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From: Conchead
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  • The ad in the top right corner of the screen says "Hollywood Baldness Secret". I just want the "Steve Smith Drum Secret".

  • He still got it!

  • For me Steve Smith is a great drummer whit great tecnic of controll in all around play set although sometimes exaggerates and pulls up to the limits of the impossible ..

  • Who cares if Steve looks stiff, he not a model he is a drummer, a damm good one…

  • God

  • Steve Smith is the Steve Smith of Steve Smith's generation....

  • I'm a bassist and can appreciate this fully, one of the best for sure.

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  • Honestly he does look stiff. Tense. I love steve he's a monster. I don't want to hear any comments saying I don't know what I'm saying. But he does look tense. I mean he dropped his stick

  • @Richiethedrummer1 i DO know what you mean but in his hands there is a ridiculous amount of rebound going on. He is not the loosest drummer but has a very good mentality when it comes to technique. So overall his body is stiff yes i agree with you there.

  • I never knew Ben Kingsley was such a monster on the drums.

  • watching this is veryy depressing, makes me feel like i will never be as good as him =( hahahah better keep practicing ( 60 years almost =(..)

  • I like Smith, he's got good speed and licks, but lacks the torque of say a Vinnie Colaiuta.

  • @generatrix999 Lacks the torque????

  • Steve is a damned good drummer and the styles are similar, but he covers a number of other drummers too

    this does sound like the Buddy's Buddies band

  • Ochen' krasivaia improvizacia.....Molodec!!!

  • I think he is a bit stiff here.

  • @TheDice2008

    HAHAHA!!!!

    the idea of Steve being "stiff" is .....a good one.

  • that opening snare solo stuff sounds like Neil on the Rhythm Method....hell the whole thing sounds like Steve's homage to that solo!

  • He plays with SO much finesse, and so tastefully! Brilliant talent..

  • I don't know how to handle this awsomeness

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  • Also - saw him in Scottsdale, AZ drum clinic in 1983 - Wow! changed the way I looked at the drums all together. Sobering for a 7th grader who didn't own his own kit yet. Ha - he was the reason I was in the Journey fan club.

  • Super!!!!

  • Steve Smith-human metronome

  • You're watching one of the few drummers Neil Peart listings to and respects. Steve machine gun, Smith

  • Nice Neil Peartesk beginning and thats where the comparisons end, Nothing against Neil

  • - agreed - I think he's referring to the Buddy Rich tribute CD where they met and both performed. Neil said he came away just blown away by Steve even retooling his style to a certain extent (going traditional) for a while. He's the 1st to say Steve is the man among boys out there. On the other hand Neil is a technical whiz and the best at what he does, he just could never do what Steve does -few have those chops. Maybe Gadd and couple others but they don't have his style. Awesome!

  • This Guy is so supremely Gifted that it just Hurts. i've been a huge fan since his early days with Jean Luc Ponty, a brief Montrose thing, then Journey, etc... he, along with Denny Carmassi, maybe Tony Brock ( the Babys)  are among the few i can count on one hand, that Influenced me to become a drummer. although Steve Possess what "Few" others in the Drumming Realm, do. a true Artist, and amazingly humble, down to earth guy. Behold a Drum GOD. yes, you can Bow now.....

  • at 2:25 his body and soul reset due to the overwhelming awesomeness.

  • he is the man

  • mis respetos para steve saludos desde mexico

  • amazing drumming there...

  • The Ostinato king!

  • I think the challenge in dropping the stick is continuing to perform as if it never happened. Steve does an excellent job. Some guys lose their momentum, but not him. A good thing to do is have a bag of sticks handy to grab one just in case one falls to the floor. Steve was able to catch it no problem and resume. If you were to listen to this solo, but not watch it, you would never know it happened. He's brilliant! I absolutely love this performance. Thank you for posting!

