Wywiady z Benem - Drum Media/RHYTHM Australia

HenryLee

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Best Group
Who’ll win? Again, its a two way battle between the ‘Chair and the ‘Finger: Wolfmother and Eskimo Joe are so last year, and Sneaky Sound System just aren’t in the same league. We’re swaying slightly towards Powderfinger with this on: if they win anything this year, it’ll be this.
Who should win: If we’re honest with ourselves, probably the ‘Chair.

Single of the Year
Who’ll win: Silverchair’s Straight Lines: highly anticipated, almost certainly the highest selling single of the year. Sneaky Sound System’s UFO is an outside chance, although its weird to consider that both Powderfinger’s Lost and Running and John Butler Trio’s ‘Funky Tonight’ are the underdogs here. Architecture in Helsinki and Wolfmother definitely wont need to rearrange their trophy shelves, though.
Who should win: Silverchair. Mind you , AIH are the only one to have already inspired a cover version (by US band Dr Dog), which perhaps makes them moral victors.

Album of the Year
Who’ll win: Silverchair again: Young Modern had enough classic moments to woo the old fans, but still showed a band going forward. Then again, Powderfinger traditionally win this category, but Dream Days at the Hotel Existence was merely a solid effort with less evidence of progression. Sneaky Sound System and John Butler Trio are outside changes, but Gotye’s remix album mixed Blood seems almost inappropriate for the category.
Who should win: Silverchair. Now who fancies a drink.

Best Rock Album
Who’ll Win? Silverchair.
Who should Win: Silverchair.

+ odpowiedź na pytanie, gdzie Mr Gillies postawiłby 'ARIĘ': "Gillies pulls out a classic 'it will go straight to the pool room!' he exclaims".

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RHYTHM Australia

Walking in a straight line

Our exclusive interview, Ben Gillies tells rhythm oz that in the end, it’s all about the way you swing...

Ben Gillies has been holding the ferocious beat down in his band Silverchair, for more than half his life. Still not quite 30, he’s packed more incredible experiences into his years on and off the road than most of us will in a lifetime. And he’s done it all while with his three childhood best mates, in arguably the countries best band.

He takes out time form the hetic double bill tour Silverchair are undertaking with fellow rockers Powderfinger – Across the Great Divide – to talk to RHYTHM OZ about the day he knew he would be a drummer, what goes into being a great player and how in the end, its all about how you swing…

RO: Hey Ben . Great to finally get you on the phone! How are you?
Hello! I am good thank you. How are you? We just rocked up at the venue and it’s a bit of a mudfest in Coffs Harbour.
RO: How is the tour treating you?
Yeah good! A little bit tired today. But it’s been fantastic . We seem to be pulling through and not getting sick, surprisingly. Which is good!
RO: How did you decide who was going to open the shows?
It’s been funny, we’ve had a lot of people asking that. Someone had to do it. So we just said we were happy to do it and that was it. Neither of us really worried about it. We both view it as a co-headline. So its no issue really.

RO: It is a sweet deal when you can kick back and enjoy the gig once you,re set is done.
It is awesome. You come off stage have a shower. You’re finished by 10 o’clock.
RO: Awesome. But now let’s go WAY, way back. What first drew you to playing the drums?

I remember when I was in primary school, and I was one of those kids who just wanted to try everything, you know? Tried every bloody sport there was!
I always wanted to give everything a go. And I vividly remember, so vividly- it's one of those memories you have of being a kid that is so clear. I was always in choirs at school. And I remember seeing the drummer in the school band when I was i about year 3. I was sitting in this assembly and I saw him and I thought, "that looks fucking so FUN!" (Laughs) You know , you get to hit stuff to make noise. That is the ultimate.

I remember this day really clearly. So I went home and said to mum, "Mum, I want to play the drums." And mum always had this thing , if i'd asked about something more than once , then usually it meant I was serious about it. And I came home three days in a row going, "Mum, mum, mum! I wanna play the drums!" And that was how it all started.

Then I bought a little drum kit for $75 from the guy who lived three doors down. He must have been in his 20's. I started making some noise and getting a few lessons and that's how it all began.

I'll never forget my first teacher. She was this little old lady who showed me how to play the Samba beat. When I went to get lessons, she didn't even have a drum kit to play. She had a table in this little room. So we'd just sit down at the table and i'd be like, I just want to play the kit (laughs)

RO: How old were you when that happened, when did you find the right person?

