December 2020 – Volume 44 • Number 12
The Talking Heads never fit neatly into the grimy mid-’70s New York punk scene that bore the Voidoids, the Ramones, and Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers. Transplants from the Rhode Island School of Design, the band’s initial clean-cut aesthetic ran contrary to punk’s bombast. When each subsequent album went deeper into boundary-pushing territory, all were held down by drummer Chris Frantz and his wife, bassist Tina Weymouth’s tight foundation.
In Frantz’s new memoir, Remain in Love, we learn that many of the band’s songs were initiated by Frantz and Weymouth through focused, improvised rhythm sessions they recorded themselves. There’s a transparency to Frantz’s drumming; it’s unadorned and clear, much like the playing of his heroes Clyde Stubblefield of James Brown’s band and Benny Benjamin, Uriel Jones, and Richard “Pistol” Allen from Motown’s house band the Funk Brothers.
The story of the Talking Heads combines massive hit records, tours, and unmitigated fan adoration with an intra-band acrimony that, if Frantz’s memoir is any indication, will not be resolved within the members’ lifetimes. Remain in Love not only catalogs Frantz’s relationships to the Talking Heads, leader David Byrne, and Tina Weymouth, but also includes insights into the idiosyncratic production of the Talking Heads’ albums, including the iconic trio of releases they made with Brian Eno between 1978 and 1980. We spoke with Frantz over the phone from his home in Connecticut, where he was sheltering during the pandemic.
Articles in December 2020
Stick Technique Revisited
Part 6: Perfect Practice and Building Speed Many drum instructors say, “Play naturally.” The problem with that statement is that we naturally hold on to things tightly. Have you ever seen someone pick up a drumstick for the first time…
Bennie Rodgers II
The Oakland, California, native has been applying his vast skills to a style that originated halfway across the globe—and like K-pop itself, he’s been winning over fans from sea to shining sea and beyond. Bennie Rodgers II is a veteran…
In the Studio with Drummer/Producer Evan Hutchings
Evan Hutchings made the move from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Nashville in 2006, enrolling at Middle Tennessee State with a plan to be a studio musician. “I wanted to be Steve Jordan,” he says. “That was the goal.” Like many…
The D.I.Y. Guide to Drums by Lisa Schonberg
While it was always a quirky addition to pedagogic literature, this hugely expanded 2020 volume retains the handmade charms of the original ’zine and leverages the author’s years of teaching experience to deliver an approachable, delightful roadmap for beginners and…
Critique
RECORDINGS Louisiana’s LeRoux One of Those Days The latest from this funky southern-rock institution shows the group still has get-up-and-go. LeRoux, sometimes known as Lousiana’s LeRoux, enjoyed some major-label success with their 1978 Capitol debut and have remained regionally active.…
Get on the Good Foot!
Hi-Hat Comping Riffs in 3/4 Welcome to the second part of this three-part series on hi-hat comping. In this lesson we’ll explore repetitive hi-hat motifs in 3/4. The phrases included here are intended to help develop dynamic balance between the…
Terry Bozzio
I knew I had to make my own statement or go on for the rest of my life depending on someone else to be the creative genius. I didn’t want to live with myself that way. It’s funny, in the…
Simon Phillips
Showbiz history is dotted with “triple-threat” performers who were top-flight actors, singers, and dancers, from Gene Kelly to Judy Garland to Sammy Davis Jr. to Beyoncé. Rarer still are those who can boast extraordinary performance and technical skills, bona fide…
Khari Parker (1974–2020)
Drummer Khari Parker passed away on June 27. He was forty-six. Widely respected for his diverse musical skills and top-flight professionalism, Parker was a first-call player for many of the top bandleaders and producers in Chicago and throughout the country.…
Remembering Neil Peart
Part 4: “YYZ” This transcription is from the Buddy Rich Memorial Concert where Neil Peart played a big band version of the legendary Rush instrumental track “YYZ.” The introduction was conducted and written in 5/4. The main melody is in…
Childish Gambino’s Dani Markham
With hard-core academic training in her back pocket, the drummer/percussionist has dipped her toes in every imaginable musical scenario—and, crucially, trusted her instincts. Dani Markham lives in perpetual motion. The New York City–based, Louisville, Kentucky–born percussionist/mallet player spent the last…
Jonas Brothers’ Jack Lawless
New Jersey native Jack Lawless started out as the drummer of Joe Jonas’s chart-topping alternative-pop group DNCE. When the Jonas Brothers got back together, Lawless got the call for that tour as well. We were able catch up with him…
The Classic Recordings of Ginger Baker, Part 3: The Solo Albums
Following a prolific period when Ginger Baker made his name with Cream, Blind Faith, and Ginger Baker’s Air Force, and collaborated with Fela Kuti, the mid ’70s found the drummer setting up a recording studio in Africa, playing polo, trying…
Vic Firth Re-Mix Brushes
A quartet of interchangeable implements for varying degrees of attack, tone, and volume. Vic Firth recently expanded its catalog with four pairs of uniquely designed Re-Mix brushes/rods made from different types of organic material, ranging from soft and subtle broomcorn…
Wood or Nylon Tip?
Nylon! Lasts much longer than wood (so you save cash!), and you never have to worry about a chipped stick tip on a ride cymbal. I also play darker cymbals, so the nylon tips add some extra clarity rather than…
Download December 2020 Issue
The Modern Drummer November 2020 Issue – Volume 44 • Number 12, comes in two versions the print version and the extended digital version that includes bonus articles and was used to create our new flipbook. The flipbook experience is…
Centent Cymbals - Ardor, Sparks, and Emperor Series
Handcrafted and highly affordable B20 options from a Chinese company with roots that date back hundreds of years. Centent is a Chinese company that produces high-quality yet competitively priced cymbals out of different bronze alloys, including B8 (8-percent tin/92-percent copper),…
Bill Bruford - Part 1: One of a Kind
Trailblazing West Coast swing drummer Shelly Manne once mused that a true jazz musician never plays it the same way once. Throughout his stellar career, the iconic progressive rock and jazz drummer Bill Bruford had adopted Manne’s paradoxical mantra as…
Marla Leigh
Having “good time” can mean many things to a musician. For this veteran frame drummer, waiting for the right moment to execute a plan, even if that means years, can turn out to be the best decision. For twenty years,…
