The Genius Of Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland, longtime drummer of The Police, is one of the most unique drummers to come out of popular music in the last several decades.
His innovative sound is often instantly recognizable, between his diverse rhythmic influences, the way he creatively orchestrates patterns, and how he incorporates modern technology into his drum parts.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:35 - Getting To Know Stewart Copeland
00:55 - Signature Style
06:02 - Early Influences
10:28 - Characteristic Sound
14:02 - Use Of Technology
16:14 - Orchestrational Mind
19:54 - Outro
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#stewartcopeland #thepolice #drumeo
Click the link in the description to get a note-for-note breakdown of *exactly* what makes Stewart Copeland one of drumming’s true geniuses. 🙏 Thanks for watching!
Stewart playing sense of no time, even thinking their beats are elegantly set on the proper opportunity, leads us to determine that we are in front of a complex and very special brain wiring kind of drummer, he has all my respect.
Pretty sure he did the score for the original 'Equaliser' starring Edward Woodward. Pretty cool series and remember seeing his name in the credits
Adding to the mystery of his genius, He is also known for just tracking hi-hat and drums, and overdubbing his cymbals later, cutting off all frequency below 1k. Sometimes, it sounds like he has an extra arm - this is why. The overdubbed cymbals are recorded that way for quality control (clean sound). If you listen closely, you hear hi-hat AND ride cymbal during that chorus you posted at 3:03
One thing you didn't mention, is how hard he hits the drums. He is without a doubt one of the hardest if not the hardest hitting drummers there is.
Every little thing he does is magic
Barf!
Great fill in that song
bah doom doom tsssssch
And it is, Magic. Every little thing. That’s THE THING. He does it.
real
Due to Miles Copeland owning the record company the band I drummed in (Skafish). We were put on tour in 1980 with Police in Europe. I would stand behind him and watch Stuart every night. At one show my snare head broke and without a blink my roadie grabbed Stewart's snare sitting on the side. It was the tightest head I ever played on. If memory serves me correctly Stewart saw him take the snare, but didn't protest. Thank you for that, and for giving me many nights to watch your incredible playing!
Wow, thanks for sharing your story. You must be a very good drummer yourself since your band was paired with The Police. I would have been nervous to play before him every night even though he seems like the nicest guy in every interview I've ever seen him in.
@danielstevenson2772 our band recorded on his brother's (Miles Copeland's) record label. Miles was instrumental in getting me the gig with Iggy Pop in 1982.
tbh this is why The Police will be my #1 band, Stewart Copeland just plays so uniquely that it makes me want to listen to him over and over again.
Totally agree. His playing is intriguing to me. Many times I'm just drawn to the drum track while listening to The Police.
'music is best when it comes from the heart, not the brain'. Thank you Mister Copeland.
Hardly an original thought.
Everything comes from the brain. No brain no music. Heart sends only blood to the brain…..
@@tommyblack7998cheap
hence AI music will Never compare to the real deal.
@@leonardoiglesias2394 The heart was seen as the seat of intellect, and later emotion. I thought you'd remember that.
It’s truly amazing how a drummer can have such an impact on the sound and direction of a band. His rhythms gave the band such a unique and signature sound. Amazing!
You could say that about all members of the Police - singular talents in synergy
But without the songs.... just an excellent drummer!
Go see a band without the drummer that originally made the songs and the songs don't feel right. Good examples are Slayer without Dave Lombardo and Slipknot without Joey Jordison. It's much more the feel than the composition.
I saw The Police at the MCG in Melbourne, Australia on the 2007 tour. Wasn’t expecting it, but Stewart Copeland stole the show for me. I’m not a drummer, but my eyes were always on him. “Wrapped around your Finger” the highlight.
You could say this about many bands.
Ghost In The Machine was one of the first Police albums I bought... mainly for Every Little Thing... being part Jamaican, the song just such a part of my heritage... but it was the opener "Spirits In The Material World" that grabbed me. Sometimes, I could hear the rhythym of the drums and vocals change at the oddest times, especially when Sting sings the line, "There is no bloody revolution..." Even now, 40+ years later... that song can sound one way when I listen to it, but completely different in anothe way. Two words: Pure... Genius.
