Morgan Agren Montreal Drumfest 2008

[Kathabasis]

Morgan Agren is one of the worlds greatest drummers, no doubt !!!

[niltonyukina]

Eu tenho certeza de que hoje ele esta entre os melhores.

[remamao]

It's amazem

[kizzplay]

Morgon bytt märke från Pearl till DW

[MexicanKola]

i nearly fell off my chair when i saw his pedals

[69drummerdude]

I totally get why people won't like this. But if you like prog rock, listen to his work with Kaipa on the last 2 albums. His style blends with the music so well it's amazing and beautifull.

I'm learning the parts now and it forces me to let go of so much.

Rules, time, measure's all kind of blur and are replaced with freedom and flow.

I really want to take some of that into my playing, I just haven't figured out what, yet.

[needlearmor]

morgan's solos sound so much more amazing when i close my eyes. there is so much imagery in his playing. i feel silly watching him the whole time.

[Premoguys]

Haake > Agren or Agren > Haake ?

We may never learn.....

[vincentBurden]

He's a drummer who has no doubt about that very fact.

[accutron89]

morgan agren is the thathagata

[neolithicmembrane]

Powerful music. awesome drumming.

[timmylee1974]

this dude has aight skills... he should come to a few of my lessons and I would show him some real drumming though... end of story

[timmylee1974]

there comes a time when you get so good you just start to sound like total shit.. this is obviously one of those times

[thetopface]

@timmylee1974 I disagree. I find this beautiful.

[Giveupthegh0st]

@timmylee1974 Dude I lol'd so fucking hard. It's funny because it's true.

[xxxslayerxxx666]

@timmylee1974 at least you admit that he is extremely good....i could care less if it sounds like shit....sometimes i'm just not in the mood for him and it gives me a headache, but most of times i really enjoy him! i all the famous classical composers would say the same things about xenakis, stockhausen, messiaen, varese, and boulez (but those are modern classical artists) but i bet all the famous classical composers hated bartok!(or they just though it was pointless because it doesn't sell)

[Polaf3456]

Morgan Agren is the Richard D. James of drums

[JeffreyMulac8]

Weird, awesome drumming. If you don't think he can groove, at 5:31 he begins the intro to Propellerhast from Mats/morgan Band.

[dizzydup]

@JeffreyMulac8

Well... of course he can play his own song...

[fireblossom2u]

Wow. I just found my new favorite drummer. Unique, direct and correct.  What a palette this man has! I agree with the comment about listening more than once to "get" this. Especially if you bring preconception to the listen. This guy isn't in the box with the others he's sitting on a rock over there inventing himself.

[AICDTTPT]

that kick drum sound is terrible....

otherwise, this is freakin' amazing.

[JimBohabri]

Between 3:00 to 4:20 I cant understand shit :/ ?

whats up with that

[protorobsmos]

@JimBohabri That implies you can understand everything before and after??

[JimBohabri]

@protorobsmos No. But that sounds like random hits for me. 

[protorobsmos]

@JimBohabri I heard that one time Dave Weckl approached him and asked what it was exactly that he was doing, and apparently yeh just shrugged. Lol.

[mpelevic]

L'ART POUR L'ART

[hithatrollz]

It's almost like he's playing the "anti-groove" if you will. When I listen to him I think of harmony and melody over rhythm. Just another way to look at it i guess. IMO drummers like him help the drums evolve. Anyone who brings a new approach and another way of thinking to an instrument is good in my book.

[mprimecoleman]

The way he fills at 1:20 to 1:30 and lands on beat should be enough to convince anyone that Morgan is a beast. Not a big fan of the way-too-punchy and loud bass drum miking, as in around 2:30. Maybe Morgan wanted it that way.

[jonithedrummer]

0:14 tyrannosaurus rex xD

[TheRodrigoaquino]

What a ---l o v e l y drumset---my god!!!

[SirRunk]

White boy got nuthin on Meg White.

[adegamisoumounopano]

@SirRunk lol. 

[burningvenom]

@SirRunk yo be kiddin ya'll

[baronvonchunk]

Sorry, all I see is a guy awkwardly holding sticks, hitting drums as hard and fast as he can and occasionally staring aimlessly at the next cymbal he can pointlessly bash. Can't really get much drumming out of that.

[jjoyner000]

@baronvonchunk perhaps you are missing the unbelievably even rolls that come between him hitting his drums as hard as he can.

[xxxslayerxxx666]

@baronvonchunk lol.

[darkmager340]

i have got to say as much as i appreciate morgan

he is very hard to follow

[29dave]

He needs more pedals.....

