House of Samples presents: An Interview with legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood, the artist behind the best-selling Total Drumming Acid Loop and Wav CD - Click here for CD listing, sound clips and purchase information!
Mick Fleetwood has been a major force in popular music as the
renowned drummer for Fleetwood Mac, a band that has produced innovative
and popular music throughout their long and distinguished history. From
their early days as a blues rock band to an incredibly popular rock and roll hits, such as
"Rumours" and "The Dance", Mick has been holding down
the foundation of the band's sound with his rock solid rhythms
and world beat influence that has set Mick Fleetwood apart.
Technical
Notes on the making House Of Samples: You can tell when you listen to this CD, that Mick was inspired when he recorded this We felt that we were literally blessed sitting there in the recording studio. You can get jaded when you spend time with a musician as influential as Mick, and yet, when you get down to work, you realize that there is just one man on the other side of the glass, and it is all up to him. No one can inspire him in a solo performance that is 20 hours long. He needed to inspire himself, and he took this so seriously. To him, he was doing this because - to use one his favorite phrases - he wants to be the drummer in the world's largest band! And that's what he saw in his mind's eye. He never let up and gave it his all for both 10-hour sessions with an extremely rigorous schedule to complete everything you hear on the Total Drumming CD. House Of Samples: When I listen to the Total Drumming CD, it sounds like there are different types of drums or drum sets being used, all seeming to fit with the style of the rhythms being played and recorded impeccably. Was that part of the plan? Jonathan Todd: I'm flattered to hear that you guys were able to recognize that just from listening to the CD. One of my goals as the producer was to recreate, not just the beats, but also the selling sounds - the things that contributed to platinum records from Mick Fleetwood down through the years. And in order to do that we really needed, in addition to Mick, the drums themselves that Mick was playing during the different periods these songs were recorded, which became a tremendous endeavor. We had to go into lockers all over the place and secure "the drums" that Mick was playing way back in the 60's for the blues sound. Then we moved our way through the types of drum sets that he was using, and the manufactures of cymbals down to finding Panasonic heads that are Kevlar coated, because Mick tightens up the snares so tightly to get that "crack" sound that he was using in those days. We wanted to recreate true sounds from Mick Fleetwood, with Mick's soul on Mick's set as people are used to hearing them. And yet, we didn't want to replicate any of the work that Mick had done, but rather the soulful feeling that exists within those recognizable works. We actually recorded copies of hundreds of Mick's songs in chronological order with the types of beats and patterns we were seeking, and put those on a series of CDs which we then gave to Mick and gave him a chance to see his historical progression from the aired versions of his songs. So, he worked with those and listened to the nuances he had built throughout the years, and that gave him the impetus to be creative within the types of themes and sounds. House Of Samples: It seems like songwriters and developing musicians can really learn a lot about what makes a great drum part by listening to what Mick plays, and I thought it was kind of cool that these loops have somewhat of an educational component.Jonathan Todd: We approached it from a very educational way with the artist - with Mick! And hopefully we got just what you were finding there, something that a student could look at, apart from a musician creating with it, and find the beats that very clearly were shuffle beats - Mick Fleetwood style from the 60's - Rumours beats later on, "The Dance" beats, and certainly funk, blues and rock beats, and then into the African beats from the trip that he did to Ghana. House Of Samples: In terms of the recording, what I thought separates this drum CD from a lot of others out there is that I could really sense the full drum set, and it was very natural sounding , not just a bunch of isolated drum components. Was that part of the original strategy? Jonathan Todd: First of all, the Total Drumming CD was recorded at Joe Vanelli's world-class Blue Moon studios, to ensure that we would get a great recording. When I conceived the idea for Mick Fleetwood Total Drumming, I went to Sonic Foundry and told them that this was the plan, and that we wanted to record the loops this way, and though it's never been done this way before, can we get your support on this, given that you're the world's largest loop creation company, and they agreed to work with me to achieve that sound. In order to do this, we used 14 microphones on Mick's drum set going through a 28 line feed. We needed to do this because we simultaneously went through a Lexicon 480 reverb system for the wet sound on Mick's drums. We wanted to give users a finished produced sound with reverb on it, as well as dry versions for those users who prefer to add their own effects. For the snares, bass and high hats, we