Drum 'n' Pace
Drumming, unfortunately always seems to take a step back from its fellow musical disciplines. That's not to say that there haven't been some amazing drummers over the years. It's just that next to the supernova light of rock-god guitarists and front-men, the drummer's star has struggled to shine. It stands to reason, that a drummer has to work doubly hard to get to the point where they can release a solo album and you cannot fail to notice that work ethic on "Prime Cuts"
Carl Palmer is another drummer who has managed to forge a solo career, however, much of what I've heard seems to be Emerson, Lake and Palmer material in the first place. "Prime Cuts" is also a glance back over Terry Bozzio's career, but unlike Palmer, this retrospective is a real hotchpotch of different music. Showcasing Bozzio'z diversity, the album pools together some of the very best of his solo work and the music of Terry and pals. Consequently the album meanders from one genre to another without ever sounding disjointed. I can only put this down to the one thing they all have in common; Bozzio's drumming. Alas you must remember, this is a man who worked alongside the late, great Frank Zappa, the master of many a school of music. (Zappa fans mustn't miss the 15-minute video interview with Bozzio recalling those halcyon days.) From pure rock to the downright weird and wonderful - apparently Zappa's influence has rubbed off!
Opening with "Sick Jazz Surgery", those of you that don't already know of Bozzio's expertise will be struck by how esoteric a percussionist he is. It sounds all the more fabulous for being a pre cursor too much anthemic, so-heavy-it's-almost-metal rock or the show-stopping cartoonesque "Dreaming in Titanium". (Think a Tom and Jerry chase played out on synths and drums!)
With albums like this, it easy to forget that you're listening for a drummer as opposed to the whole band. Having said that, it’s not to say that the music doesn't stand up on it's own...it's just, when you concentrate on the drumming, it's that much better. A percussionist of orchestral precision, every beat on this album is accounted for. Accurately placed and the timbre adjusted until it is nigh on perfect. This is a drumming maestro at work.