There really is no one thing to 'take' from Barlow. He's just that great. Fun fact, when Ian was just starting, he slowly became the front man in various different line-ups and band names in London (to 'keep getting work' as he put it). One of those was "John Evans Smash" which of course was Tull's future piano player, but in that band (maybe '67?) the drummer was -- guess who? -- Barrie. So he and Ian went back to Ian's very beginnings. The fact Clive Bunker became drummer for Tull was --according to Ian -- almost as default as it was the Tull line-up that began getting steam and well known. By no means did this mean Barrie wasn't 'chosen' but rather the line-up becoming known as Tull just kept moving forward. Also, after original drummer Clive left, Barrie's first work was the "Living in the Past" single which is famously in a tricky 5/4 meter, and then soon after, Thick as a Brick. I often wondered how Clive would have handled that material, and equally curious how Barrie would have handled Aqualung (original drummer Clive's last album). Regardless, Barrie was the perfect player for Tull's developing sound, and there's just no doubt that all the other Tull drummers were and are great (Doane Perry, Gerry Conway, etc.) but Barrie was head and shoulders a stand out master. Like a 'refined man's Bonham." Great video!
Barriemore Barlow simply the Best drummer I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen Vinnie, Bonham, Carl Palmer, Ian Paice, Steve Gadd, Bozzio all brilliant but Barriemore was just electric.
Yo también admiro a todos esos bateristas, pero comparto la idea de que Barriemore Barlow era mejor. Eso lo afirmo por su creatividad. Después de que se cambiaron los integrantes de Jethro Tull, salió un álbum pésimo. Ya no volvió a ser lo mismo sin ellos, principalmente su sección rítmica.
We built his house for him/with him. See him pretty much everyday for a year, very nice guy and was a pleasure just meeting him. My dad used to listen to Jethro Tull when I was a kid but I grew up in a different era so didn't really appreciate real music like this until I met him & took a look at his work on the Web. Barrie, I salute you
I know almost nothing about drumming technique, but I am a lifelong (50+ years of listening) Tull fan, and one thing I always noticed is that Barriemore Barlow always played to/with the music vs. keeping a beat and adding some color like most drummers seem to do. I had crappy seats at a Capital Centre (Landover, MD) show in the 1979 Storm Watch tour. Sitting up high and far right of the stage, I could move a bit further right and watch him exclusively. I still marvel at what I saw. I would imagine he is without peer, especially given the challenges Jethro Tull music presents to its members.
I had a friend that rodied for Tull at one time. He took me to a gig in Buffalo in 77 where we had exclusive backstage passes. I sat behind Barrie through the whole show. He even let me drink his Heineken that he had on ice in a large green garbage pale. Super nice guy. I loved how Barrie used phrasing instead of playing conventional beats. His playing was more of an art form.
I came here because this is a pretty interesting video. But Once I read your question ("Did you meet Ian"?) I could not resist answering because YES, not only I met him, but my family and I actually spent some time with him multiple times. Last year in Rome (where I live and where Jethro Tull would perform that same evening) he had us for lunch in a local restaurant because he knew it was my birthday. I guess we'll meet again in February, when he's coming again@@berniemccluskey8186
I love when Barrie gets some love! In my opinion Barry is what made thick as a brick special. His drumming on that album was uniquely his and I think with anyother drummer the album would've sounded quite different and most likely not as good. He wasn't back there just keeping the beat, he was playing music and throwing in bits that were just as memorable as any guitar or keyboard riff.
Barriemore is an absolute monster player. War Child, Minstrel In The Gallery, and Songs From The Wood are just monumental performances from him. Insane.
There's only one Barrie Frikkin' Barlow... I'm so glad I found this video. The man deserves all celebration and praise as a musician. I'm not a drummer, i'm a guitarist, but of course I love great drumming, because what would music be without drums? One thing I need to confess: When I hear Barrie play on Heavy Horses, I'm driven to tears, it's so good. Every. Single.Time. Also there's songs like Hunting Girl and Minstrel in the Gallery, where we clearly hear the greatness that is Barrie Barlow. There are so many legendary drummers, but if you put it all together - the artistic touch on Ian's mostly pretty difficult songs, the spirit, the power, the sheer virtuosity - I don't know, there's something so special and no other drummer has ever made me feel this way. God bless him.
I just finished Geddy's "Effin" biography. He mentions Tull and other "prog" bands throughout but I don't recall him ever singling out Barlow anywhere. He does however specifically talk about Bill Bruford multiple times tho. Him and Alex had wanted John Rutsey to play more like Bruford but Rutsey wanted to play drums like Rush was Bad Company. HA! Apparently Alex and Geddy really love guitar-bass riffs in 7/8 time.
Several very famous drummers, one being the late Ndugu Chancler, told me he was absolutely “amazed” at what Barrie could do. My perhaps favorite track is his work on “Hunting Girl”-how he works with the bassist and also the creativity to match the song. It’s partly just a gift. But he must have practiced insanely long hours when he was young.
