Читать книгу The Jesus Lizard Book - The Jesus Lizard - Страница 9
ОглавлениеMac used the entire kit in a compositional sense rather than simply playing beats and fills. He could build momentum and tension in a song by an additive process, as in the stripped-down opening beat of “Gladiator,” followed by increased activity on the floor tom leading into the chorus. On “Lady Shoes,” he matches the steady stream of sixteenth notes coming from the guitar, again on the floor tom, before erupting into a snare volley that cuts at the very last split-second into an outburst of cymbals and chordal mayhem. “Glamorous” shows glorious restraint (a virtue often overlooked by musicians), with a sparse rimshot beat leading into a full-on hi-hat bump-and-grind when things open up. Slow songs like “Then Comes Dudley” and “Monkey Trick” showcase a mature stylist who’s not afraid to leave space between notes, and then fill the space with motion when the time is right. I’ve jammed with some otherwise really good drummers who couldn’t play slow and steady!
Songs like “If You Had Lips” and “The Associate” reveal an affinity for swing, while tunes like “Killer McHann,” “Dancing Naked Ladies,” and “Whirl” show an ease with odd timings. But it’s in the straightforward hard rock of songs like “Boilermaker,” “Puss,” and “Blue Shot” that he cuts loose and lets go the most. I remember reading a quote from Jimmy Page in an old Led Zeppelin songbook where he was talking about John Bonham. He said something like, “When he gets into a trip, he takes the audience with him.” I think that’s a pretty good summation of our Macca.
DUANE DENISON