Tim "Herb" Alexander: Amazing drum Solo

[magnusxxx]

Wood

[kingcherub]

6/8+5/8=11/8

[braindrain52389]

this song is one of my faves and so is this drummer

[assonine666]

This is not a solo and it isnt what ever Loaper said it was.It is from the song "Eleven" Track 6 of Sailing the Seas of Cheese.

[gleventhal]

@assonine666 Right.. it does kind of start off with a drum solo even on the album though, a sick drum solo in 11/8.

[H3ADFULLAL3AD]

This might by a weird question, but why do they call him "Herb"?

[zappfripp]

Listen to him with Attention Deficit (jazz fusion).... they will blown your mind

[Chappy757]

Tim Alexander creates a drum solo. Others just beat up their kit.

[MrCallofthemastodon]

Favorite drummers. you dont have to agree.

1. Danny Carey.

2. Tim Alexander.

3. Brann dailor.

[83Manzanares]

@MrCallofthemastodon Cheers!

[MrCallofthemastodon]

@83Manzanares Gladly! *tink*

[23house23]

Why did he have to leave?? ;_;

[MrOhjames]

Yes!! A drummer that keeps some sort of time while He solos! LOVE IT!

[crayZtaco7]

@MrOhjames just like john bonham. he was great at keeping time while soloing

[hotrod87ish]

two words, fuckin awesome

[tambian89]

herb really is god

[WHITE5KIN]

Funny story, my boss (60+, listens to 50's music and 60's RnB etc.) borrowed my car to pick up stuff for work, and my frizzle fry cd was playing. Anyway he was gone for an over an hour and when he came back he gave me $20 and told me he drove my car around town listening to "that cd". Puzzled I asked "what did you like about it so much?" -- "THE DRUMS!!!" he said.

Herb your a legend on so many levels.

[Falonefal]

@WHITE5KIN Herb is the ultimate boss of the drums.

[Falonefal]

@WHITE5KIN Except that there's no way that anyone can ever beat him :D

[NotATubeSurfer]

@WHITE5KIN Wait...wasn't Jay Lane the drummer on Frizzle Fry? I'm pretty sure he was man. Not that herb isn't amazing, but I thought I'd point out that little inconsistency.

[MrPeanutDojo]

@NotATubeSurfer Jay wrote a lot of the drum parts but tim was the albums/tours drummer

[PachydermSouthbound]

@WHITE5KIN Frizzle fry drums are fucking evil man

[hippiesRUs123]

idiots this dave the ginseng drummer the drummer from primus hhahahahahahahahahahaha

[aNamelessMan]

Someone in a different video (I'm pretty sure it was Primus playing Tommy the Cat in 1997) said that Brain was superior than Herb and I should "stop being such a tosser" just because I said in my own opinion that Herb was far superior and Primus really did "suck" during the Brown Album and Antipop period. After seeing this video, my thoughts about Brain and Herb are only reinforced.

[eatrocksah]

song is in 11/8.....11 always feels like a longer 7

[SouthSho450]

the key to be a good drummer is to practice rudiments....that's all !! i wish i had started to practice those from the start. i started like most people, with headphones, tryin to reproduce the track. but when you get every rudiments almost perfectly, it's just insane how fast you improve yourself !!

[SouthSho450]

@SouthSho450

before getting into rudiments you really need to work on your grip though....DUH !... and practice the moeller technique with triplets....but after that, the world is yours !!!

[omarkaya42]

That's one sick bastard

[chikaBurton]

"eleven" is actually 11/8 (or eleven eights)... try to count the rhythm as 123 123 123 12, most accomplished musicians have trouble with that rhythm, but not Tim :)

[420Guitar420]

I loved the way this guy just plays to the music on Primus albums. His style is similiar to Danny Carey in a way. Another great drummer is Lucius Borich from the Australian band Cog. Cog is pretty much one of the world's hidden gems right now when it comes to prog rock. Think of Cog as Australia's Tool except they have their own unique sound and Maynard plays guitar while he sings (they're a 3 piece).

[Teriblthundrlzrd]

Tim's drum work is magical. e does things that sound easy but as I've found out are impossiable.

[theamazingzivmaster]

I've always thought of Brian as a Drummer, And Tim as a Percussionist.

[nuke97]

More people shoud know of his work from a group he was in named Attention Deficit. Amazing album. I'm on my way to picking up my first drum kit and it will be from Tama. Tim you are an Inspiration !! to anyone intrested I posted an upload (only audio with some pics) of a drum and whamola jam taken from the first leg of the now legendary "Tour De Fromage".

