Drumming's Biggest Crab Apples: A Top 50 List in Progress

[pgm554]

Turns out she’s a vile human regardless of being cool to you .

Got to know her from hanging out at the Kanzaki Lounge in San francisco.
We used to talk about Fibes drums as she had their acrylic snare and i told her how to get spare parts at the time.
I was jealous of her playing ability in that she's probably one of the best female drummers I've ever seen.

Speaking of jerks and the Kanzaki Lounge,Carlos Reyes was jamming with their house band and I got a chance to speak with him,but after about two minutes of conversation ,his "personality" shone through.

Great rock jazz violin player,but what a waste of talent.

 

[sixplymaple]

you do know that makes her dining room table worth $29,999 to certain vintage drum dealers?

Haha no I meant dinner at a restaurant. That would’ve been super cool if they had dinner at home.

However, she did randomly get to meet Elvis Presley at her neighbors house in Philly before he was famous. She also got to meet Louis Armstrong at a club down in New Orleans. Her and my late grandpa saw him play and after the show almost all of the crowd was trying to get his attention/autograph and kept bothering him while he was trying to leave. He saw my grandparents sitting there not bothering him and letting him be, so he came over and thanked them. He talked/joked for a few minutes about the issues with being so famous and how he doesn’t get any privacy. Apparently it made my grandpa’s life complete as he was also a trumpet player.

She’s 94 years old and somehow still remembers all of these stories. I love hearing her stories about the jazz days and WWII.

 

[pgm554]

Steve Smith

Talked to him many times at small clubs and such,but that was years ago.
I remember he was the one that told me Colaiuta married a playboy bunny.

 

[Deafmoon]

Johnny Carson was a known [email protected]
Mike Wallace asked about his drinking on 60 Minutes and Carson said he didn't handle it well and that's the reason he quit drinking.

Johnny Carson was a known [email protected]
Mike Wallace asked about his drinking on 60 Minutes and Carson said he didn't handle it well and that's the reason he quit drinking.

Well, Carson was more than just nasty when he drank a lot, he was a D-Bag. There are many stories but my fav was when he and Pat Cooper were at the same party and in the rest room at the urinals, Pat says Hey to Carson and Carson turns to Cooper and continues pissing all over Coopers trousers. Never even apologizes. That’s a D-Bag. Gary was never a D-Bag, just very salty.

 

[Deafmoon]

Talked to him many times at small clubs and such,but that was years ago.
I remember he was the one that told me Colaiuta married a playboy bunny.

I though that was Bozzio with Dale?

 

[pgm554]

I though that was Bozzio with Dale?

Nope.Her name was Darlene.
Vince got bent out of shape as he thought it was an insult to his new wife's morals,but she was a legit Playboy bunny.
Damn bud,you're living the dream.
Funny thing is 2nd wife was named Darlene too.

 

[old_K_ride]

I saw Oz Noy a few years ago.Jimmy Haslip on bass,Dave Weckl on drums.They did 2 sets.
Between sets,Oz sat at a table selling and autographing CD's.I bought one and he signed it.
A line had formed off to the side.They weren't lined up to buy a cd or ask Oz guitar questions.
So Oz asked...why are you people lined up...what are you waiting for? Many in line said "Dave Weckl"
He replied at normal conversation level..."don't hold your breath".
He never came out...but Haslip did.

 

[Deafmoon]

Add Weckel.

Known to be moody.

I believe Bermuda Schwartz made a comment about him being pretty snobby at a NAMM show.

I met Dave more than once, he has an ego but he never made me feel that way. Of course he and I studied with Gary Chester, so maybe he was different to me.

 

[Deafmoon]

Nope.Her name was Darlene.
Vince got bent out of shape as he thought it was an insult to his new wife's morals,but she was a legit Playboy bunny.
Damn bud,you're living the dream.
Funny thing is 2nd wife was named Darlene too.

Interesting. I don’t know how you call two different wives the same name and not have thoughts of the first one creep into your head? But to each his own.

 

[Deafmoon]

I saw Oz Noy a few years ago.Jimmy Haslip on bass,Dave Weckl on drums.They did 2 sets.
Between sets,Oz sat at a table selling and autographing CD's.I bought one and he signed it.
A line had formed off to the side.They weren't lined up to buy a cd or ask Oz guitar questions.
So Oz asked...why are you people lined up...what are you waiting for? Many in line said "Dave Weckl"
He replied at normal conversation level..."don't hold your breath".
He never came out...but Haslip did.

That’s another interesting story cause Weckl has no record contract and every time he wants to do a project, he’s asking for fan donations. Seriously, not gonna talk to the fans? He wasn’t like that in the 80’s when I talked with him.

 

[Deafmoon]

Anybody.
Are we supposed to be congenial all the time....not. We all are stinky-doo-doo-heads at some point(s) in time.
Also Nardwuar is a work unto himself and I will leave it at that.
bt

I think you are talking about ‘ being human’. No one is perfect all the time and pleasant to everyone. We all have our peaks and valleys.

 

[Tornado]

In regards to saying awful things on social media...it's a bad thing for everyone, both the reader and the writer. Some people are just naturally reactionary, and they pop off and say things without thinking them through. Used to be, these people were your actual friends, and they said stuff to you in person. Then you talked them off the ledge in civilized debate, and they changed course once they realized you were right and they were off about some things, and they would be embarrassed to repeat it. They weren't bad people, you remained friends with them. *within reason, of course. There are limits...*. I just don't like much about the current way people communicate with each other and the world.

 

[Deafmoon]

Mike Portnoy!

