mjollner
02-24-2006, 02:48 PM
I just got back from Val d'Isere in the french alps last week.
One night while doing the obligatory after ski tour me and a girl I met at our hotel decided to check out a pub who supposedly had a live band performance.
We walked into the middle of their set. The pub was filled to the brim and everyone was dancing to the tune "I don't like reggae"(I can't seem to recall who wrote it at the moment.).
It turns out that they were playing another set later that night. Due to the fact that they had alreday played most of their set combined with the fact that dinner was soon served at the hotel, we decided to return later that night.
Said and done! We rallied up a bunch of people and went back after dinner.
The place was almost empty as we walked in. We took our seats by the stage and enjoyed our beers.
After awhile theband took the stage. They were infact really good. The drummer was excellent, tastefully did what he should as did the guitarist.
The bassplayer was f***king awesome. He also handled most of the singing. They played something like five songs(all covers ofcourse) and all the while the place was filling up with people.
'I don't like reggae' finnished and the drummer got up and left.
After afew brief moments a rather skinny black dude with rastas takes the stage and sits down behind the drums.
I imediately recognize who it is but it takes me longer to accept what I'm seeing.
The man who has just sat down to play the drums no more than two metres away from me(And I'm on the right side of the stage just beside the bass amplifier. Giving me a good, clear view of the drumset.) is none other than former Peter Gabriel and Sting drummer Manu Katché.
He proceeds to play two songs witht the band. The first one is 'Long train running' by Dobbie brothers. The second one is 'Hey Joe' by Hendrix.
Manu was never one of my favourite drummers. I heavily disagree with some of the work he's done with Sting. Ofcourse, Vinnies shoes are near impossible to fill.
Nevertheless, the difference is huge. People imediatly start to move and dance as Manu ripps into Long train.
I sit in my doused state and enjoy the moment which has so unexpectedly been precented before me.
On 'Hey Joe' Manu overplays a bit but that's to be expected since he is there to show everyone who he is. Plus he also seemed alittle drunk, or so I speculate. :)
Afterwards I feel a strong desire to take the stage myself and play a few beats just to see how I would sound in such a direct comparison. I don't Ofcorse but instead walk over to where he is and chat with him.
It turns out he's just there skiing like myself and was recognized by someone who asked him to play and he obliged.
Unfortunatly I did not have my camera and none of the other people I was with either so I don't have any nifty pics for you(Or for myself.) :(
It was a really cool experience though. Getting to be so close and hear him in such a small venue plus the direct comparison with a more 'average talent' drummer. Cool as hell! :)
Speaking of sting. Has anyone noticed his current drummer Keith Carlock? He does a better job than Manu filling Vinnies shoes me thinks.
What a great and original drummer.
ADDED: I realized after reading back that I might come off as a knowitall. I didn't mean to be. I don't pretend to be anywhee near the kind of drummer that Manu is. He might not be my favourite drummer but the dude can still play, that's for damn straight. :)
One night while doing the obligatory after ski tour me and a girl I met at our hotel decided to check out a pub who supposedly had a live band performance.
We walked into the middle of their set. The pub was filled to the brim and everyone was dancing to the tune "I don't like reggae"(I can't seem to recall who wrote it at the moment.).
It turns out that they were playing another set later that night. Due to the fact that they had alreday played most of their set combined with the fact that dinner was soon served at the hotel, we decided to return later that night.
Said and done! We rallied up a bunch of people and went back after dinner.
The place was almost empty as we walked in. We took our seats by the stage and enjoyed our beers.
After awhile theband took the stage. They were infact really good. The drummer was excellent, tastefully did what he should as did the guitarist.
The bassplayer was f***king awesome. He also handled most of the singing. They played something like five songs(all covers ofcourse) and all the while the place was filling up with people.
'I don't like reggae' finnished and the drummer got up and left.
After afew brief moments a rather skinny black dude with rastas takes the stage and sits down behind the drums.
I imediately recognize who it is but it takes me longer to accept what I'm seeing.
The man who has just sat down to play the drums no more than two metres away from me(And I'm on the right side of the stage just beside the bass amplifier. Giving me a good, clear view of the drumset.) is none other than former Peter Gabriel and Sting drummer Manu Katché.
He proceeds to play two songs witht the band. The first one is 'Long train running' by Dobbie brothers. The second one is 'Hey Joe' by Hendrix.
Manu was never one of my favourite drummers. I heavily disagree with some of the work he's done with Sting. Ofcourse, Vinnies shoes are near impossible to fill.
Nevertheless, the difference is huge. People imediatly start to move and dance as Manu ripps into Long train.
I sit in my doused state and enjoy the moment which has so unexpectedly been precented before me.
On 'Hey Joe' Manu overplays a bit but that's to be expected since he is there to show everyone who he is. Plus he also seemed alittle drunk, or so I speculate. :)
Afterwards I feel a strong desire to take the stage myself and play a few beats just to see how I would sound in such a direct comparison. I don't Ofcorse but instead walk over to where he is and chat with him.
It turns out he's just there skiing like myself and was recognized by someone who asked him to play and he obliged.
Unfortunatly I did not have my camera and none of the other people I was with either so I don't have any nifty pics for you(Or for myself.) :(
It was a really cool experience though. Getting to be so close and hear him in such a small venue plus the direct comparison with a more 'average talent' drummer. Cool as hell! :)
Speaking of sting. Has anyone noticed his current drummer Keith Carlock? He does a better job than Manu filling Vinnies shoes me thinks.
What a great and original drummer.
ADDED: I realized after reading back that I might come off as a knowitall. I didn't mean to be. I don't pretend to be anywhee near the kind of drummer that Manu is. He might not be my favourite drummer but the dude can still play, that's for damn straight. :)