  • you are my idol steve smith lol amazing

  • IMMENSO STEVE SMITH

  • Legal esse video,achei outro também muito legal procurem por minremanescentes ai no YOUTUBE muito engraçado rachei de rir

  • he is definitely invoking neil peart in this solo ... listen , its totally recalling the solo from YYZ on Exit Stage Left ...

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  • amazing!!there is no doubt that Steve is a very fine player.

  • check out the Steve Smith techquine and history of the US beat dvd. pretty amazing stuff

  • sounds like he incorporated a lot of neil peart's solo on 'all the world's a stage' in that one. which is tight as hell!!

  • I admire his maturity and talent. very credible left hand. yeah!

    My idols are Buddy Rich & Louie Belson in their prime, who I've seen in person many times. Their ambidextrous power, dynamism and speed is unmatched.

  • Steve has more licks than anyone. Any negative comments are from bad bass players and people who have not heard /seen all Steve can do. He can rip at hard rock and has perfect technique in everything he does. He is THEE drummers drummer. Get with the program and if you don't like my comments go bang your ass. Steve.... I love you , you are the best. I want you to be my daddy. I cant say this with a straight face. HEE HEEE!

  • dropped his stick...bummer. A nightmare for any drummer. I guess I shouldn't feel so bad now if it happens to me.

  • dropping a stick DOES REALLY suck, happened on two occasions to me, although if you keep playing something random with one hand most people won't even notice.

  • another thing is when I hit the sticks together. I have been playing for years and I have done both.

  • @musicMaxwell

    thers nothn embarrasing about losing a stick, you can work on ur technique to try and avoid but at some point it happens to everyone :)

  • @rith5 everyone masturbates but i wouldnt want to get caught doing that shit.

  • When you comment on BETTER drummer, Steve or Neil, you say you like one band or style of music better or thier fame or personality better. Neil's unique, writes lyrics but is more rock. He has grown trying his hand at playing big band of late.

    Steve has always been an all around musician, technician, playing rock (big double bass kits) to jazz in different ways.

    Great drummers are ones who do it all with ease, studio session drummers who get little fame.

  • yea agree like steve ... one of the best drummer

  • I can only see the side of his face, but it doesn't look like he's sneering, he actually looks pretty happy : )

    Great solo Steve!!!

  • theres no doubt that steve is a very fine player. and you cant really say one drummer is better than the next. when they reach that masters plateau, they all have the speed and rudiments down, and when they do a solo...it sounds very much the same to me...all mind boggling

  • Steve Smith is great, plays anything in any way. Drummer preference is less about solos and more about the music, which ALWAYS involves a band. When then say drummer X is better than Y, it usually means they like a BAND or the MUSIC they play more, not analysis of technique, speed, control, time keeping, groove making & versatility.

    Percussion (drum kit) is not melodic, except for xylophone or Timpani. Saying one DRUM SOLO is better than another is fine, but how much solo can you listen to?

  • i can see your point. i still personally believe that the solo is the best place for a drummer to display his true form and showcase what he can really do. when a drummer plays with a band he is often not able to showcase alot of what he can do due to various constraints. (except of course in the case of a drummer like neil peart or steve gadd...and of course steve smith. but i see your point

  • 1/2 Drum solos have been done to death. Rudiments, like scales, are creatively mixed & split on different drums, cymbals against polyrhythms & odd time, showing great speed, precision, independance, cool, BUT IT'S BORING!

    Drum solos are boring and done to death.

    The BEST SOLOS are ones done in a musical context like Jazz or Moby Dick. Solos don't have to be 5 min, 5 measures. The, "watch I'm going to show-off", solo is boring to 90% of the audiance. Same goes for guitar solos. (con't)

  • 2/2 There are many kind of solos, educational & entertainment. There are others, most bad. We practice solo almost by definition, unless playing along with music, educational. Here Steve is demonstrating to and drummers, educational, excellent!

