This man was one of 2 drummers who changed my life forever starting from early childhood. Liberty Devitto and Stewart Copeland. I grew up listening to Billy Joel and the Police.
What an Inspirational Drummer Mr DeVitto is, I have all Of Billy Joel's music But when Mr DeVitto played drums on Prelude angry young man, I was blown away I wanted so bad to play like him, He is a legend 🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁
I once saw Liberty at a drum clinic that also featured Ed Shaugnessy, Dom Famularo, Tommy Alridge and a couple more drummers I can't remember. The other ones were more techical and faster, but to be honest, Liberty had the most heart in his music. WHat made his drumming so loved and unique to Joel's early songs.
I have seen only one Billy Joel concert, way back in the 80's, at the old Montreal Forum, it was the Bridge tour. I was surprised at how hard Liberty hit those drums. I still play along with a lot of Billy Joel songs in my garage. Nice to see Liberty at drumeo !
I saw that concert in Tampa. I sat behind Liberty in the lower bleachers, about fifty feet away. A GREAT seat for any drummer. I remember he hit the drums so hard, from the backfield and was spot on. Needless to say it was a great show.
Liberty’s Drum sound is so strong when he’s plays everyone in the crowd is air drumming, Just like Rush when Niel Peart plays so does everyone else, he makes you want it, 2 of very favorite sounds from drummers!!!
Mr DeVitto's energy and feel just hitting different. He playing with so much passion! In there grooving like a mfer! It has a intensity the others lack. It really makes the song come alive! Fantastic! Hypnotic!
I saw Billy Joel and his band on the 52nd Street tour. I love DeVitto. There was a section of the concert where Billy and Liberty pretended to have an argument, and they switched places. Liberty played some piano and Billy beat on the drums. It was great!
Liberty will always be one of my favorite drummers, Billy's music required alot of finesse and dynamics and Liberty delivered that in spade, all while beating the shit out of the drums... Thanks for this segment it was awesome to see Liberty beat the shit out of his drums with style, fineness, and dynamics... RESPECT!!!
Looking forward to see Liberty play in Clearwater in March. Being from Long Island and being an amateur drummer I love how he defines the song and is a monster!
Brings back sweet memories of my mom ... When I was a kid practicing at home she liked this song a lot ... Along with "Lights" from Journey ... Thank you Mr. Devitto.
What Liberty brought to Billy Joel's songs was a passionate yet also purposeful sense of conviction. IMO this was critical to Joel's success because in those days he was a piano man singing tunes that would often fit the 'piano bar' category, which is possibly why so many lounge bar bands covered them. But Liberty powered them - and the band - up, enabling Joel to step out of the lounge and onto the arena stage. Indeed, just imagine if the singer had any of those other three drummers in his band back then. Yes, they played the tune competently. But they didn't PLAY the tune like Lib plays the tune. Like his heroes Dino Dannelli, Ginger Baker, Keith Moon Ringo, Carmine Appice and other notable players from the 1960s, Lib understood the value of character and personality in the playing...of adding an element of personalised authenticity that meant much more than just being technically appropriate. BTW, as many will know, the opening for another Joel tune, 'Only the Good Die Young' saw Lib borrow a Mitch Mitchell lick from the Hendrix tune 'Up From the Skies'. In clip above he opens with Mitchell's groove from Hendrix's 'Little Miss Lover', also from the album 'Axis: Bold as Love'. Both are reminders that the power of our earliest influencers never leaves us.
The only time I've ever used Sex Wax is for Surfing. I grew up in Atlantic Beach NC. Every Surf Shop sold Sex Wax and every surfer used it to on their board so your feet don't slip off of it. Awesome that they found another use for it.
There will never be another Liberty DeVitto. That signature feel and sound. Super tasteful and smooth as silk. We are blessed to have him on 8 track/viny/cassette/cd/digital, which ever medium you prefer.
To me Liberty DeVitto's playing of Allentown is a less is more approach Vs the other drummers. Liberty has a great explosive expressions that key into sections of the song. Really works out those cymbals.
This is a perfect example of how everyone has a different heart beat! Simple beat but his feel is Billy Joel's sound. You can sit in and play the notes but you can't copy his feel. Love it! Great Job!
Man Liberty DeVitto is an underrated drummer, his playing on live versions of Travelin’ Prayer, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, Summer Highland Falls it’s really great, he is just an amazing drummer
Agreed. Summer, Highland Falls specifically from Songs in the Attic is my favorite song of all time. Songs in the Attic is a desert Island 5 only album for me as well. DeVitto is a huge part of that adoration. As a Bass player myself, I very much appreciate drummers with groove, space and an understanding of how best to serve a song. Aces.
