Ever since I found Porcupine Tree and Gavin Harrison, about 10 years ago, he has been my all-time favorite drummer. The man is a drummer's drummer par excellence!
I've been singing his praises for over a decade. Gavin is THE MAN. Apart from being technically great, the one word that always comes to mind when I hear him play is tasteful. Everything he does is just so on point, and even though there's a lot of cool fills and stuff in his playing, it's never showy, never overpowering the song. Like I said: tasteful.
Thanks for this reaction... Not seen it before.. I'm a guy who found Porcupine Tree by complete accident 2 years ago..... and i'm 71 for goodness sake and i've just been devoring them and spreading the music all around as much as I can... Steven Wilson I had heard of... but as this guy who did all the sonic remastering.. and I listen to Aneathsetize and I am drowning in a gorgeous pool of PT and Gavin Harrison has been part of that... I've appreciated drummers ever since Ringo, after all I grew up with them and I love them all... but this man is just special.. You are able to vocalise why for me... I can just feel it, which is what music is all about really isn't it... Keep on rocking.
Mike Mangini is a great example of someone who plays incredibly intricate parts flawlessly, however has almost no soul or groove. Gavin executes with groove, style and insane amounts of tasty drumming. His signature tom rolls just give me goosebumps everytiime.
I thought you were going in the wrong direction in the beginning. Completely agree. Mike is a perfect example of execution with no soul or groove. Perfect example
I think that it's comparing apples and oranges when you're talking about playing on this level. Mangini works for DT and that's no small feat. You can say he's playing with no feeling like a mindless automaton but he hits the lines in a group that has crazy time shifts and melodic arrangements. I love Gavin's musicality, but he just wouldn't fit into a group like DT because his intricate fills were never outside of 2/4 and that would be a huge curve ball to swing at.
I had the sheer pleasure of seeing Porcupine Tree live in a much smaller intimate venue they liked. Great acoustics, small crowd of dedicated fans and just a wonderful night of music. But man I gotta tell ya, I've never been so wowed by a drummer live nor had my jaw drop so many times. He's an absolute titan of drumming and i cherish having watched his genius unfold live twice. My personal rock/metal drummer goat.
Isn't it amazing that he sounds just as brilliant playing big band funk as he does prog rock/metal With the same exact kit? I mean, you could plug this guy into anything and he'd level it up. I just can't get enough of his phenomenal precision and articulation. Just a wonderful musician to listen to, and on top of it he seems like a real normal down-to-earth guy. AND he's a freaking monster.
Gavin is the most musical and tasteful drummer i've ever heard. He is amazing, with an unique sound. Like you said, pristine. That kit sounds perfect! ❤
I saw him live a couple of years ago with King Crimson in Liverpool, England. 3 drummers on stage at once, Gavin was the stand out drummer of the 3. I was about 6 rows from the front, facing him, he was incredible. Best gig I've ever been to.
I have known Gav since the early eighties, he was a phenom then! He did a little get together at the local music store in Watford and used some electronic pads, he switched up upper body stuff for lower body stuff and then back again, ridiculous now never mind then! Lovely fella too!
I went to see Porcupine Tree about 13 years ago or something like that. They had a band called Pure Reason Revolution opening for them. I had not heard of them before this gig. They where okay for the most part of the gig. But suddenly Gavin joined for their last song and elevated the level of PRR so much that I'm certain it gave me the opportunity to still be listening to them this day. That's how good Gavin is.
Right on! First time I saw them by accident because I went for the opening act, King’s X. Porcupine Tree opened with the first side of ‘The Incident’ and Gavin’s drumming on ‘Drawing the Line’ absolutely floored me. I saw him three times last year with Pineapple Thief. Gavin is game changer.
saw them on that tour too. What impressed me most was the drum and bass groove. They grooved so hard together it was unreal. A rhythm section made in heaven.
Andrew, l really like your videos and the way you are carefully approaching the work of the chosen artists. I wish I‘ve had a drum teacher like you. It would have made me a better drummer, if not a better person. 🥁🙂 Cheers mate, greetings from Hamburg/ Germany
I totally agree sir. Gavin has to be one of my favorite drummers right now. Not saying there no one better, but to me, his technique, style, musicianship and absolute precision and mystery of his instrument just blows me away. I look forward to seeing more reactions of him. If you haven't yet, you should look up 19 days. Peace and God bless From Georgia, U.S.A.
Gavin is a phenomenal player! I am impressed that you named him as your favorite drummer! Gavin is so versatile and always impresses! Such smooth and precise playing, and is so RELAXED when he jams! Believe me, the first time I saw this, I was firm too!!! 😜😜😜😂
Im just hammering in on a specific thing here... hands down as a proggy extreme metal drummer myself always trying new things I'd love to be able to play and think like nick barker and Gavin Harrison, Nick's not musically trained whatsoever hes just a really big guy who shouldn't be able to do what he does...he's ridiculous=feel groove chops speed unexpected ,insane tom work, weird placement of splash accents etc and then Gavin whos not a double bass player as stated yet pulls out some damn nifty patterns that compliment the material instead of controlling it ,inverted fills, some jazzy flash and when riffs are heavy it all just makes sense -these 2 are musicians from completely different worlds yet intriguing and tasteful not easy to achieve
By far one of the greatest drummers of now and ever. I love porcupine tree and Gavin Harrison is the reason I stuck around listening to them and now I'm in love with them. You know when you hear "solid in the pocket"and this guy gives a master class on it...
I've said it a thousand times before, and I'll say it a thousand times more: It's always difficult, if not impossible, to say there's a "best of" in any category/discipline/skill/etc. That being said, I would name Gavin Harrison the best Drummer ever any time. Precision, technique, musicality, creativity, control, the right mindset. The guy has it all.
@@michaelparise2831 I'm a huge fan of Thomas, and I'll be the first to admit that his independence is unparalleled. The only reason I still prefer Harrison is that I love Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Pineapple Thief, and his Cheating the Polygraph album whereas there are no band or musical projects with Lang that I enjoy. Kind of a silly reason, but I can't help it.