And he’s always playing with Morse who I hear goes out of his way for fans. Maybe Port needs to realize ‘his fame won’t last forever’.

 

[Pat A Flafla]

Most of this is thoroughly ridiculous. “Famous” people have no obligation to be friendly with you. Maybe judging their behavior by what you expect of them is self-centered and disregards the effort they have put into providing an experience for you. You paid for a recording or a concert. You didn’t pay them to be your friend. That takes giving on both sides. If you run up to them after a gig or try to intervene in their pre gig prep you get what you get. That wasn’t part of the deal! Most likely you have no idea what that persons day, tour or life is like. Maybe stand back, don’t take it personally and consider the situation they may be in.

Nobody said they didn't supply drumming entertainment. Sure, drummers who charge for performances are merely expected to be excellent at drumming. People who walk around and interact with other people shouldn't be nasty to others for no reason. Nobody has any obligation to be friendly to you, and we don't have any obligation to leave those people off our lists of famous butt holes.

 

[Hemant]

Saw Weckl at Blues Alley several years ago and at NAMM one year. He was simply not into fan engagement and quite surly on both of those occasions. Whatever -- if someone is simply not that into small talk, posing for photos and autographs -- that is their prerogative. I just vibe on the performance.

 

[bassanddrum84]

Most of this is thoroughly ridiculous. “Famous” people have no obligation to be friendly with you. Maybe judging their behavior by what you expect of them is self-centered and disregards the effort they have put into providing an experience for you. You paid for a recording or a concert. You didn’t pay them to be your friend. That takes giving on both sides. If you run up to them after a gig or try to intervene in their pre gig prep you get what you get. That wasn’t part of the deal! Most likely you have no idea what that persons day, tour or life is like. Maybe stand back, don’t take it personally and consider the situation they may be in.

I would strongly disagree with this as if it wasn’t for fans of there music they wouldn’t be crap. So in a way they do have a obligation to be respectful to people as do people should be respectful to them. If I was famous and out eating with my family and people were bugging me I’d snap but if someone walked up says hi wants a pic or autograph then why be a jerk? No one gains nothing from that. I’m sure they’re tired of constantly being on a pedestal and say they’re just normal people but they’re not. They’re of a stature we put them in. And we as fans expect a certain expectation of that person when meeting them. It’s widely out in the open for most famous people these days.
The tour day you speak of let’s see wake up around noon do press, screw around till sound check let’s not forget having other people cater to your every need. Play 2 hours then go to sleep and repeat. In a way bar bands have it tougher I’d say. We set up our own gear play for 4 hours don’t get catered on hand and foot and if we are in a bar and a ass to a owner you get black balled by the club. So how is it any different?

 

[Pat A Flafla]

Now, I don't think they owe anyone pics and autographs, but it's possible to decline in a polite way. e.g.
"I'm sorry, I don't do any of that on principle, but I'm glad you enjoy my work. Hope you have a wonderful day!"
or regarding the Dave W example, "No I don't need any help tearing down, but I appreciate your offer," instead of, "Don't touch my drums!!!".

Now, if you run up on stage and shove a phone in their face, you deserve whatever they hit you with, even if it's a cymbal stand.

 

[bassanddrum84]

Now, I don't think they owe anyone pics and autographs, but it's possible to decline in a polite way. e.g.
"I'm sorry, I don't do any of that on principle, but I'm glad you enjoy my work. Hope you have a wonderful day!"
or regarding the Dave W example, "No I don't need any help tearing down, but I appreciate your offer," instead of, "Don't touch my drums!!!".

They don’t owe any one any of that but respect goes a long way. John frusciante from the rhcp once said it’s cool people like his music but he didn’t make music for this intentions. Yet he goes off on his own no one cared about his solo stuff and gets back with rhcp and everyone goes nuts. He’s by far my favorite guitar player but at the same time the minute you make something public it’s no longer yours. So why be a butthole to the people who enjoy it.

 

[pgm554]

Fame is a funny thing.
You want to be noticed ,otherwise you wouldn't be in showbiz,but the negative aspect of rabid zealot fans is the downside.
I was at SFO back in the day to catch a flight,saw Narada Walden and said I dig your drumming.
He was polite,friendly and introduced me to bass player Randy Jackson.
Some folks like the spotlight,some do not.

 

[UptownShakedown]

Wow, that article was riveting! It was long, but I couldn’t put it down. Your right, it was the most thorough rendering I have read on his life and death. Geniuses can often be a crazy bunch and man, he was out there! He was on the edge everyday. It must have been hell to be around him. I guess that’s what makes them so different. I wonder what happened to the guy that murdered him? Second degree murder seems like an over charge. Manslaughter at most I think.

Thanks for posting that!

Definitely - a guy like Jaco, as talented as he was, you're not envious of. Re: the bouncer that took his life, I always heard it was at the height of The Karate Kid and the sequel so every tough guy was taking martial arts classes. The guy knew all the moves and was just waiting for a troublemaker like Jaco and worked him over too much. Not sure if I entirely believe that as when they found Jaco the eye was out of the socket, the right hand was mangled beyond repair in addition to other horrific injuries. Doesnt really sound like things just getting out of hand.

In the end, the dude did less than 4 years in jail or "a year for each child he left fatherless" as Jacos widow recalls. Currently, he still lives in the area as a real estate agent who is constantly having his online presence defaced for killing "the worlds greatest bass player" when I think it's a bit more complicated than that. I wont link to the examples here because I don't want to promote the behavior. A sad story all around and emblematic of how truly out-of-control people like Jaco bring out the worst in people and pull them into his downward spiral.