had multiple mics to grab both the crack of the of the sticks against the head of the drums, and the pushing of the air push and the reverberation of the bottom head. We also used 4 sets of overhead stereo mics to get the natural bleed through between all the drums so that Mick's set would sound natural and not clinical. House Of Samples: Given that you recorded different drums that span Mick's long and distinguished career, did you use different mics or equipment based on the era that the instruments came from? The talking drum has a unique, even other worldly human type of sound to it, and in order to represent that spiritual tribal type of sound, we used different microphones for that compared to mics used to record the Talas drum kit from New Mexico. On the Talas drum kit, we were so faithful to the authentic recording that we actually used the wood beaters that are sold with the original sets. They're tree branches with a beater on them! The sound of drums in a way are somewhat limited, but it is those limitations and what a drummer can do with them is what makes a pro shine! It's the attack, it's the wood you are using, it's the beaters or the sticks, it's the whole makeup of the artist interacting with things that aren't musical instruments with notes, but have individual notes in themselves. |
Recently, Mick released Total Drumming, an Acid loop CD that includes drum loops that define the Fleetwood sound over the years. The CD also includes wav samples of many of Mick's drums and percussion instruments all played by Mick himself. In our exclusive interview, find out more about the man behind Total Drumming, and the back beat behind Fleetwood Mac.
House of Samples: The loops seem very natural sounding and not artificial. Was that intentional?
Mick Fleetwood:
My only prerequisite was that it was about what I had to offer, and
not some sort of technical or hokus pokus type of delivery of my particular
talent. I said if we could do something that captures the essence of Mick,
for better or for worse, I would be interested. We looked at the whole
body of work that I've done since my early blues days and my trips to
Africa, and what kind of instruments I was playing, in terms of some of
the textures, whether it was cymbals or types of drum skins. That's how
I wanted to do it, and that's the basic premise, and that's what we did. - basically, I was unleashed in the studio, given incredible amounts of freedom just to play! I'm very happy with what we offered, and that it feels and it sounds like me.
HouseOfSamples: In songwriting, it definitely helps to be working with a
great drummer, and in a way, you're sharing yourself with new and upcoming
musicians… helping them write the great songs they're
capable of. Were you thinking that you were, in a way, sharing your style
with current and 
future musicians?
Mick: The whole premise is an exciting one. I like to keep abreast of the cool stuff out there and this just seemed so natural to me … the relationship between who I am, not only as a person, but the nature of being part of a rhythm section, that whole premise is built in to this CD. I think you're in big trouble, being a percussionist, if you don't thoroughly understand that what you have is to be shared. … because your whole purpose is to support other players! And if you don't really have a mind set to do that, in my opinion, your somewhat failing in what I consider to be a true percussionist. If I didn't feel like I could share myself this way, I would never have done this project. I also have the confidence to say hey… take it! Run with it! The bottom line is that this is all really healthy, whether you're a producer, an established songwriter, or a songwriter starting out, or even someone just looking at creating music for the first time, suddenly I'm part of that process. I hope that these end up in schools along with the other wonderful stuff that's out there (for learning music).
House Of Samples: That's definitely one of the things that Jonathan and I spoke about, the educational component, especially with the ACID format, because people that are learning to play drumsm they can slow them down without changing the pitch, which will show them that you are not just excellent technically, but also musically. There are plenty of lessons out there that might tell a student to hit the snare drum twice, and this is a paradiddle, but in this case, if someone is working with your loops and they slow them down, they can also listen and learn about what makes a musical drummer, and that's part of what is great about these loops and educational about them.
Mick: I get a lot of feedback from players… and listeners… and they're always intrigued about … "Gosh…. The way you put those tom fills is right behind the vocal, some of them almost shouldn't make any sense, but they sort of do" and I tell them that it comes from my gut... and I am happy to add magic or chemistry to other people's music.
House Of Samples: Well, if you influence some great songs, and also help drummers and drum students to become better drummers, there's nothing wrong with that.
Mick: Nothing wrong at all!
House Of Samples: Although you don't technically play a chordal instrument, it seems like you have a very chordal or tonal quality, and that's also on the Total Drumming CD, as another thing that you're sharing with other musicians.