There will never be another Liberty DeVitto ... The best..... Billy Joel songs what have not been hits without liberty...."The right feeling right groove perfect
In all honesty, Alex and Ramon play very well. They are two young men who are so very accomplished, but I don't know if there's anywhere else for them to go. They have already gone to a place that I'll never get to, and I'm old, but I'm happy just being me, because I see too much pressure being either one of them and trying to stay so accomplished and still improve. Those days are well past me, and I am so astonished by the high caliber playing by today's Drummers..... way, way too cool to envision if someone told me 60 years ago that it would be this way today. I'll end with saying that no matter how good or great they all are, for me, it's Jeff Porcaro all the way. Thank you Liberty DeVitto for everything that you have contributed to Drummers and Drumming! Special thanks to Drumeo, as y'all have changed everything in so many good ways.
Saw Liberty with Billy on the 52nd street tour and Glass Houses tour. He was an absolute beast, he brought a much needed edge and ferocity to those songs.
Just love Liberty DeVitto, I love how he always played with the same passion as guys like Dave Grohl and Taylor way before that was a thing or style... I watched him like a hawk every time I got a chance to see him live or on screen, learnt so much.
There’s only one Liberty! Yes, as mentioned he is my Ringo Starr! One of the most influential drummers out there and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet! Get out and see him play live !
Feeling depressed this morning recovering from surgery, then I came upon this video!! My day is looking brighter! The banter, respect, stories and drum performances putting a smile on my face here, thank you Liberty and Drumeo!!!
I was just a teen when that song came out, and now I've met the man who played their drums. Liberty you have great feel and energy for music. Thank you sir for sharing your gift. Remember, JCITWTL, follow Him today everyone.
Sex Wax started with surf boards to help grip your feet and they say it made you glide over the waves faster. It's a very old product. I use it for my sticks and it does work very well. Liberty is Paisan and a fellow NYer. Thanks for all the great music and making my cover band life so much fun.
Billy Joel's best drummer was Zch Alford on the River of Dreams album. The groove on All About Soul and Minor Variation are stupendous and with the great Tm Stevens on bass. Superb
So, I know nothing of this man but when he stepped behind the kit, he owned it...Thats all I need to know this dude is for real. Its passion unbound/ real
I went off on the first three performances in a comment before seeing Liberty play, so to be fair, I'll add this. Yeah, Lib's version definitely gives me the feels. It's not the hard hitting, it's the pocket and the intent, and the focus. He's all-in on the song itself. The energy is so positive and infectious and conveys the energy of the lyric. The way he adds the crashes every two beats to the snare drum "fours" in the last phrase of the chorus is freaking genius. Anyone would hear the snare drum fours as the "right "option, but he adds the crashes, bringing out the quicker chord changes that bring out the angst in the lyric. the snare fours would do this but the crashes elevate it further. He's always in time with himself; no notes are out of place. He naturally adjusts well to the track's fluctuation tempo -- those fluctuations were his in the first place, and he has been playing the song both with bands and with the track for decades now, so he knows how it flows. The way he plays the bridges, with just crescendoing 8th notes, straight forward, is exactly what the song calls for. When he does add a Ginger fill to the last phrase it is effective because there was space before it; there's room for the fill to actually elevate the thing. His balance between kick/snare/hat is lovely, but I wouldn't mind if he backed off the crash cymbals a little. Overplaying a crash cymbal doesn't make it louder; it actually chokes it and can damage it. I once sat about 10 feet from Lib during a clinic, and was sure that 16" crash was going to fly off the stand into my lap! I watched the drum shop owner stare in horror!! haha! Liberty is in a class with Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts, for sure, and he'd probably like to think Dino Danelli also. Guys with incredible focus and energy, creative and supportive drum compositions, excellent quality of sound, solid and expressive time (though not always metronome-perfect, which is OK), interesting personalities that spill naturally into their music, and that magical ability to make people feel good when they play. It's a thing of beauty.
Liberty is in a class with Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts, for sure, and he'd probably like to think Dino Danelli also. Guys with incredible focus and energy, creative and supportive drum compositions, excellent quality of sound, solid and expressive time (though not always metronome-perfect, which is OK), interesting personalities that spill naturally into their music, and that magical ability to make people feel good when they play. It's a thing of beauty.
