempo and the groove for the whole song and on playing dynamically. Learn to play Latin, funk, R&B, big band, playing with brushes, playing in small groups, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop—all kinds of different stylistic approaches. But mostly I want to talk about being a musical drummer. It's important to tell drummers of all ages that it's not just about going out there and playing drum solos and “me, me, me.” It doesn't matter where you're playing—if it's at a VFW hall or a huge stadium. You're able to play drums with other musicians, make a joyful noise, and hopefully make a living out of it someday.