The funny thing is, I was about seventeen or eighteen when I finally found this guy in Newcastle that I really clicked with.

RO: So silverchair was well on the way by then -

- yeah. Not that I hadn't had teachers til then. But I hadn't found that person ye who was more like a mentor and a friend. Who I looked up but who kinda respected me as a player too. That might have been because I was a little bit older and had a fair deal of experience by that point. When I get a chance even now I go catch up with him and have a little lesson with him. And some times alot of the lessons are kind of. I don't know - we kind of brainstorm together which is pretty cool!

Ro: What was it about his approach that really made it work for you?

I think the good thing about his style is that he taught me what I wanted to know. When a lot of people teach you what they think you should know, he was really good at listening tome and showing me what I wanted to learn and was trying to achieve It was that inspiring thing. He always really tried to challenge me and push me. I can t put enough emphasis on how important it is to find the right person, the right teacher Music is such a great thing for young people to get into. It's a skill thats you'll nave for the rest of your life, To find the person you click with and you actually get excited to go home and try and figure out everything you went over in the lesson.

RO: Was it an instinctual thing? Were there many rudiments and theory, or was it more lots of creative ideas and taking in records and referencing sounds?

I was half and half really. Ifs funny, there's a fine line between being taught the rudimentary stuff so you've got a nice base, and then having the freedom and the confidence to be able to play what you feel. Not feel restrained by if you're doing a double parradiddle in a particular spot.

It’s a fine line between the essentials and creativity. But that’s something that people have to discover themselves. Personally that’s been my journey. But for other people , what turns them on is actually that really technical, tricky stuff. It just depends on what they’re into.

RO: I think what’s always been clear about your playing in Sliverchair is that it's that really solid, groove based playing that's more about songwriting than it is about showing off. But then with flourishes that stand out because they get used sparingly.
Yeah cool! Well. I find a lot of drummers are very competitive, It is almost the athletic instrument (laughs). Guys get really competitive about how fast they can play. The fills they do, or whatever it is. Especially young guys. A lot of people I come across will say stuff to me like, "I'm better than you. Or. "I can play all your parts." I think it's so important for drummers to appreciate what other players can pull off and their strengths. Rather than being like. "I can BEAT you." Sometimes drumming gets really competitive and I HATE it.

RO: So what are you up to drum-wise when Silverchair is off the road? Do you play a lot when you aren't with the band?

Yeah yeah. I do When we come off the road - and I don t know when that will be we could potentially tour this record for another 12 months. We feel very fortunate do be able to do what we love. But even then after that long on a tour you might want a little break from it. Even though playing music isn't really like work at all, But we'll come off tour and I won't pick up sticks for maybe two weeks.
But usually after those two weeks, I'll get the itch to either do some rudimentary stuff to keep my chops up, or I'll put a set of headphones on and play along to something. Or I might even solo, I don’t know for half and hour or something! (laughs) I definitely lie to keep playing. It’s like a ballet dancer who’ll go to class every single day and do the exact same movements every single day. I think with drumming, there is some parts that are just so fucking boring and kind of monotonous. But if you don’t do it and just put the time in, you really do reap the things as well. You know, if I do a session of really boring rudimentary stuff, I'll a finish it by playing along to a James Brown record or something like that. Just so you’re not focused on the bloody metrodome. You can just sit back and realize it’s about laying down a really cool groove.

RO:Does being the drummer give you a certain level of anonymity in the band, publically? Do you think you escaped the kind of hardcore focus that someone like Daniel would be subjected to?

Definitely. Unless you're Phil Collins, drummers have it pretty sweet. You get to drive the car, it's one of the best positions. There's still lots o' pressure that goes with it. But not being in the public eye,
its not quite as intense. The drums are my main instrument and it always will be. You can getaway with a lot more and not have to worry so much.
RO: So you still live in Newcastle? Do you get a bit of space from everyone as a local?
Yeah, everyone's pretty cool in Newie. You got the odd person asking for a photo, but most people are pretty cool.
RO: So Ben, what is your amazingly wise, sage advice for anyone starting out in their drum career?

Ha! Yeah ok. Do your rudiments, Go and by Led Zeppelin #4. And buy James Brown Star Time and listen to disc number three. And if you do the combination o f all those three things
Then you'll be on a winner. And another thing! Hand and foot combinations -it's all about the swing. lf people could start swinging more and not be so straight up and down, the world will be a happier place,

Young Modern is out now through Eleven.

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Hi there. My name is Ben Gillies and I’m the drummer in the Australian band Silverchair. I’ve been playing drums since I can remember, and I’ve been in this band for more than half of my life.

We’re currently in the US and Canada, touring and promoting our new record, Young Modern (released in North America on July 24). Young Modern marks our fifth studio album and our first in five years. We’re really excited to be back in North America, playing shows and catching up with lots of fans.

Daniel Johns (our singer/songwriter/guitarist) and I talked at length about the drum sound we both imagined for Young Modern. On past records I had always gone for a roomy Bonham sound, but on Young Modern we envisaged a super-dry/fat sound—the kind of sound that’s in your face and immediate. Think along the lines of Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?” or a Fleetwood Mac song. We didn’t want the extra frequencies of a roomy sound getting in the way of other instrumentation, and ultimately clouding the drums themselves. Drier, fat, upfront, in-your-face-sounding drums are a lot clearer and don’t get lost in the mix because of unnecessary room frequencies. It worked a treat…but don’t get me wrong, the drums still sound big on the finished product!

We used a few different techniques to achieve the desired drum sound. The main three were: tea towels (an old Ringo trick), newspaper with thin construction tape to prevent breaking through, or Moon Gel combined with strategically placed gaffer’s tape. The drums were tuned surprisingly high, because once the heavy dampening was applied, it made them sound lower-pitched. I use all Remo coated skins, Emperors on the toms and Power Strokes on the kick and snare.

I have always used Sabian cymbals. I switched to all Hand Hammered models during the recording of our album Diorama (released in 2002), and I’ve never looked back. The awesome guys at Sabian do a custom job for me, that is, they don’t cover my cymbals with badges, so that they have an “old school” look. The sound and look is just great!

I honestly believe the drums I use are the equivalent of an Aston Martin. I’m sure you’ve heard this claim before, but these are the best-sounding drums on earth! They’re made by the Le Soprano company, and they’re all hand-made in Italy. The drums are traditionally constructed with European barrel-making techniques, that is, with staves rather than 1- or 2-ply pieces of thin timber—kinda like wine barrels. My drums are all maple. Here are my sizes: 16x24 kick, 6 1/2x14 snare, 8x12 and 8x13 toms, and 15x16 and 15x18 floor toms. My hi-hat cymbals are composed of a 14" HH thin crash and the top cymbal from a pair of Manhattan Groove Hats used as the bottom; I also have an 18" HH Dark crash, a 19" HH Dark crash, and 21" Vintage ride. I hit all of these wonderful pieces of equipment with Vater sticks, my own custom Vater model. The guys at Vater helped me design it, and it’s a great stick. They are kind of like a 5B, and weighted just right for me.

Well, I think that's enough from me. If the nice folk at MD allow me the opportunity to talk about this sort of stuff, I hope it’s been as fun to read as it was to write.

As an end note, do lots of practice, and play along to as much Led Zeppelin and James Brown as you can. Your playing will go through the roof in no time—I guarantee it! CYA somewhere out there.

Cheers,

Ben

moo

jakoś nie potrafię sobie bena wyobrazić wyrzucającego takie potoki słów z sensem... pewnie trochę wygładzone te wywiady Wink

swoją drogą: mimo, że wiem, że teraz ben gra naprawdę niezwykle, trochę mi brakuje tych tłustych dudnień, jak np. w without you i w paint pastell princess...

HenryLee

Eee, cała trójka się już wyrobił i naprawdę potrafią już gadać z sensem (i płynnie) Wink

moo

no jest coś na rzeczy.... choć nie chciałabym, żeby ktoś myślał, że mi brakuje nap******ania jak na freak show...
ale jednak parę mocnych dołów na płycie sprawia, że się dostaje dreszcza po plecach. a parę elegancko zaaranżowanych cykaczy może co najwyżej być bardzo ładne.

(ja wciąż twierdzę, że ben nie jest zbyt rozgarnięty i w dalszym ciągu strasznie mu się rwie narracja Wink

)

NeonDevil