[zbyyyg]

Lars Urlich is better ! (joke)

[studogbignose3]

Mental.

[furiousg0]

I'm happy to see him on some real drums. He played pearl for a while and Pearl drums suck more than I care to describe.

[Munki6]

@furiousg0 I wouldn't say that. Pearl's got some quality products.

[furiousg0]

@Munki6 I made the mistake of buying a Pearl a long time ago. It was a toneless piece of crap. Didn't matter what kind of heads I put on or anything. It was just a boxy sack of shit. I play Sonor now and the difference is mind boggling.

[Munki6]

@furiousg0 Maybe you need to learn how to tune your heads properly. I've managed to get shitty unbranded kits to sound fairly decent/amazing with the right heads and proper tuning.

I'm a proud pearl user. Been using a FORUM series kit at home for years and it still sounds great.

Each to their own I guess. I disagree that pearl make shit drums though. I Don't really like TAMA's drums so much, but I wouldn't say they make shit drums.

[furiousg0]

@Munki6 I've been tuning drums as long as I have been playing them thank you. I also get work teching drums for studio sessions. The drums themselves (Pearl) were very much in tune all the time. I guess it's an opinion thing. :) I really like deep, resonant tone out of my drums and I simply never got it out of my Masters. I like the reference series in the way that they have a unique idea with out being overpriced. I should say that 3 of my students bought the reference snare. it sounds killer.

[Munki6]

@furiousg0 ha ha top stuff. Yeah, I haven't been able to get a deep sound out of my drums, but that's not what I was going for anyway, I've got no complaints though. They make some good hardware, though I think TAMA's got some of the best hardware personally. Either way, it all really boils down to personal opinion and shit hey. Good talk.

[furiousg0]

@Munki6 yeah I'm happy it didn't turn into one of those useless internet arguements that makes us look like retarded children. Keep slammin' it out man. Peace. :)

[Munki6]

@furiousg0 PEARL RULZ BCOZ JOEY JORDISON IS TEH BEST!!!1!!!one!!1!!!

Jokes. Ja indeed my bru. Good luck with your drumming. Have a lot of fun.

[Lobones0066]

Morgan is so fucking skilled

[PearlGroove]

Those drums sound like crap!!! His Pearls sounded so much more clean and crisp. This kit sounds muddy and undefind. Great player though! His vid with Fredrick Thorndal (spelling?) is awesome!

Adam

[DissidentGenro]

Yea it sounds like that way to me too but these vids are mic'd and mixed differently from those TV appearances, which the latter is obviously going to sound better than the quality of recording here :(

[Galactu5]

The recording for the medley was CD quality and this is not.

That should be taken into account.

One thing I like about Morgan is that it seems like he is really feeling something when he's playing.

[CurtisSpiers]

the groove at 3:14 is fucking awesome, no bass drum!

[CurtisSpiers]

favourite Agren video.

[SEATRIALS]

Lost In The Ark by Simon Steensland from the album Fat Again.

[Drumspiracy]

Thanks.  I'm gonna check it out.

[Drumspiracy]

Anyone know to what music he is playing to for the first few minutes?

[sake83]

this guy reminds me of the great terry bozzio....

[rudolphjack]

I have taken another look at Morgan's drumming and I must conclude you are right. The guy is very good. I just have a problem with drummers that depend to much on the double kick pedal to make up for what they cant play with there hands.

All the great drummers like Rich,Krups, Williams,Smith, Weckel,

Jojo , they all know how to play the drums with there hands which means they have a thorough knowledge of drum rudiments. I withdraw my criticism of Morgan

and thank you for in-lightening me

Jack

[Galactu5]

Nice to hear you gave my comment and his drumming some consideration.

Morgan is a unique voice, love him or hate him.

[agbengip]

I hope you know that this is one of the worlds most skilled drummers you're talking about..

[Galactu5]

This only gets better and better the more you listen to it.

I understand there are many people that want to be able to enjoy every note of a song from the very first listen and I guess that is fine, but what for me is infinitely more satisfying is after every 5 or so more listens you discover even more nuances, tones, and feelings than the time before. Each listen adds more to the enjoyment of the music unlike easy to digest music where every additional listen adds little new to enjoy.

[lordkrandel]

@Galactu5 100 years ago there was no way to record music

[Galactu5]

@lordkrandel

I get your point, but your argument only applies to music from many years in the past and thus doesn't apply to more modern music. I grant you that "songs" as opposed to compositions can be perfectly viable as easy to digest and catchy. I'm merely suggesting that music of that sort I can't listen to repeatedly for my own enjoyment.

