DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

I caught the end of a recent show last night. (They show days old, or week old 'Late Night' on TV in Australia).
it was just another mid-week episode with fairly average guests.
But as they played out the credits, the band was killin'.
Anton Fig's groove was super solid and he was slamming out the backbeat.
Will Lee was playing some interesting figure on the last couple of frets on his highest string, while guitarist Sid McGinnis was wailing with a determined look on his face.
It struck me if ever there was an advert on how to stay enthusiastic and committed in the music biz, these guys (and gal) are it.
They've been on the show for years, every show playing the same end-credits piece, and yet they still look like it's their first time and they have it all to prove.
These are the things that separate a great musician who works sporadically from a great musician who gets a talk show gig and holds it down confidently, year after year.

If I remember correctly, Anton just celebrated 22 years on the show! That's a lot of shows when you are talking an average of 5 shows a week for 2 decades. Keeping it fresh, staying professional, and giving a 100% every show ... wow!

I'm in agreement with you Chris.


Not to steal the limelight from the Letterman band, but as a little side note, our own David Crigger is celebrating 30 years with Burt Bacharach this year.

Don't tell me he first got that gig as a teenager!  :o

Not to steal any more thunder, but that Letterman was most likely an NTSC to PAL conversion done by yours truly.  Weird that someone I occasionally see on a chat board watches something I did!  I heard "Way Down Now" on the radio yesterday, so I suppose it all comes 'round.

That band is crazy good, and has been for decades.  I've never seen them have an off night!



Dan

Oh great (the conversion)!

Small world.
I would watch the show more, but it's on....err late night.  ;)

I've admired this band for quite a while.  I got to see them in the mid 90's while they were doing a promo gig for a local music store.

The guitar player was someone different than now I think, can't remember his name, but I definitly give Anton and Will many kudos--the others as well.

Who was it around here who said "always bring your 'A' game." Probably that Cronin fellow.

Since we're on the subject of late-night bands:
Much love to the Max Weinberg Seven!

WOW--now that's impressive! many congrats, dave.


and good vibes to the other folk, too! ;)

Has he been there that long?!?! I remember staying up to see Letterman just to hear a few moments of Steve Jordan. Amazing! Steve would always have that high tuned snare and very high tuned tom also. I loved it! I remember him saying in Modern Drummer how concerned he was on the drum sound and how it translated over tv. I alway appreciated that.

I saw Anton live with Brooker T and the MG's. It was awesome. Anton was really great in that band. Let not forget all the studio dates that all these guys get too!
Paul Shaeffer has been doing Musical Director for other big shows and its now cool to see Will Lee in that role too. He sure can handle it.

Yeah, I've been a HUGE fan of this band since Paul actually had hair! Anyone remember Paul's cameo in Spinal Tap? "It's my fault. Just do me a favor...just kick me in the ass...come on...I'm begging you...."  ;D

Here's something that probably a lot of people don't know:

Will Lee also plays the drums.

His parents live in Huntsville, TX (where I went to college). One time, he came to visit them and stopped by the Music School to sit in with the Jazz Band. Bass, not drums. He is a super nice guy and VERY down to earth. He seemed genuinely surprised that we even knew who he was.

We bought him a hat that said "Huntsville Bass Club" (bass guitar, bass fish, get it?) and he wore it on the show the whole next week.  :)

Paul Shafer released an album quite a while back with "the world's most dangerous band" called "Coast to Coast". Old enough I bought it on cassette and later on CD. Great playing, HUGE amounts of guest stars on each tune. Eric Burdon, Koko Taylor, Brian Wilson, Will Smith, ect.

Boomerweps

what kind of scratch do you suppose those dudes earn on that gig?
100K year?
200k?
500?

more?

you gotta figure max weinberg is still doing conan obrien because its a very nice paying fill in betw springsteen tours, no?

not to be cynical, but im guessing that helps them stay professional? 8)

Yeah,, I was 12.  ;)

I still tune in occasionally and go "Oh yeah, the new guy...."