Well actually he says in an interview he couldn’t afford lesson as a kid and was self taught, and learned by listening to Jazz records. Also he knew the guys in Tull from having played in The Blades with them before Tull. Barrie was shown this video and said thanks for doing it.
yep , my fave of all time, I bought a massive vistalite double Ludwig kit because of him and even auditioned for Tull myself back in the day..awesomeness
He’s definitely in my top two or three favorites. I wonder why there wasn’t more video of this amazing musician. I sure would have loved to have seen him continue drumming more. I did have the opportunity to see him live once in 1977 with Tull. It was your video times 10!!! 👍👍😊
Barriemore Barlow is one of my all time favorites and criminally underrated. I love his playing on "Songs From The Wood" and "Stormwatch" the most. You play great as well! Nice job on recreating the solo! Great drum sound too
As much as I loved Clive Bunker's drumming, Barrie took it to another level. Thick As A Brick was stupendous for us young players. Even now, when I listen to it, I'm still envious of his perfection and creativity. Great channel I found here. Thanks Guy and keep up the solid work!
Barlow is a MASTER drummer, a favorite, and an inspiration. His nimble fills around the toms and errant China crash accents and double bass pumps are stellar. Minstrel in the Gallery is a clinic of a song. Aynsley Dunbar is the only player I'd rank alongside him. Heroes!
Ahh yes, and to think after almost after 40 years of music, Barriemore Barlow is so different that all of them and "they" are great. I like some of you saw two back to back shows and purposely got a seat right behind BB and it was a close overhang so I was about 25 or 30 feet (from your living room to your kitchen) a full drum set. amazing on so many levels. 42 years later the "conundrum" solo is still my favorite.
A HUGE influence on me as a drummer. He was so experimental & adventurous in his playing, not to mention talented! Anything he played just sounded amazing - you knew he would take you on a journey with cool fills and all sorts of surprises with his drumming. Barrie is in my personal top three all time favourite drummers list! I never got to see him play live sadly. 🤘
Awesome. Thanks! Barriemore is my favorite drummer of all time! He just didn't play the drums, he played music. Tull is my favorite band and Barlow's arrangements were unparalleled. An integral part of every song. His solos were one giant seemless song, especially on Bursting Out. He once said he wished he hadn't played in such a complicated way, but he was wrong. It always sounded great and unique and he had to have been the envy of so many other drummers. I'm glad I came across your video to give Barrimore his due! I saw you at Westbury Music Fair recently when you were last there. Barriemore would have been pleased.
Barrie is without doubt one of the greatest drummers to ever pick up a pair of sticks! My first concert at age 14 was Tull on the A Passion Play tour at the San Diego Sports Arena July 19, 1973. The Lp was released in the states on July 13, 1973 so there was no time to digest the Lp before the show. The concert was billed as An Evening at the A Passion Play so I had no idea what I was about to see, that night changed my life! As much as I love Songs From the Wood, especially A Hunting Girl is pure magic! Live A Hunting Girl is sheer brilliance! If you really sit down and digest Barrie's drumming on A Passion Play you find it's without doubt some of his finest work. Thanks Guy for sharing your thoughts on Barrie, cheers!
I always tried to emulate his smooth snare technique and dynamics like on Songs From The Wood, where he's alternating between marching band phrasing in and out of perfect press rolls. The transitions are so smooth that you would think he overdubbed them.
I did a book report on Thick as a Brick my senior year in high school “1973”, and that one report carried me for the remainder of the year. My English teacher was a Tull fan too !! I was fortunate enough to have seen Tull twice, first with Clive Bunker, and later with Barriemore Barlow. My first ever concert was Tull 1970, I was 15 !!!!
In 1980 he played on several songs on the Seeds of Change album by Kerry Livgren but the way he played the bell of that ride cymbal on How Can You Live at 3:55 into the song to the end simply changed my drumming forever.
What about John Weathers from Gentle Giant? He hardly ever played solos with the band, but his precise prog-rock drumming definitely deserves a few favourable words, as well...
@@GuyGelso Their first two drummers, Martin Smith and especially the second one Malcolm Mortimore, also played tricky stuff (Malcolm played only on their third studio album "Three Friends"). By the way, the very name of Malcolm Mortimore sounds kinda similar to Barriemore Barlow in terms of spirit and tongue. John Weathers can be perfectly seen in this video: ua-cam.com/video/RrdQ5wAwL-0/v-deo.html
The second album I ever bought was Bursting Out. I play drums and learned much from that album and thought that BB was like a composer in the way his fills accented and shaped the music as the song rolled down the corridor this way and that. Like he was a drummer in a symphony or something
His performance on Something’s On The Move… Creative, musical, a little weird, heavy as hell! He pushes, pulls, stops, stutter-steps, and then ultimately explodes into the guitar solo outro.
Thats incredible,today I clicked on to the Jethro Tull instrumental with his drum solo from 1977 and was blown away.Amazing drummer and the instrumental is insane.
Nobody can replicate that solo ! Best structured solo ever recorded. That blistering high tom attack is phenomenal, saw him live on that tour @Boston Garden 10 rows back just off to stage right. Never forgot it, Barriemore stole the show & the crown roared at every Barlow moment & there were many. Love seeing the old concerts from the Songs From the Wood tour, he drags that unconventional rag tag collection of acoustic & odd percussive bits about. Brilliant 👏
Completly agree with your appreciation of BB. His feel on some of those songs was just perfection. All of JT drummers are fantastic in their own right. The Robert Plant albums with him, Phil and Cozy, were huge influences on my playing. I have to be honest and say Mark Craney was my favorite however. His work on the Tull stuff and most especially Gino Vanelli still inspires me to this day. Gone way too early😪
Barrie was brilliantly gifted and extremely talented. He also used to use an acrylic kit which inspired me to buy one. As others have stated, an incredibly under rated musician and lovely guy!