    In 70's & 80's drum solos became obligatory at the BIG ROCK CONCERT, full of volume and bombast. Entertainment? That is debatable. Great players may not be great solo players. A tasty musical fill turns me on. Than came rotating upside down drum kits.

  • Speaking of upside down drum kit solos (entertainment), you might say Tommy Lee or Slipknots Joey Jordison were first? The first upside down drumming I saw, late 70's. Two examples:

    Buddy Rich Floating & Rotating Drum Set

    youtube com/watch?v=jnkkhYM4Whg

    Although not upside down in this video, Willie Wilcox who played for Todd Rundgren's Utopa did upside down drum solos. Drum Solo Willie Willcox

    youtube com/watch?v=Z6v47rBe9D8

    Bottom line if it's not entertaining, don't solo.

  • Judging a drummer by their solo, showing off, can become about visuals, stick twirls or masks (Joey Jordison). Entertainment, nothing wrong with that. "Goodness" of drummer? Not so much.

    Music does not or should not require drummers to play at the limit of their dynamics, speed, stamina...... because groove and time suffers, always. Many solos don't keep time. Only the best solos groove and have musicality. Steve has it.

    youtube com/watch?v=ENP_47Zvg_s

    youtubecom/watch?v=qJxXux4ceMc

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  • This Ladies and Gentlemen is an exhibition of mastering rudiments, among other things! Steve has flawless technique. Just a real pleasure to watch his progression through the years. Hey, everybody drops a stick now and then!!Thanks for the post.

  • my drum solo is inspired by steve smith.....look and comment thanks people......

    p.s= i use muffle for my ktd drum :)

  • Totally surprised that no one picked up on this solo. Steve was playing one of Neil's solos..! this was a rendition of Neil Peart... Very cool. -- And just to clarify. What Buddy is really known for was his speed. He was extremely fast due to his technique. // JoJo is awesomely fast as well and I love him, however, In 2001 Modern Drummer Magazine named Steve as one of the Top 25 Drummer of All Time.

  • Honestly, Neil Peart wishes he could play this solo. He just doesnt have the tools. If it wasnt for the double roll Neil wouldnt have any game at all.

  • Maybe so, but, if you listen to the solo from the "All the World' s a Stage" CD you will notice this is pretty much the same solo. Granted that Steve Smith is in a different distinction than Neil, but, at least he (Steve) has the class to honor Neil by playing one of his solos. So I guess that Steve must have a certain amount of respect for Neil Peart..

  • your just just making a fool out of yourself...you obviously dont know what your talking about.

  • Pure talent!

  • Amazing, nothing else to say .

  • MONSTER!! only begins to discribe steve. at 2:28 w/ that up&down stuff. sooo fluid!! I'm a militant paiste guy but steve and carter should the zildjian posterboys. NEVER get tired of this guy. you could tell he was the sh*t even on his first journey record. TRULY inspiring to see a player get BETTER w/ age. not just better, but kickin your/our ass in the process. rock-on, or SWING-ON. hey,that dont sound right. DRUMS-OR-DEATH.

  • Steve Smith is easily the Buddy Rich of today's generation.

  • im not sure 'bout the "easily" part ... there are too many greats in jazz!!!

  • Easily Buddy Rich??? I don't think so!

  • @bandit48032 Steve is one of the best, but Buddy is the best...

  • @202drummerboy Yep!

  • @202drummerboy Maybe not the best innovator, but in my opinion nobody has had better technique before or since Buddy.

  • @gwilym94 yes yes,you are absolutely right :)

  • @bandit48032 he does play some of buddy's licks and he is a jazzer!!!

  • sweet

  • Amazing! Simply Amazing! Love Smitty!

  • absolutely stunning. I can watch this all day

  • Who are you the drum Police ?

  • I'm doing work experience in a music shop, and carried about fifteen of these sonor kits down five flights of stairs, polished sixteen symbols (ten minutes each), then set up all of these kits. Absolutely shattered. But after watching his show tonight, i get what all the fuss was about. I met him afterwards, really dead on guy, gave me a signed pairs of his signed signature sticks free!