Sex wax is a wax developed for surfboards. I’ve been playing drums for 35 years and never had difficulty gripping a stick. I would imagine sex wax would only get in the way . But if lack of stick grip is a thing with some drummers , I would imagine it could be beneficial. Maybe simply try out a slightly different diameter stick
I love his drum presence. I play like that also to believe it or not, "timing" more consistent and groove-able. (and) like Tommy Aldridge said about some drummer, I see behind the drums like "Court room Stenographer".🥁🔊😎
The two most influential drummers that inspired me as a young kid in the late 1970’s was Neil Peart and Liberty DeVitto. It wasn’t just their drumming chops that was so amazing, but their musical approach to applying their abilities to the songs made them so awesome. Liberty’s playing was so dynamic on 52nd Street. And everything Neil did just blew my mind. Thanks for the great video!
I'm not a drummer but when I really started to listen to Billy Joel, beyond the hits, digging into his albums, it was DeVitto's drums that really started to stand out to me. They're so dynamic that it raises the emotion in each song. Without his style of drumming, I think Joe's music would've been taken down a notch IMO.
Dudes, sex wax is an institution for surfboard waxing for decades. Stuff is great; tacky, waterproof, easy to use, and lasts. Interested to see how it works on my sticks.
Liberty was one of my drum heroes growing up on Long Island. I have a Liberty story: I was Christmas shopping at the Smithaven Mall on Long Island one year and I saw Lib. I said Hi and I’m a big fan - and he asked how I knew who he was! I was like … “WHAT? YOU ARE THE MAN!” Then an hour later, he was right behind me on the escalator in (I think) Macy’s. Such a cool guy and glad I had a chance to meet him and thank him for his great drumming!
GREAT call out to the Stones drummer. That's something I always noticed listening to their music. The drumming sounds great while being very approachable.
My drumming inspiration. Thanks Lib for continuing to inspire and for showing how to hit hard while staying in the pocket. I think all of us NY drummers have tried to aspire to your level, signature feel and “NY style” playing, aggressive but with finesse!
LIBERTY! Yeah! I saw this man do a clinic in Nashville put on Gary Forkum and Forks drum closet. Gawd, Liberty blew my 13 year old mind. It was so deceptively simple but full of passion. He played for the song!
Allentown is a great song, and Liberty really nailed it on the record. The drums are stout, but cautious. There is an unusual lope injected into the groove by Liberty...a strong 2+ and a strong 4+. There is also deliberate delay on the time..behind the beat. It is Liberty's signature, and what makes him awesome and what scored him that amazing gig!
Liberty DeVitto is so much more than a legend. I have listened to his playing over so many years. If I was only allowed to listen to one drummer for the rest of my life, hands down it's Liberty on Billy Joel's greatest hits vol 1 and vol 2.
Love me some Liberty DeVitto. Thank you for bringing the man who made me love Billy Joel's music. It was Liberty who brought those tunes to life and made it rise to the top level that it is now. Love ya, Liberty. Thanks for the work you did on all those tunes. Also thanks for the Charlie Watts love, I agree with you completely. Cheers from Seattle.
Liberty's drum beat for my favorite Billy Joel song, Just The Way You Are, is one of the most unique and simply genius drum beats in rock history. And I also agree with Liberty that the 2nd drummer's version was the best. No over or under playing, and adding a cajon was stroke of original genius. However, the man himself of course played it best, with an incredible feel and power that cannot be emulated. He's too unique.
Sex Wax wasn't made for drum sticks! Lol! It was originally made for surfing/surf boards! Clearly the people at Mr Zogs decided the branch out at some point over the last 40+ years because I first used Sex Wax when I was around 10 years old and went surfing
It's frustrating you didn't show the 2nd guy playing the intro in through the first verse. People often have a hard time playing that and then finding the tempo.