@@michaelparise2831 Definitely. In fact, I reiterate my initial comment that it is impossible to choose a "best of". I think me going with Harrison is more of a "if I were forced to choose one" scenario. There many other drummers I enjoy watching and listening to. There's really no point in choosing.
Gavin is Gavin. Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio, Billy Cobham, Vinny Colaiuta, Marco Minneman, Narada Michael Walden. Those are the drummers who come to mind as drummers who are in a similar/comparable style who I like as much. His tuning/sound- killer.
Gav’s a monster. A true technician. I was lucky enough to see him live many times with Porcupine Tree but I actually think my favourite live performance from him was a couple of years ago drumming with The Pineapple Thief. His style is really set free within their musical landscape.
The pros like Gavin are not just masters of playing the instrument but they are masters of the instrument. They know the drum composition, hardware, how to tune, etc. We don't often talk about their overall expertise as we focus on their playing. I recommend people watch some of the educational videos and one on one chats these professionals put out where they dive in to much more than just playing. Great stuff if you are a die-hard drum geek and want more than just seeing them play. Rock on!
Lead guitar, lead singer... Gavin is a lead drummer. His part stands alone as a complete composition. Put all the parts together & you have a masterpiece.
Cool review, Gavin is my favorite drummer without a doubt, been lucky enough to see him live three times with Porcupine Tree and once with PineApple Thief. I get to see him again in June 2022 in Seattle playing with PineApple Thief.
Matt Garstka from Animals As Leaders and another very very underrated drummer is Carter Beaufort from Dave Matthew's Band that alot of people overlook and don't give credit to.
@AndrewRooneyDrums Mate! Your Stank Face is the perfect representation of how one should respond to Gavin Harrison, a true magician of the kit! Keep the great vids coming. As always much love and respect from Perth,Aus
Absolutely love Gavin, the finesse and musicality of his drumming never ceases to blow my mind. Going to see him and his current band The pineapple thief in October, cannot wait.
Matt Garstka became my second favorite drummer the first time I heard him. He’s phenomenal. GH will always be my favorite but man, Garstka is very close
I actually saw Gavin with Pineapple Thief in Oslo Norway a few years back, it was magnificent. I was filled with a weird sense of gratitude for his and their hard work and hours of practice.
I love the question you asked "If I hit his snare drum, would it sound like that?" A bad drummer could make a great kit sound crap, and a great drummer could make a crap kit sound amazing.. He plays many complicated parts, but he also plays many parts that myself and a lot of other drummers can play. But It's the *way* he plays them that brings the part to life. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but like you've said, just an absolute privilege to watch and learn from one of the greats.
I’ve seen Gavin live at a few Pineapple Thief gigs. Incredible performance, my favourite drummer by far. Wish I could have seen him in the Porcupine Tree days
I saw Porcupine Tree live on one of their last tours in 2009 and Gavin was absolutely the stand out highlight for me. I was completely star struck listening to him play live. It was amazing.
Seen PTree live in #CLE . Hearing Gavin is one thing, feeling the pop of the backbeat and thrum of the double kicks in your chest and body makes the experience memorable and personal
I encourage checking out the 'Bonnie The Cat' video from (I think) the same performance/show - it's the brain-bendyest 4/4 groove you will *ever* hear.
If you want to see Gavin with a band, check out the 17-minute video of Anesthetize live in Tilburg. There are other videos from the same concert as well. It's not drum-cam footage like this or the Danny Carey video, but Gavin gets lots of attention from the cameras with multiple camera angles, so it's awesome to watch. And the whole concert is absolutely mind blowing from a musicianship perspective for all the players in the band. I saw a couple of the YT clips and had to hunt down the out of print Blu-ray Disc to see the whole thing at maximum quality. Totally worth it.
Love your attitude Andrew, the dead memes and pasting explainations of some musical terms are something that make you different from other reaction channels
he uses different grips with his left hand. when hitting a backbeat/rimshot he holds the stick very firmly with his pinky finger. so basically he chokes the stick at the bottom end. this is part of his 'dead' sound he wants to achieve. also hits the drum as in the centre as possible so that the waves can cancel each other out. he doesn't like ringing drums
There are some speakers in the world where whatever subject you ask them about, they have something insightful and exciting to say about it. Gavin Harrison is like that with drums. All throughout his songs I'm excited about his fills, his grooves, his takes on things
Gavin is fantastic! Who else? Not similar, but I like Jojo Mayer a lot for his vibes and music feeling. So pleasure to hear as Gevin as Jojo! I think these two guys are the best in their musicality.
This is one my favorite performances of him - this track has such a groove. The thing I dig about Gavin is the versatility - he came play what the song needs in virtually any style/genre. Would love to see him on the Zildjian live series w/ The Ghost Note Band.
Found a guy with a similar Backbeat as Gavin. Not as crisp or precise, but very good. JINJER , Pisces ua-cam.com/video/SQNtGoM3FVU/v-deo.html and I Speak Astronomy.
I’m so glad you reacted to this. An absolutely stunning performance! There’s so many subtle beat transformations. I did want someone to explain what he does at 7:34 (on your video). I can’t seem to count what he’s doing. Can you (or someone!) explain that part at all?
The one person who comes to my mind is Benny Greb.....his grooves are also frickkin' tasty. :-) I wouldn't say better.....but pretty much at the same level as Gavin.
This vid is soo good. 🤘 You definitely should listen (and make a video) from Porcupine Tree's Anesthetize live at Tillburg. You did a shorter, drumfest version yeah but hearing Gavin as a part of the whole is awesome. I saw Porcupine Tree live at that same tour and it was like all your memes. Good channel, hoping you will continue making vids. Thanks. 🙂
I love Gavin's playing. In my favorites list along with Benny Greb, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Aquiles Priester, and probably my current favorite of Thomas Lang. They are all so amazing. There are many other modern drummers I love as well, too many to mention.