Only those who don't know what it means to play drums at certain levels can consider Mr. Barlow underrated ...... his drums speak for him as well as his career in a band called Jethro Tull! Silence and walk.....................Great Up Mr.Gelso many thanks !
Thanks for this informative upload. I'm a Tull addict, but never knew BB played on Plant and Yngwie recordings. Wish your video had been longer with more discussion on other Tull tracks featuring BB's technique.
My all-time drumming hero along with Bill Bruford. The song Minstrel in the Gallery is one I played often....love the groove using my double bass pedals.
War child was a great album and like all my albums I put the headphones on and quickly realized how difficult it is to play! Glad you brought this drummer to light very underrated
Love Barriemore Barlow , so underrated in my opinion . I heard Barrie do things that other drummers where only attempting. And do them fluently !!! Thick as A Brick pretty much cemented that for me, even though I was a huge Bonham fan , Barry comes in tied for me !! He allways had unique ideas playing that I hadn't heard from other players . Almost orchestral ideas !!
One Take Away: Barlow's super clean articulation (four way). That is how he does that fast hi-hat jam. Each limb is clean, strong and separate in stroke. I also love Clive Bunker. His playing is so musical and clever. Benefit is a great example: jazz influenced cymbal work in the back beats/turnarounds. His snare is not always where you expect it, like Bill Bruford. Thanks! I love the channel. Liked and Subscribed. Cheers!
His drumming on the whole of thick as a brick and minstrel in the gallery was just incredible, also the track Rainbow blues is another of my favourites. Thanks for reviewing one of the top rock drummers of all time. 👍
Awesome! I didn't know much about this guy but you filled me in. I knew he played on Robert Plant's Principle of Moments album and liked what he did there!
Hello, Guy, congrats for your eighth attempt! Well done. Barriemore Barlow is a great inspiration to me. The Bursting out concert was the first show I saw in my long life. And so I was witness of one of the greatest drum solos ever. I am grateful for being part of this event. Greetings from good old germany! Klaus
Dark Ages and Barrie's solo on Bursting Out - Martin's Conondrum. I saw Tull live In El Paso on the 1978 tour and Barrie sounded like 11 drummers by himself..!!!
Thank you Guy. Just gave me a good day.I Listened to Jethro Tull intensively as a teenager. Playing classical and jazz guitar my whole adulthood I completely forgot about Tull. Your work here is an ephifany for me. Havnt listened to Tull for nearly 50 years and now realising how good, complex and interesting the music were. I loved, just loved Barlows soloes back then too. Still does. Your contribution here made me emotionel. Thank you:)
I’m working on transcribing the live performance of Heavy Horses from a 1978 show which for me is very challenging! I’m about half way through and that’s not even learning to play it, just writing it out.One of the things I’ve always loved about his playing and that I wish I could take away is his hi-hat embellishments. He makes those hats sing!
I love your take on Barrie . you're an amazing drummer saw you many times with zebra in Long Island in Brooklyn at LaMur.. I was always upfront watching you pound the cans effortlessly..🔥
Just found your channel, and wondered if you'd done a video of Barrie Barlow's drumming. I got to see some really good drummers play live, and he is still the one who amazed me the most. The Jethro Tull concert (4/8/1977) with Barlow on drums, and John Glascock on bass, was my first, and the drum solo was much like the one on the "Bursting Out" live album. *_Incredible._*
I just found your channel. First of all, I’m a fan of you, Guy. I love your playing with zebra! Barriemore Barlow is a fantastic player, and I agree he did not get the recognition he deserved. Great technique, great ideas! Thanks for these posts About other great drummers!
Thanks for spreading the word about Barriemore Barlow. To me he is the English Bozzio! I was with the support band on a tour he did with John Miles, 2 really nice guys :)
His playing added and emphasized "melody" with Ian's amazing and dramatic song writing. His drumming became part of the melody, not just the rythmn. What a perfect band and drummer combo. Add Martin and Peggy and to me it was the dream team.
Great to see the out takes. Glad it is not just me cursing when hitting rims etc. on a serious point i did not know about Barrie but am starting to listen to more Jethro Tull.
Absolutely, TAAB, Passion Play, Etc. Saw him once in Oakland, 1975. Probably my favorite and that’s after knowing and studying Collins, Bruford, Rich et al. Not acknowledged enough.
Excellent video, and great points about Barrie. My music director at school gave me a copy of "Bursting Out" when I was just getting into Tull; I had no idea it had a drum solo on it. I still remember being in my room, playing this oddly-titled song called "Conundrum"...and then, wham! It's still one of the best solos I've ever heard, and I've heard 'em all.
hi guy first time seeing you like your style been a tull fan since 1970 was glad to see barrie get some flowers always wanted to play and finally just got a used kit better late than never eh keep slammin
I was fortunate enough to see JT three times on three different Tours with Barriemore & I was always blown away by his presence and power. Ian Anderson is a very talented man in his own right, but without Martin, Barriemore, John Glascock & John Evans he could have never elevated the Band to Super Stardom Status. There was a chemistry there that Ian can’t replace, like lighting in a bottle. Johns sad death affected everyone. I am glad I was lucky enough to see them at their peak. Bravo the 70s.