Jared did fine. He did a pretty good job of flowing with the track's variations in tempo and paid respect to Liberty's playing. Jared is a pretty tall dude, and he looked cramped on that setup. Maybe try moving the parts of the kit a little farther apart and farther from the throne? [EDIT: On first view, I thought there was an error coming out of the guitar bridge. On second view, I find I like the way Jared phrases the bridge parts, moving around the kit as the guitar changes chords. The re-entry to the intro groove is a little odd, but it works.] Alex Cohen did not do a good job of staying in the pocket with the track at all, creating a weak feeling groove the whole time. The hihat and crash cymbal "extras" were an inappropriate distraction. The bass drum pattern is overly dense bass and cluttering up the groove, especially since the notes don't all fall in time (I recognize this problem readily because I am struggling to fix my own problem with it). You can really hear it in the last clip with both drummers playing. [EDIT: After listening again, I hear that the problem with Cohen's bass drum is that it's too loud in the mix, rather than the timing being off. The snare drum feels weak, partly because he's not hitting it firmly, but also because the kit balance is wrong and that makes things feel disconnected.] I can relate to wanting to turn the bridge into what I call a "Steve Smith break," based on how frequently and eloquently he filled through that kind of spot in Journey songs (tons of writers copped that style of bridge because Journey made it work so well) but instead of playing something soulful and in a pocket, he pulled out licks. Licks always sound like licks. What we want to hear is music; we want to hear something composed (either in advance or in the moment) that is an extension and expression of the song itself, not a sticking or a rudiment or a "chop" that can be inserted without sympathy to the music. He has impressive independence but not a solid time feel, even on the "Natural Habitat"clip. I was surprised when they said he teaches at the Collective, but maybe he teaches Music Theory or something. Ramon Montager, however, is a LISTENER. His ears connected him to the music; not for sake of a unique way to play the song for the sake of uniqueness itself, but for settling into the tempo, and the story, as if actually playing with the band; and for the sake of finding good sounds to support the track. The two-brushes and two-sticks thing is not a trick; it's a way to mimic the quick slapback delay on the original track. The cajon is a way to bring support and color to the hi hat-less groove without overplaying the bass drum; it sounds like a percussionist subtly accompanying the drummer instead of like a drummer playing tricky stuff (though it must have been tricky to do). He did not hit hard like Liberty does, yet the groove felt strong and solid because the tones were good and in balance and the time was great. [EDIT: I don't really like the way he did the bridges, because they don't drop and crescendo really. The syncopated moves around the toms sound cool in themselves but it's the only thing he did that doesn't seem to support the arrangement properly.] If this was an audition, he'd get the gig, hands down--unless Liberty was available, of course! Ramon did a great job. This was a fun hang. Thanks, fellas!
Liberty’s consistent sharp time on those crisp high-hats is what Allentown really needed. The other drummers failed to play and notice how important the timepiece is to a piano player. Billy always positioned himself looking at the band & Liberty’s high-hat side. Bravo Liberty-You are one of a kind and the PERFECT drummer for Billy Joel’s songs.
This man was one of 2 drummers who changed my life forever starting from early childhood. Liberty Devitto and Stewart Copeland. I grew up listening to Billy Joel and the Police.
Yes yes yes… Everyone was fixated on the professor, I was focused on Stewart and Liberty as well. 👍🏼
What a pleasant and humble person to be around. Him being an iconic and spectacular drummer, well that should go without saying.
What an Inspirational Drummer Mr DeVitto is, I have all Of Billy Joel's music But when Mr DeVitto played drums on Prelude angry young man, I was blown away I wanted so bad to play like him, He is a legend 🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁🔥🥁
..and O M G!!!! Liberty sounded so AWESOME here!!! TY Drumeo!
Mr. DeVitto you were special when I was growing up and getting to know you in this setting is even more special.
73 years young and hitting like a freight train! Thanks for the clinic, Lib.
I once saw Liberty at a drum clinic that also featured Ed Shaugnessy, Dom Famularo, Tommy Alridge and a couple more drummers I can't remember. The other ones were more techical and faster, but to be honest, Liberty had the most heart in his music. WHat made his drumming so loved and unique to Joel's early songs.
I have seen only one Billy Joel concert, way back in the 80's, at the old Montreal Forum, it was the Bridge tour. I was surprised at how hard Liberty hit those drums. I still play along with a lot of Billy Joel songs in my garage. Nice to see Liberty at drumeo !
Saw him on the Bridge tour in Buffalo NY. Phenomenal show. His playing was incredible and his drums were so cool!!!
I saw that concert in Tampa. I sat behind Liberty in the lower bleachers, about fifty feet away. A GREAT seat for any drummer. I remember he hit the drums so hard, from the backfield and was spot on. Needless to say it was a great show.
Liberty’s Drum sound is so strong when he’s plays everyone in the crowd is air drumming, Just like Rush when Niel Peart plays so does everyone else, he makes you want it, 2 of very favorite sounds from drummers!!!
Liberty is going down as one of THE GOATS! Love you bro!
Mr DeVitto's energy and feel just hitting different. He playing with so much passion! In there grooving like a mfer! It has a intensity the others lack. It really makes the song come alive! Fantastic! Hypnotic!
I saw Billy Joel and his band on the 52nd Street tour. I love DeVitto. There was a section of the concert where Billy and Liberty pretended to have an argument, and they switched places. Liberty played some piano and Billy beat on the drums. It was great!
