The John Mellencamp Mini Episode | The Kenny Aronoff Sessions
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Creating Drum Parts for John Mellencamp’s Hit Songs.
Kenny shares how he created the perfect drum parts for some of John Mellencamp’s biggest hit songs, including "Jack and Diane," "Hurts So Good," "Authority Song," and "Crumblin’ Down."
Learn how overcoming challenges-whether on a basketball court, at a corporate boardroom meeting, or in a recording studio-requires creativity and innovation.
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Kenny, you’re the second drummer I saw play live at a Mellencamp concert, and my seat was up and off to the left side of the stage. I was mesmerized watching you play, and kept thinking this dude is playing in tennis shoes!! 😂 I watched you the whole show!!
omg Thanks for sharing that story with me.. So many great memories performing live with John back then.. : ) Thanks for checking out my podcast.
@@KennyAronoffOfficial So many great songs you were a part of back then when I was growing up Kenny! I’ll say it again, watching you play live was amazing, and I love listening to your stories! This podcast is great! 👍🏻
@@KennyAronoffOfficial My favorite is the Authority Song! 🎶
American Fool and Uh-Huh was the soundtrack to my childhood and very influential on me to be a drummer too!! Follow up to my last post. The first concert I saw was Billy Joel in 1984, and I sat almost in the same spot as the Mellencamp show at MSA in I think 1992 or 1993. Same thing at the Billy Joel concert! I sat there watching Liberty DeVitto the whole concert!! You two made me want to be a drummer. In comes the drummer of my favorite band the Eagles… Don Henley. So, I bought my first set in 1990 after borrowing a friend’s drum set to see if I could play or not. I sat down for the first time behind the drums and played the whole Eagles Live 1980 album from front to back, both CD’s 💿 💿 without stopping except to put the second CD 💿 on! That was it for me! I became a drummer 🥁 right then and there! I can play any version of any Eagles song, and a bunch of your songs and Liberty’s songs!! I played for 12 years and then had to sell my drums to buy Christmas presents. BUT! I kept my Paiste Signature Series cymbals, and have added to them over the past few years, as well as buying the drums I wanted, and an old school Technics stereo like I had in the 90’s. I’m almost done tuning the drums and setting everything up so I can start playing again. Your videos and stories are awesome!! I spoke with Don Henley on the phone and thanked him for teaching me how to play drums. I want to thank you too Kenny!
What an amazing story,, wow. I can relate to your passion for playing drums and music. Thanks for sharing and thanks for checking out my podcast. : )
42 years ago in the month of April was significant month of drumming for me. I bought my first drum set that month. Also, John Cougar-American Fool, Toto IV and Van Halen's Diver Down all released in the same month. These events were significant moments for my development as a drummer.
Fantastic.. The thing that was so amazing back then was three different bands released three badass records in one month.. AND there were a lot more badass records released that month also. Thanks for checking out my podcast.
Oh. My. F-ing. God. To hear you talk about about these two records now, 40 years after I began playing drums, is like pulling the curtain back on the Wizard Of Oz. You, and Liberty Devitto, and Max Weinberg are the guys who helped me translate the notes I read in the method books I studied from as a kid into proper grooves and how they should be played. With feeling!!!!
After all these years, it's thrilling to hear you tell the stories of how you really came up with these parts and drew from other drummers. An absolute eye-opener. I'm definitely going to go back and listen to these records (I still own them!) and think of this video. Thank you Kenny for everything!!!
Pat.. Thanks for comments.. So cool.. Playing the drums no matter what style of music still comes down to 1 - Beat, 2 - Time , 3 - Groove and 4 - Creative ideas with messing with Beat Time and Groove. : )
I would love for him to interview Larry Crane or Toby Myers from the Mellencamp Band.
I’ve met Larry Crane at a solo gig and am friends with Toby Myers on Facebook. Both great guys, and would love to hear them be interviewed on this channel too! That would be awesome!!
Thanks fr checkin gout my podcast. : )
@@partsgator3462 I've met Larry Crane a couple of times through a friend of mine. Met Toby Myers once and Kenny at a Gas station in Martinsville, Indiana.
Same. Love those guys. What a great band JCM had back then.
Met Toby and stayed at his Air BNB above the garage where his studio is. He has had some major health issues.
Kenny, John's German Protestant work ethic drove everyone involved to success. The Hoosier no-nonsense mentality also helped. John inspired you to become the best drummer you could be. I still want to try your wine. Stay strong, Hoosier Strong.
I agree. Thanks for checking out my podcast... My Uncommon Wine 2 is coming out this summer.. www.smithdevereux.com
Kenny my wife loves these songs. We love your videos. Please keep them coming!
Tony.. Thanks for checking out my podcast. : )
@@KennyAronoffOfficial You're welcome. Your podcasts are fantastic. We are looing forward to the next one.
