Why I always watch the drummer

You know the tired old joke, don't you?

"What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?

A drummer."

Oh ho ho ho.  Collapse of stout party.

The opposite is true, as it were.  The drummer is the measure of the health of a band. The bassist can sometimes phone it in, if they choose to.  But if the drummer is staring at the walls and flailing ineffectually at the skins, it's a sign that their heart is not in the music, and that there may not be a heart to the music at all.

I take as my example Nick Falla, of the late and much lamented Right Turn Left.  He never phoned it in, when I saw them perform.  Intense, in the 'Repo Man' sense of the word.  And then there's Clementine, the drummer with the Led Zep tribute band 'Zepparella';  go and watch their video of 'When the Levee Breaks', which is one of my favourite YouTube videos of all time and yes, I can enjoy it even with my eyes closed.

And I was reminded of them when I came across this video.  This is Jon Stone, from the band called The Indieannas who hail from Buxton, Derbyshire.  I love that town, that county, and my ashes are to be scattered in the river at Hartington, and good riddance.  I have listened to their published tracks, and I have pronounced them high energy and fine.  So much music, so little time ...

Any road up, look at the commitment.  Imagine yourself perched on an uncomfortable little stool, in a smokey cellar club, not only trying to co-ordinate two drumsticks but a foot pedal for the bass drum, and in many instances another pedal for a hi-hat (whatever the hell that is).  

Slap those skins and lids for us, Jon: