Things That Make You Go "Boom!"

Modern Drummer : MD, 20090305 by Dawson, Mike

I hate to admit it, but before reading this month's tribute feature to the late, great Earl Palmer, I wasn't all that aware of just how crucial his drumming was to the evolution of how we play the instrument. Sure, I'd heard the songs; "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly," and "La Bamba" were all in heavy rotation on my parents' favorite "oldies" stations when I was growing up. But until now, I never thought about just how innovative that music was, especially considering that Palmer's slick swing/straight backbeat groove wasn't simply something that everybody did. Rather, it was the beat that ushered in the rock 'n' roll movement. Think about that the next time your left hand slams rimshots on 2 and 4 while your right hand skids across the ride with a steady stream of 8th notes....

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