I 100% agree with you - Spirits itmw, is a unique and absolutely Brilliant song.. The bassline with Stewart´s beats is simply amazing ! I have always loved it since I first heard it in 1981/82.. Most times now, i count the beat correct, but sometimes I´m half a beat off :D Spirits... and One World are my 2 favorite songs..
I enjoy listening to Stewart talk about anything. Such an interesting character.
Stewart Copeland is one of the most interesting and fun drummers ever. And The Police one of the best bands. A trio of very talented musicians.
He is up there with Simon Phillips, killer drummer!
I grew up as a huge Peart/Copeland fan. They are both amazing and unique, but when I think about their drumming styles, one thing I've long felt is that a player with technical chops can play Rush songs, and in fact they can sound like Peart, because he has a rock-steady precision that's possible to mimic. But in all my years of listening to drums, NO ONE sounds like Copeland but Copeland. Even if other players do the sorts of things on the hi hat that Copeland does, it just doesn't sound like him. That's one of the things I love the most about Copeland. I'm not saying that to say that one is better than the other, it's just something that really makes Copeland unique to my ears.
Yes dude! Peartfectly put;)
Growing up i knew him as a name in the credits of my favorite game (Spyro). In my teens nostalgia hit and i started listening to the game soundtracks. As an adult I've learned to pick out his sound and listen closer
Because you listen to a very limited type of music. Like it was said in here, he stole the rhythym and beats from Reggae and Lebanese Baladi. I get how many Western people would think he sounds unique but in reality he just sounds like bits of both these other cultures and different from 99.99% of Western drummers who just sound like each other. Nothing wrong with that but it is what it is.
@@captainwin6333 Well he doesn't really sound like any reggae or lebanese drummers either does he...
@@captainwin6333he hasn’t stolen anything … he’s heavily influenced by them. There’s a difference
As a kid, I would always hear my dad listening to The Police. I would not find out until much later that I was also listening Stewart's music while I was playing Spyro the Dragon as a child!
Very nice! Me too!
The man behind my eternal love - the Spyro original trilogy soundtrack - love him ❤
Indeed!
As a drummer myself, Stewart is my all time most favorite drummer. He’s under appreciated & never mentioned. Yet he’s inspired me more than any drummer ever. “Message in a Bottle” is literally like the Bible to me
Stewart is right up there with Neil, Phil and Simon for me as my favourite. He plays such unusual but tasty drum parts that never fail to uplift whatever track he's on (probably the best user of hats I've ever heard). What a fantastic player.
Pretty much also _my_ favourite drummers, plus Alex Van Halen = my Top 5 😊
Very well said!!! I concur
Who's Simon?
@@mikespearwood3914I would strongly guess Simon Phillips. One of the most incredible drummers of all time and my personal favorite
@@mikespearwood3914 Simon Philips
That snare sound in 'Spirits...' is one of my favorites. Just an absolute beast of a left hand.
Stewart is not the only drummer I learned this from but, he definitely underlined and highlighted this in a way that no one else did... less is often more. You don't always need to play a lot of notes in order to have lots of impact. A streamlined choice of notes and placement within the phrase is everything.
I totally agree!! Just to name a few of my favorite guitarist when they slow it down... Jeff Beck - 'Cause We Ended As Lovers Eric Johnson - East Wes' Stevie Ray Vaughan - Riviera Paradise Joe Satriani - Always With You, Always With Me
Just like Sting's bass lines.
Very true…e.g., Chad Smith’s 30 seconds to mars cover on this channel. He killed it, and his reaction was, “the original is probably way less busy.”
Absolutely!@@LuciTulcea
I totally agree! Well said! :-D
I saw him playing with The Police in 2007. He enjoy playing so much that he energy was contiguous.😊😊
Copeland is one of maybe a handful of drummers in history whose names are known to non-musicians. Absolute legend.
That doesn't tell anything about his drummming skills, though.
@@anga7292 Why, you have doubts his immense talent ?...
Spot on with that statement!!
I bet if you asked 100 random people who Stewart Copeland is, 99 of them would say they had never heard of him.
90% of drummers maybe,50% of all other musicians,10% if lucky of general public,new generation are prettier clueless!
Stewart Copeland is the main reason I wanted to play the drums. His enthusiasm for the instrument is infectious. A drummer's drummer with a wealth of styles and rhythms.
