April 1977 - Modern Drummer - Roy Burns

did the clinic and two rehearsals with two college stage bands and some guy says to me, Gee, it's a shame you don't get to play anymore. I do a whole bunch of playing at once - then I'll take a week off and work inside Rogers - then go back out again. It gives me a chance to relax, practice, work on new things and then go back out and play. MD: To watch you do a clinic, it seems as though you truly love your work. RB:

I think that's pretty obvious and I think it's important that I do. To me, it's essential that young people see that you can be a professional, understand your instruments, still play well, and still take time out to answer a question for a young guy. When I get too important to answer a young guys question - then I think I ought to get out of the business. I'm really grateful that God's been good to me, along with so many wonderful people. Without people helping you - it's pretty hard. I don't think anybody does it all by themselves. I remember all the many people who helped me over the years, and that's why I try to be nice to all the young guys who come to my clinics. I remember how helpful Louie Bellson and Sonny Igoe were to me. They were very encouraging and maybe without their help and encouragement, I might not be here today. I figure if I can encourage some other young guy, maybe he'll do well and I can say - well, I didn't do the work he did - but maybe I helped him feel more positive about himself.

There are so many people making you feel negative from criticism, that a pat on the back from someone you admire can make the difference. That might get you through a lot of bad times. That's why I think what I do is important. MD: What do you find the average drum clinic-goer know?

of today wants to RB: When I first started doing clinics ten years ago, the type of question was always, How can I play fast? Today, the kids are asking things like: How do you tune a drum to get that sound; how do you know how to pick out a cymbal to get it to do this; how do you develop yourself to get this kind of coordinaation; how do you play in different time signatures. The questions are at a much higher level and you can't fool them. You can never lie to a young audience - they instinctively know. MD: Exactly how active are you now in the playing end of the business? RB: Well, I do an awful lot of work on my own. I have thoughts of eventually forming my own group, but I'm not so sure if I'm ready to take on that whole group scene. I guess it's that I felt I had a very strong musical point of view . . . I wanted to play one kind of music more than another . . . I like to play in big bands. At this point, I get to play with a great deal of college big bands more than I ever got to play with when I was doing studio work. What I really think I'd like to do is continue to develop my own style. This clinic job has really allowed me to concentrate on that, rather than just doing the studio work which I had to do to make a living. Maybe, eventually I'll do something with a group, but I'm not sure - I've got so many things in my head and so many possibilities and, fortunately, I can go in a lot of different directions right now. So, I'm just sort of laying back and enjoying it and waiting to see where it's going to take me. MD: Your book, "Elementary Drum Method", is widely used by teachers all across the country. How did you come about writing it? RB:

When I was on the Benny Goodman band, I approached Henry Adler along with a drummer by the name of Lou Malin. We had this idea to write a finger control book and we went to Henry, almost certain he was going to say no - but he said yes. We wrote the book and it's become a standard on the subject of finger control. I started playing Rogers in 1960, and Henry

Grossman who owned Rogers at the time wanted an elementary drum book that was not associated with any particular drum company something they could handle through Rogers.

Henry and I got a hold of all the elementary drum books on the market and we tried to figure out what was really necessary.

We wound up with about a one-hundred page book. The book was so expensive to print that I ended up taking less money for the book, simply because I didn't want to cut anything out. I told Henry, if we cut anything out, it will end up just like every other book.

So, we worked it out and it seems to have become a standard also. I think the best package I have out for young drummers is the "Big, Bad and Beautiful" album, with Dick Grove's band. It has a drum book with all the manuscript parts in it; how to interpret a big band part and what to do in a recording studio situation. I

MD: You've been an established professional for a long time and you've experienced a lot of playing situations. What drummers do you enjoy sitting down and listening to? RB: There are so many good players around today that everytime you put on a record man it knocks you out. I think Steve Gadd is terrific, and I love Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, Lenny White. I love to listen to some of the old Brubeck things with Joe Morello, and some of the old Woody Herman charts with Sonny Igoe, and of course I love the way Buddy plays. Some of my all time favorites are Louie Bellson, Art Blakey, Max Roach and Philly Jo. You know I really believe, there is no such thing as a famous drummer who doesn't play really well.

Somebody asked me once, Who influenced you? I could only reply, everybody I ever heard. And I mean that. If drummers would just share this thing and develop a feeling of love for the instrument, for music, and help each other. If we'd stop fighting with each other, and putting each other down, we'd all play better we'd all have more fun and the world would be a much nicer place to live. It means a lot to me when young drummers come out of my clinic and they can say, gee, I learned a lot and he plays very well, but....what a nice person. He makes me feel like being nice and he makes me want to be a part of the music business. we need more of.

That's what MD