PETRA DRUMMERS

JMBJR72 · Post by **JMBJR72** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:41 am

I just was at a well known secular group. The drummer did his solo and I was left with thats it! Louie and Paul can blow him out of the water! I was glad blessed that Petra had the best!

brent · Post by **brent** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 9:09 am

I wouldn't rule out a drummer based on what you experienced. Musicians are some times held back. The person with the control can dictate how much show-boating can occur and when.

I worked for a Grammy artist that did not want anyone on stage outperforming him, no matter the instrument. His drummer (a 60 year old guy named Pete) was a REAL drummer, but only played a snare and cymbal. Pete would keep other drummer's jaws on the floor. He got bigger standing Os than the star attraction. Eventually his solo was cut back.

Judging by the music today, there isn't much room for much quality in a drum solo. It is all about speed or it is a Tommy Lee noise show. The only drummers and solos I enjoy are prog rockers where anything (including taste and music) goes.

executioner · Post by **executioner** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 9:37 am

brent wrote:I wouldn't rule out a drummer based on what you experienced. Musicians are some times held back. The person with the control can dictate how much show-boating can occur and when.

I worked for a Grammy artist that did not want anyone on stage outperforming him, no matter the instrument. His drummer (a 60 year old guy named Pete) was a REAL drummer, but only played a snare and cymbal. Pete would keep other drummer's jaws on the floor. He got bigger standing Os than the star attraction. Eventually his solo was cut back.

Judging by the music today, there isn't much room for much quality in a drum solo. It is all about speed or it is a Tommy Lee noise show. The only drummers and solos I enjoy are prog rockers where anything (including taste and music) goes.

When you say prog rockers which artists are you talking about?

brent · Post by **brent** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:55 am

Dream Theater
Porcupine Tree
Rush
Yes
Toto (RIP)

There are some awesome jazz and R&B drummers that I enjoy too.

There are many, MANY killer drummers that are held back, playing for hire. It is paying their bills. Heck, drummers are not the only ones. What you see on stage is not always the best many musicians desire to deliver.

JMBJR72 · Post by **JMBJR72** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:07 pm

Brent, if the drummer were doing his solo I would expect to drummer would do his best especially coming from this band. I have seen others secular drummers and he is good but then he is a drummer and star.

brent · Post by **brent** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:39 pm

He also could have had a bad day, cut on his finger, had an IRS audit....There are lots of factors that impede performance.

You are correct in that there are some big stars that are basically hollow. They are manufactured and have no substance or depth. So he could have sucked. But don't write him off because of one night.

What might be a great solo for you may not be what the drummer wants. What was missing from the solo? Or was it his timing? There is only so much that can be done in a solo, and many drummers hate doing them because they are just a commodity anymore.

Louie and Paul were good for Petra, each in their own way. Both kept it interesting.

Who was this drummer anyway?

JMBJR72 · Post by **JMBJR72** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:58 pm

I sent you an email!

separateunion · Post by **separateunion** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:52 pm

Two ridiculously awesome drummers who blow my mind live:

Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band)
Jimmy Chamberlain (Smashing Pumpkins)

Both drummers have a jazz background.

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:21 am

brent wrote:Porcupine Tree

Gavin Harrison, yes.

He's apparently joining King Crimson...him and Mastelotto on one stage...

brent · Post by **brent** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:54 pm

Just got the name of the drummer that supposedly sucked. I agree. He does suck. He is older now and not as tight. When I saw him he had some major swing in a plain old 130bpm tune. The keyboardist in that band plays pretty well for being near death. In fact, I don't think he stays out with them all of the time. They are just old guys...which means I am getting older too....sigh.

sue d. · Post by **sue d.** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:55 am

Speaking of drummers.... I just saw Earth, Wind & Fire at Summerfest in Milwaukee last night. The place was PACKED solid... and this was a side-stage act, not on the main stage.

Wow.... they had a big full drum kit up on top, another smaller drum kit on stage, an electronic kit, AND a small snare set-up, along with bongo-type drums. AND they were ALL PLAYING AT THE SAME TIME. I was totally blown away; never saw anything like that before.

