Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio -although we don't hear too much of him, at least here in Europe- is a very busy man: besides his work with Polytown lately, he is also pretty busy working on his drum set at home. Sure enough, all of us Zappa fans realize the weight of Bozzio's contributions to FZ's work (just think of Live in New York with the irresistible The Black Page), but Bozzio is a lot more than a damn good drummer who was once member of Zappa's band, he is one of the most innovative drummers around: this guy was pretty early with his double bass-drum, he was one of the first (if not the first) to mount several cymbals on each other, thus creating some sort of 'double-deck' or 'triple-deck' or whatever (you name it!), he was the one who started mounting (preferably thick, heavy) cymbals in a rototomframe for a dryer, trashier sound, he pushed Paiste (his cymbal-maker) to start coloring their cymbals (this idea didn't seem attractive to Paiste in the beginning, and sales-figures "proved" that they were right, but just recently they started making black cymbals -conceptual continuity?- under the outspoken support of Terry Bozzio, and hey ..they do sell here in Europe!) and so on and on ... But besides being an extremely inventive and creative person in terms of 'use of the equipment', Bozzio's "big thing" of the past few years is without any doubt the development of the idea of "the drummer as a solo-artist". Through his amazing skill, and his amazing concept and imagination, Bozzio has established the idea of "solo-drummer". Bozzio occasionally gives master classes in drum schools, gives clinics all over the world and plays] solo-concerts all over the world. Last year, I was there when he played an hour-and-a-half-concert in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and djeez ... I never saw a thing quite like that in my whole life! Bozzio played a pattern with, say, both his feet, and solo-ed over this pattern with his hands, He then changed the pattern, started playing it with left foot and left arm, and solo-ed with "the remaining parts of his body", and so on! It truly flabbergasted me! He calls this "patterns-with-incredible-solos-over-it type of drumming": melodic drumming with ostinatos. He released three lesson-videos in which he explains his approach to the drum set ("Melodic drumming and the ostinato vol. 1,2,3"), also there must be a video with a solo-concert of his on it, and he released two (if I'm not mistaking) CD's with his drum music. All of these are by post-order only: you should ask your local music-store about that. One thins is for sure: you really should check out this man's solo-career!
Pictures
Discography
Discography - coming soon.Setup
A percussion array that spans sixteen feet, includes literally dozens of drums and cymbals, and requires no fewer than eleven pedals to operate must require several drummers to play it. But there's only one Terry Bozzio.
Musical credits ranging from the eccentric and ultra-complex compositions of Frank Zappa to the new-wave pop of Missing Persons, and from the blazing progressive rock of UK, the Brecker Brothers, and Jeff Beck to the esoteric stylings of the Lonely Bears should demand the talents of several different drummers. But there's only one Terry Bozzio.
Drums
Drum Workshop
A. 2x8 piccolo tom, B. 2x8 piccolo tom, C. 2x8 piccolo tom, D. 2x8 piccolo tom E. 5x8 tom, F. 5x8 tom, G. 6x8 tom, H. 6x8 tom, I. 5x12 solid shell snare J. 7x8 tom, K. 8x10 tom, L. 9x12 tom, M. 12x14 floor tom, N. 14x16 floor tom O. 16x18 floor tom, P. 8x28 remote bass drum, Q. 18x22 bass drum, R. 8x22 woofer S. 2x8 piccolo tom (played with remote foot pedal), T. 8x20 remote bass drum
Cymbals
Sabian Radia
1. 8" splash/ 8" China combo, 2. 12" splash/ 14" China combo, 3. 8" splash 4. 16" crash, 5. 10" splash, 6. 18" crash, 7. 18" China/ 8" crash combo, 8. 10" China/ 8" crash combo 9. 20" China/ 18" crash combo, 10. 12" China/ 10" crash combo, 11. 20" crash 12. 12" splash, 13. 22" crash, 14. 14" crash, 15. 20" China/ 20" crash combo 16. 16" China/ 14" crash combo, 17. 26" gong, 18. 13 1/2" heavy bell, 19. 8" chime 20. 14" hi-hats with bell disc for bottom cymbal, 21. 20" China/ 10" flat ride combo 22. 7" chime, 23. 8" hi-hat with bell disc for bottom cymbal, 24. 8" chime 25. 12" heavy bell,, 26. 7 1/2" chime, 27. 11" heavy bell, 28. 13" hi-hats, 29. 13" heavy bell 30. 9" chime, 31. 14" heavy bell, 32. 9 1/2 heavy bell, 33. 18"/15" Chinas on remote hi-hat 34. 20"/16" Chinas on remote hi-hat, a. Remo Spoxe hi-hat
Artist Links
TERRY BOZZIO - THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE
MORE BOZZIO LINKS
An Interview With Terry Bozzio