Liberty will always be one of my favorite drummers, Billy's music required alot of finesse and dynamics and Liberty delivered that in spade, all while beating the shit out of the drums... Thanks for this segment it was awesome to see Liberty beat the shit out of his drums with style, fineness, and dynamics... RESPECT!!!
Looking forward to see Liberty play in Clearwater in March. Being from Long Island and being an amateur drummer I love how he defines the song and is a monster!
Great drummer. I've always loved Joel, and DeVito's drumming on Billy`s songs is just amazing.
Liberty DeVitto. What a badass! So good
Brings back sweet memories of my mom ... When I was a kid practicing at home she liked this song a lot ... Along with "Lights" from Journey ... Thank you Mr. Devitto.
What Liberty brought to Billy Joel's songs was a passionate yet also purposeful sense of conviction. IMO this was critical to Joel's success because in those days he was a piano man singing tunes that would often fit the 'piano bar' category, which is possibly why so many lounge bar bands covered them. But Liberty powered them - and the band - up, enabling Joel to step out of the lounge and onto the arena stage.
Indeed, just imagine if the singer had any of those other three drummers in his band back then. Yes, they played the tune competently. But they didn't PLAY the tune like Lib plays the tune. Like his heroes Dino Dannelli, Ginger Baker, Keith Moon Ringo, Carmine Appice and other notable players from the 1960s, Lib understood the value of character and personality in the playing...of adding an element of personalised authenticity that meant much more than just being technically appropriate.
BTW, as many will know, the opening for another Joel tune, 'Only the Good Die Young' saw Lib borrow a Mitch Mitchell lick from the Hendrix tune 'Up From the Skies'. In clip above he opens with Mitchell's groove from Hendrix's 'Little Miss Lover', also from the album 'Axis: Bold as Love'. Both are reminders that the power of our earliest influencers never leaves us.
Wow! Liberty hits really hard! Love this dude.
The only time I've ever used Sex Wax is for Surfing. I grew up in Atlantic Beach NC. Every Surf Shop sold Sex Wax and every surfer used it to on their board so your feet don't slip off of it. Awesome that they found another use for it.
Miami 2017 (Songs in the Attic)! Enuff said. Liberty rules!
This. This! THIS!!! Everything about that track is EPIC!
There will never be another Liberty DeVitto. That signature feel and sound. Super tasteful and smooth as silk. We are blessed to have him on 8 track/viny/cassette/cd/digital, which ever medium you prefer.
Amazing feel and passion, I witnessed Liberty about 25 years ago play at a clinic in Nashville Tn and he put so much passion into his playing.
His brother was really good when he played for the Billy Joel cover band Big Shot.
Yes indeed.
Very well said.
Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!!!
Liberty seems like a very cool person. Would love to meet him someday.
What a phenomenal drummer 🎶🥁🤘
Liberty plays like a composer. He adds to the song, he doesn’t overtake it like those other drummers. He knows his place.
To me Liberty DeVitto's playing of Allentown is a less is more approach Vs the other drummers. Liberty has a great explosive expressions that key into sections of the song. Really works out those cymbals.
This is a perfect example of how everyone has a different heart beat! Simple beat but his feel is Billy Joel's sound. You can sit in and play the notes but you can't copy his feel. Love it! Great Job!
He play with her soul ..that all aboutd
Liberty has been one of my favorites for decades. He beats the shit out of those drums though 😮
Man Liberty DeVitto is an underrated drummer, his playing on live versions of Travelin’ Prayer, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, Summer Highland Falls it’s really great, he is just an amazing drummer
Agreed. Summer, Highland Falls specifically from Songs in the Attic is my favorite song of all time. Songs in the Attic is a desert Island 5 only album for me as well. DeVitto is a huge part of that adoration. As a Bass player myself, I very much appreciate drummers with groove, space and an understanding of how best to serve a song. Aces.
Running on ice is one of his best. Real Stuart Copeland feel. Liberty is grossly underrated.
@@markdara9785 Gotta love Stewart too, him and DeVitto are great drummers
There will never be another Liberty DeVitto ... The best..... Billy Joel songs what have not been hits without liberty...."The right feeling right groove perfect
Liberty was one of my drum heroes when I started playing as a kid! Great to see him featured here!
Nothing beats the original! Liberty is one of a kind.
In all honesty, Alex and Ramon play very well. They are two young men who are so very accomplished, but I don't know if there's anywhere else for them to go. They have already gone to a place that I'll never get to, and I'm old, but I'm happy just being me, because I see too much pressure being either one of them and trying to stay so accomplished and still improve. Those days are well past me, and I am so astonished by the high caliber playing by today's Drummers..... way, way too cool to envision if someone told me 60 years ago that it would be this way today. I'll end with saying that no matter how good or great they all are, for me, it's Jeff Porcaro all the way. Thank you Liberty DeVitto for everything that you have contributed to Drummers and Drumming! Special thanks to Drumeo, as y'all have changed everything in so many good ways.