[slantyrock]

Tim looks like a bald Jaoquin Phoenix

[PigeonFwaBorgon]

thumbs up if your imagining the bass

[malonemuert]

but.. it's strange listening to "Eleven" without Les bass hehe

[malonemuert]

BEST DRUMMER EVER

[Aiolia1995]

suscribe

[tocicar]

this isnt a drum solo. this is a song from primus. thats why tim is bu tar the most zen drum master on the planet. just becuase someone can play really fast or lay down a fill all over the drumset. that shit is dime a dozen. tim, hate on him or not he has a stlye no one else does or really can do. he just shits all over you with a down beat and a beefy syncopated rythm as a drum teacher of 10 years hes beats are some of the only challenging music left for me

[pooperscoopr69]

Check-out Ari Hoenig and Palle-Nielsen Love (for starters) to authentically experience the Art of Drumming in full regalia.

Their musical literacy, dynamism and percussive vocabulary dwarfs this imbecile.

[matdoomn]

@pooperscoopr69 What's your problem mate? Why you hating on Tim?

[ThrobnWood]

@pooperscoopr69 I've heard them before & they're both jazz drummers. So what you're saying is thta ye prefer jazz drummers... Tim Alexander plays all styles though. If ye had listened to him thoroughly enough, ye'd know that his expertise is damn near unmatched. His diversity & precision alone are enough for any drummer worth his salt. All of the Primus albums from '89-'95 show his immaculate mastery of the drums. But ye must be familiar with these of course having made your statement? O_o

[SouthSho450]

@ThrobnWood

im sorry but he aint that good !! he's very good yes no doubt, but not as good as you might think.....go watch some of Dave Weckl's videos you'll figure what's a real master of drums...i can almost play all primus song but i could never play even 1 Weckl's rythym !!

[aakkoin]

the intro really is top stuff

and steve smith (!!!) admires mr. herbs double bass stuff

[DJFusia]

MY FAVE DRUMMER IN THA WHOLE WORLD !!!!

[mythkid1208]

1 person doesn't know good drumming

[alimkanji]

Salute your skills bro ( = God Bless you ur crew people behnd the scene and specially your perants ( : Ameen.

[Mukketoaster1]

My brothers Hero..

[laner2281]

uh, Yes this would indeed be considered a "Solo!' The rhythm he plays on the octobans before the 11/4 beat (as he calls it in commentary) isnt in the original recording of eleven.

[13marinara]

The song is "Eleven" from Sailing the seas of cheese numbskulls.

[spookypunky]

My favorite drummer of all time!!

[EnemyAce]

Very musical way of playing drums.

[loaper]

This isn't a drum solo. It's a drum clinic he did in Chicago and the song the video starts on is "Ten Gates" from one of his other bands Laundry. It's off the Motivator album. If anyone knows where I can actually acquire this album please let me know. It's awesome but no one seems to have it. I highly recommend watching the clinic with his commentary. It's rather insightful about creating music instead of just banging away randomly like so many others do.

[echopark48]

@loaper

I downloaded the Motivator album from amazon, it's up on my channel

[amusingdune]

@echopark48

Hey there,

I have both Laundry cd's. Was a great band he had.

[zzpank33r]

@loaper I got motivator from herbs hands, signed by three all members of laundry when i saw them in a bar back in 1999 while i was studying in Phoenix AZ ^^ envy me :D

[Teriblthundrlzrd]

@loaper This is actually from a Primus song. But the work he did in Laundry was equally amazing

[TheBeerEater]

@loaper at about 1.00 its also "eleven" from primus!!

[ultimatefighter187]

For progressive i say..Gavin harrison,Danny carey,Tim alexander.

[crazyedd123]

@ultimatefighter187 what about neil peart?

maybe even bozzio or giles

[ultimatefighter187]

@crazyedd123 all incredible drummers and for like the orignal progressive i would say peart and bruford(the god) of course and giles drumming on the first crimson record is awesome but i wouldnt consider bozzio's drumming but then again how do you describe it he is amazing.

[patrickmck26]

I would kill alll of you for that set-up!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnTheHater]

Tim rules the world. By far my favorite drummer ever, but I play guitar so what do I know. LOL

[Fistsoffury12]

A work of true a true master musician! No one can be compared to the brilliance and originallity of Tims musical talents!!!

[spookypunky]

My favorite drummer.... Tim Alexander!

[kingTOOL]

herb is the best 

[JimmyD38]

Awesome sounding kit. The first 1:45 of this is really nice.

[mythkid1208]

I always loved his kits

[GunsofthePatriots14]

The hi-hat on the right is hooked up via hydrolics or cable to a pedal on the left

[rockitmanley]

gotta luv the style and flashyness of the soloist!!!

