SLIM JIM'S IDEA OF STANDING UP DRUM PLAYING

Anyone know where Slim Jim got the idea to stand up while playing the drums? Was he one of the first or did he copy it and make it Rockabilly History? Thanks

Dickie BeBop Harrell of Gene Vincent's Blue Caps was the first rock & roll drummer to that but I guess
there was some westernswing drummers before him. Bob Willis Texas Playboys' drummer played standing up, at least in a picture that I saw.

The following is taken from Jim's Rockabilly Rocking Swing Tuition video Q&A section:

"And, another question I get asked all the time is "Jim, why do you stand up to play the drums?"
I'm gonna let you all in on a little secret, it's hemorrhoids, that's the real reason, I've never told anyone that before in my life but you guys are..... No, the REAL reason (laughs) is when we had the concept to do the Stray Cats we wanted to get a band that would get everyone in to the front of the stage and a way to do that would be to bring the drums up as well and during the time, during the 70s, the late 70s it was kinda a rebellion against big gothic rock bands who had 85 thousand pieces on the drums and you couldn't even see who was behind the drums sometimes, "who is that guy back there?!". So we'd seen some photographs of some early rockabilly artists especially Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps and their drummer would stand up and we thought he was standing up and playing but we actually got to know these guys in later life and found out that they only used to do it in photographs. So we moved all of us in to the front of the stage and at first I just had a cymbal and snare drum, not even a bass drum for a little while, cause it was really hard at first to kinda get the balance right."

AWESOME!!!!! THAT WAS GREAT THANKS GOOD FOLKS!!!!

What I find AMAZING about Slim Jim is that he gets such a full sound out of so little amount of drums, including the standing up playing.I mean all he has is bass,snare,symbol and sometimes I think its a floor tom?or something like that. He just gets an awsome sound out of it. I reckon he's that good he could make old pots&pans or oil drums sound good."Very Talented Drummer"
Cabon Cat UK

Faith,
it seems to me that Jim or Brian said that the reason was they played in the beginning in some clubs in NY and there was no real place on "stage". The Cats were very close to the people, so Jim had to play stand up. Can it be an explanation too? Or am I wrong?

Thanks

FrenchyCat

Here in Germany, we've got a cool rockabilly-Band called Boppin' B, and they' ve also got a drummer who's standing behind the drums. Some Time ago, he gave an Interview, and told the magazine that there are two reasons why he is standing while he's playing.

Number One: when they started playing, he had just a Snaredrum and a Cymbal, and it just looked stupid when he was sitting.

Number Two: The shuffle Grooves he was playing just worked better when he was standing behind the Drums.

I play the drums, and i have to say, shuffle does seem to have a good feel to it when standing up.......I`ve only done it a few times in rehearsals, but standing does seem to help it flow.....

Dave

To me it seems tough to play the pedal of the base drum.
Don't you mainly stand on your "hi-hat leg"?.
Or hop around a la Slim Jim?
I believe you're very limited using your legs, when you drum standing up.

It is very limiting. No open hi hat work, and no complicated bass drum patterns. That`s why i will play sitting down.

But for raw rockabilly, do you need open hi hats, or fancy bass patterns ?

Dave

This has all been very informative. I would agree that space on a small stage is premium, especially in NYC where they surely kicked it. Plus they idolized Gene Vincents group, so alittle copying and modernizing.

I will agree that he gets a great sound, and I think some low end bass drum help and rythm comes from Lee Rockers Slap technique that helps get the timing.

Either way, the combo fo all these makes for one cool show. I was rewatching Brixton and Slim Jim was like buzzing with energy and joy and to your point getting a great beat. Thanks again

Yeah don't get me wrong.
Limited or not, Jim sounds great!
And he does use a hi hat but to my opinion set somewhere between open and close.
Or am I talking sh#t?

Patrick, for songs that Jim uses a hi-hat, i believe he just places them on the stand, probably with the clutch loose.

This will create the sound you say - not open, but not clamped closed. Just sitting loose on the stand, so there will be a small amount of movement in the hats.

Dave

Slim Jim,
howl'in and scream'in
hitt'in not miss'in.

Wee Mark.

I think no-on can sit down at a Cats gig, there's a lot of energy among the audience and the musicians...

rg9l@libero.it wrote:

I think no-on can sit down at a Cats gig, there's a lot of energy among the audience and the musicians...

Questo e verissimo!!!

FrenchyCat

Yeh Jim's like a cat on a hot tin roof.Never seen a bloke with so much energy!!
Its Great!! especially when he jumps off his kit.Iv'e got some pic's of him jumping and he looks like he's 5-6 feet in the air.

Carbon Cat UK

carboncat wrote:

especially when he jumps off his kit.Iv'e got some pic's of him jumping
Carbon Cat UK

I have tried to do the same with some friends of mine but I have broken the bass drum
Then I was a "Run away boy"!

Nice One rg9l@libero.it

We do some crazy things at times
Jim's the right build for what he does.
I would need a heavy weight bass drum to carry my frame @16st. it would probably crack under the pressure. There would definately be some "run away boys" then!
Take Care rg9l@libero.it

Carbon Cat UK

donpepe wrote:

Dickie BeBop Harrell of Gene Vincent's Blue Caps was the first rock & roll drummer to that but I guess
there was some westernswing drummers before him. Bob Willis Texas Playboys' drummer played standing up, at least in a picture that I saw.

Please don't take this the wrong way, and i het to be pedantic, but... Dickie Harrell only stood up for the photo shoot i think. He mainly played a conventional trap kit.

Subjective, and what have i opened up???

With affection

Mikey x

Mikey wrote:

Subjective, and what have i opened up???

Nothing that hadn't been mentioned already (in Jim's answer that Faith posted, in case you were wondering).

WildCat wrote:

Mikey wrote:

Subjective, and what have i opened up???

Nothing that hadn't been mentioned already (in Jim's answer that Faith posted, in case you were wondering).

Doh!!! Sorry Note to self - read posts thoroughly before responding!

Ohhh before i go did anyone know that Brian Setzer was once in aband called The Stray Cats!!!

I am a mine of information I am!

Mikey Repetative x