Man, that was awesome!!!🫡
Billy ought to be ashamed of the way he ended up treating this awesome man and musician.
Agreed. Bill is a douche
100 percent true
I’m not the biggest Billy fan or even know much if his music or himself at all but what happened?
BJ is despicable
For some reason my replies aren’t posting.
Got to see him in Portland Maine during the bridge tour. Never saw anybody hit the drums harder than him before or since. His accuracy is sublime.
Saw Liberty with Billy on the 52nd street tour and Glass Houses tour. He was an absolute beast, he brought a much needed edge and ferocity to those songs.
Just love Liberty DeVitto, I love how he always played with the same passion as guys like Dave Grohl and Taylor way before that was a thing or style... I watched him like a hawk every time I got a chance to see him live or on screen, learnt so much.
There’s only one Liberty! Yes, as mentioned he is my Ringo Starr!
One of the most influential drummers out there and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet!
Get out and see him play live !
Feeling depressed this morning recovering from surgery, then I came upon this video!! My day is looking brighter! The banter, respect, stories and drum performances putting a smile on my face here, thank you Liberty and Drumeo!!!
I was just a teen when that song came out, and now I've met the man who played their drums. Liberty you have great feel and energy for music. Thank you sir for sharing your gift. Remember, JCITWTL, follow Him today everyone.
If you started playing in the 80’s Liberty was our Ringo for sure!
Liberty is a true Legend
Liberty plays drums with so much passion and feel!
I absolutely love every recording he has ever done with Billy Joel !
Sex Wax started with surf boards to help grip your feet and they say it made you glide over the waves faster. It's a very old product. I use it for my sticks and it does work very well. Liberty is Paisan and a fellow NYer. Thanks for all the great music and making my cover band life so much fun.
Liberty sounds like a drummer in his 20s. Still got it and then some.
Billy Joel's best drummer was Zch Alford on the River of Dreams album. The groove on All About Soul and Minor Variation are stupendous and with the great Tm Stevens on bass. Superb
I was amazed by him when that album came out out. He was as much a reason for me playing drums as Ringo or Tommy Aldridge!
He is fantastic! I'm not used to that level of energy and assurance. Countless skilled drummers out there, but this energy is on another level.
So, I know nothing of this man but when he stepped behind the kit, he owned it...Thats all I need to know this dude is for real. Its passion unbound/ real
I went off on the first three performances in a comment before seeing Liberty play, so to be fair, I'll add this.
Yeah, Lib's version definitely gives me the feels. It's not the hard hitting, it's the pocket and the intent, and the focus. He's all-in on the song itself. The energy is so positive and infectious and conveys the energy of the lyric. The way he adds the crashes every two beats to the snare drum "fours" in the last phrase of the chorus is freaking genius. Anyone would hear the snare drum fours as the "right "option, but he adds the crashes, bringing out the quicker chord changes that bring out the angst in the lyric. the snare fours would do this but the crashes elevate it further. He's always in time with himself; no notes are out of place. He naturally adjusts well to the track's fluctuation tempo -- those fluctuations were his in the first place, and he has been playing the song both with bands and with the track for decades now, so he knows how it flows. The way he plays the bridges, with just crescendoing 8th notes, straight forward, is exactly what the song calls for. When he does add a Ginger fill to the last phrase it is effective because there was space before it; there's room for the fill to actually elevate the thing. His balance between kick/snare/hat is lovely, but I wouldn't mind if he backed off the crash cymbals a little. Overplaying a crash cymbal doesn't make it louder; it actually chokes it and can damage it. I once sat about 10 feet from Lib during a clinic, and was sure that 16" crash was going to fly off the stand into my lap! I watched the drum shop owner stare in horror!! haha! Liberty is in a class with Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts, for sure, and he'd probably like to think Dino Danelli also. Guys with incredible focus and energy, creative and supportive drum compositions, excellent quality of sound, solid and expressive time (though not always metronome-perfect, which is OK), interesting personalities that spill naturally into their music, and that magical ability to make people feel good when they play. It's a thing of beauty.
Watch the movie (documentary) hired guns. Liberty tells why end his relationship with Billy Joel.
The weight, the feel, the groove. Nobody sounds like him. One of a kind.
