It’s July, the asphalt’s baking, and we’re over here wondering: what’s the rock drummer’s fate? Or, to be fair, the entire rhythm section’s. Because, let’s face it, no one back there at the back of the stage seems to have an easy life. Or a clean rap sheet.
The Mind Can’t Keep Up With the Beat
Let’s start with Eric Bass, Shinedown’s bassist. According to Consequence of Sound and Loudwire, the man had to step away from the tour due to a “pretty serious mental health breakdown.” Think about it: the road, the pressure, a different hotel every day, and there you are, constantly holding down the fort so everyone else can jump around. That kind of thing takes its toll, doesn’t it? And the guy still has the decency to be transparent and talk about it, instead of inventing some vague “gastric indisposition.” Honesty, that rare disease in show business.
Chuck Berry Against the World (and His Bassists)
Speaking of mental health, but of a slightly more… physical kind, we have the saga of Keith Richards. American Songwriter reports that the guitarist (who also plays bass, when the occasion calls for it) got a punch from Chuck Berry. The reason? Keith Richards dared to touch Chuck’s amplifier. The father of rock and roll’s amplifier. The audacity, for crying out loud! It’s the kind of “grave rock & roll offense” only a grumpy genius like Berry could invent. And Keith, of course, was right there. Again. In the middle of the mess. Which makes us wonder: does being someone’s rhythmic foundation put you in a position to get hit more often?
Fiona Apple and the Escape From Reality (or Lack Thereof)
And since we’re on the subject, how about a look at Fiona Apple? The woman, never one to mince words, is struggling creatively. Stereogum tells us she’s finding it hard to write about the world’s “endless barrage of horrors.” Mind you, her creativity has always been a river of angst and beauty, but when even she, the queen of introspection, can’t process reality anymore, that’s when things are truly dire. Maybe she should try some drumming. Who knows, perhaps rhythm helps organize the chaos?
Sam Fender, Olivia Dean, and the Curse of the Broken Record
To nail the coffin shut, Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, two young talents, just broke a British record. NME and The Guardian are celebrating the duo’s 16 weeks at the top of the charts with “Rein Me In,” surpassing Wet Wet Wet. It’s quite an achievement, no one disputes that. But let’s be honest: records are made to be broken. And what happens after you hit the top? Where’s the next ladder? The pressure to stay there is the real hell. Ask any drummer who’s had to play “Born To Run” for the millionth time. It just never ends.
So there it is. Life in rock, especially in the rhythm section or on the most vulnerable front lines, isn’t for everyone. It’s punches, it’s anxiety attacks, it’s reality knocking on your muse’s door. But, hey, at least it’s not Alvin and the Chipmunks. Yet.