Well, I\u2019ve finished the last bit of fire related business for me here in Pendleton.<\/p>\n
As I\u2019ve mentioned before, when I moved to the UK, a lot of my old stuff that I didn\u2019t need on a daily basis stayed in the old office, and most got cooked in the fire. A very few boxes of things- mostly CDs (or CD boxes) and LPs made it out, and I finally had time to day to pack up the usuable stuff to send home.<\/p>\n
At the bottom of one box was a cheap digital clock I bought at a 2nd<\/sup> hand shop for $.75 in 1997 because a room I was rehearsing in that week didn\u2019t have a clock and I didn\u2019t want to keep the orchestra late (I can\u2019t wear watches).<\/p>\n Anyway, I used to keep it in my briefcase for ages for similar situations, then retired it when I got to the GRSO in 1999. It floated around my flat for three years, getting used as a proper alarm in the guest room and so on, and occasionally getting taken on trips when I remembered it. When I moved in 2002, I was sure I\u2019d tossed it- after all, it was just a cheap, ugly little piece of junk\u2026.<\/p>\n Anyway, at the bottom of a box of soot covered CDs this afternoon, there it was\u2026. Still keeping perfect time- four years after I last looked at it. I now fear this clock and will never betray it again. All hail the clock! The clock is good! All hail the clock, the clock is good!!!!<\/p>\n I also found some tapes that I\u2019d given up for lost- old recital things and the only known recording of Slanted Glance, my very first band. One of the members is now deceased, so it meant a great deal to find it, although I doubt I can listen to it now\u2026.<\/p>\n Travis has asked for my 10 must have recordings. That\u2019s a tough one- I\u2019m going to work on it for a couple of days. Meanwhile, here is my list of 10 favorite drummers of all time (in no particular order).<\/p>\n 1-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The guy playing timpani on the Celibidache\/Munich Phil film of Bruckner 8. He\u2019s possessed!<\/p>\n 2-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mitch Mitchell (from the Jimi Hendrix Experience). Definitely the most underated rock\u00a0drummer in history.\u00a0<\/p>\n 3-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tony Williams. His playing on Four and More (and he was only 17) changed my life<\/p>\n 4-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Elvin Jones. The ultimate modern jazz drummer.<\/p>\n 5-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John Bonham. The best sound and feel in rock history\u00a0<\/p>\n 6-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Max Roach. Perfection and poetry<\/p>\n 7-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clyde Stubblefield. The only person on this list I’ve worked with. Played guitar briefly in a jazz group in Madison with him. He is the funky drummer<\/p>\n 8-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Evelyn Glennie. When I first heard of her, I thought it must be a crossover gimick- hot, barefoot, deaf percussionist? Well she is hot, but also one of the best performers on any instrument I know.\u00a0<\/p>\n 9-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chester Thompson (for his work with Zappa, not Genesis). The Helsinki Concert is the best post-rock drumming I’ve\u00a0ever heard.\u00a0My favorite of Zappa’s many great drummers because he had the virtuosity and the sophistication, but also a much funkier, more interesting feel and sound than any of the others.\u00a0<\/p>\n 10-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Art Blakey. A force of nature. Albums like Free for all and Indestructable re-define\u00a0“intense”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n All hail the clock!<\/p>\n c. 2007 Kenneth Woods<\/p>\n