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Tubularman Group: Awaiting Authorisation Posts: 2304 Joined: June 2004 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 08:01 What is your favorite drum? What song (or songs) have the best rythm? -------------- Mike Oldfield M i x e s https://soundcloud.com/tubularman Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 08:54 The obvious one would be Ommadawn pt1 with the African drums.But then there's Mount Tiede and the end bit of Crises (the track)where the percussion builds up towards the finale.And of course the drum break in the knebworth version of Ommadawn (gods bless you Pierre). -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 09:15 I agree with Caveman above about Ommadawn as well as all of the other African bits in Mike's music - the Africa parts of Amarok, Celt, Far Above the Clouds. About the best rythm, I like it when Mike manages to play over unusual beats while still remaining within conventional structures, so probably the best one in this respect is indeed Mount Teide, which is straight 4/4 all the way through... but just try counting one-two-three-four while you are listening to it!! -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 09:33 I suppose my fav. drum would be a deep bass tom. I like the drums on "Foreign Affair". Simple and cool. I think it was an Oberheim DX drum machine. Also "The Lake" has very exciting drums. Jim -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 10:41 In addition to all of the above, I'd like to mention the African percussion in Incantations (Song of Hiawatha). And Conflict. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Oct. 08 2008, 12:44 Ugo you're right.It's definatley 4/4 but it kind of skips beats.I'm running it through my head (I can do that and hear everything as if on cd-wierd)and yes it's 4/4 but hard work. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 05:19 I really love a lot of the bass and drum parts on Platinum especialy the Charleston section.Those session dudes just sound so tight on that album.Both the Ommadawn and Crises finales would have to be high up there for me as well I`d agree on that one..And The Lake is a good shout as well with old Simon Phillips again.Who also plays some great stuff on Music From The Balcony I think..In fact yeah anything with Simon Phillips on it is pretty much as good as it gets for me. I think for me though a lot of Mike`s greatest rhythms feature very litte drums/percussion at all imo.That great bass line from Hergest Ridge for instance leading into the climax of side one.Or Incantatons in general as a whole has got so many fantastic rhythms going on in it it`s untrue.Although bringing the drums back for a second I particularly love that kind of African drum and clap backdrop to the Diana section of side one.Works so perfectly with Mike`s relentless driving/nodding bass line there as well,great stuff.In fact speaking of things "nodding" I`m convinced that plays a major part in my enjoyment of that album.You know you can`t help but have an affirmative reaction to something when you`re sat there nodding your head for the best part of 73 minutes.So yeah come on all you Incantation nay sayers give your heads a shake there.In fact no, do the complete opposite in fact that`s maybe where you`ve been going wrong all these years? Of Mike`s more loop based sort of stuff I really love the kind of latent energy of tracks like Crystal Clear,Viper or Our Father.Melodicaly speaking there`s maybe not a great deal going on in any of those tracks to an extent.But they just have a great feel and soul about them to me.You can almost move yourself into the spaces within the music somehow.All I need now is for Mike to record an album entitled.."Variations On A Theme of When The Levee Breaks". and I`d be absoulutely made up. Back to top

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 06:11 Speaking of Simon Phillips I`d like to give a special mention to In High Places which is a particular favourite of mine rhythmicaly.I don`t know what it is about that track in particular it just seems to work so well as a whole for me.I suppose timing wise it`s kind of a reggae thing maybe but because all of the musicians are kind of playing off each other it becomes something so much more somehow.Phillips in particular plays this great little shuffle thing and he`s constantly changing the accents on the hi-hats and stuff.You know a lot of drummers really struggle with those kind of patterns but Phillips makes it sound so effortless and exciting.And then coupled with that insistent synth rhythm of Mike`s and Pierre`s vibraphone occasionaly joined by Mike`s guitar weaving in and out.It becomes this kind of ever changing thing that is still so rhythmically intoxicating at the same time if you like.And I suppose Jon Anderson as well who sings so very rhythmicaly a lot of the time he certainly adds to that for me also. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 06:28 I can't go past the 'watcher and the tower' section from Crises. I often get those drums stuck in my head! Another Simon Phillips highlight is from about 12:15 on Music from the Balcony. I've always loved Simon Philips' drums, I think they add that real rock element to Mike's early 80s stuff. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 07:17 Simon Philips was a highly sought after drummer back then.I have a Jack Bruce album from the 70's (How's Tricks)that has Simon Philips on it.He looks very young on the cover!He also played with The Who.  Dirk,the idea of Mike doing ANYTHING Led Zep is hugley intriguing.I remeber reading an interview when Mike was listing his influences and he stated he loves the first bit of Whole Lotta Love "Untill Plant starts singing,after that i don't like it".Not a Percy fan then. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 09:05 Quote (Dirk Star @ Oct. 09 2008, 05:19) Incantatons in general as a whole has got so many fantastic rhythms going on in it it`s untrue. That's very true, - there are many driving, 'nodding' rhythms, and the xylophone is exceptional at this.   Incantations has also got some great rhythm change overs; - side1 (8.56), side3 (2.12), side4 (2.39)...to name a few. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Oct. 09 2008, 09:19 Better than that there's a lot of polyrhythmic stuff in there.Really complex stuff!The bit leading up to the finale on side 4 is a good example.The bass is playing one rhythm over the percussion which is playing another so they coincide at different points.Now that's clever. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 03:47 Quote (The Caveman @ Oct. 09 2008, 14:19) Better than that there's a lot of polyrhythmic stuff in there.Really complex stuff!The bit leading up to the finale on side 4 is a good example.The bass is playing one rhythm over the percussion which is playing another so they coincide at different points.Now that's clever. Yeah that`s a great section all round Caveman one of my favourites.Some of what you say there is what I was trying to drive at with In High Places as well, in the way the accents of the rhythm`s kind of keep meeting up at different points throughout the track.Just really mesmerising all that kind of stuff when it works.And quite a humourus/interesting quote there from Mike regarding Led Zep.I mean all I was really refering to was John Bonham`s drum track there essentialy.I just think as regards to Mike`s more loop based material that he seems more at ease somehow at that sort of tempo and rhytmical feel if you like.Where as for me if you take something like Quicksilver for instance which I actualy do like.I just think overall he maybe does`nt sound as comfortable there for me.Just little things really such as the way he tries to fit those little guitar runs in and such. @Wiga yes I love all those sudden rhythmical changes you`re refering to there.The one on side three especialy always gives me goosebumps as it leads into that stunning guitar solo. Back to top