Fun Kenny! 😄
And l laughed out loud when you sang..." Some people are no dayum good..."
I was like.. How did he know l'm fussing over here about someone?! 🤣🙌
Thank you!! 🤭
Keep having fun Kenny! 👏
God bless! ☺️✌️❤️🦋🙏
lol Trudy... I definitely am not a singer.. : ) Thanks for checking out my podcast.
@@KennyAronoffOfficial Aww Kenny! I wasn't making fun of your voice!! I was laughing about the words/ lyrics you chose to sing! It just resonated with that moment for me BIG time! 😁✌️
I love all of those songs except for maybe Jack & Diane. The drums and acoustic guitar are nice but the rest I’m not into. Funny that it was such a big hit and got Mellencamp’s career going. Same with Cherry Bomb… people love that song! Kenny, you, Jerry Marotta, Lars Ulrich and Clem Burke are my favorite drummers. 🤘
Honest question. If Kenny creates the 'beats' for a song that end up being a large part of the song... why doesn't he get partial credit for the writing of the song? I guess the 'writing' is the lyrics and melody?
Hey Kenny! Was the groove from "Down & Out in Paradise" a third or fourth variation? It's always been one of my favorites from you, and definitely believe Mellencamp took a chance with it; it's like a powered up version of a cha-cha beat!
The beat on "Down and Out in Paradise" just came to me when John started playing something on an electric guitar. It was just me and John playing together. I was always looking for creative new beats or ideas for each Mellencamp song..
@@KennyAronoffOfficial Around the same time you were writing the "Rock Perspective" articles on MD. Combined with daily doses of that album, it was some of the best drum schooling I could have asked for - Thank you so much!!!
Love these. Thanks for sharing your insights into these huge hits
'Scarecrow' is one of my all time favourite albums. Cheers from Australia Kenny. Your UA-cam videos are fantastic.
Thanks for checking out my podcast.. I loved our tours in Australia. amazing.
Crumblin Down was the very first badass video I saw while watching MTV and that drum beat makes the song going. Do you have any recollections making the video and do you have a favorite video you made with John?
Todd I 100% remember making that video in Bloomington, Indiana at the Univeristy Auditorium. It was so cool that John wanted to make our video's in Indiana. "Check it Out' live at Market Square Areana was my favorite video we made. The audience stayed after a 3 hour concert to be in that video.
My favorite from American Fool was Thundering Hearts. Great summer crank it song!
That song was bad ass.. Sounded great on the radio.. : )
Do you have any mellencamp live stuff from the 80s you can share with us on UA-cam?
Hi Luca... Are you alking about live videos or stories?
@@KennyAronoffOfficial live concerts . Do you have anything that isn't on UA-cam.
i heard an interview with John where he said that he can't even remember making the album Whenever We Wanted because he said he was into his painting and lost interest in music. That just sounds wild. I loved that CD when it came out.
John was super passionate about painting at that time. The cool thing is we still make a badass record. There was no way John will settle for mediocrity. : ) I agree, Whenever we Wanted is a cool record.
Crumblin' Down always reminded me of a big diesel semi. The hi hat in the verses were like the air brake releasing pressure. Authority Song was similar in my head. The interrupted starts in the beginning, then it's like the motor of the song gets gas, turns over and fires, and off you go. Two HUGE songs from my childhood. And of course, American Fool is just front to back, old "hardwood bar in a tiny town" music. LOVE it. Thanks so much for the stories!
Rob,
Thanks for checking out my podcast.. great comments.. : )
Excellent idea. I hope he sees this.
Thanks for checking out my podcast.
Too bad you don't show us your ideas on a real set of drums, but thanks just the same.
Eventually I will filming episodes from the drums. : ) Thanks for checking out my podcast.
Why does John credit Mick Ronson with coming up with chorus part and making the song a hit? He tells the story of Mick saying Hey Johnny how about putting baby rattles on there? Is this a true story?
Barry, That's only part of the story.. : )
@@KennyAronoffOfficial I wasn't doubting your story. I just always heard the other story. Love your channel.
you are such an inspiiration i hope to meet you someday
I met Kenny back stage during his Mellencamp days. He was as cool and classy as you would imagine. He gave me an autographed picture.
Thanks Steve. : )
American Fool, my fave ever album!
Thanks for checking out my podcast.
Legend!@@KennyAronoffOfficial
Good to see an upload! I have both Scarecrow and Lonesome Jubilee on MFSL gold discs. Easily 2 of the best albums of the 80's.
Peter.. Thanks for checking out my podcast. : )
Do you think Mick Ronson Was as important to the success of Jack and Diane as your drum fill was?
Yes Mick had some cool ideas for Jack and Diane. Thanks for checking out my podcast.