Gregg Bissonette - Musical Drumming In Different Styles from
Musical Drumming In Different Styles brilliantly showcases Gregg’s well rounded stylistic approach to drumming with over four hours of essential insights that have helped Gregg make a career out of being a great all-around drummer. The main focus is on becoming a more musical drummer, and creating and performing the right drum parts for the song.
Ten stylistically diverse original songs that feature some of the world's finest musicians are performed and discussed in great detail. Styles and related topics include: R & B Funk, Heavy Rock and Pop Rock, Afro- Cuban, Background Vocals, Elvin Jones type-Small group Swing, Classic Rock Grooves, Beat Displacement, Incorporating Rudiments, Texas Blues Shuffle, Keeping a Positive Attitude, Cool Fill Ideas, Playing the Right Part for the Song, Big Band Drumming and Articulation, Chopping Wood, Song Form, Odd Times, The Gigging Drummer, Tony Williams type-fast bebop, Playing a Musical Drum Solo, Warming up and Cooling Down, Auditioning, Studio Drumming, and many others.
"Gregg is a master all-around drummer. He MUSICALLY lets it rip in all styles on this DVD. It's full of insightful and practical information that you can immediately use to become a better MUSICIAN!" -- Steve Smith
Special DVD Features:
Camera Option-allows you to cut "jib" camera that moves above the drums on a boom, at any point during band track performances.
Alternate Edits - Three band tunes are offered with a double-inset edit where you can watch Gregg's bass drum part throughout.
Photo Gallery & PDF Files with note-for-note transcriptions of all of the numbered examples and main grooves and fills from the band tracks
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Correct answers in bold...
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1. Gregg was ...
- born on June 9th, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, USA
- born on June 9th, 1989, in Belchertown, Massachusetts, USA
- born on June 9th, 1939, in Knockemstiff, Ohio, USA
2. his dad Bud Bissonette ...
- plays drums (and has been Gregg's in town LA drum tech for recording sessions and live gigs since 1989)
- starred in the Disney movie, AirBud, where he got to show off his amazing basketball skills
- is one of Anheuser-Busch's top endorsers
3. in 1982, after graduation from North Texas State University ...
- Gregg became the drummer for Maynard Ferguson's Big Band, which already included his brother Matt on bass
- Gregg became an assistant to John Maynard Keynes, whose radical idea that governments should spend money they don't have may have saved capitalism
- Gregg was awarded the John Maynard Smith Prize established by the European Society for Evolutionary Biology, awarded to outstanding young researchers in the field of evolutionary biology
4. In 1974, Gregg won a scholarship to attend ...
- the Interlochen School of Music summer band program
- the David Lee Roth Gigolo internship program
- the Motor City Drum and Bugle Corp - "Cornering Without Dropping The Tempo" program
5. Gregg and Matt were performing professionally with their dad's band "The Buddy Blair Band" in and around Detroit. Their dad Bud picked the name "Buddy Blair Band" ...
- because he thought it sounded better, and that Bissonettte was too hard to remember
- because The Blair Witch Project is his favorite movie
- after British Prime Minister Tony Blair's beer-drinking brother, Buddy
6. Bud's band as a youth was ...
- Buddy Bissonette and His Bouncing Bulgarian Bean Band
- sorry Bud... I can't think of anything funnier than that!
7. In 1976, Gregg and Matt started another band called "Grand Circus Park", named after a park in downtown Detroit. Grand Circus Park started ...
- as a band that primarily played tunes by one of their favorite bands "Chicago". The band even had the same exact instrumentation
- as a band that primarily played tunes by one of their favorite bands "The Ramones". The band even had the same exact instrumentation
- as a band that primarily played tunes by one of their favorite bands "Lynyrd Skynrd". The band even had the same exact instrumentation
8. After high school, Gregg went away to college to North Texas State University in Denton Texas. Gregg became the
- drummer in the famed NTSU One O'Clock Big Band
- concierge in the famed NTSU lunch room
- rodeo clown in the famed NTSU Ridin' & Ropin' Club
9. Gregg left Dallas and moved to LA in 1982. In his new home of LA, he made friends with 3 of his favorite drummers: Myron Grombacher from the Pat Benatar band, Mark Craney from Gino Vannelli's band, and Doane Perry from Jethro Tull. They started a fun drummers club with other friends of theirs: Jay Rubin, Barry Schnider, Dean Zimmer, Tony Pia, and many others called ...
- The Woodland Hills Drum Club
- The Woodland Hills Tennis & Golf Club
- The Woodland Hills Computer Geek's Club
10. David Lee Roth had just left Van Halen, & started his own band in the fall of 1985 that included ...
- Steve Vai on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, & Gregg on drums
- Alan Holdsworth on guitar, Dave LaRue on bass, Jan Hammer on keyboards, & Gregg on drums
- Jean Paul Bourelly on guitar, Jauqo III-X on bass, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, & Gregg on drums
11. Gregg recorded 2 solo cd's...
- One is called: "Gregg Bissonettte", on Shrapnel Records, and the 2nd is called "Submarine" on Favored Nations records
- One is called: "Gregg Blair", on Shpilkes Records, and the 2nd is called "Submandibular" on United Nations records
- One is called: "Gregg's Solo Record Number 1", on Geffen's Virgin Rhino, and the 2nd is called "Gregg's Solo Record Number 2" on Guinness World Records
12. One of Gregg's musical dreams was to play with his brother in a pop rock band like his favorite band ...
- The Beatles. In 2003, THIS dream came true when Gregg and Matt were both asked to play drums, bass, and sing in Ringo Starr's Band. Gregg & Ringo also played double drums on Beatles hits like "I Wanna Be Your Man", and "Boys"
- Fleetwood Mac. In 2003, THIS dream came true when Gregg and Matt were both asked to play drums, bass, and sing in Stevie Nick's Band. Gregg & Mick also played double drums on Fleetwood hits like "Rumor & Scout - the daughters of Bruce & Demi", and "Do Everything You Can To Not Remember Yesterday"
- The Beatles. In 2003, THIS dream came true when Gregg and Matt were both asked to play drums, bass, and sing in Paul McCartney's Band, Wings. Gregg & Paul also played double drums on Beatles hits like "Band On The Run With No Place To Go", and "Cessna Turbo-Prop"
Contest rules...
No purchase necessary to enter or win. Entries must be received at DrumsOnTheWeb@aol.com by 12 midnite (EST) Aug 31, 2005. Only 1 correct entry per address will be accepted.
Winners will be randomly chosen from the correct entries received. Winners will be notified via email and announced in the September, 2005 issue of the DrumsOnTheWeb.com free monthly email newsletter.
3 winners will receive 1 Gregg Bissonette - Musical Drumming In Different Styles DVD to be shipped in September, 2005 by Hudson Music. Customs duties, if applicable, to be paid by winner.
Be assured that all information is kept strictly confidential! Your info will not be shared with anyone.
This contest is made possible by the great folks at
And thanks to xx for those "oh, so wrong answers"!
