Look! No Hands!
Herbert Kuhner
Two is better than one,
and that goes for bass drums.
Now there are double bass drum peddles
for one drum
so that you can use the hi-hat as well,
while you’re at it.
Ray McKinley started using two in ‘41.
That went almost unnoticed.
Louie Bellson made a big splash with them,
or rather big thuds, nine years later.
But to this credit, he credited Ray.
At the time, Buddy Rich
had an engagement at the Paramount,
leading a back-up band for Mel Tormé,
his traditional foil and fall guy.
Buddy’s words to Mel,
between the film and the show:
“What’s this with all the bass drums?
Fucking Louie Bellson better learn
to play one bass drum before he tries two!”
This illustrated Buddy’s eloquence, modesty
and nobless oblige.
Buddy played Ole Man River,
before Mel came on.
River was supposed to serve
as an ice-breaker
and to create suspense
as the audience waited
for the star’s entrance.
Rich commenced on his regular kit,
then he put his sticks down
and switched to a set
consisting of nothing but
two base drums
and thudded away with empty hands.
Of course the thunder brought the house down
and did not exactly serve as a fanfare
for poor little Mel.
When Mel came on to sing
in his soft, subtle, seductive manner,
the sounds of the cyclone
were still echoing
in the ears of the audience.
After the show
Mel was seething.
Buddy’s comment:
“When it comes to playing,
I take no prisoners.”
-from Swing Man and Women