Stewart Copeland is my all-time favorite drummer. I remember listening to my dads, 3, 8 track albums back in the mid 80s as a kid. Outlandos D Amour, Regatta De Blanc and Ghost in the Machine. My favorite drum track would be many from their different albums, but One World takes the cake. IMO, Stewart demonstrated great playing and used almost every piece of his drum kit in that one song. Also, the beat was fast and killer. The lyrics were kind of cheesy but also made the song what it was. Their best VHS tape/ concert was the original "Around the world". The band as a whole was unique, and Andy Summers added greatly to that. I think he was underrated as a guitarist because of his simple yet effective style of playing. He did have some good solos, though. Sting, well, he was Sting... Even though I saw their reunion tour in 2008 at the PNC bank arts center in NJ, the energy wasn't the same... Still a great show in the end. I was happy to have seen The Police Live.
Stewart's snare hand is as forceful and clear as any matched player's snare hand that I have heard in 45 years of listening to music. He is one the very few extremely talented and creative people in the world who has given some of it back to us to enjoy and take in. Mr. Copeland, thank you very much for being here and gracing us with your knowledge and talents.
The most significant and inventive part of his drumming in my opinion, is the way he's pushing the beat to a point where it almost feels like it's falling over. I think, it deserves a mention at least. It was totally unique and new when he did it with the Police and it completely transformed the entire pop rock music scene. Drummers everywhere are still copying it to this day. It's what gave Police it's hyper energetic feel and it's the reason people still go crazy on the dance floor to the chorus of Roxanne.
Sometimes you can hear Andy Summer tell him “too fast” in early live recordings.
Stewart blamed sting for all of the over the top tempos... now, my recollection is that he said/realized that when they started rehearsing for the reunion tours...
Stewart is definitely one of the best drummers to come out of the last 50 years imo, his playing was so inventive and perfectly fit the songs, and on top of that he just seems like one of the nicest guys ever and I love that
He has a style all his own.
my love for playing the bell of a cymbal came from Stewart Copeland and the Police ..... saw them live when I was 16 at The SCG in 1984. Amen.
CIA !!!!!
He's so passionate about his art. I love his drumming. Long Live
I grew up in the 80s and Stewart is one of my favorite drummers as well as one of my biggest influences as a player and writer (of my drum parts). His snare sound and use of crashes, hi-hats and ride patterns organically found it’s way into my own playing. I remember reading a Stewart Copeland interview in Modern Drummer. He told the story of giving a drum clinic and someone in the audience asked him to play the most difficult thing he knew. He proceeded to play a basic two and four beat to the amazement of the crowd. He went on to explain that the hardest thing to do as a drummer is to put every ounce of your soul and being into every beat you play to make that beat sound the best it can. Also being a fan of Neil Peart and Keith Moon, that sentiment really hit home with me. If memory serves, he also spoke about the importance of the drummer’s role in making each song sound its best rather than as a forum for overplaying to show off. What a gift he is to the world of drumming and music in general!
Yeah, the "overplaying" was saved for the live shows; _Then_ it was all just drums, drums, and more drums, he'd _also_ once said in an interview 😄
As a lot of people have commented here, Stewart Copeland is the reason why I started playing drums. After hearing "Driven to Tears" as a little kid I became obsessed with drumming from that point on. Thanks, Stewart!
The same for me. But the song i think was Spirits in a Material World. I was 11 or 12 and the drums struck me and I felt connected with that instrument.
Awesome!! Do you ever get a chance to play it?
@@guyelmouchnino6531 Mine was "Another Way of Stopping" that's the daddy for me.
@Glib Another Way Of Stopping is a phenomenally underrated track. One of their best.
Driven to Tears was a great choice to "dive into" the drums. You went head first!😄
Stewart always had a God-tier snare sound. That’s the sound I’m always chasing and trying to emulate. It was just perfect.