  • i hate that showoff thing. but i love his drumming 5/5

  • allway have and allways will b the best there is.

  • Carrying the torch of great Jazz Drummer of the past, Buddy, Louie, Gene, and on an on..

  • My favourite drummer WAS Neil Peart....

  • Steve Smith plays most like Buddy with his own flair Truly the best..

  • practice 10 hours a day for 30 years and you can play like him

  • what alot of people dont realize is that alot of steve smiths solos and compositions are comprised of very basic rudiments. dont get me wrong steve smith is great and my biggest influence. He just knows how to orchestrate

  • All the rudiments are basic. All the good drummers have to know the basic rudiments. So your statement about him being able to orchestrate well, makes him one of the best drummers around. Ive seen drummers that knew their rudiments well but couldnt put a structured drum solo together. Steve is one of the best.

  • I totally agree

  • oops stick drop. Great recovery. Guys amazing

  • rawks

  • That's it, I'm done.....

  • What I would give for his left hand!

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  • we had this guy at our high school percussion ensemble this past spring. he is very good! down to earth guy as well. one of the finest drummers ive seen. played a mean channel one suite.

  • Steve Smith plays this incredible solo then the sax player plays one note and the audience erupts. No accounting for taste...

  • Ummm, they were applauding for Steve. That's what people do at the end of a song... they clap.

  • man, i wish i had is hand.

  • was this PAS in new jersey? cuz i saw him at that and he was AMAZING.

  • I am really not sure, but I will try look into it and see.

  • I think this may have been in Columbus Ohio 2007?????

  • Yeah!!!Wonderful!

  • my god that snare sounds good

  • needs a 56 inch tv, 5.1 surround to give this justice. What a wonderful teacher!

  • # 1 Steve smith, # 2 vinnie Coliauta, # 3 Manu katche, #4 Dennis chambers # 5 Zoro the drummer..THese are my all time faves..No one will ever beat Steve out he will always be # 1 in my books and Neil peart of rush's fave as well...

  • Freddie Gruber, that's who SS credits for his continued and amazing prowess as one of the very best drummers in the world

  • those are ll great drummers, however, jojo mayer beats em all, and neil peart prolly doesnt even belong in the same league as those guys but I like him alot as well

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  • sei troppo il piu forte!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I remember playing an outdoor gig at a graduation party while in high school and in those days ('87-88) I actually played solos. There was a very hot girl watching me the whole show and at the end of my solo I flipped my stick as high as it would go, it came down hit my tom rim, shot up, smacked me in the face, broke my glasses an sliced my lip. After that she wasn't particularly interested!:)

  • haha unlucky man, still its not like u cant play!! u rule

  • JUST KIDDING I sat next to him in 87 at a drum expo,... I was amazed he really brings the art of drumming to a different level...

  • I wasn't there In 87, but your correct about the drumming line! Lol..

  • THERE IS A LOT OF BILL WARD IN HIS STYLE

  • Everyone drops an occasional stick. I hate when I used to hit myself in the face with it though-- PISS ME OFF! lol

  • I enjoyed it! Thanks.

  • Steve is THE MAN on drums. Period.

    If you wanna drum like Steve, just being talented does not help..you must take lessons from Alan Dawson, like Steve did, but it is too late..

    R.I.P Alan Dawson, the teacher of the drummers.

  • You can get the lesson from Freddie Grubber tough, That's why Steve got the "Pulse"

    ;-)

  • Weckl got lessons from him, too.

  • i dont think so both are the drummers of today and chambers and colaiuta as well

  • i love how he laughs when he drops his stick.

  • ok, I didn't post this for it to become another who is better than who thing. Please...Just enjoy it for what it is.

    A great solo by a great drummer.