When a classic like Mack the Knife comes on the radio I enjoy hearing it, but once every few months is more than enough. I know you get my point.

[JustusFriedolin]

@Galactu5 yeah i agree, i would like alot of people to be more tolerant with music. they would start to enjoy alot of music more and see beyond the sound, theres often alot of effort or passion involved in making music. i mean just the risk of becoming and artist and not succeeding requires a certain amount of passion

[Galactu5]

@JustusFriedolin

That is a very good point. I try every now and then to expose friends to new things, but usually they just aren't ready. These things take time eh?

[JustusFriedolin]

@Galactu5 yeah you have to take your time and listen to the music and especially in a live situation, you will understand that theres people who took their time and tried things out to create that live situation and you will then even be forced to think about how it came about, hehe and mayyybee even enjoy it who knows :). i mean ive tried to show people stuff on youtube and that just doesnt really work. they have to be really open minded and interested to get something out of something likethat

[Kafe420]

@Galactu5 Spot on.

[Galactu5]

???

What are you trying to say?

It seems you are trying to put down his skill with the kick drum...

If that is the case, you are very sadly mistaken.

He is very good with just a single kick and this kit is for a drum festival... So make of that what is obvious.

Basically, you are just flat out wrong about him being "helpless without the double kick pedal"

[TOREMJ]

What's wrong about drumsolos. Rock has it's origins among the black music. Ritual drumming comes also out of Africa.

[flamecolumn]

YAWN..........

[nzchoppa]

didnt he play for zappa when he was a teenager?

[OwnedByMoomin]

search for zappa and morgan and you will find the audioclip where they play together, zappa welcome morgan AND mats who also plays with morgan in their band

[flammaster]

I can totally understand everything he is playing! it's obvious to me we both listened to the same drummers. Sounds like a guy who grew up listening to Jack Dejonette and Zappa to me!

[djdaniels00]

it's like 1000 techniques in under 6 minutes. wow.

[busenfr]

è semplicemente il più grande batterista vivente....

[NeuroHead]

@svante1991 LOL!!!

[CurtisSpiers]

check out the fill from 1:19 to 1:30 - simply awesome.

[kobrazorz]

It's right hand lead syncopation, speed set to awesome.

[Sidar654231]

no, that's the outcome, but if you've ever jammed with anyone you'd know that a band has more than one person, with both dancing around each other so to speak, and both saying what they want to hear. I don't get why people bash Meg and then forget the fact that Jack not only *wanted* her to play like this, he *ordered* her. It opens him up, as he said himself. Works for them, works for the great music they want to make.

[IyOkusanagi]

°° Å °° ?

[Fabiolino1412]

Vergognati!!!!

[Faggianotti]

ma vergognati de che?Spero tu non ce l 'abbia verso morgan agren, e spero che in tal caso tu non sia un batterista.

[johnnylarue1]

looks like a heart attack waiting to happen??!!

[LeBatterie]

Incredible drummer, so inventive and unpredictable, absolutely unique.

[BertilUlfsson]

what the fuck? is someone really comparing this to bloody white shites?

[shanebieda]

hahahahah, at first I was like huh? but I clicked 0:14 again and I got it. lolz. How the heck did u catch that?

[shanebieda]

This guy is wierd! hahaha. Frieken good!

[Sirdoman]

3:00 is soooo rad!!!!!

[babayaga77]

he has an abstract conception of time and space, and that makes him a musician, more than a drummer. moreover, he was touched by the magical hands of zappa.

[Draxx420]

man i can tell ya one thing morgan doesent think inside of the box LOL

[Sidar654231]

You know- don't talk shit about meg white. Just don't. You see, concerning instruments (and especially drums), people always think inside of boxes. And Meg White does a wonderful job at shaking you awake: "Yes, you can do this!". Supporting a tune with the simplest, rawest of rythms and 'fills' *can be done. It's like starting with a clean slate, mind open, boxes open. She should get a medal for introducing the thought.

And she's got insane boobs. Hell yeah.

[peanutbuddha]

Dude, if you think for an instant that minimalism in rock is inventive then you are an absolute cretinous retard.

[Sidar654231]

Haha. Funny man. Minimalism in rock not inventive? Guess you never heard Discipline, did you?

[peanutbuddha]

The Crimson album?

[Sidar654231]

Exactly.

[peanutbuddha]

So The White Stripes are now being compared to King Crimson? Seriously?

[Sidar654231]

Nothing of the sort, although it can easily be done. My point: minimalism in rock music is not bogus.

