< PreviousModern Drummer February 2022 68 Kenny Aronoff continued ã 17 M z œ MMM œ M œ œœœœ MMM œ MM œ ( œ ) œœœœœ œœœœ > > >>>> >>>> ã 19 M M œ MMMM M œ œœœœ MMM M œ MMM M œ œœœœ > > >>> ã 21 MMM œ MM œ MM œ M œœœœ M œ ( œ ) œœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœ >>> >>>>>>>>>>>> + ã 5 M M œ MMMM œ M œ œœœ Œ MMM œ MMMM œ M œ Œ œœ ‰ J œ > >>>>> ã 7 M M œ MMMM œ M œ Œ œ ‰ J œ MMM œ MMMM œ M œ Œ œœ ‰ J œ > >>>> ã 9 M ŒŒ M + œœœœ M œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ () œœ œœœœ >> ã 11 M M œ MMMM œœ () œ œœœœ œœœœœœœœœœ œœ œœœŒ > >>> o > o >>>>>> ã 13 M z œ MMM œ M œ œœœœ MMM œ MMMM œ M œœœœœ > > >>>> ã 15 MM z œ MMM œ M œ œœœœ MMM œ MM œ œ () œ œœœœ > >>>> >>>>February 2022 Modern Drummer 69 continues on the next page ã 23 M MM z M z MM z M z M œœœœ f M z M z MM z MM z MM œœœœœ > + o ã 25 M M z MM z MM z M œœœœ M z MM z MM z MM z M œœœœœ > + o “Hurts So Good” John Mellencamp, American Fool The thing that made my drum part in “Hurts So Good” different from any other tune that I have ever record- ed (with John or anyone else) in the past 40 years is, I recorded it open-handed. In other words, I switched the way I normally play. I played with my right hand on the snare drum and left hand on my hi-hat. I had already been practicing open-handed in order to learn how to play the drums with a less is more approach, which was what John liked. When I joined John’s band, I was coming from a fusion background, which wouldn’t work in John’s (or anyone else’s) pop style of music. The person that inspired me to play open handed was Gary Chester. Gary was one of the greatest NYC session drummers who played on many hit records in the 60s and 70’s. When I was studying with Gary, he was just putting his New Breed book together, and he taught me (and other students) to play his exercises both right and left-handed. When we were working on “Hurts So Good”, I was messing around and playing the “Hurts So Good” beat with this open-handed style. John yelled at me as I was playing the beat, “What’s that? Why haven’t you played THAT beat before?” I thought, “I’ve been playing that beat every day for the past 2 years.” The bottom line is this. That simple beat that I had been playing on a lot of John’s songs sounded and felt different when I played it open-handed. It was like Kenny A was a right-handed player and Kenny B was a left-handed player, and each Kenny sounded different, even if they played the same beat. John liked the looseness and the swampiness of my open-handed playing, so I ended up recording “Hurts So Good” open handed. Another cool thing about playing open handed was that every time I played a fill with my right hand, I was able to keep the eighth note hi-hat part going with my left hand. That made the song groove even more. The band was just learning how to play a “less is more” style like AC-DC’s “Back in Black” and Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” which was perfect for “Hurts So Good.” I remember when I listened to the play back it suddenly hit me. Playing a simple beat, with solid time and lots of groove is so powerful and perfect. I finally got it. Less is More! ã4 4 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ q = 125 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ > > > > >>>> > ã 5 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ M + MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ œ œ M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ o > > > >>> > > > >>> Drum Intro Intro +Guitar > >>>> Ex. 3—Aronoff’s supreme command of the eighth note groove is on tap for the smash hit song “Hurts So Good”. He plays the beat left-hand-lead which brings a unique feel on the hi-hat that works for the song. (0:00)Modern Drummer February 2022 70 Kenny Aronoff continued ã 9 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMM œœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ > > >>> > > > > o > > ã 13 M + MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMM œœœ œ œ œœ > > >>> > ã4 4 M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ > >>>> > > > >>> ã 5 MMM M MMMMM œ œ œœ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œœ œ MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ œ > > > > >> >> ã 8 M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMM + M œ œ œ œ œ œ > > > >>>> > o o > >> Ex. 4—The drum part in the chorus is crafted tastefully to accompany the vocal melody with double snare drum hits and an upbeat crash right where the song needs it. (0:57) ã4 4 M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMM M M œ œ œ œ œ MMM M MMMMM œ œ œœ œ œ > >>>> > > > > > >> ã 5 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ œ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ > > > >> >>>> > + + oo Ex. 5—Slightly open hi-hats add an element of crunch to the bridge. By leading with the left hand, Kenny is able to keep the hi-hats grooving while he plays tom and crash accents around the kit. (2:06)February 2022 Modern Drummer 71 continues on the next page “Authority Song” John Cougar Mellencamp, Uh-HUH! The two drummers that had a huge influence on me when I recorded the “Authority Song” were Stewart Copeland (The Police) and Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones.) I had just started experimenting with Charlie’s signature style of lifting his right hand off of the hi-hat on beats 2 and 4 when he hit his snare drum on 2 and 4 when we recorded it. I was originally playing the hi-hat with accented eighth notes, which had a complete- ly different sound and feel. It was amazing how different the beat and groove sounded when I took just two notes out of the hi-hat part. I also added some Stewart Copeland-ish fills on the hi-hat and snare drum throughout the song. All of these subtle changes affected what everyone else in the band played. The bottom line is that the song took off from there, and it all started with me taking just two hi-hat notes OUT of the original beat I was playing. Less is More. ã 9 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMM + M œ œ œ œ œ œ M + MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ >>> oo > >> >>>> > ã 13 MMMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ M + MMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ œ œ M MMMMMMM œ œ œ œœ MMMMMM œ œœ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ >>>> >>> > >>> >>>>>> ã4 4 x q = 156 MMMMMMMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ œ MM œ MMMMMMMMMM œ œ œ œ œ œ >>>>>>>>>>>>> ã 5 MM œ MMMMMMMM œ MM œ œ œ œ œ œ MM œ MMM œ MMM œ MM œ œ œ œ œ œ >>>>>>>>>>>> ã 9 œœœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ M Ó . ‰ J œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M Œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ >>>>> >>> > > o > > + Stick click Verse Ex. 6 - Kenny plays accents on the hi-hat that bounce off of the guitar riff in the intro and answers with three tom hits at the end of the phrase. He winds up on the toms for two bars before kicking the groove in for the verse. He leaves the hi-hat off of the backbeats on 2 and 4 to create an upbeat feel that the band latches onto. (0:00)Modern Drummer February 2022 72 Kenny Aronoff continued ã 13 M + M ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MM œ œ œœ œœœ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ > > >>>>> > > > ã 17 MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MM œœ œ œ œ œœœ > > >>> > “I Could Have Been You” Melissa Etheridge, Your Little Secret I recorded this 5:50 song in one take. Recording with Melissa is always an emotional experience because she sings with so much passion take after take after take after take. Powerfully and emotionally! Every take is like it’s her last performance. She’s the real deal. She always gives 100% which inspires me to give 150%. I love that. I believe you always have to match the drummer with the singer, and Melissa and I are matched in passion, emotion, power and energy. It works. “I Could Have Been You,” fluctuated between very soft and very loud sections. The intros and the verses were very soft, and the chorus’s and the bridge sections were very loud, so I decided to use 2 different snare drums on this song to create the right sound and vibe for each section. The feel of the song in the intros and verses was like you were high or stoned or in a club at 4am. But when the chorus’ came in, the song exploded. Full on Power. It was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. At the end I just let loose, I let everything go. I could see and feel her singing right next to me in her vocal booth screaming her heart out and that motivated me to play my heart out. Thank God we had a click track to play to. ã4 4 M ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œœ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ œ > > > > >> > > o o >> ã 5 MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ œ MMMM œ œœ œœ œ œ œ > > o >>>>>> > > > ã 9 M M ‰ + j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œœ > > > > > > > > >> ã 13 M + M ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ MM ‰ j MMM ‰ j M œ œ œœ œ M + M ‰ j MMM ‰ + j M œ œ œœ œ œ M z œœ œœ œ œœ œ Œ œ > > o > > >> > >>> >> >> > >>>>>>>>>>> >>> ŒŒŒ‰ J Ex. 7 - Aronoff delivers with lots of attitude in the chorus, playing short fills in the right places that enhance the vocals without getting in the way. (0:40)February 2022 Modern Drummer 73 +>o> > > > >>>> ã4 4 M œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ Œ > >>>>>>>>>>> >>> ã 5 œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œŒœŒ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œŒœŒ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œŒœŒ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œŒœŒ >>>>>>>>>>>> ã 9 œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ >>>>> >>> >>>>>> ã 13 œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œœ œ Œ œ Œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ M œ Œ œ ‰ J œ >>>>> >>> +vocals Ex. 8 - He goes to the toms in the breakdown chorus, creating a mood under Mellencamp’s solo vocal. He kicks the band back into action at the end of the section with a couple of strong snare accents. (2:25) You can purchase the complete Modern Drummer Legends Vol. 5: Kenny Aronoff at moderndrummer.com Click the Shop/Books tab to see this publication and our other Legends titles, as well as tons of instructional materials.Modern Drummer February 2022 74 Reissue of Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” Drum SetKeith Moon’s original 1967 “Pictures of Lily” Premier drum set was not only visually stunning, it was also likely the first customized-graphic kit put into use by a major rock act. Premier’s in-house publication, Talking Drums, states that Moon approached Promotions Manager Phil Franklin with the idea of a pop-art design to promote the Who’s 1967 single, “Pictures of Lily.” Moon claimed the kit took six months to complete at a cost of $5,000—an unheard-of sum for the era. Lily w as severely wounded during Moon’s infamous “drum-explosion incident” during the Who’s Sep- tember 17, 1967, appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour . (The “loon” packed the drums with a dangerous amount of dynamite to intensify the climax of “My Generation.”) Lily was retired in late 1968. We’re sure she was quite relieved. —Michael MolendaEye Candy kits excerpted from Crash: The World’s Greatest Drum Kits [Insight Editions] by David Frangioni. Legends Coming Soon: • Steve Smith • Billy Cobham • Carmine Appice Gavin Harrison • Cindy Blackman Santana • Charlie Watts Dave Weckl • Carl Palmer • Eric Singer • Alex González Artist Approved Content • Extensive And New In-depth Interviews New Song Transcriptions With Artist Insight • Never Before Seen Photos Buy from your favorite music retailer check out more at moderndrummer.com/legends Presents: Legends Collection TheTHE MASSIVELY-POPULAR MICRO KIT is now offered up in every Brooklyn Series finish. All of That Gretsch Gretsch Sound in one gig-friendly package. Customize your Micro today—made to order in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Mark Guiliana #GretschMicro gretschdrums.comNext >