That Thomas Lang drop though. Talk about a guy spending an eternity perfecting unlistenable music. Fucking insane talent, that no one ever just popped into the player and sat there listening to thinking, "Oh, shit. That's my jam." Fucking awesome to watch, fucking awful to listen to. The guy is basically Medusa. You Can't stop looking but as soon as you listen you turn to stone.
@@Convisis The only guy I could see to even approach that level would be Garstka but it depends if he is willing to sacrifice his life lol. I think Bobby Jarzombek could have been there too, if he would devote his time more for this kind of stuff. But he's got to pay the bills so he plays with regular bands
I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of Gavin. I know of his work, but never specifically knew his name or sought him out. What a monster on the kit...thanks for introducing me to this guy!
His playthrough of Threatening War, by the Pineapple Thief, is full of tasty bits and consistent musicality! Additionally he has a playthrough of Bonnie the Cat, by Porcupine Tree, that's absolutely electrifying! Heck, I remember getting several of their live concert DVDs and just being floored by how much Gavin brings to their songs.
Looking forward to seeing you hear Threatening War by Pineapple Thief (ua-cam.com/video/ENF9wth4kwM/v-deo.html) or for very sparse playing maybe Jakko Jakszyk's It Would All Make Sense (ua-cam.com/video/9dn--ivPFSk/v-deo.html)
And this was an old video too,he has perfected his craft even more so these days,check out his work on Antoine Fafard's new album Perpetual Mutations,the drumming on that album really shows his skills today,it's absolutely phenomenal what Gavin is capable of these days.. Ps...side note,especially check out the track Safety Meeting,skills beyond anyone I've ever heard in my life,love your page by the way
Hi Andrew, in terms of musicality, pocket, precision and creativity, Gavin is as good as it gets. He may not have the freakish speed or dexterity of a Mike Mangini or Virgil Donati (who does?) but yeah... his playing is pure joy to listen to. I'd put Benny Greb right there too as his playing always makes me smile. Simon Phillips too.
WHOA!! That was phenomenal!! When we think we saw them all. Maybe there are so many and some still haven't had a chance to leave their rooms or a Rockstar / Celeb haven't had their BIG break into the music industry; yet!? Hmm.... Gavin is Great along a slew of drummers; percussionists & maybe a Marcel Lightning Dube pill as well!? Hmm....
I'd have to throw out there, and yeah he is in a different genre, but Luke Holland just blows my mind. He's young though and can only imagine how much more he progresses over time!
You might want to purchase his drum dvds. He plays a lot of his own compositions on it and of course the obligatory teaching stuff. Found him when Porcupine Tree released Fear of Blank Planet (a progressive conseptual masterpiece) and seen him live 3 times. There IS no one better. You are quite right, sir. Love the channel.
My favorite part of this performance is when you look closely at the wear spot on each head and realize it is about the size of a quarter or similar coin in your local currency.
absolutely love Gavin Harrison and he's by far and away my favourite but I'd like to see some other drummers too. Dennis Chambers playing with Niacin comes to mind. Can a Patreon subscriber recommend him please? I would but I'm broke...
I just totaly agree with all the comments below. I was lucky , and happy , when I learned that Pineapple Thief came to town, wow, I v got to see Gavin in my hometown Haugesund in Norway. (20 march- 22) Check X.
While I'm sure that Gavin's snare drum is a great sounding drum, I doubt any of us could get the same sound as he does. So much of the sound comes from just how the drum is hit. I am reminded of a story about John Bonham. I don't recall who told the story but apparently they were at Bonzo's house, when John started playing his son's tiny drum kit. The story teller couldn't believe how big the sound was coming out of those little drums. Bonzo knew how to draw out the sound from a drum. It wasn't just a matter of hitting hard (which, contrary to popular belief, he didn't always do). It was all about technique. And with his precise execution, Gavin has tons of technique, Those drums sound great not so much because it's a great kit (which it is) but because it is Gavin playing them.
#2 Futile + Futile Big Band version; how the hell does he play the same song in diametrically opposed styles?, #3 is HALO , who doesn’t like a little 17/16 time? #4 Cheating the polygraph, #5 Arriving somewhere #6 fear of a blank planet or way outta here
Hey JAFA!!! The only Current player (who I have seen drum battle with) who could match him is Simon Philips. Both have amazing pocket, groove and technicality.
Hey Roonoo, you are rocking the Harrison vibe and I love it, I'd try a marco minneman pill, check him out with the Aristocrats, Blues fuckers or Bad Asteroid are top tunes, minneman also played for steven wilson, the man behind Porcupine Tree, too much to say, too little time, check it out brought, big love to u and ur family, from London UK DRUM MASSIVE X
Great Gavin Harrison reaction! Re the snare, yes, it probably would sound the same because he creates his sound - and that goes from the choice of rim, heads and his tuning, and to his jealous guarding and management of his own EQ. As for the rest, like you say, his solutions come from thousands of hours practising rudiments - until the point he judged that focusing on them alone (or solely) would begin to restrict his interpretations of what to play. So we’re seeing someone who has years upon years of hard core technical practice, then releasing that to his brain, which is steeped in math (music is math, right?) and discipline, and then to his heart, which is musicality in every direction. Some people say he’s too much of a calculating machine, but the reality is that he’s created, then tamed that machine, to let loose upon the soul of the music he plays (whatever the style). I defy anyone who has seen him play live to say that he doesn’t have soul to his playing. Yes he almost always plays to click (look at half the time signatures he plays to and tell me you wouldn’t :) and that he seldom just improvises in live tracks (other than embellishments) - but he does that so the punter gets to hear the same thing they do on the studio track (no shortcuts). I’m a prog drummer, and though there are a lot of drummers I love and respect, he is the absolute all-time stand out for me - and that remains whether he is playing Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief - or O5Ric, jazz or anything else. His approach to rhythmic solutions manifestly changed the way I play and, even as a long time prog drummer, rescued me from years of circular playing (a rut). I still recall the day, after listening to one of his video lessons, I realised that you didn’t have to play beats on the kick, as just beats on the kick; anything is fair game - because its just a bloody great instrument with parts that can interplay wherever it fits. We’re the luckiest of musicians with all the things we have to work with - thanks to people like Gavin Harrison showing us the way. Maybe in another 100 years I might approach 1/5th of his ability in execution. Thanks fo the vid, keep em coming. (Oops, this is bloody long, sorry :) PS: oh, and re the snare sound; you’ll notice that Gavin’s fulcrum for his snare backbeats (rim shots etc) is, for the most part, right back on his little finger.
