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| Endorsed by: Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Pro-Mark drumsticks. About
Neill: Neill
came across with a London-based band for what was initially to be a short working
stint in Southern Africa in the late 80's, principally to back U.S and U.K artists
who were playing the circuit outside of South Africa at that time. Prior to this
he was working in London and around Europe in many differing situations, from
British Jazz group New Vintage to the American Soul group The Tymes. Neill's influences at the tender age of 16+ were all the progressive UK rocks band of the day, like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes as well as some lesser-known bands of that era like Gentle Giant and Greenslade. 'They were truly amazing bands' he says, 'in some ways the inventiveness and originality has not been bettered to this day, and it still sounds fresh and inspiring to me.' He continues, 'I thought it couldn't get better than Carl Palmer, Ian Paice and the like. Then R.T.F (Return to Forever) came along with Lenny White, Chick Corea and buds, and my whole perception turned upside-down.' 'This stuff was nuts…I went through three vinyl copies of Romantic Warrior!' After that initiation, Neill very much started to train his ear on the pre-eminent American session drummers of the late 70's and 80's, such as Steve Gadd, Jeff Poccaro and Harvey Mason. 'I transcribed absolutely everything I could get my hands on by Steve Gadd. I had an old reel-to-reel tape recorder and slowed everything down till it sounded like an old '78 in porridge! It was tricky to define the notes and drums at first, but it's amazing how quickly you get attuned to it' he says. 'One of the first things I wrote down was the '50 Ways To Leave Your Lover' track, then I heard Steve Gadd with Chick Corea on albums like 'The Leprechaun', 'Friends' and 'Three Quartets'. That was it…my first hero!' 'Obviously today, with the likes of Vinnie Colauita, Dave Weckl, and Joel Rossenblatt, the benchmark is constantly shifting, but I'm pretty sure those guys would site the very same influences, just as Steve Gadd would have with Buddy Rich. Music and playing is an evolutionary process', Neill says.
Ironically, Neill got labelled as a Jazz drummer when he arrived in S.A. but that was as much to do with the kind of people he was working with at that time. He mentions 'it's a dangerous thing to be pigeonholed, especially in a place like Johannesburg. The industry here isn't really big or prolific enough to specialise too much. That can be good, as I believe music is music and to be truly versatile and authentic in any situation is a real skill. That's what the session players do so well in the States, you'll hear Vinnie.C play on a Be-Bop CD and think wow, nice Jazz drummer, then you hear a killer drum track the next day on a Pop song, and it's the same guy…that's what I like. Gary Novak is another drummer who really impresses me…he wears so many hats and nails of them brilliantly.' In his workshops, and at the Drumlab studio at 4-Ways, Johannesburg, where he records and also runs drum courses, Neill always stresses the need for a really good, thorough knowledge of the rudiments and all the requisite skills to become a first-rate/first-call player. 'Without the right foundations, you will always flounder somewhere along the line, because no matter how good your ear is, you will not have the technique to articulate what you want to play' he says. 'In my courses, and even if someone just asks casually on a gig or session, I always emphasize the same topics...setting up your kit correctly, the right heights, grip and posture are always first, good time, dynamics, syncopation, coordination, good ear, good taste and play for the music! All those things require solid basic foundations to build on.' He comments that some of the most rewarding engagements he's been involved with have been relatively simple styles of music but played with tremendous feel and energy by a great bunch of musicians 'It takes more experience to make a simple track sound good sometimes than a frantic one.' | |||
| 'Of
course, who you play with makes a big difference to how you play and how well
you can interpret different styles of music. It's not going to be too Kosher doing
a Reggae record date with a Heavy Metal Guitarist!' he states. 'But most of the
guys I work with have all the bases covered, which is what's required in the freelance
environment' He mentions Denny Lalouette and Trevor Don Jeany as two Bass players
that any drummer would have problems playing badly with. Neill is currently investing a good deal of time at the Drumlab studio as he feels it has the potential to make a real difference to the way drums are recorded, as well as taught. He continues 'Less and less facilities really cater for drums first-hand, and are sometimes badly programmed or badly recorded as a result. With the Drumlab studio, I (and the client) get the luxury of being able to customise the drum track for the particular musical genre, be it Acoustic, Digital (Midi) or programming, and really hone the sound to the style. A good drum track often makes the recording, but because of time and budget restraints in a standard studio environment, the potential is not always fully realised' he says. |
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| Neill mentions the prospects
for on-line local and overseas work coming in the longer term are also good with
the Drumlab system and ADSL. Neill plays and endorses Yamaha drums exclusively. 'They always sound great in any musical situation and the quality is never compromised, even on the cheaper kits' he says. 'I like to use clear Remo Ambassadors on the toms, top and bottom with a thin O-Ring on top. They have the best tone and resonance, but can dent a little easily when playing gets harder. Snare is a standard coated Ambassador, which is also great for brushes. The Powerstroke3 head on Bass Drum works well for most situations too.' Neill is currently having a stick designed and manufactured by Pro-Mark. 'It's a great company to deal with' he says. 'We correspond via email all the time about the design, and the guys are really motivated. I'm excited about the product and hope after a few prototype runs that the final stick will find a place in the market. It's going to be a bit like the Gadd stick with a wood barrel-type tip, but slightly longer with a shorter taper in Hickory.' Neill is currently working with primo vocalist Joe Clarke, featuring Mauritz Lotz, Denny Lalouette, Nathan Smith and Johan Kelber on the 'Music of Queen' show, which will be touring Germany and the rest of Europe at the end of year. Additionally, he continues to play across a wide spectrum of work that includes Mango Groove, R&B band Vinnie & The Viscounts, Orchestral/Pops, TV and Radio commercials, plus the two bands that he jointly plays in with Denny Lalouette, Light Years and Twilight Zone. Neill concludes 'As long as you enjoy yourself and always play with a passion…that's infectious! If you've got all you're other stuff together, be professional and handle the business correctly, even in an amateur situation, you'll get where you want to go' You
can correspond with Neill at neill@iafrica.com.
Or phone on 083-375-3350 (cell) or 011-465-1990 (Drumlab Studio). SETUP
SPECIFICATIONS Cymbals: Zildjian
Studio
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Hardware and Pedals: Heads: Drumsticks: "This stick has been in development with close cooperation between myself and Pro-Mark U.S.A for over 14 months and has undergone many assessments and revisions in prototype form, resulting in a drum stick that I believe not only meets the needs for myself and the diverse musical situations I play in, but anybody looking for a great sounding perfectly balanced medium-gauge stick that plays and responds superbly."
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