I was supposed to see the Police on their Synchronicity tour, when I was all of 13 years old. But a broken arm a week before the show made that impossible. I assuaged my disappointment with the knowledge that they would do other albums, and there would be other tours. Then, they broke up after the tour had completed, and a last chance effort to resolve the issues that existed between the members of the band ended when Stewart fell off a horse, leaving him unable to play. I resolved myself to the reality that I would never have the chance to see Sting, Andy and Stewart together on stage. Then, the unthinkable happened. The Police were doing a reunion tour. And one of my best friends and I made the pilgrimage to American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 26th. Just before we arrived at the venue, it started pouring. No rain had been forecasted, and so we didn’t bring an umbrella. We watched the show soaked, but all I could do was smile ear to ear. The universe had done me a solid, and what a show it was! The nearly twenty-three year wait was worth it. And watching Stewart reunited with his band, the joy was clearly evident. He loved every single moment, and so did we.
In my mind Copeland is the drummer’s drummer, absolutely unique and fearless.
To me it seems like people never comment on his amazing use of flams to really enhance his snare parts. Really gives it heart.
His use of flams really stands out on Every Breath You Take among others.
As a fellow left handed person, I salute left handed drummers for making do and creating signature sounds before the world adapted to us. Stewart has his busyness and Ringo had his "gaps" in his fills. People thought they were doing if for style but it was literally necessary 🥁💕
I'm a left handed drummer and I've tried to play right handed. I just cannot do it. It screws with my mind a little too much. I can play very simple beats, but trying to really cut loose and play? I crash & burn! 😝
I'm left handed but I play majority of fills with a right hand lead and it feels weird because sometimes I'll actually go into right handed and it will be weird trying to go back into left handed cause otherwise I'll fuck up 😂😂 but yeah left handed drummers rock!
Truth!
*Ian Paice*
@@beatlesrgeari an not a drummer so take what I say with a grain of salt. As I understand it Ringo learned how to play drums on a right handed kit. In fact he didn’t know he was playing backwards. Clueless. In this video the host never mentioned whether Copeland played on a right handed kit deliberately or not. If so what did he do that you could emulate. Ringo gets a pass.
He's a Grammy Award as well for some of his collaborations through the years too. A true artist.
Without a doubt, Stewart is one of the most unique drummers I’ve ever heard. Instantly recognizable with a style and personality all his own. Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorites, and a big influence on my playing in many ways.
Stewart is why i started playing the drums in the first place. any one else?
Stewart is the GOAT, even not interested people get that he has his very individual sound, that he is truly outstanding, that The Police wasn't Stings band but the perfect combination of three very gifted musicians getting the best out of each other.
Love Stewart Copeland's drumming. I believe the best example of his drumming is on the choruses out on a live version of Message In A Bottle, during the Synchronicity tour. Absolute fire.
Yep, Stewart was one of my major influencers to my drumming. I remember trying to play his parts just a few years ago. A legend
stewart is right there with neil peart for me. I am never bored listening to his playing. everytime I listen to a police record, I still get excited like it's the first time I have ever heard it. 🤘🤘
Crazy how so many of us drummers were listening to The Police and Rush in the 80's given how drastically different those two bands were and yet we were greatly influenced by both Stewart and Neil. So thankful for both of them! I know the bell of my ride cymbal gets a daily workout thanks to both of these genius drummers.
@@markusthedrummer8143 and the splash work too! 🤘
My 2 all time faves as well
There is a distinctiveness about his drumming that I love. I never tire of it. It’s elegant, deliberate and has a round sound.
Stewart's playing always sounds fresh and you can always hear something new in his playing.
One thing I learned from Stewart is you should try to look outside of the basic “back beat” approach for drum parts. He is one of the most unique sounding drummers, which makes him one of my favourite. I wish I could be half the drummer he is!
Can't remember where but he said somewhere once that he made his career off of playing a normal groove, just one eighth note later, and I wanna say he included that there was still time for someone to do the same thing with one eighth note earlier lol
Holy moley, i was a police freak ( and a musician ) and I learned a bunch of stuff. Thanks for the insane amount of effort you obviously put in to condense this down to 20 min.
Thanks, Michael!
I’m not a drummer myself but I’ve always valued a lot Stewart’s contribution to The Police. My favourite track is « wrapped around your finger » where Stewart is magnificent.
Stewart Copeland is the reason I took up a pair of sticks, the song Walking on the Moon 👍 Fantastic 👍
Neil, Danny, John and Stewart are my Mt Drumsmore. Stewart is one of the great legends. Period.
