David Byrne and Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today [2008]
To be honest, when I did it I didn’t really know much about Brian Eno. I’m glad I didn’t, because afterwards I realised the size of his influence. It’s incredible what he’s done. I knew who he was, obviously. I knew he’d produced U2 and that he was in Roxy Music. So working with him got me into Roxy Music. Those early albums are amazing. I never realized they did stuff like that. Even now, though, I know more about his music than his philosophy, his ideologies.
It was amazing to get Brian’s perspective on the music. There’s one track where he asked me to play this pattern where the drums were always just before the beat. Everything else was on the beat and it felt really weird. But then you just trust him and listening back, you think, ‚Wow, that’s really incredible. I’d never have thought of that in a million years.‘
He also got me to play on the wrong side of the snare drum, which I’d never done before, and a lot of electronic drums. Then he got me to play a really sparse bass drum pattern, which at the time felt excruciating, but I learned a lot from doing that. I think I used to be a lot busier on the bass drum, and it’s easy to forget the role of the bass drum, which can be melodic.
I generally think of drums as a tonal instrument, and if my drums are in tune it really helps me play. Even cymbals. If a cymbal is in pitch, it helps. I remember when I was younger, I went with my parents to India and they just left me in this village with a tabla player. Looking back on it, I wonder whether my drumming has been influenced by that experience, even though I only had a few tabla lessons. They’re tuned instruments, so very melodic. I’ve been listening to that music ever since.
(Sebastian Rochford, source: TheQuietus)
P.S.: wer das Original liest, findet auch Lesenswertes über Sebs Zusammenarbeit mit Leafcutter John (eine Liebkingsplatte von mir!) und Rokia Traore (Beautiful Africa) – m.e.