In your reaction to "Anesthetize" you suggested he reminded you of Dave Weckl, and maybe it's the number he's drumming to here, because this is sooo Dave's genre, but Weckl came immediately to mind. Love Dave, and Gavin is relatively new to me, but love his drumming as well
One of the most underrated drummers are pop drummers and especially David Palmer. The drummer of ABC, The The, Julian Cope, Al Green, Billy Squier, Bryan Adams, Danny Wilson, Paul Young, Sting, The Art of Noise, Pet Shop Boys and Rod Stewart.
@@drumvc8060 You're right Steve Jansen was the drummer of Japan. He was also a great drummer! Especially on their first and I think their best album ¨Adolescent Sex¨ And that was in 1978 only 45 years ago.......
Ever since I found Porcupine Tree and Gavin Harrison, about 10 years ago, he has been my all-time favorite drummer. The man is a drummer's drummer par excellence!
Unbelievable! 💯🙌
I've been singing his praises for over a decade. Gavin is THE MAN. Apart from being technically great, the one word that always comes to mind when I hear him play is tasteful. Everything he does is just so on point, and even though there's a lot of cool fills and stuff in his playing, it's never showy, never overpowering the song. Like I said: tasteful.
Yes. His humility and work ethic shines through. Still plays for the music
@@evyatarhadar8867 Yeah Gavin is deep.
Deep understanding. Deep concepts. Deep pocket.
Shout out to that bassist as well. As I age as a drummer I come to really appreciate the bass when played this well
100% agree Joe
Thanks for this reaction... Not seen it before.. I'm a guy who found Porcupine Tree by complete accident 2 years ago..... and i'm 71 for goodness sake and i've just been devoring them and spreading the music all around as much as I can... Steven Wilson I had heard of... but as this guy who did all the sonic remastering.. and I listen to Aneathsetize and I am drowning in a gorgeous pool of PT and Gavin Harrison has been part of that... I've appreciated drummers ever since Ringo, after all I grew up with them and I love them all... but this man is just special.. You are able to vocalise why for me... I can just feel it, which is what music is all about really isn't it... Keep on rocking.
Thank YOU!
for non heavy prog 'big big train' are worth a listen. not too many modern prog bands around these days...
@@jasonjenkins6373 Oh thank you. Will check them out.
Mike Mangini is a great example of someone who plays incredibly intricate parts flawlessly, however has almost no soul or groove. Gavin executes with groove, style and insane amounts of tasty drumming. His signature tom rolls just give me goosebumps everytiime.
I thought you were going in the wrong direction in the beginning. Completely agree. Mike is a perfect example of execution with no soul or groove. Perfect example
I think that it's comparing apples and oranges when you're talking about playing on this level. Mangini works for DT and that's no small feat. You can say he's playing with no feeling like a mindless automaton but he hits the lines in a group that has crazy time shifts and melodic arrangements. I love Gavin's musicality, but he just wouldn't fit into a group like DT because his intricate fills were never outside of 2/4 and that would be a huge curve ball to swing at.
sound italian
Completely agree. His time with avenged sevenfold after "the rev" passed absolutely mechanical with no spirit at all
@@robertwilliams-fs8zq i didnt know Mangini played with AX7, i thought that was Portnoy, the original DT drummer
I had the sheer pleasure of seeing Porcupine Tree live in a much smaller intimate venue they liked.
Great acoustics, small crowd of dedicated fans and just a wonderful night of music.
But man I gotta tell ya, I've never been so wowed by a drummer live nor had my jaw drop so many times. He's an absolute titan of drumming and i cherish having watched his genius unfold live twice. My personal rock/metal drummer goat.
Isn't it amazing that he sounds just as brilliant playing big band funk as he does prog rock/metal With the same exact kit? I mean, you could plug this guy into anything and he'd level it up. I just can't get enough of his phenomenal precision and articulation. Just a wonderful musician to listen to, and on top of it he seems like a real normal down-to-earth guy. AND he's a freaking monster.
Gavin is the most musical and tasteful drummer i've ever heard. He is amazing, with an unique sound. Like you said, pristine. That kit sounds perfect! ❤
I saw him live a couple of years ago with King Crimson in Liverpool, England.
3 drummers on stage at once, Gavin was the stand out drummer of the 3. I was about 6 rows from the front, facing him, he was incredible. Best gig I've ever been to.
I have known Gav since the early eighties, he was a phenom then! He did a little get together at the local music store in Watford and used some electronic pads, he switched up upper body stuff for lower body stuff and then back again, ridiculous now never mind then! Lovely fella too!
I saw KING crimson with Gavin, pat mastelloto ans bill rieflin, 3 drummers, just incredible, very high level.
All amazing
RIP Bill
There’s a video of that on YT so Rooney could do a reaction to it!
@@ianp9086 yes please. Indiscipline would be my favourite from the trio with king crimson
Has anyone else noticed he broke his stick and switched to a new one at 8:29? Crazyyy
No I didn't Kevin!
