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Genteel Death · 10.27.2009, 07:04 AM

Drumming With The Velvet Undergroundhttp://www.moderndrummer.com/web_exc...66854836306551Maureen Tucker

In Part 2 of our interview with the drummers of The Velvet Underground, we talk to Maureen Tucker, the player most often associated with the group.

Drumming With The Velvet Underground
Part 2: Maureen Tucker

by Adam Budofsky

Moe, as she's fondly called, played on all of the band's studio albums except for 1970's Loaded, which she missed because she was having her first child at the time. (See the Billy Yule interview in Part 1 of this feature for more on this period of the band's history.) Though Loaded is a classic in its own right, it doesn't truly represent 'the' Velvets sound, an unadorned, deceptively primitive approach that was as informed by 20th-century European avant-garde music as it was by American R&B and pop.

Moe's unique approach to this new sound was a mix of African trance rhythms and Ringo-like arrangement genius. Her playing style was hugely responsible for the Velvets' singular personality, as important as Lou Reed's deadpan vocals, Sterling Morrison's architectural electric guitar - even John Cale's otherworldly viola.

Though The Velvet Underground struggled with underwhelming record sales in their day, by the '80s, every serious text on the history of rock 'n' roll would put the band at the very top of the pile in terms of its impact on modern music. In other words, this is one very influential musician we're talking about here.

After laying low and raising a family for most of the '70s and '80s, Moe returned to regular recording and touring, this time fronting her own band on guitar and vocals. Moving away from her native Long Island has taken none of the New York out of Moe's voice, sense of humor, or love of a good story. And though she is a proud recent grandmother, Moe is so plain-spoken and humorously candid, you get the feeling even the surliest thirteen-year-old could easily hang with her. MD Online recently spoke to Maureen from her home in Georgia.

Where did your style of playing with the bass drum on its side originate?

When we started with Andy [Warhol, the famous pop artist who took the Velvets under his wing], we would rehearse at The Factory [Warhol's studio/scene], and I just started doing it there. Around then we began doing a lot of long, twenty-minute jams, and I just thought doing what I was doing fit well. At first I literally just put the bass drum on the floor at rehearsals, and at shows we'd put two chairs together, which didn't work so great. But pretty quickly a friend of ours made a stand that would hold it up so I could stand up and play it.

Today it's hard to imagine Velvet Underground songs played any differently.

Yeah, I've thought of that over the years, and I can't imagine that at all.

Was there any discussion at the time, like, You're not going to be able to keep a ride cymbal beat going?

No, it was my invention, my idea. I thought, and I guess they agreed - or maybe they just weren't listening, because, you know, no one listens to the drummer - it just worked better for the kind of stuff we were doing.

10.27.2009, 07:04 AM	#331
Genteel Death invito al cielo Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8,744	Drumming With The Velvet Undergroundhttp://www.moderndrummer.com/web_exc...66854836306551Maureen Tucker In Part 2 of our interview with the drummers of The Velvet Underground, we talk to Maureen Tucker, the player most often associated with the group. Drumming With The Velvet Underground Part 2: Maureen Tucker by Adam Budofsky Moe, as she's fondly called, played on all of the band's studio albums except for 1970's Loaded, which she missed because she was having her first child at the time. (See the Billy Yule interview in Part 1 of this feature for more on this period of the band's history.) Though Loaded is a classic in its own right, it doesn't truly represent 'the' Velvets sound, an unadorned, deceptively primitive approach that was as informed by 20th-century European avant-garde music as it was by American R&B and pop. Moe's unique approach to this new sound was a mix of African trance rhythms and Ringo-like arrangement genius. Her playing style was hugely responsible for the Velvets' singular personality, as important as Lou Reed's deadpan vocals, Sterling Morrison's architectural electric guitar - even John Cale's otherworldly viola. Though The Velvet Underground struggled with underwhelming record sales in their day, by the '80s, every serious text on the history of rock 'n' roll would put the band at the very top of the pile in terms of its impact on modern music. In other words, this is one very influential musician we're talking about here. After laying low and raising a family for most of the '70s and '80s, Moe returned to regular recording and touring, this time fronting her own band on guitar and vocals. Moving away from her native Long Island has taken none of the New York out of Moe's voice, sense of humor, or love of a good story. And though she is a proud recent grandmother, Moe is so plain-spoken and humorously candid, you get the feeling even the surliest thirteen-year-old could easily hang with her. MD Online recently spoke to Maureen from her home in Georgia. Where did your style of playing with the bass drum on its side originate? When we started with Andy [Warhol, the famous pop artist who took the Velvets under his wing], we would rehearse at The Factory [Warhol's studio/scene], and I just started doing it there. Around then we began doing a lot of long, twenty-minute jams, and I just thought doing what I was doing fit well. At first I literally just put the bass drum on the floor at rehearsals, and at shows we'd put two chairs together, which didn't work so great. But pretty quickly a friend of ours made a stand that would hold it up so I could stand up and play it. Today it's hard to imagine Velvet Underground songs played any differently. Yeah, I've thought of that over the years, and I can't imagine that at all. Was there any discussion at the time, like, You're not going to be able to keep a ride cymbal beat going? No, it was my invention, my idea. I thought, and I guess they agreed - or maybe they just weren't listening, because, you know, no one listens to the drummer - it just worked better for the kind of stuff we were doing.
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