MR

steve smith best drumming is on what journey song?

Weird, but for me one of his standout moments is the otherwise kinda average Colors Of The Spirit.

Alot of Trial By Fire album

One More,
Colours of the spirit

and this is because Smith was a much better drummer in 1996 than previsouly ever before. I love his work on eveyr album, and he played some great stuff on Escape, but it certainly wasnt anything that really made you step back and say "wow". But by TBF he was doing some great, great stuff.

The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love). Smitty's drumming at the start of the song is epic...

I know the minute I answer I'll come up with 15 more, but... off the top...

"I Can See It In Your Eyes"

And "Escape", if you want to talk live performances.

WTH? No one is calling "Back Talk"?!?!?! That song ALWAYS stands out in my mind as one of Smitty's best works, I think because I remember so vividly reading about how he did that track in one take, nailed it right off the bat.

Other than Perry, Smitty seems to be really the only guy that has approached every song with the "I'm gonna take this song and make it my bitch" mentality. Every song he drums on has exquisite skinswork.

My favorites would have to be "One More" and "Precious Time."

Don't know that I can pick out the best "one". He does something unique on so many songs. Off the top of my head, my list would be:

Where were you
Precious Time
Lady Luck
Stone in Love
Don't Stop Believin'
Party's Over (live especially)
Message of Love

Bon411 wrote:WTH? No one is calling "Back Talk"?!?!?! That song ALWAYS stands out in my mind as one of Smitty's best works, I think because I remember so vividly reading about how he did that track in one take, nailed it right off the bat.

People rag on that song so much, but Smitty was ALL OVER it!!! Plus, after listening to 8/9 year olds all day - that is an awesome tune for releasing tension.

Ms_M wrote:

Bon411 wrote:WTH? No one is calling "Back Talk"?!?!?! That song ALWAYS stands out in my mind as one of Smitty's best works, I think because I remember so vividly reading about how he did that track in one take, nailed it right off the bat.

People rag on that song so much, but Smitty was ALL OVER it!!! Plus, after listening to 8/9 year olds all day - that is an awesome tune for releasing tension.

first time i heard BT i thought "this is shit", second time i listened to it i liked it, and now i thnik its a good song, very lstenable

La Do Da Live on Captured is my personal fave.

Can't pick just one favorite.
I will mention "La Raza Del Sol" though.

I saw Smith doing a drum clinic a few years ago, and at one point people were calling out sections of different Journey songs for him to show exactly how he played them.
After a bunch of requests had been honored, I finally yelled out "why don't you just play the entire Captured album". With that, he launched into the drum solo from Captured (in it's entirety). I was just a few feet away, watching mesmorized as Smitty played that thing note for note (or beat for beat if you prefer).
Incredible!

his drumming on captured is phenomenal.also like the start of where were you.he does seem pretty cool stuff....

The song Escape -Smitty's eyes looked to be a little devilish. He was ready to take over that song.

youkeepmewaiting wrote:Alot of Trial By Fire album

One More,
Colours of the spirit

and this is because Smith was a much better drummer in 1996 than previsouly ever before. I love his work on eveyr album, and he played some great stuff on Escape, but it certainly wasnt anything that really made you step back and say "wow". But by TBF he was doing some great, great stuff.

I agree. Smith is a much better drummer today than he was back in the 80's, at least from what I heard on record. Some of his studio stuff with MacAlpine and others is fantastic. He is probably "too good" to play straight ahead pop stuff now, but that is where the ka-ching is, not on the heady stuff you will here on his fusion and studio work. Nice to see a guy that continued to improve over time. Smith can probably sit-in with anyone.

ProgRocker53 wrote:Other than Perry, Smitty seems to be really the only guy that has approached every song with the "I'm gonna take this song and make it my bitch" mentality. Every song he drums on has exquisite skins.

I would totally agree with this statement.

Have to say aswel, his drumming on The Storms debut album is fantastic it really is.

In the studio:

One More

La Raza del Sol

Back Talk

Live:

Everything

RockitRide wrote:

youkeepmewaiting wrote:Alot of Trial By Fire album

One More,
Colours of the spirit

and this is because Smith was a much better drummer in 1996 than previsouly ever before. I love his work on eveyr album, and he played some great stuff on Escape, but it certainly wasnt anything that really made you step back and say "wow". But by TBF he was doing some great, great stuff.

I agree. Smith is a much better drummer today than he was back in the 80's, at least from what I heard on record. Some of his studio stuff with MacAlpine and others is fantastic. He is probably "too good" to play straight ahead pop stuff now, but that is where the ka-ching is, not on the heady stuff you will here on his fusion and studio work. Nice to see a guy that continued to improve over time. Smith can probably sit-in with anyone.

He has said so himself, in the drum mag interviews. Getting booted from Journey was the best thing that could have happened to him. He was very young when he got into Journey, playing only that type of music. Getting fired forced him to hone his skills as a sessions player, the drummer for hired variety. He admitted he couldn't play click tracks, and that's what SP wanted for ROR.

Stone in Love - watch/listen esp to the Houston DVD.. His drumming really really matches the tone of the song, Perry's vocals, and as an intro/ongoing presence to one of the Neal's best ever solos..

Smith's playing is really "organic" (just pulled that one out of my ass). He's a standalone talent, but always checks his ego and seems to really care about playing to the song, not just as a filler beat. I'd compare him to John Bonham in that regard, though in other ways he's totally different.

Escape - nice drums there as well

STORY_TELLER wrote:Don't know that I can pick out the best "one". He does something unique on so many songs. Off the top of my head, my list would be:

Where were you
Precious Time
Lady Luck
Stone in Love
Don't Stop Believin'
Party's Over (live especially)
Message of Love

I wondered how many posts it would take for someone to point out Where were You. That's my pick. He rocks in that song, at least on the Houston Escape Live Concert. Sorry I'm bringing up older threads, been away for a few days.

Because of the reverb and shear number of instruments in the mix it is hard to hear however, the very ending fill in Message of Love is him using the "Moeller Technique" (look it up) to achieve ungodly speed and power. You can hear what sounds like 64th notes (that means really fast in this context) on the snare all the while he is accenting parts of that ending with cymbal and kick drum yet you never hear the fast notes on the snare stop even when you hear the cymbals being hit. Buddy Rich used to do that a lot. You would hear a drum roll and cymbals being hit but it sounded like the roll was never stopping even as his hands were hitting cymbals because he is able to keep the snare going with one hand and filling in the missing snare notes with the kick drum and cymbal at the same time. I have heard Deen try to pull it off and he has to fake it because he does not have the technique to play that part correctly.