Ted Gioia - Do drummers live longer? - $100 gigs - Old Musicians - Happy Birthday Ringo
Enjoy the view
“WARNING” Michael Welch is not a writer, he’s not a poet. He’s a decent drummer with crazy ideas about music, rhythm and sound. But, he’s not a real writer. “Or a legitimate Poet” How could he be? He knows nothing about proper punctuation, form, grammar or composition. The dude failed Junior High and didn’t even go to High School. His improvised prose mumbo jumbo doesn’t fit any expository, persuasive, narrative, descriptive or creative styles. He thinks he has some sort of unique stream of consciousness Gonzo style. It’s just bizarre and crazy. Hence, read at your own risk
Ted Gioia is a real writer. He has thousands of “paid” Substack subscribers. It’s what he does and he does it well.
Me? I’m not a real writer, I do the best I can. With over 600 Substack Post, I have less than “50” subscribers. Go Figure!
He recently wrote an article titled, Do Drummers Live Longer?
His main subject was the great drummer Roy Haynes (1925-)
Mr. Haynes (AKA-Snap, Crackle) is an amazing drummer and musician. He’s always sounded and played with the ultimate hipness, decades ahead of his time.
In Mr. Gioia’s article, he writes that drummers burn up 600 calories in just an hour of drumming. I’m not so sure about that. It’s possible, if you’re a heavy metal drummer playing double bass drums in high temperatures.
Roy Haynes made everything look so cool and relaxed. On the other hand, Elvin Jones was famous for perspiration streaming from his body. Buddy Rich was also known to work up a sweat.
Looking back to the early inventors of swing and jazz, you have Baby Dodds and Big Sid Catlett. Those guys were not trim and slim. (Hence their names, Baby and Big.
In 2024, I look at myself in the mirror (I’m not the 160 pounder I was, 5 decades ago)
Drummers and musicians are usually trim because they’re “starving artist” still working for peanuts. I made $200 a-week in 1968, playing in a popular top 40 Band. I was 18. The bandleader called me “money-bags” $100 gigs have been the standard since ----?
In 2024, there’s a long list of elderly musicians still touring.
Willie Nelson 90, Frankie Valli 90, Herb Alpert 88, Buddy Guy 87, Cliff Richard 83, Tom Jones 83, Dionne Warwick 83, Smokey Robinson 83, Bob Dylan 82, John McLaughlin 82, Paul Simon 82, Andy Summer 82, Brian Wilson 81, Paul McCartney 81, Roger Waters 80, Keith Richards 80, Steve Miller 80, George Benson 80, Mick Jagger 80.
My abbreviated list of artist age 70 plus include: Diana Ross 79, Peter Cetera 79, Roger Daltry 79, Rod Stewart 79, Neil Young 78, Eric Clapton 78 and Dolly Parton 78.
We just lost legendary Bluesman John Mayall, at the age of 90.
There’s another individual that’s in great shape, plays the drums and he just turned 83.
Happy Birthday Ringo
So (There-Ya-Go) That’s my take of it.
BaDaBoom