Session Drumming Month: Glamour

You’ve heard the stories of slogging it out in the studio, slaving over a track for hours and hours before hot-footing it to the next gig, but we know what you’re thinking – isn’t session life full of glitz and glamour as well? We’ve called on our pool of experts to fill you in.

“I think that depends on you. Personally speaking, glamour is not something that particularly interests me. Certainly being in the studio is about as unglamorous as it gets, but that doesn't matter when you absolutely love what you do! Playing live does have it's glamorous side what with the big crowds, paparazzi and parties.. But again, that depends on you. Me, I love playing the drums and making music, but yes it is a buzz playing in front of thousands of people and getting 5 star treatment. Sometimes the travelling hard though and you are sleep deprived and hungry. That's all part of the parcel!”

“Certainly not for me and I don’t think my brain ever even goes there. I genuinely feel very lucky to have played music for this long and to have achieved a little bit, to have been working. I think one of the biggest things is to have remained inspired. My focus isn’t on anything remotely connected with glamour. I’d been on James Morrison’s gig for a few weeks and I remember walking in to catering after soundcheck and James was sitting there with the truck drivers and the roadies and you couldn’t tell which was James if you didn’t know. He was sitting there with a roll-up, the paper and a cup of tea. If you didn’t know you wouldn’t have been able to tell which one was him and I thought that was awesome. Obviously not everybody is like that but it shows where his priority is. I’m sure like anybody with that amount of success he loves it but still the burning priority is still music. I’ve never been a clubber or anything. I guess some people might see it as glamorous but I certainly don’t.”

“Sometimes it can be very glamorous, sometimes, not so much. In November last year, I had a fantastic gig with a great artist in Dubai. I stayed in the best 7 star hotel in the world with a water theme park on site! I even managed to swim with dolphins, (a life long dream) on the same trip. The day after I got back I was holed up in a studio replacing drums on an album for a new girl band. It had to be done during night-times whilst the band were out (so they didn't know it was happening). Three nights I went without sleep (grabbing some naps during the daytime in between other work) whilst the 'band' put down tracks so we could replace them. That was NOT at all glamorous. It's all utterly fantastic though, the glamour doesn't bother me one bit, both gigs were as good as each other! I just look at the fact I got to play drums.”

“I’m a freelance musician who also plays in studios. This January and February I didn’t work much at all. Everyone assumes that I’m in the studio all the time. It’s picking up now and it’s got busy for the next couple of weeks and then my diary has nothing in it. It’s a popular misconception that somebody like me is constantly in the studio. It’s not that glamorous and I’ve got bills to pay, a mortgage and a family and it gets worrying for me too if the phone is not ringing. If the people I work for aren’t working then I don’t work. I’m out playing gigs, playing in pubs because I like playing and if I’m trying to get a message across I think that’s the thing. If you’re going to be a session player, then just be a player. Enjoy what you’re doing. It can be stressful if it’s not busy and other times you’re run off your feet. It’s that old cliché, it’s either full on or full off. You have to have a bit of nerve to stay as a freelancer.”

"It's not particularly glamorous. The life is more about practicality, being on good form, learning music, staying focused etc. Flashes of glamour do happen, but rarely!”

For more session hints, tips and secrets pick up the latest issue of Rhythm and check out our online Session Month.