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I received an email a few days ago from Richard Bailey, requesting that the record be set straight re: who did the drumming on Jeff Beck's seminal jazz/rock fusion album, Blow by Blow (1975, Epic/Sony Japan). Simple. It was Richard Bailey. Seems that a rumor has been making the rounds on various blogs and print outlets that the wonderfully intricate, high-octane work on tunes like "Scatterbrain" was actually done by another great drummer from that period, Billy Cobham. This is patently untrue. As Bailey said in his email, he was "the one and only drummer on Blow by Blow", that esteemed work that influenced so much of the rock, jazz and jazz/rock fusion that followed, as well as two other tracks for Beck's subsequent jazz/rock monster, Wired(1976, Epic/Sony Japan) -- the Mingus tune "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Head for Backstage Pass".
Bailey's versatility has made him a first-call kitman for four decades. In addition to the work he did with Beck, he's recorded with ex-Rolling Stone Mick Taylor, Steve Roach and Brian Eno. More recently he has been an integral part of Steve Winwood's two important return-to-form recordings, 2003's About Time (Wincraft) and last year's Nine Lives (Columbia), and he regularly performs and records with the excellent acid jazz/rock/soul fusion collective Incognito.
17 comments:
In my humble opinion, Richard Bailey is unsurpassed in Fusion music. Musical approach (perfecto)
Ass kickin stuff.
Norm Brunelle
I was just listening to Air Blower off Blow by Blow and was wondering who was doing that amazing drum work - did a Google search and voila!
Amazing, amazing stuff.
I just learned that RIchard Bailyr was ONLY 17 YEARS OLD when he recorded Blow by Blow. My Gawd, this is a monster album, and is not only y favorite guitar album of all time but is also one of my favorite drum albums of all time!!! The groove and the feel throughout the album is unsurpassed just about anywhere...how do they go from absolute in-the-pocket funk to wailing ballads, to straight out hard-rock-fusion...seamlessly, all with hyper-syncopation and yet maintaining the smoothest feeling, like they aren't breaking a sweat. Thank you Richard Bailey and the rest of the Blow by Blow crew!
Richard Bailey's work on 'Blow by Blow' won my heart and mind.
As a drum enthusiast, this recorded work defines many of my personal standards. Only after years of daily, part-time persistence can I achieve my own style derivations with the bare-minimum authenticity/feel/smoothness.
Richard is a pillar of modern drum society.
Agreed on all the above comments. Richard is one of the
unsung heroes of the mid-seventies fusion era and it is truly astounding to read that he was just seventeen when he recorded "Blow By Blow". Incredible maturity and feel---he was as important to the success of that record as Harvey Mason and Mike Clark were to the success of Herbie's timeless "Headhunters" and "Thrust" albums.
I've been listening to Jeff Becks' Blow by Blow for the last 2 or three years and never knew who the hell had laid down those drum tracks. I finally sat down and did some research and land on Wikipedia Jeff Beck's page. It also list Bernard Purdie as a drummer on that album. So what gives? Either way, phenomenal drumming and is one of my favorites along with Simmon Phillips, two very different styles with unique styles. Awesome!
Bailey is the only drummer on BbB. Carmine Appice originally played on several tracks but his parts were not in the final cuts as there was a dispute between his mgmt and Becks. Pity. Bailey's work is fantastic although it was like a millstone - artists would want him to duplicate that free style on their less inspired work.
Thank you, Scott. Somehow I missed your comment last April, but it is published now. The historians and scholars of jazz/rock thank you. :-)
Hi Karl. This is great that you've put the record straight!
Richard is an awesome musician with a unique voice as a player and I have had the immense pleasure and privilege of working with him recently. He performs on my next EP (to be released autumn 2017) and is in my current band line up! I'm planning gigs now for 2018.
Check this website link to see and hear him playing some of my compositing live in the studio: http://www.mikemcevoyband.com
As a teen drummer growing up in the 70s I was always impressed with the drumming on Blow by Blow. It influenced my playing a lot. Only more recently did I bother to look into who was drummer on that record. Richard Bailey's playing is amazing and given he was only 17 is mind blowing.
Mr Bailey is a pioneer , especially his use of High Hat , that no one has done as well prior
It is great that so many younger players were influenced by Richard Bailey's playing on Blow by Blow.
A couple of points...the mention of Billy Cobham in the text ("the wonderfully intricate, high-octane work on tunes like "Scatterbrain" was actually done by another great drummer from that period, Billy Cobham") does a great deservice to Mr. Cobham. Richard Bailey is and was not on the level of the man who single handedly invented and fully developed "fusion" drumming. I don't need to recap Billy's exhaustive list of innovations on drumset...please google him to get some perspective.
Opinions are great in that everyone has them and they are valid to each person making them. However, "Richard Bailey is unsurpassed in Fusion music" is a gross exaggeration. "Richard is a pillar of modern drum society"...??? Since when? What other killer recordings has he made that make him such a pillar modern drum society? Finally, "Mr Bailey is a pioneer , especially his use of High Hat". You got that assessment from this one album? I will listen Blow by Blow it again but it does seem to me that people exaggerate. When it came out, I found the drumming sterile and not spontaneous. A lot of young players who had been influenced by Billy Cobham could play like that. I found that I missed Carmine Appice...he would have generated more excitement.
It is very nice that people appreciate Bailey's work!
It is great that so many younger players were influenced by Richard Bailey's playing on Blow by Blow.
A couple of points...the mention of Billy Cobham in the text ("the wonderfully intricate, high-octane work on tunes like "Scatterbrain" was actually done by another great drummer from that period, Billy Cobham") does a great deservice to Mr. Cobham. Richard Bailey is and was not on the level of the man who single handedly invented and fully developed "fusion" drumming. I don't need to recap Billy's exhaustive list of innovations on drumset...please google him to get some perspective.
Opinions are great in that everyone has them and they are valid to each person making them. However, "Richard Bailey is unsurpassed in Fusion music" is a gross exaggeration. "Richard is a pillar of modern drum society"...??? Since when? What other killer recordings has he made that make him such a pillar modern drum society? Finally, "Mr Bailey is a pioneer , especially his use of High Hat". You got that assessment from this one album? I will listen Blow by Blow it again but it does seem to me that people exaggerate. When it came out, I found the drumming sterile and not spontaneous. A lot of young players who had been influenced by Billy Cobham could play like that. I found that I missed Carmine Appice...he would have generated more excitement.
It is very nice that people appreciate Bailey's work!
I am a drummer of 50 years, and have heard many excellent drummers. When other musicians tell who there favorite is, I suggest they listen to Richard Bailey on Blow by Blow. Phew!!! Nearly every time I saddle up to the drums, I warmup with chops I’ve learned off that epic recording. Thank you Richard Bailey.
I am a drummer of 50 years and have heard many an excellent drummer when other musicians tell me who their favorite drummer is I suggest they listen to Richard Bailey on the blow by blow recording wow Most times when I saddle up to the drums I warm up with chops I’ve learned from that recording thank you Richard Bailey
Brilliant!!!
One day I sat down to write my first fusion tune. I figured I would start with something that sounded like a quintessential fusion drum part. For inspiration, I put on Scatterbrain.
Nuff said.
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