Barrie paid for John's funeral, they were very close, and John died broke. There was bad feeling over how much John was paid, and Barrie left Tull soon after. Anderson is a musical genius, but not a very nice person.
I just met a Lancashireman who says he was a friend of Barry Barlow and Zig Wilkinson, the lattter, one of the brass section of Tull and used to jam with them..
Great drum player, Guy. You say what I had always thought. I watched Tull when they were just releasing Thick as a Brick, and their stage show was absolutely unbelievable. I really couldn’t believe how good they, everyone of them, were. Thanks
I love this channel and am glad I stumbled into it! Thanks Guy for this feature on Barlow. He is never mentioned with Bruford, Palmer, Peart, etc but was incredible on every Tull album he played on Technically.....he was an animal!!!! His Conundrum solo on Bursting Out is unbelievable. He introduced me to hertas thanks to his use of them on the heavy Horses album. The drum breaks on Thick As a Brick are so smooth. I get frustrated listening to him, knowing I will NEVER be nearly as good a drummer as he is.
He does a drum solo on "Thick As a Brick" in 3:4 time. Throughout the solo, he maintains the pulse with "1" on the bass drum and the "2" & "3" closing the hi - hat. I've always wondered whether he pre - recorded that pulse on a separate track and played the solo over the top of it, because if he didn't, it's an astonishing piece of independence, with the feet and hands sometimes playing at different tempos!
Barrie Barlow and John Glasscock one of the best rhythmic sections ever existed
Truth
Every time someone says Neil Peart, who I love, I always say Barriemore Barlow! His fills in Minstrel…🔥! Love Songs from the Wood too!!!
Oh yes Barlow for me, but Peart is great.
There really is no one thing to 'take' from Barlow. He's just that great. Fun fact, when Ian was just starting, he slowly became the front man in various different line-ups and band names in London (to 'keep getting work' as he put it). One of those was "John Evans Smash" which of course was Tull's future piano player, but in that band (maybe '67?) the drummer was -- guess who? -- Barrie. So he and Ian went back to Ian's very beginnings. The fact Clive Bunker became drummer for Tull was --according to Ian -- almost as default as it was the Tull line-up that began getting steam and well known. By no means did this mean Barrie wasn't 'chosen' but rather the line-up becoming known as Tull just kept moving forward. Also, after original drummer Clive left, Barrie's first work was the "Living in the Past" single which is famously in a tricky 5/4 meter, and then soon after, Thick as a Brick. I often wondered how Clive would have handled that material, and equally curious how Barrie would have handled Aqualung (original drummer Clive's last album). Regardless, Barrie was the perfect player for Tull's developing sound, and there's just no doubt that all the other Tull drummers were and are great (Doane Perry, Gerry Conway, etc.) but Barrie was head and shoulders a stand out master. Like a 'refined man's Bonham." Great video!
Barriemore Barlow simply the Best drummer I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen Vinnie, Bonham, Carl Palmer, Ian Paice, Steve Gadd, Bozzio all brilliant but Barriemore was just electric.
Yo también admiro a todos esos bateristas, pero comparto la idea de que Barriemore Barlow era mejor. Eso lo afirmo por su creatividad. Después de que se cambiaron los integrantes de Jethro Tull, salió un álbum pésimo. Ya no volvió a ser lo mismo sin ellos, principalmente su sección rítmica.
That insane fill around the kit in No Lullaby ........you know the one :)
For me the most amazing fill is on Hunting Girl / Bursting Out ...
And "Pibrock"
Of course we do 🤟
We built his house for him/with him. See him pretty much everyday for a year, very nice guy and was a pleasure just meeting him.
My dad used to listen to Jethro Tull when I was a kid but I grew up in a different era so didn't really appreciate real music like this until I met him & took a look at his work on the Web.
Barrie, I salute you
Cool. Hard to believe he doesn't play anymore.
I know almost nothing about drumming technique, but I am a lifelong (50+ years of listening) Tull fan, and one thing I always noticed is that Barriemore Barlow always played to/with the music vs. keeping a beat and adding some color like most drummers seem to do.
I had crappy seats at a Capital Centre (Landover, MD) show in the 1979 Storm Watch tour. Sitting up high and far right of the stage, I could move a bit further right and watch him exclusively. I still marvel at what I saw. I would imagine he is without peer, especially given the challenges Jethro Tull music presents to its members.
Qué envidia siento de que pudiste admirar a tan gran baterista tocando en vivo
I had a friend that rodied for Tull at one time. He took me to a gig in Buffalo in 77 where we had exclusive backstage passes. I sat behind Barrie through the whole show. He even let me drink his Heineken that he had on ice in a large green garbage pale. Super nice guy. I loved how Barrie used phrasing instead of playing conventional beats. His playing was more of an art form.
you nailed it,Barrie played in phrasing!
Thanks for the comment my friend!!
Im 68 and been tull fan since 1970 you are one lucky sob did you meet Ian?
I had no idea that he was such a great drummer.
