Grace Jones Slave To The Rhythm (drums by Jouxplan)

-- me ATTEMPTING to play one of the most incredible grooves I have ever heard.

Those of you that have been watching my videos, and who are kind enough to consider me a half decent drummer, will perhaps be surprised that the question 'Jouxplan, what is the hardest thing you know how to drum to?' would elicit the answer 'Slave To The Rhythm, EP version'.

I still recall the first time I heard this. It must have been 1986, in my student digs. There I am doing some engineering coursework, whilst my best friend Andy plonks on his latest purchase. It's an EP. The moment I heard that opening voice-over, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. And then the beat kicked in.

WOW!! I almost fell off my chair. I almost messed myself. I was totally overwhelmed. Fuck the coursework. What an incredible production, rhythm section, song, structure -- the whole thing just blew me away.

And then of course, the incredible drum break happened halfway through the EP. I think I probably had an orgasm........

Anyway, for the last 21 years, I have tried and tried and tried to drum along to it. And I can't do it. I just cannot get that groove. It is just so massive. Beautiful interplay between the hi-hat and bass drum, incredible and subtle interplay with the bass guitar. Such power and precision.....I just cannot go on about it enough (can you tell?).

I wanted to share with you my current 'ability' at playing this. Yes, it is harder than playing in 10/8 time with Genesis, and yes it is harder than playing The Police Walking On The Moon. Not everyone will understand why, especially beginner drummers, but I hope to convert or educate at least a few with this cover and description.

Learn to groove, and THEN you are gonna be a star (drummer!). Grace Jones fans will appreciate the double meaning there........

My cover is not note for note, and certainly does not pick up all the little chops that occur. It is all I can do to play the basic groove. Hope you enjoy, and hope you appreciate the beauty of this track.

And please, someone, tell me who the drummer is!!! I think he is fucking incredible.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Grace
• Jones
• Slave
• Rhythm
• EP
• drums
• drumming
• groove
• Alex
• Warwick

[dingadang]

Very tasty man. Fabulous phrasing.

[jouxplan]

@dingadang Wow! Thank you! That is high praise.

I find this track spectacularly difficult to play. It truly is an awesome groove - so, so deep. I have been surprised that I don't get more 'hate' comments on it - because I have never felt that I was able to properly capture the groove. I have improved a lot since recording this, so maybe I ought to try again, this time on my Roland kit - that would be fun! Cheers!

[Scorp111786]

Awesome Awesome

[jouxplan]

@Scorp111786 Thank you Thank you!

[infera1]

Awsome rhythm!

Youre cool

[jouxplan]

@infera1 I thank you!

[geechie0419]

@ebonyprince71 "Ju Ju" is short for Julius.

[robertbowen]

TO be fair, even Ju Ju House didn't play the Slave to the Rhythm drum part, Steve Levine did. Using SMPTE offsets on a couple of Sony 32-track digital reel-to-reels.

Trevor Horn talks about this in his Sarm interview.

[jouxplan]

@buurmania This seems to say

"So people, now real time! The grooves but null, untight full .."

I think I get the gist anyway. Read my description friend - at what point did I claim I could actually play this groove? It is very, very hard. Nonetheless, you are being rather harsh. Oh well.

[buurmania]

...also Leute, jetzt echt mal! Das groovt doch null, voll untight...