Liberty is in a class with Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts, for sure, and he'd probably like to think Dino Danelli also. Guys with incredible focus and energy, creative and supportive drum compositions, excellent quality of sound, solid and expressive time (though not always metronome-perfect, which is OK), interesting personalities that spill naturally into their music, and that magical ability to make people feel good when they play. It's a thing of beauty.
Liberty killed it on all those recordings
Perhaps Billy’s greatest song. Great drumming all. Cheers
Liberty a living drum legend.
Sex wax is a wax developed for surfboards. I’ve been playing drums for 35 years and never had difficulty gripping a stick. I would imagine sex wax would only get in the way . But if lack of stick grip is a thing with some drummers , I would imagine it could be beneficial. Maybe simply try out a slightly different diameter stick
he, and tommy aldredge.. man they hit.
I love his drum presence. I play like that also to believe it or not, "timing" more consistent and groove-able. (and) like Tommy Aldridge said about some drummer, I see behind the drums like "Court room Stenographer".🥁🔊😎
Bro, Spumoni in Brooklyn, he's not lying.
The two most influential drummers that inspired me as a young kid in the late 1970’s was Neil Peart and Liberty DeVitto. It wasn’t just their drumming chops that was so amazing, but their musical approach to applying their abilities to the songs made them so awesome. Liberty’s playing was so dynamic on 52nd Street. And everything Neil did just blew my mind. Thanks for the great video!
Los Angelinos !👍
Liberty DeVitto is a totally engaging drummer, he was the engine room behind Billy Joel ❤
Is Alex Cohens full performance abailable ?
I'm not a drummer but when I really started to listen to Billy Joel, beyond the hits, digging into his albums, it was DeVitto's drums that really started to stand out to me. They're so dynamic that it raises the emotion in each song. Without his style of drumming, I think Joe's music would've been taken down a notch IMO.
Dudes, sex wax is an institution for surfboard waxing for decades. Stuff is great; tacky, waterproof, easy to use, and lasts. Interested to see how it works on my sticks.
It works great.
Liberty was one of my drum heroes growing up on Long Island. I have a Liberty story: I was Christmas shopping at the Smithaven Mall on Long Island one year and I saw Lib. I said Hi and I’m a big fan - and he asked how I knew who he was! I was like … “WHAT? YOU ARE THE MAN!” Then an hour later, he was right behind me on the escalator in (I think) Macy’s. Such a cool guy and glad I had a chance to meet him and thank him for his great drumming!
GREAT call out to the Stones drummer. That's something I always noticed listening to their music. The drumming sounds great while being very approachable.
Unbelievable
My ex girlfriend was arrested with her current husband at the casino that used to be the steel mill in the song Allentown...
My drumming inspiration. Thanks Lib for continuing to inspire and for showing how to hit hard while staying in the pocket. I think all of us NY drummers have tried to aspire to your level, signature feel and “NY style” playing, aggressive but with finesse!
This is amazing. AMAZING! Why? because Devito has been so underrated I can't even explain it.
LIBERTY! Yeah! I saw this man do a clinic in Nashville put on Gary Forkum and Forks drum closet. Gawd, Liberty blew my 13 year old mind. It was so deceptively simple but full of passion. He played for the song!
Always will be the one who the heartbeat into Billy Joels music. What an awesome drummer sir. Thanks
Liberty wins the challenge lol
Dude is just so violent on the drums, I love it.
You guys just wasted Devitto's time and ours...... We would hv loved to see him play to so many Billy Joel tunes.
Liberty Devitto was the perfect drummer for Billy Joel,the best!.
guys, what do you think about Adrian Trepka?
Allentown is a great song, and Liberty really nailed it on the record. The drums are stout, but cautious. There is an unusual lope injected into the groove by Liberty...a strong 2+ and a strong 4+. There is also deliberate delay on the time..behind the beat. It is Liberty's signature, and what makes him awesome and what scored him that amazing gig!
One of the best ever, Liberty DeVitto!
Nobody can play it better than Liberty, nobody puts Liberty in the corner, nobody! Outstanding!
Liberty DeVitto is so much more than a legend. I have listened to his playing over so many years. If I was only allowed to listen to one drummer for the rest of my life, hands down it's Liberty on Billy Joel's greatest hits vol 1 and vol 2.
Can be imitated but never duplicated. Every stand in for Billy Joel no matter how good. The songs are not the same.
THANK YOU DRUMEO!!! Liberty is the boss!
' Libertori ' ' Liberto ' ' Devitto ( born 8 August 1950) 🥁.