That's a great complement coming from Bonham.
I came here because this is a pretty interesting video. But Once I read your question ("Did you meet Ian"?) I could not resist answering because YES, not only I met him, but my family and I actually spent some time with him multiple times. Last year in Rome (where I live and where Jethro Tull would perform that same evening) he had us for lunch in a local restaurant because he knew it was my birthday. I guess we'll meet again in February, when he's coming again@@berniemccluskey8186
I love when Barrie gets some love! In my opinion Barry is what made thick as a brick special. His drumming on that album was uniquely his and I think with anyother drummer the album would've sounded quite different and most likely not as good. He wasn't back there just keeping the beat, he was playing music and throwing in bits that were just as memorable as any guitar or keyboard riff.
Barriemore is an absolute monster player. War Child, Minstrel In The Gallery, and Songs From The Wood are just monumental performances from him. Insane.
Barrie Barlow, the greatest drummer nobody knows. Always been one of my favorites.
There's only one Barrie Frikkin' Barlow... I'm so glad I found this video. The man deserves all celebration and praise as a musician. I'm not a drummer, i'm a guitarist, but of course I love great drumming, because what would music be without drums? One thing I need to confess: When I hear Barrie play on Heavy Horses, I'm driven to tears, it's so good. Every. Single.Time. Also there's songs like Hunting Girl and Minstrel in the Gallery, where we clearly hear the greatness that is Barrie Barlow. There are so many legendary drummers, but if you put it all together - the artistic touch on Ian's mostly pretty difficult songs, the spirit, the power, the sheer virtuosity - I don't know, there's something so special and no other drummer has ever made me feel this way. God bless him.
GeddyLee was asked which drummer(s) he would want to work with and Barriemore Barlow was the first name
to come up.
I just finished Geddy's "Effin" biography. He mentions Tull and other "prog" bands throughout but I don't recall him ever singling out Barlow anywhere. He does however specifically talk about Bill Bruford multiple times tho. Him and Alex had wanted John Rutsey to play more like Bruford but Rutsey wanted to play drums like Rush was Bad Company. HA! Apparently Alex and Geddy really love guitar-bass riffs in 7/8 time.
Several very famous drummers, one being the late Ndugu Chancler, told me he was absolutely “amazed” at what Barrie could do. My perhaps favorite track is his work on “Hunting Girl”-how he works with the bassist and also the creativity to match the song. It’s partly just a gift. But he must have practiced insanely long hours when he was young.
I think (don't know) that he was self taught and I would guess he learned by playing and it was just natural for him...Thanks
@@GuyGelso I'll ask him for ya. If you got any questions you'd like answering let me know and I'll put them to him. He'd be happy to👍🏻
I just been listening to Dark Ages and I always love the challenge of working out that particular piece. Great composition all around.
Well actually he says in an interview he couldn’t afford lesson as a kid and was self taught, and learned by listening to Jazz records. Also he knew the guys in Tull from having played in The Blades with them before Tull. Barrie was shown this video and said thanks for doing it.
Ok…I guess you would know best, not Barrie Barlow…thanks for commenting.
B B is most underrated drummer in history..live album Bursting Out he was totally ridiculous...love your chops too !!
Thanks my friend!
yep , my fave of all time, I bought a massive vistalite double Ludwig kit because of him and even auditioned for Tull myself back in the day..awesomeness
He’s definitely in my top two or three favorites. I wonder why there wasn’t more video of this amazing musician. I sure would have loved to have seen him continue drumming more. I did have the opportunity to see him live once in 1977 with Tull. It was your video times 10!!! 👍👍😊
Yes he is great. I saw him twice with Tull …amazing
Barriemore Barlow is one of my all time favorites and criminally underrated. I love his playing on "Songs From The Wood" and "Stormwatch" the most. You play great as well! Nice job on recreating the solo! Great drum sound too
Thanks and Songs From The Woods is my favorite Tull record too.
Songs From The Woods...one of my favorites!!! Thanks for commenting.
Songs from the Wood has amazing drums!
Totally agree, Barriemore Barlow has been unfairly underrated, being, as he is, one of the best drummers of all time.
As much as I loved Clive Bunker's drumming, Barrie took it to another level. Thick As A Brick was stupendous for us young players. Even now, when I listen to it, I'm still envious of his perfection and creativity. Great channel I found here. Thanks Guy and keep up the solid work!
Yeah, and Thick As A Brick was Barriemore's first major professional recording. Unbelievable.
@@jimhardiman3836 Even more impressive!
One of my favorite Barlow moments is on Heavy Horses,what a composer!!!
Barlow is a MASTER drummer, a favorite, and an inspiration. His nimble fills around the toms and errant China crash accents and double bass pumps are stellar. Minstrel in the Gallery is a clinic of a song. Aynsley Dunbar is the only player I'd rank alongside him. Heroes!
Yes. 1978 Conundrum on Bursting Out is tops.
agree 100% one of the most underrated drummer in our lifetime
Yes very underrated, that's why I do these videos, as a history lesson for the young drummers so they don't forget...Thanks
Ahh yes, and to think after almost after 40 years of music, Barriemore Barlow is so different that all of them and "they" are great. I like some of you saw two back to back shows and purposely got a seat right behind BB and it was a close overhang so I was about 25 or 30 feet (from your living room to your kitchen) a full drum set. amazing on so many levels. 42 years later the "conundrum" solo is still my favorite.