Few drummers hit their snare as hard as Copeland. Killer
And he's actually left-handed! AND he uses traditional grip! 😀
@Trafalger Davis I agree! When they were inducted into the RRHOF didn't he snap the head of his snare during their performance?
@@mightyV444 Traditional grip is more powerful. That's the only reason to use it. It's incredibly limited.
@@redrick8900 It wouldn't be used in highly technical genres like jazz if it was limiting. It just requires a different approach and setup. Also allows for more subtlety when using brushes (again, more of a jazz thing.)
@@BlakouttheMM It isn't used that much in Jazz. Pretty much the only people doing it are people replicating music from the last century. I know Jazz. I played it for years. You can't hide your wrongness in "It's a jazz thing you wouldn't understand."
I was listening to SC's music when I was 5, playing Spyro The Dragon... still love the soundtrack to this day, my childhood was blessed with his music
Yes! An absolutely Golden OST!
Stewart is so down to Earth and so cool. Always loved his drumming, it's what drew me in to all those Police songs.
Stewart, c'est celui qui m'a donné envie de jouer de la batterie. et c'est celui qui restera dans mon coeur.
Simply, he's THE REASON I play drums since 1978.
I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED BY THIS MAN....THE DRUMMING IS UNBELIEVABLE....FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN LISTEN TO THE POLICE JUST FOR HIS DRUM BEAT...GOD BLESS THIS TALENTED MAN.
I LOVE TO LISTEN HIS DRUMNING...ITS SO GOOD!
He's a beloved drummer in my drummers of choice. He has such a signature sound and there's so much genius in his playing.
Genius Drummer for sure.
I grew up listening to the Police, and was always fascinated by Copeland's drumming. His creative use of the more uncommon items like ice bells, mini cymbals and the like is always tasty. The King of nuance.
I remember as a fledgling 15 year old drummer hearing Roxanne for the first time.His use of the cymbal bell and tom toms was amazing.A huge influence on me as a drummer.Obviously drummers have to fit in with the tempo of any song,but Stewart would always put his own totally original spin on any song.Think of the album version of Message in a bottle.He mixes up the rhythms wonderfully,and his interpretation of the song would be totally different from any other drummer.Take the second verse for example,just using the toms,no snare at all.Totally his own way.The man's talent is just breathtaking.
Copeland’s hi-hat work is such a distinctive element of The Police’s sound.
I saw The Police way back when I was about 15 years old. Maybe 1982? In the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wa. My friend and I didn't drive and I lived in Bellevue, Wa, and my friend lived in Medina, WA. It's about an hour drive. Tacoma is also in a different county. So, we took public transportation and had to switch several busses and then change counties. It took 8 hours to get there. We had no idea how we were going to get home. We got a ride from guys we met at the concert who lived on Mercer Island, WA. Phew! Anyway, it was all worth it! The concert was incredible!
He was my inspiration to even start drumming. Such a legend...I wanted his sound sooooo bad.
A cover band I was in did Driven to Tears. The more I listened to it, the more I would hear. I could not pull off all the subtleties that he put into the hi-hat, but man what a fun song to play. Great genius of, top tier unique multidisciplinary drummer!
Spirits in the material world is such an ethereal, intriguing opening track to an album. I'll never forget buying that record as a young teenager in the early 90s and being fascinated by the sound of every instrument. Such a great band with an amazing drummer
The more I learn about him the more amazed I am. Loved his drumming since the 80s, but never quite understood why until this. 🎶
one of my favourite works from Stewart is the Spyro trilogy soundtracks!
Rhythmically- and conceptually-speaking, "Spirits in the Material World" has to be one of the most sophisticated pop songs ever crafted. I've been listening to it since it was released in '81 and I STILL get spun around - every single time.
One World is the best Stewart drumming song ever.
@@spagzs demolition man is pretty good too for drumming
Crafted is such a good word to describe the way they put songs together.
If I had to pick a favorite. I couldn’t. However, I do love Man in a Suitcase, Driven to Tears and Tea in the Sahara !!! Oh, let’s not forget Bombs Away !!!
Murder by numbers, hands down. What we hear in the record is not only the first take, it is the first time the band ever played the tune.
I learned to keep my ears open. There might be some music floating around in the air. There is so much beautiful music all around the world, in each culture. Listen, listen again, adopt and find yourself opening up some other worlds for yourself. Trust your imagination!