[peanutbuddha]

Not saying it is bogus, just that it's not inventive or original anymore.

[Sidar654231]

Well, you can do a lot of things with space. You can do a lot of things with the word 'minimalism' to begin with. Minimalism in what? What does it open? Why do it? Is it more than the sum of its parts? Etcetera. But let's not get into that and be polite and shake hands.

[Draxx420]

i realy think only realy accomplished drummers can even understand this guy ive played for two years i can see and hear his sound and where hes going with his mind but man i have no clue wth hes doing most of the time

[Draxx420]

best in the world ? i know peaple always say there no best ...... this guy make me belive he is man

[Drawthemoral]

Morgan and Gavin Harrison are my two favorite drummers. Both of them have absolutely phenomenal rhythmic placement.

Morgan's stuff with Kaipa is so awesome.

[Kafe420]

Do u know where I can find stuff with Kaipa?

[tompo010101]

morgan just totally owns on drums

[Lethargyca]

flo mounier,tomas haake,morgan agren,brann dailor,sean reinert...what else do you need??

[Redspy27]

Jojo Mayer

[AHeroWithin]

George Kollias, Neil Peart, Derek Roddy.

[Erotified]

LOL @ all three.

[cr1msonking93]

Robert Wyatt, Billy Cobham, Christian Vander, Mike Portnoy (yeah I know he's a noob), Billy Jarzombek

[ollecarlsson]

that "white stripes" drumming chick moahahaha take a look at her style, its hilarious....

[Be2Ni]

he is without any doubt a genius but for me he is a bit overplaying sometimes

[Galactu5]

People said that about Coltrane too. But I hear what you're saying, it's a valid opinion.

[Redspy27]

Is there such a thing as an invalid opinion?

[Galactu5]

Considering how poor some people's opinions are, I would say so!

I think people give to much 'validity' to the concept of opinion. Just because you are 'entitled' to one doesn't mean it's going to be factual, sensible, useful, meaningful,.... valid.

It just is.

[Redspy27]

But isn't that an opinion of its own? Of course I agree that with common sense in mind, there are quite ridiculous opinions, but I cannot transcend myself and say that my opinion is more valid. The least thing you can do is say that my (or your or whoevers) opinion is more sensible, as you just said, but sensible is quite relative as well.

BUT, I'm kind of bitching:P. I understand your position.

[joromark]

What a bad ass concept!

[OrdbogDK]

Only musicians can comprehend this unique talent. The backing tune is 'Lost in the Ark' from Simon Steensland's new album 'Fat Again' with Morgan Agren playing the drums. Be sure to check it out!

[sonortubelug]

his solos sound like a metal version of Jack DeJohnette

[drumster37]

He doesn't have enough pedals.

I've always found self-taught drummers the most interesting because they don't get locked into the "right" way or the "traditional" way.

To me, that's why Agren's playing is so great. He's not afraid to make a mistake and if he does he turns it into something good.

[winnerbaby44]

he is self taught?

he started playing at age 4..

[milanpaloyannidis]

why isnt morgan very well known. he deseves more credit than most the drummers out there

[TysEnz]

Because he's not very appealing to the unlearned ear.

[liakish]

I LOVE YOU!

[cinnful1]

Galactu, the serving slice of poopolla has catered to the lowest common amongst everyone since Elvis started swaying his hips and recored companies went "ooooooo"....but I'm wrong, it goes back before that, but with rock and roll...that was the tipping point...

[Galactu5]

Only 1200 views at this point is a total shame. How come utter garbage gets millions of views? Humans should be ashamed of themselves for settling for the lowest common denominator.

Challenge yourselves.

EVERYONE!

PROGRESS!

CHANGE!! :)

[philateliceun]

because 80% of the world are RETARDS.

Deal with it

[fjanton83]

seeing this, undestanding this, on youtube - is not enough

[shlempnar]

big fucking sound

[Galactu5]

I love this stuff because every time I come back to listen to it I get more out of it that I missed the first time.

Can the same be said for popular music? Usually not.

[Galactu5]

Is this a Magma song?

[arheru]

Simon Steensland. Cool character! =)

[arheru]

I really crap myself at the risks Morgan takes with accent placement - he flips out; you hold your breath; what's happening?!; *SMACK* everything in its right place. =)

[stond125]

This guy is the whip, that all drummers should bow to. His style is sooo otherworldly.

[Galactu5]

What I love about him is that his drums are like in another language, like listening to French. You don't know what the Frenchman is saying exactly, but it still sounds special!

[charlezurich]

Magic man

Genie