Yes that solo is one I have stolen from for years...thanks
Saw it live in Pittsburgh. Awesome Show. Tull best band of All Time's.
A HUGE influence on me as a drummer. He was so experimental & adventurous in his playing, not to mention talented! Anything he played just sounded amazing - you knew he would take you on a journey with cool fills and all sorts of surprises with his drumming. Barrie is in my personal top three all time favourite drummers list! I never got to see him play live sadly. 🤘
Awesome drummer. I especially love him on Heavy Horses and A Minstrel In The Gallery.
Love Heavy Horses...thanks for commenting...
Awesome. Thanks! Barriemore is my favorite drummer of all time! He just didn't play the drums, he played music. Tull is my favorite band and Barlow's arrangements were unparalleled. An integral part of every song. His solos were one giant seemless song, especially on Bursting Out. He once said he wished he hadn't played in such a complicated way, but he was wrong. It always sounded great and unique and he had to have been the envy of so many other drummers. I'm glad I came across your video to give Barrimore his due! I saw you at Westbury Music Fair recently when you were last there. Barriemore would have been pleased.
Thanks Bill for the comment and yes I read Barrie doesn’t like playing complicated anymore. Sure is great though.
Thanks for the comment, and Barrie saw this video and sent back a thank you to me so I did get his approval after all!!!
I was fortunate enough to see him play several times. His solos were mind blowing.
My absolute favorite drummer...huge influence for me
Yes big influence on me too...thanks for commenting
Barrie is without doubt one of the greatest drummers to ever pick up a pair of sticks! My first concert at age 14 was Tull on the A Passion Play tour at the San Diego Sports Arena July 19, 1973. The Lp was released in the states on July 13, 1973 so there was no time to digest the Lp before the show. The concert was billed as An Evening at the A Passion Play so I had no idea what I was about to see, that night changed my life! As much as I love Songs From the Wood, especially A Hunting Girl is pure magic! Live A Hunting Girl is sheer brilliance! If you really sit down and digest Barrie's drumming on A Passion Play you find it's without doubt some of his finest work. Thanks Guy for sharing your thoughts on Barrie, cheers!
I always tried to emulate his smooth snare technique and dynamics like on Songs From The Wood, where he's alternating between marching band phrasing in and out of perfect press rolls. The transitions are so smooth that you would think he overdubbed them.
His hands were amazing, great snare technique...Thanks!
HIS MEMORY AND ODD TIME WORK WAS UNREAL
I did a book report on Thick as a Brick my senior year in high school “1973”, and that one report carried me for the remainder of the year. My English teacher was a Tull fan too !!
I was fortunate enough to have seen Tull twice, first with Clive Bunker, and later with Barriemore Barlow. My first ever concert was Tull 1970, I was 15 !!!!
In 1980 he played on several songs on the Seeds of Change album by Kerry Livgren but the way he played the bell of that ride cymbal on How Can You Live at 3:55 into the song to the end simply changed my drumming forever.
Great that you mention this, fantastic drumming on a fantastic album!
I will check that out...Thanks!!!
Great Homage to A Great Drummer BB!! Tks GC!!
What about John Weathers from Gentle Giant? He hardly ever played solos with the band, but his precise prog-rock drumming definitely deserves a few favourable words, as well...
Loved that band…might have to look into him.
@@GuyGelso Their first two drummers, Martin Smith and especially the second one Malcolm Mortimore, also played tricky stuff (Malcolm played only on their third studio album "Three Friends"). By the way, the very name of Malcolm Mortimore sounds kinda similar to Barriemore Barlow in terms of spirit and tongue.
John Weathers can be perfectly seen in this video:
ua-cam.com/video/RrdQ5wAwL-0/v-deo.html
Weathers grooves like no one else.
The second album I ever bought was Bursting Out. I play drums and learned much from that album and thought that BB was like a composer in the way his fills accented and shaped the music as the song rolled down the corridor this way and that. Like he was a drummer in a symphony or something
He was definitely one of the top drummers on my list from the early 70's and on. Wore those albums out man. Still have them.
His performance on Something’s On The Move…
Creative, musical, a little weird, heavy as hell! He pushes, pulls, stops, stutter-steps, and then ultimately explodes into the guitar solo outro.
I know! Right?? It's almost impossible to keep up with what he's doing throughout the song. There's so much going on and it's absolutely amazing!
Thats incredible,today I clicked on to the Jethro Tull instrumental with his drum solo from 1977 and was blown away.Amazing drummer and the instrumental is insane.
Your work is CLEAN within the realm of what can be heard among human listeners! Thx!
Thank you my friend!!
The best drummer I have ever seen. His bass drum work is incredible, and he played such complex time signatures. There is nobody better in rock.
Nope and John Bonham said exactly that, that the best drummer in the UK was Barlow
Thank you Guy. So fortunate to have seen Barrie play 6x with Tull. Yes, the most underrated, most creative drummer ever. LONG LIVE BARRIE!
have seen Barrie with Tull 10 times, awesome
Only saw him 2x but I stole so much from him!!! Thanks for commenting...