  • great video man

    thanks for sharing it with us

  • Well said............

  • I am probably much older than you "nealkang"... so just a quick note here. I grew up with Journey and Rush back in the 70's & 80's and am also a drummer myself. Neil Peart was a great drummer in the day. Simon Phillips is also a great drummer and now plays for Toto. However, Steve Smith has taken drumming to a different level. If you really pay attention to his playing... you'll notice his technique is very "formal"... up to and including his posture. He's incredible.

  • A lot of Buddy Rich influence in his playing.

  • I don't see how Neil Pert or Simon Phillips is better than this guy. He's phenomenal! Obviously, Journey had some great musicians at one time.

  • Seeing a solo like this makes me laugh everytime I'm at a Rush concert, and I hear someone say.."Neil is the best drummer on the planet." I can do nothing but shake my head quietly, and think "if you only knew of Steve and Vinnie."....lol

  • This is awesome!

  • ME LA PELA ESE PELON

  • uhhh espectacular steve smith (Y)

  • he really is one of the best in the world!!!!!! a great drummer.....

  • An absolute monster! I saw this man live a few years back with his jazz band. Smith's hands are ridiculous. His left hand moves like humming bird. Listen to those double stroke rolls around 1:15. This is a guy who has his rudiments down pat!

  • Interesting solo. Solid drummer.

  • A M A Z I N G ! ! ! My favourite FOuR:

    Colaiuta

    Smith

    Weckl

    Bonham

  • Fuck

  • Steve went to my high school way back and has donated a lot of percussion to my schools band!

  • I agree with lupine

  • Steve you are the best drummer in the world you are a killer!!!

  • Damn. The man never ceases to amaze me. Never.

  • Steve Smith has mastered 3 genres. Arena rock, jazz, and fusion.  He is a genuine drum God. His perfomances are liquid precision and sheer beauty.

  • Steve is a very Amazing player indeed!

  • I love steve smith

    hes such a humble, amazing drummer

    he doesnt play to show off

    he does it just cause he loves music

    thats the way to be

  • Awesome

  • oooo im gonna show this video to all my band members to shw them thats its ok too loose a motherfuckin drum stick some time:P....if this guy can loose his drum...a master drummer like him....a newb like me can also loose his drumstick i guess ...lol

    great video!!!

  • al ver este video, me di cuenta que mi comentario por uno de mis 3 bateristas favoritos lo encontraba en Steve, (steve gadd, jeff porcaro)con este video confirma que el manejo y el control de sus muñecas es absurdamente grande, el manejo de los fills mucho mas, viva el buen jazz fussion como el buen rock,porque en la buena musica sobra la versatilidad.

  • When he missed the stick on 2:22. I think he hit under the ride cymbal. He just smiles and carries on with ease. So professional! I love the power he has! And pedal technique. ;)

  • Truly a great solo, but one that only a drummer could appreciate fully. Which I guess is why it's in the percussive arts society.

  • this man is god - like butter off a knife

  • He lets sticks click @ around 0:55 to show he's still human ;-) ... fantastic drummer.

  • I heard it.

  • se ci fate caso verso la fine mentre suona gli cade la bacchetta destra....segno che questo puo accadere a tutti anche a lui che è un grande, impressionante!

  • WOW really great.. very good drummer!

  • He is in my top 5 drummers of all time.

  • This video was not posted to be compared to anyone else. It is just a fine example of some of Steve Smiths drumming. This has nothing to do with Jordison, Peart, Rich, Donotti or anyone else...just try and enjoy a first class drummer.

  • this guy is fantastic but i dont think he is the best or buddy because they do one type of music and no doubt the are legends at jazz/blues drumming but to be the best you gotta explore every thype and thats why i think virgil donati is the best cause he has been through pop/rock/metal/jazz etc

  • virgil is definitly the best. but dude steve is totally a killer drummer. in the top 20 fo' sho'

  • yeah easy