Classic Petra - The Upcoming New Album.

[shawnpfan2010]

So let me ask this question, why would a drummer be bad in a studio but really good live? Does a studio not put the kind of pressure on them like a live crowd would? Didn't Louie play on Brent's PDC albums? He sounded fine for that. Please explain these things.

[shawnpfan2010]

One other thing I might point out about Louie is this from his wiki page, "After graduating he went on to work with several artists. He was a session player for Randy Matthews and Fireworks, also touring with Matthews and Crossfire".

So if he could be a sessions player for them, why could he not play for Petra albums?

[executioner]

Maybe Brent could give us some insight on this, but from how I understand it it is totally up to the producer to bring in who he wants. I would think that JDB or E Brothers didn't have any issues with Louie, but they were most likely just looking for a different vibe or feeling from what Louie could provide. Louie did play on later albums(PP2 & Godfixation) that were produced by the E Brothers, so I think it was more or less style wise that they were looking for at the time.
Brown Bannister did use Louie totally for WUC which in my opinion was the best sounding drums Petra has ever produced, so we know Louie has it in him to get the job done.

[Mountain Man]

So let me ask this question, why would a drummer be bad in a studio but really good live? Does a studio not put the kind of pressure on them like a live crowd would? Didn't Louie play on Brent's PDC albums? He sounded fine for that. Please explain these things.

It's not just drummers. A lot of artists will use studio musicians for an album and a road band for the tour. Studio musicians tend to be the very best of the best and are extremely consistent and dependable, which is great for a producer who wants to put an album together efficiently and with minimum retakes.

[Petrafan327]

Well, regardless of what anyone says, Petra always will be my favorite Christian band.

[brent]

JDB used a different bass player and drummer on those records. The first record in the Louie era was done already. Louie joined the tour afterwards. From then on, the issues were time and personality related. JDB told me that he could get what he wanted, faster, with less resistance, using the bass player and drummer with a history, synergy, etc. You must also understand that the band was not self sufficient at that time. Everyone was working other jobs, etc. Petra was not a full-time thing, yet. The tracks could be started without the band being there.

Louie has chops, no doubt. He just has a very strong opinion, and a different personality. Louie has played on Petra records during the E-brothers era, but not in the traditional way. Most of those drums were programmed by John L. When Louie played, he was not allowed to play freely, with swing. Everything was done for him. The drum cymbals and such were overdubbed. Even those were decided, or highly recommended.

Louie always hated the digital drum sounds, the sample replacements, etc. All of that removed personality and his ability to contribute. On the flip side, maybe the producers didn't want that, in their quest to be the alternative to Def Leppard in production.

I too provided drum tracks and finished songs to Louie the first day he tracked for me. He liked some of that. But, he did better doing his own thing. He has some very interesting ideas. He is a TOTAL Jeff Porcaro geek. He loves that stuff. We did too. I told him to solo, playing his fav licks. When Louie played an alternate lick that made my eyes pop out, he saw it and ran with it. We recorded more than we could use with our music. We used what we could, and I sliced and diced the rest to fit. Most of it was too pop oriented.

So, you have a very opinionated, no-holds bared, tell-it-like-it-is, total pop music drummer, playing in the context of an 80s rock/metal Christian band, and you kind of see the predicament the producers were in. I love Louie as a person and a player. WUC is THE best sounding Petra album ever made IMO. The drums were completely Louie, played in one of the best sounding studios in the world (right before it closed).

[Jonathan]

On the flip side, maybe the producers didn't want that, in their quest to be the alternative to Def Leppard in production.

Any truth to the rumor I'm starting right here and now about the producers wanting to race Louie in his Corvette?

[brent]

On the flip side, maybe the producers didn't want that, in their quest to be the alternative to Def Leppard in production.

Any truth to the rumor I'm starting right here and now about the producers wanting to race Louie in his Corvette?

bwuhahahahaha.

[Mountain Man]

Well, regardless of what anyone says, Petra always will be my favorite Christian band.

They're my favorite band, too. Nobody is trying to dissuade you. We're simply commenting on the realities of album production.

[Petrafan327]

Well, regardless of what anyone says, Petra always will be my favorite Christian band.

They're my favorite band, too. Nobody is trying to dissuade you. We're simply commenting on the realities of album production.

Well, when I make my band, I'll be the producer so all the people who are in my band will actually be recording their parts on the albums

[Mountain Man]

Well, regardless of what anyone says, Petra always will be my favorite Christian band.

They're my favorite band, too. Nobody is trying to dissuade you. We're simply commenting on the realities of album production.

Well, when I make my band, I'll be the producer so all the people who are in my band will actually be recording their parts on the albums

Yeah, and just wait until you're footing the bill for studio time and are forced to do yet another take because the bass player won't simply play what he's asked to.

"Come on, man, if you want to noodle around then do it on your own time. But right now, just play the song!"

Suddenly studio musicians won't look so bad.

[rexreed]

Or wait till you are in the studio and you realize the bass player can't play as good as you thought.

[Petrafan327]

Or wait till you are in the studio and you realize the bass player can't play as good as you thought.

I could get the bass player at my church to do the bass part... he's been a musician for a very long time. And he's professional : )

[Petrafan327]

Yeah, and just wait until you're footing the bill for studio time and are forced to do yet another take because the bass player won't simply play what he's asked to.

"Come on, man, if you want to noodle around then do it on your own time. But right now, just play the song!"

Suddenly studio musicians won't look so bad.

But shouldn't the studio musicians be listed on the CD?? Seems kind of dishonest if you ask me... Louie Weaver is the ONLY drummer listed on the 1980s albums.

[brent]

Yeah, and just wait until you're footing the bill for studio time and are forced to do yet another take because the bass player won't simply play what he's asked to.

"Come on, man, if you want to noodle around then do it on your own time. But right now, just play the song!"

Suddenly studio musicians won't look so bad.

But shouldn't the studio musicians be listed on the CD?? Seems kind of dishonest if you ask me... Louie Weaver is the ONLY drummer listed on the 1980s albums.

well, maybe...maybe not.

I hate to break this to you, but there were very few label bands that played their own studio tracks completely. The labels had studios, session players, etc. To this day, most label country music is recorded by a small group of players in Nashville. Motown and all of the other labels of the 60s, 70s and 80s had staff to do that in a timely fashion, like an assembly line.

Heck, some major label artists would make money, come up with a session player name, and record on other artists records. They had the chops, they just were not allowed, unless the negotiations were very good and the band was very, very talented. As you know, there were many bands signed because of an association, favor, look...anything but chops. Someone had to make the music.

The Petra album covers listed the members of Petra. But the album covers did not ever say that only members of Petra played on them. But, if you look at the original album cover of NSD, it mentioned the original tracking musicians and mentions Louie as the touring drummer.