Just found this video. I've been a fan of Tull for... 45 years, and I've never heard any kind of praise for Barlow. This is amazing to me. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Saw Barlow twice and he was just amazing.
Nobody can replicate that solo ! Best structured solo ever recorded. That blistering high tom attack is phenomenal, saw him live on that tour @Boston Garden 10 rows back just off to stage right. Never forgot it, Barriemore stole the show & the crown roared at every Barlow moment & there were many. Love seeing the old concerts from the Songs From the Wood tour, he drags that unconventional rag tag collection of acoustic & odd percussive bits about. Brilliant 👏
Great Homage to A Great Barriemore Barlow!! Awesome and Outstanding Drummer!! Congratulations Guy Gelso You played very very Well!!
The entire opening section of No Lullaby was subtle, clean mastery. He was absolutely brilliant.
Yes he was…
Completly agree with your appreciation of BB. His feel on some of those songs was just perfection. All of JT drummers are fantastic in their own right. The Robert Plant albums with him, Phil and Cozy, were huge influences on my playing. I have to be honest and say Mark Craney was my favorite however. His work on the Tull stuff and most especially Gino Vanelli still inspires me to this day. Gone way too early😪
Thanks for the comment and yes, Craney on Vanelli is amazing stuff
Agree about Craney, what a drummer!! A lot of Vanellis albums has great drummers, and the music fits them. ❤
Barriemore Barlow a all time great drummer
Barrie and Jon Hiseman we two criminally underated British drummers
Totally agree
Barrie was brilliantly gifted and extremely talented. He also used to use an acrylic kit which inspired me to buy one. As others have stated, an incredibly under rated musician and lovely guy!
never met him but saw him play...he was great!! Thanks
a phenomenal but overlooked drummer. Never gets enough credit. Thanks for this video
Yes Barrie does not get the acknowledge he deserves...thanks!!!
Great stuff Guy!!! Yeah, Barrie was unbelievable!!!! Check out his drumming throughout the Chateau D'Isaster recordings!! Fantabulous!!!!
Only those who don't know what it means to play drums at certain levels can consider Mr. Barlow underrated ...... his drums speak for him as well as his career in a band called Jethro Tull! Silence and walk.....................Great Up Mr.Gelso many thanks !
Thanks for commenting my friend!!
Thanks for this informative upload. I'm a Tull addict, but never knew BB played on Plant and Yngwie recordings. Wish your video had been longer with more discussion on other Tull tracks featuring BB's technique.
That’s probably my favorite solo of all time
My all-time drumming hero along with Bill Bruford. The song Minstrel in the Gallery is one I played often....love the groove using my double bass pedals.
Criminally under appreciated. Impossible to duplicate his phrasing, timing and taste.
War child was a great album and like all my albums I put the headphones on and quickly realized how difficult it is to play! Glad you brought this drummer to light very underrated
Love Barriemore Barlow , so underrated in my opinion . I heard Barrie do things that other drummers where only attempting. And do them fluently !!! Thick as A Brick pretty much cemented that for me, even though I was a huge Bonham fan , Barry comes in tied for me !! He allways had unique ideas playing that I hadn't heard from other players . Almost orchestral ideas !!
One of my favorite drummers in my teens and early twenties. The band I was apart of( Heresy) play many Tull tunes including TAAB.
Discovered via the Live Bursting Out album and his solo remains an all time favourite - those hi toms !!
One Take Away: Barlow's super clean articulation (four way). That is how he does that fast hi-hat jam. Each limb is clean, strong and separate in stroke. I also love Clive Bunker. His playing is so musical and clever. Benefit is a great example: jazz influenced cymbal work in the back beats/turnarounds. His snare is not always where you expect it, like Bill Bruford. Thanks! I love the channel. Liked and Subscribed. Cheers!
His drumming on the whole of thick as a brick and minstrel in the gallery was just incredible, also the track Rainbow blues is another of my favourites.
Thanks for reviewing one of the top rock drummers of all time. 👍
Thanks …😎👍🏼🥁
Awesome! I didn't know much about this guy but you filled me in. I knew he played on Robert Plant's Principle of Moments album and liked what he did there!
Thanks for teach us guys not already familiar with this great drummers all this history
One of the greatest prog drummers, thanks for making This video 🙏🙏🙏
Hello, Guy, congrats for your eighth attempt! Well done. Barriemore Barlow is a great inspiration to me. The Bursting out concert was the first show I saw in my long life. And so I was witness of one of the greatest drum solos ever. I am grateful for being part of this event. Greetings from good old germany! Klaus
Greeting from the USA...and thanks for commenting my friend!!!
Dark Ages and Barrie's solo on Bursting Out - Martin's Conondrum. I saw Tull live In El Paso on the 1978 tour and Barrie sounded like 11 drummers by himself..!!!
Thank you Guy. Just gave me a good day.I Listened to Jethro Tull intensively as a teenager. Playing classical and jazz guitar my whole adulthood I completely forgot about Tull. Your work here is an ephifany for me. Havnt listened to Tull for nearly 50 years and now realising how good, complex and interesting the music were. I loved, just loved Barlows soloes back then too. Still does. Your contribution here made me emotionel. Thank you:)
And you made my day…thanks!!!
Saw him live in vancouver. Couldn't be.ieve how good he was.