[roquemusic]

he's good but his "solo" is a bit boring...

[Uvve123]

@roquemusic Well, read the description, it says: "drum cover of the song eleven". Don't focus too much on the term drum solo.

[MajBongHit]

@Uvve123 How can a person cover their own song? Bad choice of words...

[Uvve123]

@MajBongHit It's a drum cover, since it's not exactly the same as in the original song, think of all the instrument that has been taken away, he has even got a special way of playing the beats and solos in this vid, a special "twist".

[TECHNOID69]

@roquemusic are all the songs "solos"? this is amazing.u play drums yourself? i do..

[obnoxiousagnostic16]

Okay, can anyone explain to me how the two hi-hat thing works? How many pedals does he have? Does the hi-hat on the right have some sort of intricite setup for the pedal to still be on the left, or is he just way better than I expected anyone could be?

[MajBongHit]

@obnoxiousagnostic16 Usually the 2nd hat stays closed for use with double bass. Avoids using a drop clutch on the main hats.

[nuke97]

GOD ! I love when this man plays drums!!

[vivaelrock34]

eleven

[timpbailey]

i agree with "think4urself". not only that, but Brain plays the same beat over and over, no life to Brains drumming. Tim rules!!!!

[browndemonio]

hay hay hay...........

[punksnotdead256]

i'd do almost anything to get this drum set

[BHSnare]

I love 11/8

[kodylynd]

this makes me want cocaine and pancakes

[CH3MIS7RY]

(3+3+3+2)/8...gotta love it.

[BleedingWalls420]

Seas of Cheese has some of the best drumming EVER!

[northropbound]

what time signature is he in? its coufusing the fuck out of me its so groovy

[dubes216]

@northropbound Its in eleven. Hints the name of the song.

[TheGottify]

f***ing good drum solo i must say mate !

[Tfr3sh17]

Intro is amazing.

[SuperKilometro]

take it that Assoles¡¡¡

[tohellwiththerush]

Thnx for upload :) this is awsome!

[dmtharpua]

awesome!!! 5* to my fav

[parabola1212]

i saw a puscifer concert at the apollo theatre couple weeks ago he was there as a special guest. damit was he good almost creamed my pants i swear

[Trgamemas]

The REAL Primus drummer right there.

[tboneLCN420]

he is dope as fuck on a set for sure!!! I think him, Claypool and Buckethead should do some shit together... Brain is good but this dude is better I think....

[slatan420]

I want to go fishing now.

[deejkb]

lol, how many cymbals does a man need?

[aakkoin]

this is eleven, fools

[themabin]

what is this i dont even? how is it possible its like he has 3 arms

[ndog67]

you should check out buddy Rich if you think this is amazing... not saying Herb isn't good he is amazing as well but nothing compares to Buddy

[northropbound]

yeah buddy rich was the guy on top in his days. both are fantastic set players

[RantzinmyPantz]

@ndog67 you realize that this isn't even a solo, right. This is a song in which this fits amazingly. You should maybe look up his actual solos... but you are right Rich is very good as well

[thnk4urself]

@RantzinmyPantz yea people doi that constantly. They label something a solo when it's really just a part in a song. I think if it's a drum solo in a song it still shouldn't be called a solo but this is more of a beat than a solo in a song anyways. It is an amazing drum part though, can't get enough of those octobans, i want some so bad

[PenguinSensei]

I wouldn't know where to begin if I sat behind that set... The man has two hi-hats for crying out loud! Also what are those long, tube-like toms he has? I want them.

Also, as others have said, Herb is a beast. Primus really needs to release another album.

[NYtomb]

@PenguinSensei Octobans only made by tama i dont think they are made anymore

[xnumxlockx]

@NYtomb

Also I think ddrum make 'Deccabons' which are their versions of octobans.

[FerretPercussion]

@PenguinSensei

theyre called octobans, tama made them first, pearl started making wooden ones called quarter toms...and you can get cheapie budget ones from ddrum called deccabons

[Cookieonbass]

idk wat those tube things are but they sound like congos so i asume thier congo toms or sumthin

and yes herb is a beast he is one the most unique drummers eveur

[xnumxlockx]

@Cookieonbass

Those are called "Octobans".

[toasternac]

0:56 - 1:45 Eleven - Sailing the seas of cheese or very similar

[aftermathfool]

And Herb's a beast... seriously.

[aftermathfool]

I, I, I!!!

[vanemmerik]

If there was ever a drummer in history that I wished I could sound like if I played the drums would be this guy. I am a Bass player but the work of Tim "herb" Alexander on Thonk from Michael Manring is astounding.