Mick: Yeah… I had a lot of fun doing that. That's true, because in many ways, to be candid, I wish that I really played the piano. So, I'm somewhat of a vicarious type of creature, and I love being in the studio, not just doing what I do, and then disappearing. I'm completely there listening to vocals, and to how things are going musically. This certainly influences my use of percussion on the Total Drumming CD and my work with Fleetwood Mac.
House Of Samples:
Actually, that brings me to the fact that there is a new Fleetwood
Mac - Rumours has it!
Mick: Yeah…… Rumours has it!
House Of Samples: There's a new Fleetwood Mac CD coming out. Are there any secrets that you're willing to give away about the new CD?
Mick: It's a double album! So, you're going to get a hell of a lot of music. I started working on it a few years ago with Lindsey and John (McVie of Fleetwood Mac). We then stopped and did "The Dance", and that whole tour. Then Lindsey went back to it, not knowing quite what we were going to do with the music. Was it going to be a new Fleetwood Mac album, a solo project? It didn't matter since Lindsey and I had worked on it from the start, and John had done at least 40 % of the bass parts. And then it morphed into what this project is….. a double CD of Fleetwood Mac! It's the first album without Christine (McVie). Christine is not on the ride this time. But you really get the essence of Stevie and Lindsey similar to what I saw when I first put them in Fleetwood Mac. With Chris gone, they are now getting back to the harmonizing textures they brought into the band originally as a duo, and they have a magical sound, and are really reconnecting on that element. The end result is…..I think you'll find is a very personal diary of four musicians doing all of the things I sense people really enjoy about music. There's an incredible amount of dialog. A lot of imagination…. A lot of pushing of envelopes texturally, and I think you will for sure know that this is still Fleetwood Mac, so… we're excited!
House Of Samples: When do you see it coming out?
Mick: Probably sometime in March, and then we go on the road in May.
House Of Samples: Coming to Boston??
Mick: Or course, We always go there. Boston is one of our strongholds. You know... The Boston Tea Party!
House Of Samples: Yes.... And one last question about the Total Drumming CD. Jonathan told me that even when you just had to hit some of the separate drums for samples, you did all of those! It looks like you could have possibly taken a well deserved break, and let a drum tech perhaps do the sample hits…..but you wanted to do the hits yourself….. Why is that??
Mick: Why?? Because I wouldn't want to have it any other way… That is like a conversation that you and I could have when you're talking about say….. Jimi Hendrix or any great musician…..and the story could go something like this…..which I'm privy to because I was fortunate to get to play with Jimi Hendrix around three or four times. First of all…… he was mind blowing…..His style, when it first came out, was earth shattering….and guitar players and fellow musicians had their minds blown by this guy, and you take that premise and ask what's that all about? It's certainly about style and touch. And a guitar player who sounds completely different hands him his guitar, and the guitar and the amplifier is transformed. Well….. how is it transformed? It's transformed, because it has to do with the way he hits the strings. It has to do with touch… sometimes all in the last millisecond in percussion….. whether you are hitting a piano, or a drum, it's in the last millisecond where the touch of the first hit of the percussion, and the way it's pulled away from that hit…. That to me is touch. So… the importance of hitting a drum suddenly takes on a new vision., as far as I'm concerned. It's been proven countless times. I mean...if we're on tour, and there's no time for a sound check, typically, the sound guy will call me up in the hotel, and say….. "I know the band can't come down….. but could you possibly come down and hit the drums?" Well, I've got a team of very qualified people to do that……They tune the drums up, they do this…. They do that….. They don't play the way I play….and hitting a snare drum for ten minutes while they get sound out the front when it's not me, the sound guy knows that it's a finite thing…… but it does exist, and sometimes if there is a problem. It will go away, and its just because of the way that I hit the drums.
House Of Samples: I asked that question because I thought it would be a good one for our readers, but I have to say, that as a musician, I know that it wouldn't have been the same at all, just to have anybody else hit your drums. It would need to be you, otherwise what would be the point? That being said, congratulations again on the fantastic Total Drumming CD, and best of luck on the new Fleetwood Mac CD. I'm looking forward to hearing it!
Mick: Yeah… I think you're gonna dig it. It's definitely not boring, I'll put it that way!
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