Paul Shaffer's New Book and What it Takes to be a Great Drummer

The Drummer's Den

Paul Shaffer, the band leader for the Late Show with David Letterman, has a new book out: "We'll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Showbiz Saga". Paul began his musical journey at a very young age playing bongos at family "beatnik" parties. Paul moved on to the drumset, and is now a master of the Hammond B-3 organ. In a recent interview, Paul talked about what it takes to fill the drum throne on the Letterman show. He said, "you have to know a bunch of songs in every style - jazz, blues, R&B, rock..." and the drummer has to have "the kind of time where (the rest of the band) always knows where it's going to be. You don't want a guy who comes out of a fill and you're not sure where the downbeat is. You'd be surprised how many professional drummers are like that." Paul went on to say that great drummers make you want to dance, "...rock and roll is all about making people dance. So that's the function of the drummer right there. And the way to do that is to play something that feels good - and the way to make it feel good is basically to play it in time." Great points Paul! Do you want to make your drumming feel good? Want to make people dance? Want to develop your time and come out of fills on the downbeat? Come to The Drummer's Den for drum lessons, I can help you get there!