Daaamn that was smoooooth… Good catch 👍🏼
I went to see Porcupine Tree about 13 years ago or something like that. They had a band called Pure Reason Revolution opening for them. I had not heard of them before this gig. They where okay for the most part of the gig. But suddenly Gavin joined for their last song and elevated the level of PRR so much that I'm certain it gave me the opportunity to still be listening to them this day. That's how good Gavin is.
He's unreal man!
Right on!
First time I saw them by accident because I went for the opening act, King’s X. Porcupine Tree opened with the first side of ‘The Incident’ and Gavin’s drumming on ‘Drawing the Line’ absolutely floored me. I saw him three times last year with Pineapple Thief. Gavin is game changer.
saw them on that tour too. What impressed me most was the drum and bass groove. They grooved so hard together it was unreal. A rhythm section made in heaven.
Watch his whole performance at MD fest 2008, its well worth the hour. His drumming left me speechless
Andrew, l really like your videos and the way you are carefully approaching the work of the chosen artists. I wish I‘ve had a drum teacher like you. It would have made me a better drummer, if not a better person. 🥁🙂 Cheers mate, greetings from Hamburg/ Germany
I appreciate that!
Thanks for subbing and coming along for the ride!
I totally agree sir. Gavin has to be one of my favorite drummers right now. Not saying there no one better, but to me, his technique, style, musicianship and absolute precision and mystery of his instrument just blows me away. I look forward to seeing more reactions of him. If you haven't yet, you should look up 19 days.
Peace and God bless
From Georgia, U.S.A.
Friday evening, a beer, some pizza and a new Rooney video. Can things get better? Maybe in an alternate dimension, but not here in the real world. 😎
HAHA Thanks!
when you hear and see that, you think "drumming sounds fun, I can do that'... and then you try.... and realize that this guy is a God!
Personally I would put Larnell Lewis at the same level as Gavin Harrison...both my favourites
Same here
Love it Phil. Yup similar perfect sound, note placement. Perfect everything
Mine as well. Two magnificent musicians.
Ditto
Gavin is a phenomenal player! I am impressed that you named him as your favorite drummer! Gavin is so versatile and always impresses! Such smooth and precise playing, and is so RELAXED when he jams! Believe me, the first time I saw this, I was firm too!!! 😜😜😜😂
Im just hammering in on a specific thing here... hands down as a proggy extreme metal drummer myself always trying new things I'd love to be able to play and think like nick barker and Gavin Harrison, Nick's not musically trained whatsoever hes just a really big guy who shouldn't be able to do what he does...he's ridiculous=feel groove chops speed unexpected ,insane tom work, weird placement of splash accents etc and then Gavin whos not a double bass player as stated yet pulls out some damn nifty patterns that compliment the material instead of controlling it ,inverted fills, some jazzy flash and when riffs are heavy it all just makes sense -these 2 are musicians from completely different worlds yet intriguing and tasteful not easy to achieve
By far one of the greatest drummers of now and ever. I love porcupine tree and Gavin Harrison is the reason I stuck around listening to them and now I'm in love with them. You know when you hear "solid in the pocket"and this guy gives a master class on it...
Nice Casper! I can't get enough of this guy! HAHA
That’s a tough one Gavin is in a category of his own never heard anyone play quite like him
SOOO good
People: "How many memes can you put in a reaction video?"
Rooney: "Yes"
😂👌
And no sad old man.?
I've said it a thousand times before, and I'll say it a thousand times more:
It's always difficult, if not impossible, to say there's a "best of" in any category/discipline/skill/etc. That being said, I would name Gavin Harrison the best Drummer ever any time. Precision, technique, musicality, creativity, control, the right mindset. The guy has it all.
Just a fun discussion isn't it! There's no right or wrong answers :)
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Agreed!
@@michaelparise2831 I'm a huge fan of Thomas, and I'll be the first to admit that his independence is unparalleled. The only reason I still prefer Harrison is that I love Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Pineapple Thief, and his Cheating the Polygraph album whereas there are no band or musical projects with Lang that I enjoy. Kind of a silly reason, but I can't help it.
@@michaelparise2831 Definitely. In fact, I reiterate my initial comment that it is impossible to choose a "best of". I think me going with Harrison is more of a "if I were forced to choose one" scenario.
There many other drummers I enjoy watching and listening to. There's really no point in choosing.
Gavin is Gavin. Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio, Billy Cobham, Vinny Colaiuta, Marco Minneman, Narada Michael Walden. Those are the drummers who come to mind as drummers who are in a similar/comparable style who I like as much. His tuning/sound- killer.
Agree John!
Absurdly brilliant and creative. It’s always the same reaction look of disbelief and excitement. Keep up the good work Kind Sir
Thanks Rob!
Gav’s a monster. A true technician. I was lucky enough to see him live many times with Porcupine Tree but I actually think my favourite live performance from him was a couple of years ago drumming with The Pineapple Thief. His style is really set free within their musical landscape.
Can't wait to check it out!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums check out this clip - so much in just 3 minutes
ua-cam.com/video/ENF9wth4kwM/v-deo.html
The pros like Gavin are not just masters of playing the instrument but they are masters of the instrument. They know the drum composition, hardware, how to tune, etc. We don't often talk about their overall expertise as we focus on their playing. I recommend people watch some of the educational videos and one on one chats these professionals put out where they dive in to much more than just playing. Great stuff if you are a die-hard drum geek and want more than just seeing them play. Rock on!
Well said!
Lead guitar, lead singer... Gavin is a lead drummer. His part stands alone as a complete composition. Put all the parts together & you have a masterpiece.
Saw him 5 times with crimson 2014-21, pineapple thief 2018 and going to see with porcupine tree in September. He never disappoints.
Yes Rick!
Cool review, Gavin is my favorite drummer without a doubt, been lucky enough to see him live three times with Porcupine Tree and once with PineApple Thief. I get to see him again in June 2022 in Seattle playing with PineApple Thief.
Matt Garstka from Animals As Leaders and another very very underrated drummer is Carter Beaufort from Dave Matthew's Band that alot of people overlook and don't give credit to.
