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Gentle Giant
October-10th-2003, 05:08 PM
I miss this thread, although I don't have a very good question with which to launch it. However, having seen him play recently on The Blues PBS special and in the Brian Wilson documentary, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, will someone please tell me what's the deal with Jim Keltner?

I've never seen a drummer, or any musician for that matter, look so damned bored while playing. He just stares down at his own drums and makes perfunctory movements with no emotion whatsoever. Worse, in the Wilson film, during the hauntingly lovely Caroline No, he's spinning his right drumstick on EVERY FRICKIN' BEAT! Talk about the wrong gesture at the wrong time. Anyone feel like defending him?

If not...

Here's another one. I'm a hobbyist drummer who took six lessons 25 years ago and until this past February had gone about 12 years without owning a drum set. For my 40th birthday, I bought a cheap Pearl Rhythm Traveler practice set but I prefer using real skins to the mesh pads, although the wife and kid aren't so thrilled about the noise. I've been thinking of picking up some brushes so I can play somewhat less thunderously but never having used them before was wondering if I could get a few tips on brushes technique.

Dennis Gonzalez
October-11th-2003, 12:44 PM
Originally posted by Gentle Giant
what's the deal with Jim Keltner?


I'm not defending him at all, but it seems that possibly he plays too much. There are people who play all the time and love it, like I suppose Keltner has in the past, but I imagine it would take it's toll. He just did a project with Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts in which they do a spoken word tribute to Tony Williams. I've not heard it and wonder if anyone else has.

The question I have about Keltner is...what's with the sunglasses? Probably sleeps in 'em.