I’m working on transcribing the live performance of Heavy Horses from a 1978 show which for me is very challenging! I’m about half way through and that’s not even learning to play it, just writing it out.One of the things I’ve always loved about his playing and that I wish I could take away is his hi-hat embellishments. He makes those hats sing!
I love your take on Barrie . you're an amazing drummer saw you many times with zebra in Long Island in Brooklyn at LaMur.. I was always upfront watching you pound the cans effortlessly..🔥
Wow, thanks my friend!!
Just found your channel, and wondered if you'd done a video of Barrie Barlow's drumming. I got to see some really good drummers play live, and he is still the one who amazed me the most. The Jethro Tull concert (4/8/1977) with Barlow on drums, and John Glascock on bass, was my first, and the drum solo was much like the one on the "Bursting Out" live album. *_Incredible._*
Loved your frustration. Barlow was incredible!!!
My favorite drummer, Absolutely brilliant!
Mine too! Thanks!!
Thanks for bringing up the greatness of Barrie's drumming. Your 100% right, that he does not get enough credit. Love the channel, and keep it up.
First concert I ever saw Tull Thick as a Brick tour Buffalo NY 71 or 72. Gentle Giant opened for them. Barrie was phenomenal.
Dude I loved Gentle Giant…and I saw Thick As A brick also!!! Great concert
Your version is a worthy tribute. Really enjoyed watching it.
Thanks my friend!!
I just found your channel. First of all, I’m a fan of you, Guy. I love your playing with zebra! Barriemore Barlow is a fantastic player, and I agree he did not get the recognition he deserved. Great technique, great ideas! Thanks for these posts About other great drummers!
Well done on that legendary solo part - it's so Barrie.
Thanks…not easy to pull off!!!
Thanks for spreading the word about Barriemore Barlow. To me he is the English Bozzio! I was with the support band on a tour he did with John Miles, 2 really nice guys :)
Thanks for the info!
His playing added and emphasized "melody" with Ian's amazing and dramatic song writing. His drumming became part of the melody, not just the rythmn. What a perfect band and drummer combo. Add Martin and Peggy and to me it was the dream team.
Great to see the out takes. Glad it is not just me cursing when hitting rims etc.
on a serious point i did not know about Barrie but am starting to listen to more Jethro Tull.
Barriemore Barlow, el más grande músico y batería de rock que jamás escuché, es una delicia escucharlo en los discos de Tull
I could not agree more!!! Thanks my friend!!
Absolutely, TAAB, Passion Play, Etc. Saw him once in Oakland, 1975. Probably my favorite and that’s after knowing and studying Collins, Bruford, Rich et al. Not acknowledged enough.
Love your site Guy...And BB is absolutely one of my favorites...
Excellent video, and great points about Barrie. My music director at school gave me a copy of "Bursting Out" when I was just getting into Tull; I had no idea it had a drum solo on it. I still remember being in my room, playing this oddly-titled song called "Conundrum"...and then, wham! It's still one of the best solos I've ever heard, and I've heard 'em all.
hi guy first time seeing you like your style been a tull fan since 1970 was glad to see barrie get some flowers always wanted to play and finally just got a used kit better late than never eh keep slammin
Time signatures feel. Awesome video by the way!
I was fortunate enough to see JT three times on three different Tours with Barriemore & I was always blown away by his presence and power. Ian Anderson is a very talented man in his own right, but without Martin, Barriemore, John Glascock & John Evans he could have never elevated the Band to Super Stardom Status.
There was a chemistry there that Ian can’t replace, like lighting in a bottle.
Johns sad death affected everyone. I am glad I was lucky enough to see them at their peak.
Bravo the 70s.
Barrie paid for John's funeral, they were very close, and John died broke. There was bad feeling over how much John was paid, and Barrie left Tull soon after. Anderson is a musical genius, but not a very nice person.
I just met a Lancashireman who says he was a friend of Barry Barlow and Zig Wilkinson, the lattter, one of the brass section of Tull and used to jam with them..
Another great video about a fantastic drummer!
Great drum player, Guy. You say what I had always thought. I watched Tull when they were just releasing Thick as a Brick, and their stage show was absolutely unbelievable. I really couldn’t believe how good they, everyone of them, were. Thanks
I love this channel and am glad I stumbled into it! Thanks Guy for this feature on Barlow. He is never mentioned with Bruford, Palmer, Peart, etc but was incredible on every Tull album he played on Technically.....he was an animal!!!! His Conundrum solo on Bursting Out is unbelievable. He introduced me to hertas thanks to his use of them on the heavy Horses album. The drum breaks on Thick As a Brick are so smooth. I get frustrated listening to him, knowing I will NEVER be nearly as good a drummer as he is.
Loved the video Guy, thank-you! I love Barrie too :)
You nailed it ... the perfect album! Great!
He does a drum solo on "Thick As a Brick" in 3:4 time. Throughout the solo, he maintains the pulse with "1" on the bass drum and the "2" & "3" closing the hi - hat. I've always wondered whether he pre - recorded that pulse on a separate track and played the solo over the top of it, because if he didn't, it's an astonishing piece of independence, with the feet and hands sometimes playing at different tempos!
The quick snare drum on Thick as a Brick. Phenomenal.