I think they both get their props! In the drumming world at least
Learned more from listening and watching Carter through the years than anyone other than John Bonham when I started playing one day 32 years ago.
@AndrewRooneyDrums Mate! Your Stank Face is the perfect representation of how one should respond to Gavin Harrison, a true magician of the kit! Keep the great vids coming. As always much love and respect from Perth,Aus
Permanent stank face when I hear Gavin. Mesmerising
Absolutely love Gavin, the finesse and musicality of his drumming never ceases to blow my mind. Going to see him and his current band The pineapple thief in October, cannot wait.
Great! Where is the gig!?
@@AndrewRooneyDrums
Manchester, England. Enjoy the vids by the way.
I would strongly suggest you watch Matt Garstka's VF Jams' live video (drum cam version) if you're into this kind of tasteful playing.
Thanks Firas!
Matt Garstka became my second favorite drummer the first time I heard him. He’s phenomenal. GH will always be my favorite but man, Garstka is very close
ua-cam.com/video/axTfqxahqEE/v-deo.html
I actually saw Gavin with Pineapple Thief in Oslo Norway a few years back, it was magnificent. I was filled with a weird sense of gratitude for his and their hard work and hours of practice.
I love the question you asked "If I hit his snare drum, would it sound like that?"
A bad drummer could make a great kit sound crap, and a great drummer could make a crap kit sound amazing.. He plays many complicated parts, but he also plays many parts that myself and a lot of other drummers can play. But It's the *way* he plays them that brings the part to life. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but like you've said, just an absolute privilege to watch and learn from one of the greats.
Nailed it Dylan.
It's the gear myth.
It ain't the gear... it's the player!
I’ve seen Gavin live at a few Pineapple Thief gigs. Incredible performance, my favourite drummer by far. Wish I could have seen him in the Porcupine Tree days
One of my faves too Tom!
Fortunately we all will have that opportunity again!
I saw Porcupine Tree live on one of their last tours in 2009 and Gavin was absolutely the stand out highlight for me. I was completely star struck listening to him play live. It was amazing.
Amazing! Jealous :)
Seen PTree live in #CLE . Hearing Gavin is one thing, feeling the pop of the backbeat and thrum of the double kicks in your chest and body makes the experience memorable and personal
I encourage checking out the 'Bonnie The Cat' video from (I think) the same performance/show - it's the brain-bendyest 4/4 groove you will *ever* hear.
Bonnie the cat is wild!
Sounds great!
If you want to see Gavin with a band, check out the 17-minute video of Anesthetize live in Tilburg. There are other videos from the same concert as well. It's not drum-cam footage like this or the Danny Carey video, but Gavin gets lots of attention from the cameras with multiple camera angles, so it's awesome to watch. And the whole concert is absolutely mind blowing from a musicianship perspective for all the players in the band. I saw a couple of the YT clips and had to hunt down the out of print Blu-ray Disc to see the whole thing at maximum quality. Totally worth it.
Love your attitude Andrew, the dead memes and pasting explainations of some musical terms are something that make you different from other reaction channels
Great! Thank you :)
Gavin has gigged with Iggy pop, Sam Brown, Level 42, Incognito, and many more, He's so versatile.
he uses different grips with his left hand. when hitting a backbeat/rimshot he holds the stick very firmly with his pinky finger. so basically he chokes the stick at the bottom end. this is part of his 'dead' sound he wants to achieve. also hits the drum as in the centre as possible so that the waves can cancel each other out. he doesn't like ringing drums
Yes his backbeat is incredibly crisp!
And rightfully so! Ringing drums a annoying as ****!
@@lennaertvanmierlo2955 unless you are simon phillips. but i get what you mean.
There are some speakers in the world where whatever subject you ask them about, they have something insightful and exciting to say about it. Gavin Harrison is like that with drums. All throughout his songs I'm excited about his fills, his grooves, his takes on things
Saw him live in front row with the pineapple thief......omg! Right before covid.....what an experience......I will never forget it!
Didn't know if you noticed, this is from the same drum clinic as the first video I requested! I can't get enought of Gavin!
Oh wow! Right!
Decent clinic then....
At the 8:29 mark, he drops a stick, picks up another one, and still pulls off that sweet fill! Outstanding!!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Neil Peart. His timing is impeccable
Gavin is fantastic! Who else? Not similar, but I like Jojo Mayer a lot for his vibes and music feeling. So pleasure to hear as Gevin as Jojo! I think these two guys are the best in their musicality.
This is one my favorite performances of him - this track has such a groove. The thing I dig about Gavin is the versatility - he came play what the song needs in virtually any style/genre. Would love to see him on the Zildjian live series w/ The Ghost Note Band.
He did a Zildjian Live!?
Found a guy with a similar Backbeat as Gavin. Not as crisp or precise, but very good. JINJER , Pisces ua-cam.com/video/SQNtGoM3FVU/v-deo.html and I Speak Astronomy.
Most of my go to's are generally the nick barker and the gene Hoglan type of drummers but gavin has always stood out amongst them for me always
Excellent!
when I listen to Gavin I always hear little bit of Mr Weckl in the back... that subtle finesse...sophisticated. Absolutely love it
Yes!
I don't know how one person can inspire me so much and make me want to quit drums at the same time.
Continuity adds depth thru dynamic playing. Ghost notes help tremendously with playing in the "pants".
You should react to Anesthetize again but this time the full version live with Porcupine Tree. If you want to see him live with a band.
I’m so glad you reacted to this. An absolutely stunning performance! There’s so many subtle beat transformations.
I did want someone to explain what he does at 7:34 (on your video). I can’t seem to count what he’s doing. Can you (or someone!) explain that part at all?
Much better with Porcupine tree. These big band tracks are all the same.
The one person who comes to my mind is Benny Greb.....his grooves are also frickkin' tasty. :-)
I wouldn't say better.....but pretty much at the same level as Gavin.
