Many of us know Grand Funk, and most of us love Grand Funk. They were one of the first true Arena Rock bands, and they, along with a few others, sort of set the tone for what was to come in the late 70s, early 80s, and beyond.
Dale Crover is one of the OG Melvins. He’s the band’s drummer and more. I am happy to say I’ve got Dale with us for an interview today. We talk about the Melvins’ new record, getting fat during the pandemic, the band’s working-class ethos, and Dale’s new solo record.
As a drummer myself, I always love having the chance to speak with other drummers, and Mark Schulman is one of the best there is. Having worked as a gun for hire, Mark has played with artists such as Pink, Foreigner, Simple Minds, Billy Idol and more.
Albert Bouchard has been in the Rock game for a long time. A long-time lover and appreciator of all things music, Albert was one of the founding members of the legendary Rock group, Blue Öyster Cult. As the band’s drummer, Albert played on the band’s first 8 records, the bulk of which are staples of American Classic Rock radio.
Fred Coury was the hard-hitting drummer for one of the biggest bands of this era, Cinderella. I am sure you all remember them for their multi-platinum albums, Night Songs, and Long Cold Winter. There may not be a single song that defines 80s Hair Metal and Glam more so than “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone).”
I came to find out that a drummer named Anton Fig played on Dynasty, Unmasked as well as Ace Frehley‘s self-titled album, Ace Frehley. I also came to find that Anton had played on the bulk of Ace’s solo output. His style of drumming was entirely different than my previous idols. I know today that Anton’s love of Jazz was heavily incorporated into his Rock/Fusion style, but at the time, I had no real grasp of what I was hearing.
Jimmy is probably my favorite. He’s Rock. He’s Jazz. What’s not to like? Yeah, you could say his style speaks to me on a deep level. Jimmy isn’t just playing the drums. He grooves with the song and allows the listener to feel the emotional depth of the song within their gut. Not too many musicians can accomplish that, let alone on a consistent and prolonged basis.
