Paicey talks shop
Ian Paice demonstrates his signature drum kit and talks about finer points of why and how. This video was shot on April 23 at the launch of his signature kit:
Thanks to Rhythm Magazine
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/morse3.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/paice.jpg)
Ian Paice demonstrates his signature drum kit and talks about finer points of why and how. This video was shot on April 23 at the launch of his signature kit:
Thanks to Rhythm Magazine
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Paicey!
May 3rd, 2012 at 02:34Paicey is legend!
May 3rd, 2012 at 20:53Is he out of his breath?! Great drumsolo btw.
May 4th, 2012 at 13:27Definitely The Buddy Rich of Rock…and I’m sure he would be a great Samba drummer too…and has Glenn Hughes said: the best snare player of his generation…but I would add the best bass drums single pedal player too (not judging by this video only)…anyway the five-six times I saw him on the clinics his bass drums was 26×16″ and the china was 22″…
May 4th, 2012 at 19:46I am not a drummer, so take my comments with a grain of salt–for what they are worth.
Certainly, rock music is awash with drummers who play in a much more fancy manner than Ian Paice–from the guy who uses a punching bag to rigs in a cage that spin up and down. But anyone who has played in a band knows that one of the most important and primary parts of a group is a solid foundation–both the drummer and the bass player–who often give a lot of inspiration and drive into pushing the more noticeable players. In addition, good drummers are hard to find.
Thus Ian Paice is not into theatrics but is a solid drummer giving some of the strongest bottom ends in rock music. In particular, I like the way he uses the cymbals as rhythm instead of mere sparkle and punctuation (“Perfect Strangers”) and often as “riffs” (“Woman From Tokyo”).
When soloing, a lot of the kids try to throw everything into it–including the proverbial kitchen sink. Ian Paice, on the other hand, uses dynamics to get a contrast in the playing. Melodic instruments are capable of a lot more possibilities, while drums are basically flat. That means dynamics is the way to get to the lows and highs that other instruments get from pitch. Ian Paice goes slow…then fast…all out…then soft…then loud. In the middle of a solo, he falls into a jazz rhythm, playing straight for a few bars before going back into the craziness–and there is always a resolution at the end. His playing is very musical. These are characterstics of a master. Favorite solo: 3rd Movement of the ‘Concerto’. More cowbell!
It is very interesting that in the video he mentioned going back to some of the simpler components. In my opinion, some of his most interesting drumming was back in the Mark I days. Who in the world ends a song with a drum solo (“Emmeretta”)? He was all over that little kit. His playing was snappy and imaginative–because it had to be. It was very percussive–like smacking around on trash cans. In addition, he was into all that experimentation with exotic rhythms and percussion instruments of every kind (“Chasing Shadows,” “The Shield”).
Paicey likes to “mouth” what he is playing. This is very common among musicians. The motor center in the brain for the hands is close to that which controls speech. If you watch closely, his mouth tends to “play” what his hands are doing. A lot of guitarists cannot help but do this (Santana)–just an interesting psychological aspect of playing an instrument. Fortunately, I am immune… >:-)
Ian Paice–jeez. Outstanding. What a drummer should be. My nephew is learning the drums. I will have to pass along some videos of how it is done.
May 5th, 2012 at 15:04T @ 5 says it all regarding the Mark 1 days. Paice’s drumming on those early albums is superb, especially “The Book Of Taliesyn” album, & yes Emmeretta, snappy indeed & tasteful! What about the opening to ‘Fireball’ & of course Mark 2 & Mark 3 were awesome also, the song ‘Burn’ a big reason I took up playing the drums, his playing had a massive influence on me! He was so fast & precise in his delivery, his snare & kick work is second to none!
May 6th, 2012 at 05:01