I did an interview with Benny! ep 64 NZ Drummer Podcast
not Greb!
This vid is soo good. 🤘
You definitely should listen (and make a video) from Porcupine Tree's Anesthetize live at Tillburg. You did a shorter, drumfest version yeah but hearing Gavin as a part of the whole is awesome.
I saw Porcupine Tree live at that same tour and it was like all your memes.
Good channel, hoping you will continue making vids. Thanks. 🙂
Gavin Harrison!! Love him 🙏👏👏👏
Absolutely incredible Jesper!
Matt garska....
You can look for the song savive, it's a song he plays in drum clinics
Thanks Martin!
I love Gavin's playing. In my favorites list along with Benny Greb, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Aquiles Priester, and probably my current favorite of Thomas Lang. They are all so amazing. There are many other modern drummers I love as well, too many to mention.
Oh, and I really enjoy listening to Larnell Lewis these days. The Zildjian and Vic Firth sessions are awesome jams to watch. Great drummers showcased.
Sounds like we have similar taste!
That Thomas Lang drop though. Talk about a guy spending an eternity perfecting unlistenable music. Fucking insane talent, that no one ever just popped into the player and sat there listening to thinking, "Oh, shit. That's my jam." Fucking awesome to watch, fucking awful to listen to. The guy is basically Medusa. You Can't stop looking but as soon as you listen you turn to stone.
He’s so good. Virgil is that guy though, a man on a tier of his own.
Yes!
yeah, he's pretty much without equals
@@hazardeur exactly, he’s utterly without equals in that area/style, no one’s even getting close ever I don’t reckon.
@@Convisis The only guy I could see to even approach that level would be Garstka but it depends if he is willing to sacrifice his life lol. I think Bobby Jarzombek could have been there too, if he would devote his time more for this kind of stuff. But he's got to pay the bills so he plays with regular bands
I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of Gavin. I know of his work, but never specifically knew his name or sought him out. What a monster on the kit...thanks for introducing me to this guy!
Who is better? No one. He’s perfect. He can do everything and he always takes everything to the next level of enjoyability. Greatest of all time.
Wow! But hard to argue David!
His playthrough of Threatening War, by the Pineapple Thief, is full of tasty bits and consistent musicality!
Additionally he has a playthrough of Bonnie the Cat, by Porcupine Tree, that's absolutely electrifying! Heck, I remember getting several of their live concert DVDs and just being floored by how much Gavin brings to their songs.
Can’t wait to check it out! 🥁🤜
Gavin is such a tasty drummer- don't know about the coffee but the guy who sent it has good taste in drummers!
Looking forward to seeing you hear Threatening War by Pineapple Thief (ua-cam.com/video/ENF9wth4kwM/v-deo.html) or for very sparse playing maybe Jakko Jakszyk's It Would All Make Sense (ua-cam.com/video/9dn--ivPFSk/v-deo.html)
Coffee and Gavin both great
Nobody is better. Gavin resides at the top ever since Neil Peart passed away.
And this was an old video too,he has perfected his craft even more so these days,check out his work on Antoine Fafard's new album Perpetual Mutations,the drumming on that album really shows his skills today,it's absolutely phenomenal what Gavin is capable of these days..
Ps...side note,especially check out the track Safety Meeting,skills beyond anyone I've ever heard in my life,love your page by the way
Hi Andrew, in terms of musicality, pocket, precision and creativity, Gavin is as good as it gets. He may not have the freakish speed or dexterity of a Mike Mangini or Virgil Donati (who does?) but yeah... his playing is pure joy to listen to. I'd put Benny Greb right there too as his playing always makes me smile. Simon Phillips too.
Well said Kren! Agree on Benny!!!
Gavin did a great live stream where he explained how he tunes his drums, worth a look.
I'll have to check that out!
WHOA!! That was phenomenal!! When we think we saw them all. Maybe there are so many and some still haven't had a chance to leave their rooms or a Rockstar / Celeb haven't had their BIG break into the music industry; yet!? Hmm.... Gavin is Great along a slew of drummers; percussionists & maybe a Marcel Lightning Dube pill as well!? Hmm....
You’re right Andy. I a drummer and I get it. Second to none.
Gotta be some of his best work right there
I'd have to throw out there, and yeah he is in a different genre, but Luke Holland just blows my mind. He's young though and can only imagine how much more he progresses over time!
Luke is awesome Kyle! I did a vid on him too
@@AndrewRooneyDrums I saw it! You seem to like his stuff. Love the videos btw! 🤘
You might want to purchase his drum dvds. He plays a lot of his own compositions on it and of course the obligatory teaching stuff. Found him when Porcupine Tree released Fear of Blank Planet (a progressive conseptual masterpiece) and seen him live 3 times. There IS no one better. You are quite right, sir. Love the channel.
Thanks! Yup big fan here :)
My favorite part of this performance is when you look closely at the wear spot on each head and realize it is about the size of a quarter or similar coin in your local currency.
absolutely love Gavin Harrison and he's by far and away my favourite but I'd like to see some other drummers too. Dennis Chambers playing with Niacin comes to mind. Can a Patreon subscriber recommend him please? I would but I'm broke...
Benny Greb and Thomas Lang are right up there with Gavin.
I had Benny on my podcast. Episode 64 NZ Drummer Podcast
Benny Greb is fucking awesome! Thomas Lang i boring as hell. No feel, like Mike Mangini. They are machines.
Gavin Harrison the master! Hope his legacy stay in this world forever.
It will Sergio! He's left a mark that'll never leave drumming
Really he is unbelievable ❤️
I just totaly agree with all the comments below. I was lucky , and happy , when I learned that Pineapple Thief came to town, wow, I v got to see Gavin in my hometown Haugesund in Norway. (20 march- 22) Check X.
Jay Postones, the drummer for TesseracT. You will greatly appreciate his musicality.
Yes, beautiful style
I love TesseracT and Jay but there is no way he is on Gavin's Level. Gavin is a superdrummer.