Everything HE does is magic. Thanks Stew for all the great music.
"Spirits In the material world" is for me the best song to describe Stewart's style!!! That song has it all!
SC has perhaps the most unique voice on the drums in the pop rock domain. He was able to achieve mainstream success without sounding like anyone else.
As a guitarist, watching this upped my understand of timing and percussion in general and then blew me away withe amazing talent of Mr. Copeland!
Now that’s a compliment to a percussionist….Cheers
I freakin love Copeland’s playing. Very happy you mentioned Driven To Tears, it’s one of his best imo.
Stewart is literally the reason I first picked up sticks. Over the decades , I have really enjoyed his lessons on bass drum placement- you don’t always have to hit on the 1!😂
I am drummer but I truly appreciate this review of Stewart. He is my favorite drummer of all time..... I had the pleasure of "discovering The Police" in England in 1979 as an exchange student and have loved Stewart's work every since.
Glad you enjoyed this episode!
The one thing i learned from Stewart is that not everything needs to be so rigid, structured, and commercial. Feeling is more important and being in the moment is key.
I played drums in the early 70’s in a rock band and if I could have been exposed to Stuart’s drumming genius then I might have reached far greater heights. My professional career gave way to other musical pursuits before the 80’s so I wasn’t active when Stuart surfaced, but he still reinforced a lesson I think critical for every drummer - find your own form of unpredictability. Thank you so much for putting this together. Well done!
Stewart is also one of the only drummers I've seen play a kit standing up and still be in time
Thank you. Respect for Stewart Copeland is LONG overdue.
Agreed.
Absolutely impressive. I’m a guitar player and a Police fan since 1980 but every time I listen to Stewart sound I discover something new! Truly amazing! Compliments for this video too!
An amazing, creative drummer and one the very best! I grew up with my brother playing all the earlier Police albums and love his sound! On certain songs, I always thought he attacked the snare.....as if his life depended on it! As a fellow drummer.....his style and sound is timeless!
I learned that Stewart Copeland's genius went well beyond The Police. Also the influences of his parents and the locations he grew up in. Amazing! Well done video!
It certainly did go beyond The Police. Stewart was 1/3 of the "Equalizer" series. The music in the later episodes, after Stewart left (Season 3, episode 12 onward), sounds very dull and lifeless, with none of the pulse.
Just a few weeks ago I had put on a lot of The Police on my playlist while going on a long drive and I was in awe of Copeland's work. I was only a small child when I first heard them decades ago and didn't have the skills to appreciate the work.
My all time favorite drummer. Ringo also
Simply one of the greatest drummers of all time, love His brilliant work.
The Police was a band filled with world class musicians from Stewart, Sting and Andy. Which is maybe why they clashed so often for the entirety of the bands existence! LOL And as a result created timeless world class hits!!! But no one can question Stewart's genius! The guy is a world class all rock and roll hall of fame drummer!
I was 13 when Police was at their best, and Stewart has ever since inspired me (being a cellist, bassist etc and not a drummer)
15.45 min - its interesting to see another drummer nailing it
Stewart Copeland has always been an inspiration. His clockwork syncopation, hi hat and ride unconventionality, and surprise fills transcend much of the typical drum rhythms. Thank you Drumeo for showcasing Stewart, including a little family history and his unique influences.
He was the inspiration for me to take up drumming. And I've still been drumming for over 40 years now.
Genius! I just can't find another word to describe the drummer and who put it all together in only 20 minuts time! Genius.
🙏🏻
He was such a huge influence on me when I first picked up sticks. Learned what off beat groove was from him. NOBODY plays hi-hat like Stewart. So damn tasty!! Great video- thanks!
I’m a life-long fan of the genius of Stewart since growing up with the Police as a teenager and realizing that their genius was more than just Sting, but the trio and the basis was Stewart’s constantly changing rhythms and beats within a 3 min pop song. I don’t play any instrument but I recognize Stewart as probably the best drummer of my lietime. Great video. Thank-you.
Totally agree with the sentiment (and the timeline 😉) of your comment. I am a bass player myself, but Stewart Copeland is the only musician (of ANY instrument) that I admire for what he does with his instrument. After reading his biography, I now also admire him as a human being for his willingness to engage with anything that he comes across, and taking on board whatever it is he thinks will broaden his horizon.