Tubularman Group: Awaiting Authorisation Posts: 2304 Joined: June 2004 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 07:10 im almost in love in the drums of Africa III Baker, from Amarok. That rythm along with the words of "Thatcher" gives me feel good shivers. Its a rocking good album and full with emotions. Great end with great drums. (some of the best ending songs by mike too) "Celt" gives me some of the same feeling. The Song Of Hiawatha from Incantations Part 2 © 1977 is also very good. That is why i did this mix   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8BRO-NCBNk Not to forget about "Ommadawn" of course. + inspired of it "Far above the clouds." -------------- Mike Oldfield M i x e s https://soundcloud.com/tubularman Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 08:21 Quote (The Caveman @ Oct. 09 2008, 07:17)  Dirk,the idea of Mike doing ANYTHING Led Zep is hugley intriguing.I remeber reading an interview when Mike was listing his influences and he stated he loves the first bit of Whole Lotta Love "Untill Plant starts singing,after that i don't like it".Not a Percy fan then. Wow, that's surprisingly a lot like me. I don't like Led Zeppelin as a band, really, but I'm quite confident they'd have been a far better band if you removed all the vocals from the recordings. What do you know? You could rewrite history and name them as the definitive influence to the Mogwai / Don Caballero / 65daysofstatic instrumental post-rock stuff. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 08:51 Pesonally i love Led Zep.As Dirk says When The Levee Breaks has a drum sound to die for.All done very simply too.Stairwell in a big house and a couple of mics.Now officially the most sampled drum track ever.But with regards to Sir M comments i must admit that Percy's vocals do occasionally grate a little.  Another good little rhythm is the nuts keyboard bit in Oribidoo.The Tim Cross written section prior to the end guiat solo before Ireland's Eye.Ok there's synth drums behind it all but it has a dizzying quality to it.Impossible to play on guitar though i'm convinced....unless i grow a couple of extra fingers on my left hand. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Bassman Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: Feb. 2008 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 10:29 Well, if you're talking about shorter tracks where the drums are played by one guy, I think Phil Collins' sound on "Sheba" is excellent.  Clean, crisp, always tasteful.  Same goes for "Airborne".  On longer pieces it doesn't get much better than Simon Phillips' work on "Crises".  The guy's a monster on that one. On pieces with several players... you can't disagree with Jabula's work on "Ommadawn".  The percussion isn't showy or flashy, but it's relentless and hypnotic, steady as a rock. I want to make mention that the snare sound on "Family Man" is killer!  A harsh, trashy sound that suits the production perfectly! (As for Zep... well, guess you had to be there.) -------------- Turn up the music... Hi as Fi can go. Back to top

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Oct. 10 2008, 16:37 For Rock N Roll drumming it's got to be "Crises." He slams it down (at 13.36) as if to say the drum's are in charge here, and from then on ratchets the gears on his own terms so to speak. At 16.03 he's got that baby cranked up  and cruising for Mike to strut his screaming guitar. Awesome drumming. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: Oct. 13 2008, 00:58 I'm fond of the percussion in "Empyrean". I just wish it lasted longer. -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Starwatcher Group: Members Posts: 129 Joined: June 2004 Posted: Oct. 19 2008, 16:05 You're so right, Sweetpea. Can't get enough of it, too. -------------- "...but every while I would remember..." Back to top

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