@@kaimeier82 yes, of course, Gavin is a great master from an another outter Space. but Jay is very musical. I like his style.
Hope to check out Jay!
@@kaimeier82 Never even mentioned anything about comparing the two.
I'm seeing him with a band called pineapple thief, his drumming on those albums is amazing! You should check it out. I can't wait to see him!!
Thanks Finley!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums No worries mate! I have the first record he played with them on, on vinyl. Sounds awesome!
Danny Cary same level. Just different styles and both insane.
Well said! 👍
Nobody tops Gavin Harrison in my opinion. His compositional approach and dinamics are unique.
While I'm sure that Gavin's snare drum is a great sounding drum, I doubt any of us could get the same sound as he does. So much of the sound comes from just how the drum is hit. I am reminded of a story about John Bonham. I don't recall who told the story but apparently they were at Bonzo's house, when John started playing his son's tiny drum kit. The story teller couldn't believe how big the sound was coming out of those little drums. Bonzo knew how to draw out the sound from a drum. It wasn't just a matter of hitting hard (which, contrary to popular belief, he didn't always do). It was all about technique. And with his precise execution, Gavin has tons of technique, Those drums sound great not so much because it's a great kit (which it is) but because it is Gavin playing them.
100% correct. Always the drummer not the drum
"Top 10 Olympics of Gavin Harrison" lol
LOL
#2 Futile + Futile Big Band version; how the hell does he play the same song in diametrically opposed styles?, #3 is HALO , who doesn’t like a little 17/16 time? #4 Cheating the polygraph, #5 Arriving somewhere #6 fear of a blank planet or way outta here
Larnell is one who's up to the test
Very comparable styles of drumming, both super clean yet quirky and intriguing. Hard to say who's better, I just enjoy the music
100% Kim!
Larnell is RIGHT up there!
Hey JAFA!!! The only Current player (who I have seen drum battle with) who could match him is Simon Philips. Both have amazing pocket, groove and technicality.
I'm no drum afficionado, but I was pretty impressed by Clay Aeschliman, the current drummer in the band Polyphia.
Hey Roonoo, you are rocking the Harrison vibe and I love it, I'd try a marco minneman pill, check him out with the Aristocrats, Blues fuckers or Bad Asteroid are top tunes, minneman also played for steven wilson, the man behind Porcupine Tree, too much to say, too little time, check it out brought, big love to u and ur family, from London UK DRUM MASSIVE X
I meant brother, not brought obvs
I’m sure I’ll get to Marco soon. Don’t think he’s on my patreon list yet though
Great Gavin Harrison reaction!
Re the snare, yes, it probably would sound the same because he creates his sound - and that goes from the choice of rim, heads and his tuning, and to his jealous guarding and management of his own EQ. As for the rest, like you say, his solutions come from thousands of hours practising rudiments - until the point he judged that focusing on them alone (or solely) would begin to restrict his interpretations of what to play. So we’re seeing someone who has years upon years of hard core technical practice, then releasing that to his brain, which is steeped in math (music is math, right?) and discipline, and then to his heart, which is musicality in every direction.
Some people say he’s too much of a calculating machine, but the reality is that he’s created, then tamed that machine, to let loose upon the soul of the music he plays (whatever the style). I defy anyone who has seen him play live to say that he doesn’t have soul to his playing. Yes he almost always plays to click (look at half the time signatures he plays to and tell me you wouldn’t :) and that he seldom just improvises in live tracks (other than embellishments) - but he does that so the punter gets to hear the same thing they do on the studio track (no shortcuts). I’m a prog drummer, and though there are a lot of drummers I love and respect, he is the absolute all-time stand out for me - and that remains whether he is playing Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief - or O5Ric, jazz or anything else. His approach to rhythmic solutions manifestly changed the way I play and, even as a long time prog drummer, rescued me from years of circular playing (a rut).
I still recall the day, after listening to one of his video lessons, I realised that you didn’t have to play beats on the kick, as just beats on the kick; anything is fair game - because its just a bloody great instrument with parts that can interplay wherever it fits. We’re the luckiest of musicians with all the things we have to work with - thanks to people like Gavin Harrison showing us the way. Maybe in another 100 years I might approach 1/5th of his ability in execution.
Thanks fo the vid, keep em coming.
(Oops, this is bloody long, sorry :)
PS: oh, and re the snare sound; you’ll notice that Gavin’s fulcrum for his snare backbeats (rim shots etc) is, for the most part, right back on his little finger.
Love it! GREAT comment
Better check out "19 Days" to. Gavin Harrison is one of a kind!
In your reaction to "Anesthetize" you suggested he reminded you of Dave Weckl, and maybe it's the number he's drumming to here, because this is sooo Dave's genre, but Weckl came immediately to mind. Love Dave, and Gavin is relatively new to me, but love his drumming as well
Great Loren! And thanks for reminding me!
One of the most underrated drummers are pop drummers and especially David Palmer. The drummer of ABC, The The, Julian Cope, Al Green, Billy Squier, Bryan Adams, Danny Wilson, Paul Young, Sting, The Art of Noise, Pet Shop Boys and Rod Stewart.
Steve Jansen, great drummer - and a big influence on GH by all accounts
@@drumvc8060 You're right Steve Jansen was the drummer of Japan. He was also a great drummer! Especially on their first and I think their best album ¨Adolescent Sex¨ And that was in 1978 only 45 years ago.......
jojo. Greysdon Nekrutman, Darnell Lewis, Gergo borlai... there are many... but his style.. Incredible
4 me the GOAT today that is on another level is Matt Garstka..🤪🥰🎶🥁❣️ Peace&Love from Sweden 🥰👊
I can really only think of two or three drummers who are up there at this level: Danny Carey, Jojo Mayer, and Thomas Pridgen
He's out of control good!
Gavin is amazing & a favorite of mine.
Yes Chris!