Fantastic to hear Liberty speak about the music and parts he played !! Thanks good job Drumeo…😀
Love me some Liberty DeVitto. Thank you for bringing the man who made me love Billy Joel's music. It was Liberty who brought those tunes to life and made it rise to the top level that it is now. Love ya, Liberty. Thanks for the work you did on all those tunes. Also thanks for the Charlie Watts love, I agree with you completely. Cheers from Seattle.
Simplicity at it's finest! WOW! Great video! He's got such a feel, and the way he swings his hi-hat strokes to each side of the cymbal is just great!
A humble man and Awesome Drummer. Liberty
I Heard DMB As In CARTER BEAUFORD
Liberty's drum beat for my favorite Billy Joel song, Just The Way You Are, is one of the most unique and simply genius drum beats in rock history. And I also agree with Liberty that the 2nd drummer's version was the best. No over or under playing, and adding a cajon was stroke of original genius. However, the man himself of course played it best, with an incredible feel and power that cannot be emulated. He's too unique.
Thank you liberty for the backbeat of my childhood. And man...that groove...all the chops just get boring, groove never does.
Where's the version where he played to his songs that aired yesterday??
Sex Wax wasn't made for drum sticks! Lol! It was originally made for surfing/surf boards! Clearly the people at Mr Zogs decided the branch out at some point over the last 40+ years because I first used Sex Wax when I was around 10 years old and went surfing
Liberty all the way, hands down
It's frustrating you didn't show the 2nd guy playing the intro in through the first verse. People often have a hard time playing that and then finding the tempo.
Nice?
Which cymbals (Sabian) is he playing?
Jared did fine. He did a pretty good job of flowing with the track's variations in tempo and paid respect to Liberty's playing. Jared is a pretty tall dude, and he looked cramped on that setup. Maybe try moving the parts of the kit a little farther apart and farther from the throne? [EDIT: On first view, I thought there was an error coming out of the guitar bridge. On second view, I find I like the way Jared phrases the bridge parts, moving around the kit as the guitar changes chords. The re-entry to the intro groove is a little odd, but it works.]
Alex Cohen did not do a good job of staying in the pocket with the track at all, creating a weak feeling groove the whole time. The hihat and crash cymbal "extras" were an inappropriate distraction. The bass drum pattern is overly dense bass and cluttering up the groove, especially since the notes don't all fall in time (I recognize this problem readily because I am struggling to fix my own problem with it). You can really hear it in the last clip with both drummers playing.
[EDIT: After listening again, I hear that the problem with Cohen's bass drum is that it's too loud in the mix, rather than the timing being off. The snare drum feels weak, partly because he's not hitting it firmly, but also because the kit balance is wrong and that makes things feel disconnected.]
I can relate to wanting to turn the bridge into what I call a "Steve Smith break," based on how frequently and eloquently he filled through that kind of spot in Journey songs (tons of writers copped that style of bridge because Journey made it work so well) but instead of playing something soulful and in a pocket, he pulled out licks. Licks always sound like licks. What we want to hear is music; we want to hear something composed (either in advance or in the moment) that is an extension and expression of the song itself, not a sticking or a rudiment or a "chop" that can be inserted without sympathy to the music. He has impressive independence but not a solid time feel, even on the "Natural Habitat"clip. I was surprised when they said he teaches at the Collective, but maybe he teaches Music Theory or something.
Ramon Montager, however, is a LISTENER. His ears connected him to the music; not for sake of a unique way to play the song for the sake of uniqueness itself, but for settling into the tempo, and the story, as if actually playing with the band; and for the sake of finding good sounds to support the track. The two-brushes and two-sticks thing is not a trick; it's a way to mimic the quick slapback delay on the original track. The cajon is a way to bring support and color to the hi hat-less groove without overplaying the bass drum; it sounds like a percussionist subtly accompanying the drummer instead of like a drummer playing tricky stuff (though it must have been tricky to do). He did not hit hard like Liberty does, yet the groove felt strong and solid because the tones were good and in balance and the time was great. [EDIT: I don't really like the way he did the bridges, because they don't drop and crescendo really. The syncopated moves around the toms sound cool in themselves but it's the only thing he did that doesn't seem to support the arrangement properly.] If this was an audition, he'd get the gig, hands down--unless Liberty was available, of course! Ramon did a great job.
This was a fun hang. Thanks, fellas!
I thought Jared rushed a little.
Liberty’s consistent sharp time on those crisp high-hats is what Allentown really needed. The other drummers failed to play and notice how important the timepiece is to a piano player.
Billy always positioned himself looking at the band & Liberty’s high-hat side.
Bravo Liberty-You are one of a kind and the PERFECT drummer for Billy Joel’s songs.