I've come to really appreciate Anton, but for me seeing and hearing Jordan in that setting night after night was just unparalleled.

I'm pretty sure it's the consistency that attracts these musicians.
Their yearly diary is already full on January 1. Most other musicians start each year wondering if the work is going to come in, the phone is going to ring and they are still going to be loved.


Well I don't think you should be cynical.

No amount of money can stop the human brain getting bored or disheartened at repetitive work. I did a very well paid gig for 18 months, playing the same songs, and believe me I was sick of the material by the end. ready to move on.
That was a year and a half, not 22 years!
Let's not talk about money in such a negative way.
I know a little of what these talk show guys go through, and to see them playing with such enthusiasm and energy is truly a great thing.
That's the whole reason I started this thread!

Max Weinberg / Max Weinberg 7 are going to enjoy themselves as Conan takes over the Leno show in 2009. Can't say the same for Leno's current band as they will have to move on next year. This has been in the works for a LONG time (5 years), so it's no surprise to any of the musicians.

What a blessing to have steady work like this ... for this long. You make enough so that you really don't have to take any other gigs (sessions, clinics, etc.), but yet you have the time to do so if you want. I'd like to have a gig like that!

yeah not a ton to complain about.  though I'm surprised I don't see anyone on the letterman show subbing out much, at all.  If it's a union gig (and I can't imagine that it wouldn't be) you have a pretty wide latitude of how often you can sub out and not lose your chair.  I imagine Paul S.  frowns on it though; I also imagine that the group respects that and follows accordingly.

Anton was on the cover of the 1st MD I ever bought back in '87. I worked across the street from him for a year; kinda inspiring, actually.

It seems most of the Letterman band have found ways to do other things and still be available for the nightly show.
I saw Jordan play with the 24th St Band once. It was either late at night, or on the weekend, I can't remember.
Will Lee is famous for writing and performing advertising jingles.
I would think he's earned far more from that than his 'Late Night' stint.
The show is taped late afternoon I think.
I'm not sure how long the band have to report for, but there are obviously rehearsals with guest artists and pre-recorded gags etc......

Yes, it's taped around 4:30-5:00 PM.
I love the sound Anton gets from his snare.  No wonder I see that sig model everywhere.

I also wanted to say congratulations to David, as well.


Dan

[shameless plug alert on]
When I was on the show in 1996 with the Bottle Band (www.bottleband.org  :) ). . .
[shameless plug alert off]

. . . we arrived at the studio around 10:00am.  The Late Show band was already there rehearsing.  They played until about 11:00 or 11:30 while we got settled, and then they took a break.  While they were off we did our staging rehearsals, camera rehearsals, and stood in place on stage while the lighting and audio guys set their stuff.  We finished our rehearsal about 1:00pm, after which we took a break.  We were back by 4:30pm for a 5:30pm taping.

For our return visit for New Years Eve in 1998, they taped two shows that day.

I've heard they tape every show earlier in the day, then tape 2 shows (Thursdays and Fridays) on Thursday. That would leave them with Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off. Sweet gig.

im not so sure how musically repetitive it is. maybe the themes intro and outro. but they all seem to wail on all kinds of different stuff every night. most of which you don't hear on tv because they play during the commercials.

when they back guests, it's all different stuff.

no doubt about it, any tv talk show music gig has got to be sweet, anything from emeril's cooking show on up to the tonight show thing.

they can leave the equipment set up. no loading in and out. perfect sound every time. done by 6 or 7pm at the latest, should anyone have a night gig. insurance.

in other words, just like a regular job! branford marsalis must have been nuts to be so unhappy with it. 8)

And Bermuda has been with Weird Al for 28 years if I remember correctly!

Yes, that was the point I made in post one.
They were wailing enthusiastically over the end credits, a piece they must have played hundreds of times.