The one guy jumped up and kicked the cymbol (instead of hitting it with the drumstick), wihch had to be nearly 6 feet up off the ground. Then he played it upside down as he spun around below it.

The group was 32 years old, and still had 3 original members (lead singer, bass and percussionist).

I have to mention the lead singer as well.... that guy could hit stratospheric notes like I've never heard before... amazing.

It made me sad to think a band like Petra, who was around 33 years and garnished as many if not more top hits, was not appreciated like these guys obviously were. Guess there's the difference between secular & Christian.... the Christians have no sense of history. Maybe that's because Christian music hasn't been around long enough.

gman · Post by **gman** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:51 am

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm inclined to think that even if they wanted to, Christian music can't do it, because there isn't a large enough fan base to draw from and it's not profitable. Tastes change and fans fall away, but in the secular market you have enough of a base left that artists can still put music out and be a side stage act somewhere, do the casino circuit, make TV specials, or whatever. Christian music needs a billionaire that would support the older artists and not care about taking a loss.
Petra would have a label home if they were still seriously profitable, but there comes a point at which the time and marketing that would have to be spent to generate even a small profit is not justifiable.

separateunion · Post by **separateunion** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:14 pm

Guess there's the difference between secular & Christian.... the Christians have no sense of history.

I actually don't think that is the issue. For one thing, the CCM industry is dying, and for another

Christian music can't do it, because there isn't a large enough fan base to draw from and it's not profitable.

Bingo!

Fobers71 · Post by **Fobers71** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:36 pm

I still think Petra would be touring today if they did something like Newsong does with WinterJam and it is a great ministry on top of that.

I would not have even thought of going to a Newsong concert or even listening to them but once I was exposed to them at WinterJam, I really began to enjoy them.

Imagine Petra out on tour with TobyMac, Newsboys, MercyMe ETC. They wouldn't be the headliners but they would play a set and perhaps gain some popularity back.

gman · Post by **gman** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:45 pm

Fobers71 wrote:I still think Petra would be touring today if they did something like Newsong does with WinterJam and it is a great ministry on top of that.

I would not have even thought of going to a Newsong concert or even listening to them but once I was exposed to them at WinterJam, I really began to enjoy them.

Imagine Petra out on tour with TobyMac, Newsboys, MercyMe ETC. They wouldn't be the headliners but they would play a set and perhaps gain some popularity back.

I agree with you to a point. I think if they were doing shows, the shows would be well attended. I think they should have gone out after J&H and toured with other bands, and done more festivals. However, it's not really up to the members of Petra. Other entities hold the the power and money, and it's up to them how much time and money they want to put in. I think the reality is that they would not gain near as much financially as when Petra was in their prime. Do do they really want to work that hard for little or no profit? They are better off from a business standpoint to invest in whatever they think is hot.
I watched a concert on TV a couple years ago with Christopher Cross. He still makes albums, has a label that puts out his stuff, and he tours with a band. He hasn't found the magic formula to be able to continue on. It's not a case of having people behind him that know what they are doing, versus someone else hitching to the wrong wagons. He had a much larger fan base in his prime than what you find in Christian music. Even though the fan base has dropped over the years, it's still large enough to support him and make it possible to have be on a smaller record label, and still get out wth a band. Christian music is just different. Not enough artists have a large enough fan base in their prime to produce enough of a fan base later on to justify smaller labels cropping up to support older artists. It doesn't make sense for the bigger labels to do it. Artists are forced to hang it up, or go independent on their own dime. Michael Sweet tried taking presales for an album that wasn't even finished, to help pay for the cost of finishing the album. While everyone eventually got their product, he admitted it was a debacle he would never do again.
I look at it this way. Christian music is set up as a business, and will do what makes the most sense business wise. Even as a Christian business, they still have the ministry of showing to the world how Christians should operate in business and be prudent with their money. Non-profit ministries and Missions organizations really carry that same responsibility, we wouldn't tolerate them mismanaging or losing money.

GMan

The Petra Zone

PETRA DRUMMERS

PETRA DRUMMERS

well...

tour

Who is online