Uploaded January 2008 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Welcome to my most controversial video on YouTube.
After over 40 videos, 100,000 views, 6500 channel views, 120 subscribers, 4.5 or 5 stars on all my vids, and people from across the globe generally really enjoying my stuff, here at long last is a video that seems to have truly upset a few people. Judge for yourself -
The problem is that I did not prepare a great deal, and I did not bother to try and accurately copy the opening rim-shot - hi-hat thing. I did this (a) because I had assumed it was all done with a delay/echo whatever in a studio (b) that therefore it would be pointless to try and copy it and (c) that it was probably not possible to copy anyway, especially with a non-bouncing Flix stick.
Well, it seems I was right on point (a), but wrong on (b) and (c). One of my subscribers has indeed found a way to copy it - have a look at his comments and his advice for a variation on a paraddidle! Very impressive! (and you should post a vid of this, by the way!)
For those of you who felt it necessary to be blunt on your dislike for what I did, perhaps you could post a vid yourselves and show me how to do it properly?
Ok, well, here you go -- two takes, one straight after the other, with a minute of me practising the tricky rimshot / hi-hat intro thing in between. I hope it entertains you!
I could not resist posting both versions on here, 'cos the first one is just funny, the middle bit is perhaps of interest to a few of you (or maybe not!), and the second take is about as close as I am gonna get without bursting a blood vessel or spontaneously combusting or something!
This was requested by one of my subscribers (I thank you, young lady from Italy), and boy, is it frantic! There is lots of technical stuff going on, lots of vintage Copeland magic, typical bass drum pumping out eights but not on the 2 and 4, gorgeous, gorgeous ride bell work and just incredible speed, improvisation, groove and power. A real challenge to cover, frankly.
The intro with the rimshots and hi-hat is just evil. I don't know if Stewart used echo or whatever in the studio, (it seems to be the consensus that he did) but trying to copy it, especially with plastic Flix sticks (less bounce), is not at all easy. I have simply played a random pattern, that sort of is the same (but obviously is too far off the mark for many people!) And then when the snare comes in on the three's, with the ride accents, it is just beautiful. So hard to keep the groove and feel, and move the ride and crash and open hi-hats around, with that little bass drum double going on. It reminds me of 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' in terms of drums, at this point, only it is much harder (and I found 'Magic' hard).
Once the snare starts hitting the 2 and 4, you get a couple of three stroke rolls, but with a flam 1st note as well, that makes it sound like a four stroke roll (that's what I think and hear, anyway). Unfortunately the acoustics in my new drum room don't allow you to hear my two fills properly (one on snare, then one on toms) which is a shame.
The first take is certainly a messy affair, but hopefully you will laugh when you hear my reaction during the take and at the end. The second take is fairly close to what I wanted to achieve, so we will go with that.
You may notice that I have moved my little 6" zil-bel over the ride cymbal, so I can use it to good (?) effect in this song.
Once again, sorry about acoustics. My new room is horribly 'live' and it is difficult to get the music loud enough, and the bass drum to punch through. I am working on it!
Welcome to my most controversial video on YouTube.
After over 40 videos, 100,000 views, 6500 channel views, 120 subscribers, 4.5 or 5 stars on all my vids, and people from across the globe generally really enjoying my stuff, here at long last is a video that seems to have truly upset a few people. Judge for yourself -
The problem is that I did not prepare a great deal, and I did not bother to try and accurately copy the opening rim-shot - hi-hat thing. I did this (a) because I had assumed it was all done with a delay/echo whatever in a studio (b) that therefore it would be pointless to try and copy it and (c) that it was probably not possible to copy anyway, especially with a non-bouncing Flix stick.
Well, it seems I was right on point (a), but wrong on (b) and (c). One of my subscribers has indeed found a way to copy it - have a look at his comments and his advice for a variation on a paraddidle! Very impressive! (and you should post a vid of this, by the way!)
For those of you who felt it necessary to be blunt on your dislike for what I did, perhaps you could post a vid yourselves and show me how to do it properly?
Ok, well, here you go -- two takes, one straight after the other, with a minute of me practising the tricky rimshot / hi-hat intro thing in between. I hope it entertains you!
I could not resist posting both versions on here, 'cos the first one is just funny, the middle bit is perhaps of interest to a few of you (or maybe not!), and the second take is about as close as I am gonna get without bursting a blood vessel or spontaneously combusting or something!
This was requested by one of my subscribers (I thank you, young lady from Italy), and boy, is it frantic! There is lots of technical stuff going on, lots of vintage Copeland magic, typical bass drum pumping out eights but not on the 2 and 4, gorgeous, gorgeous ride bell work and just incredible speed, improvisation, groove and power. A real challenge to cover, frankly.
The intro with the rimshots and hi-hat is just evil. I don't know if Stewart used echo or whatever in the studio, (it seems to be the consensus that he did) but trying to copy it, especially with plastic Flix sticks (less bounce), is not at all easy. I have simply played a random pattern, that sort of is the same (but obviously is too far off the mark for many people!) And then when the snare comes in on the three's, with the ride accents, it is just beautiful. So hard to keep the groove and feel, and move the ride and crash and open hi-hats around, with that little bass drum double going on. It reminds me of 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' in terms of drums, at this point, only it is much harder (and I found 'Magic' hard).
Once the snare starts hitting the 2 and 4, you get a couple of three stroke rolls, but with a flam 1st note as well, that makes it sound like a four stroke roll (that's what I think and hear, anyway). Unfortunately the acoustics in my new drum room don't allow you to hear my two fills properly (one on snare, then one on toms) which is a shame.
The first take is certainly a messy affair, but hopefully you will laugh when you hear my reaction during the take and at the end. The second take is fairly close to what I wanted to achieve, so we will go with that.
You may notice that I have moved my little 6" zil-bel over the ride cymbal, so I can use it to good (?) effect in this song.
Once again, sorry about acoustics. My new room is horribly 'live' and it is difficult to get the music loud enough, and the bass drum to punch through. I am working on it!