A really stunning and understated drummer, mixing all beat genres, jazz, rock, reggae, ska, with such a technical fluidity !
Stewart is one of the reasons I started drumming- and inspired my air drumming way before that. He always plays with such conviction and taste- such intricate hi hat work and unique placement of the kick. Truly one of the greatest and most influential drummers ever.
Don't forget most drum sounds in the 70's pop were close miked dead sounding, even in punk. The Hi hats were slushy. Contrast that with the crisp bright sound of Stewart's hi hat and live sounding drums with sharp attack. It was the attack that brought it alive for me as a teenager. Still hooked. Such energy.
Ringo had the 70's sound you described already on Hey Jude... Dead sounding snare and slushy hi-hats... Stewart Copeland was definitely a refreshing change with his quick sounding snare and crispy hi-hats...
The Rhythmatist album not only gave me a new term to identify myself with, it also reinforced the rhythmic interests that I was enthralled by when I was exposed to Arabian rhythms during my visit to North Africa, 5 years before, in 1980. He also inspired my exploration and eventual transition into the realm of hybrid-percussionistic endeavours and love of Afrobeat and other world music realms. Which led me back to Peter Gabriel's solo explorations, and a few years later with the creation of W.O.M.A.D., and the introduction of the Afro-Celt Sound System and also Robert Plants solo explorations and collaborations with A.C.S.S. Has anyone else here, perhaps, with a similar story, or not, happened to have caught Stew's Star-Studded Jams, [ my own term 😁], at his home studio? Called Sacred Grove, but they're are many different jam situations situations beyond that ?? Just type in --- stewart copeland studio jams --- on KZhead ... You will find tons... from rocking it out.... to drum circles and beyond!...@!!! And how about his new band with Adrian Belew "Gizmo" ??? Quite a bit different path and sound!! If anyone is interested I have a Demo type non-monetized, (Free), KZhead channel showcasing my endeavors with a link to my 'free to download' originals and covers. If you have a similar story to mine feel free to send me your links !! Rumble And Roll, I am Thunderwheel !! Bring the THUNDER !!! Ciao
Stewart is definitely one of the greats. Such a consummate player who performs with power,style and passion. Cheers for all the years Stewart. Blessings.
Stewart is my number 1. He taught me how to have fun while still doing your job. He never takes himself to serious, which us musicians definitely can do. I continue to steal from him after all of these years.
His opening for the show Dead like me blew my mind and I was obsessed with finding other works from him. Such a fun, crazy unique style and adding in the digital elements is just icing.
One of my first 45's was Every Breath You Take, with Murder By Numbers on the B-side. I was 7. I have loved the Police for almost as long as I have loved rock n' roll. And later I was aware of Stewart Copleland's work as a composer. I used to turn in to the original Equalizer early every week, just to make sure I didn't miss his theme music. But I wasn't aware of all his other collaborations. Clearly I have some more listening to do. This also enhanced my insight into the bones of his style of playing. And wow, he conducts too. The first thing I did after watching this was to find the video of that full-length Equalizer performance. Can you imagine being the drummer that Stewart Copeland picks to perform on his composition? Wow!
☝️☝️☝️Thanks fan Hit me up I've something for you 🎁🎁🎊🎊
What an enrichment this man is and has been to contemporary music, is nearly unfathomable... I had the chance to meet him one day, a quick word and a handshake was all it was, but that brief moment showed me the kind of guy he is: a down to earth, no nonsense man, straight forward and amicable. A real gem!
And… he made traditional grip F-ING COOL.
Niente da dire, grandissimo batterista, con un trascorso IMPORTANTE nella Prog Rock band CURVED AIR!!!!!! Ha prestato la sua opera in due albums dei CURVED AIR, MIDNIGHT WIRE credo 1975 e AIRBORNE del 1976 , NON dei capolavori ma ottimi albums senz'altro!!!!!! Anche ANDY SUMMERS il chitarrista anche LUI nei POLICE ha avuto un breve se non brevissimo trascorso PROG ROCK con i SOFT MACHINE!!!!!
So great! Such joy listening to him play. The drums of my youth.