I cracked up during one of Rat Scabies’ interview segments in the recently released Count Me In documentary. The Damned drummer related the following wisdom about performing punk rock back in the “OG era” of the mid 1970s: “If they are singing, don’t bash too many drums. When the singing stops, do whatever you like to bring in the next bit.” It was an amusing comment to be sure—don’t we all love lead-singer disease?—but leave it to a punk rocker to simplify a musical-arrangement technique to its core. Like it or not, if you’re playing popular music, the vocal melody and the delivery of the vocalist are pretty much the most important elements of getting a song across to an audience. But while practically every instrumentalist TALKS about “playing for the song,” there’s still a whole slew of guitarists, bassists, horn players, keyboardists, percussionists, and drummers who step all over […]

September 2021 Issue