[theburyboys]

@vanemmerik - Oh hell yeah! And the work he did with Laundry and Born Naked was also inspiring... not to mention Primus. I think Brain is great and very unique as well. Les Claypool always picks the best drummers.

[MrStrangeSensation]

@vanemmerik

Check out the band Attention Deficit. Michael Manring on bass, Tim Alexander on Drums, and Alex Skolnick on guitar (from metal band Testament). That's a hell of a trio.

[jackthenakedmonkey]

brain is a very good drummer,but i prefer herb,and for me primus are les,larry and herb..

[themabin]

thats because primus is les, larry, and herb..

[SvenIsHere]

amazing drummer. brain is great but herb kicks him out of the park

[Convisis]

i don't get the whole herb is better than brain thing, never did. herb did things brain could never have done, and likewise. herb could never have made the brown album - my personal fav, best songs i reckon - work like brain, the parts, the feels, the character in his playing to bring those songs to life, which is the most overlooked thing about his playing in that band. not saying herb's not sick.

[robojones]

I like Brain, I think he's better than average, I'd say he's pretty good... But Herb... He's on another level. Herb is the dog's bollocks.

[thnk4urself]

Brain plays beats. Tim plays music

[Grillmouth]

good way to put it, brain still kicks some ass with his beats,,,

[catphish454]

@thnk4urself well said

[vanemmerik]

@thnk4urself Yeah I can agree with that. Kinda reminds me of Terry Bozzio. He's a firm believer in composition which in some ways drives the drums forward as an instrument capable of melody and rhythm. So much to explore and learn.

[thnk4urself]

@vanemmerik yea he Bozzio & Danny Carey are some of the most musical drummers I know of. Brain is amazing but I don't think he has more playing ability that writing ability. Tim, Carey, & Bozio also have a different vibe to their playing. Brain's sounds a lil more sterile. Tim and Danny Carey are my biggest influences but I don't think I'm being biased. It's mostly preference anyway

[QncySubaru]

@thnk4urself  damn straight

[CaptCinnabon]

@thnk4urself with that much shit how could you not

[frididjurhuus]

@thnk4urself Who's Brain?

[anguskahn22]

i dont know how anyone prefers brain over herb, this guys a genious

[nuke97]

It astounds me how it just comes to him.

[Abgulu]

brain might be as profecient, but hes not as near creative or a driving force in the music hes involved with.

[hoowahdruma]

Brain does sound sweet on brown album, but it makes it easy to underestimate him because the sound quality on it is so bad. When he played with Guns n' Roses he was able to completely replicate what the other drummer did. He's just as technically efficient as Alexander.I love them both, I think Les brings that style out of them.

P.S. the shit brain has done with buckethead is pretty sweet too, look it up on youtube.

[staygo1d]

False. Brain is not as technically proficient as Herb.

[stevestjamesprogram]

exactly. Herb is leaps and bounds ahead of Brain technically. it's not even close.

[themilksnatcher]

What?!!! You need to watch some more Brain. Iv loved herb for 15 years and was gutted when Primus got another drummer, but when I saw Brain playing with them i thought they had made a very good choice.

[SeasofCheese7]

Favorite drummer, Favorite Song, and he did an amazing job with it. Definitely one of the best drummers out there.

[nednada]

Totally agree with you!

[ZXPA2]

Still waiting for the solo to start.

Donkey.

[janpogo]

it is solo as he plays alone.

[larkydozer]

Sounds great!

[petersinol]

Song "The Hollow" from first A Perfect Circle is masterpiece of emotional playing.

[audiofunkdialect]

i love brain on anti pop, obviously herb is better, but they are completely different, les utilizes them to the fullest, he even change sup his sound depending on which one he is playing with, herb is more finesse brain is more ground and pound

[SadSack1701]

dident he play with the blue man group for a while by the way he is mt favorate drummer

[Danielleeseals]

yes its 11/8s time signature :3

[independent30m]

I think this song is called Eleven because its an 11/8 time signature I like Herb so much better than brian

[goo710]

who doesn't prefer the Herb over the Brain?!?!?!?!

[bea5ToloG]

i dont prefer either one. theyre two of my favorites. plus, the brown album rules and brain is perfect for it. different srtokes for different folks i guess.

[Polkadaddy69]

LaLonde/Claypool/Alexander!!! Brain is not in the picture what so ever... And besides, Herb has this touch which you recognize after 1.5 seconds of listening

[IHateXs]

Great drumming!

[Grouse0511]

great video

[roadrage1234]

your right Herb is god!