have been great bands and been a lot of fun to do. But with people like Eric [Clapton], the band is mecurical, like Kaiser Soze. It’s gone and there’s not always a reason for it to be gone. The [Clapton] band with [Greg] Phillinganes and Nathan East, that was a great band. They had a really long run and then one day they get a call and it’s: “Don’t bother coming in today, come get your shit.” And [Steve] Ferrone’s a ferocious drummer. He’s as good as you need to get, ever. So putting your eggs in those baskets is kind of a mistake.
I would think a lot of people, especially Peter Gabriel - someone that’s so into groove, so rhythmic and earthy - would… RH: I wouldn’t even know how to go about that.
session work and then Little Feat picked up. For years I had to say “No thank you, I’m going to be on the road.” And so the phone calls quit coming.
RH: What?
JM: Pick up the phone! RH: I don’t know how I’d do it, but I would love to.
JM: Anybody that you would have liked to have played with and didn’t, or haven’t yet? RH: Jimi Hendrix. I would have loved to play with Jimi. Peter Gabriel, I love his stuff. The wish list is long.
JM: You mentioned you’re not good at PR, but have you ever thought about just reaching out to any of these people? You’re such a gifted player and I’m not just saying that because we’re sitting here. You have a character and personality that is undoubtedly and unmistakably you, and
JM: Regarding sessions outside of Little Feat, what’s your take on recording today and your experience with modern techniques. Beat Detective would ruin Richie Hayward, no computer in the world could make you better than you. RH: Yeah, they’re like tempo Nazis. The Beat Detective thing is kind of incarcerating. Listen to some of those ‘60s and ‘70s records, it’s gotta breathe! And you don’t have to have five pounds of tape on your heads. Drums are one instrument, if you kick the bass drum and the toms ring, it’s ok. And room sound is part of it. I went through a period where I was doing quite a bit of
JM: Out of sight, out of mind. RH: Yeah. So I get a session once in awhile. I got a few last month, did some stuff with Buddy Guy. I’ve done three other records with him. And I’m wide open to do it, I mean I love to play. I’m at the end of my two months home and I’ve hardly done anything. If I don’t play in my house, I’m not going to play. But it’s changed in a lot of ways, not just the click track and Beat Detective. The record companies don’t budget records like they used to. You don’t have time to work it up in a room with people you’ve never played with before. They come in, they have a demo that they made at home and you just cop your part. Write it down if you have to, and if you can get it in the first two takes then everyone’s happy. It’s a different animal, you don’t develop anything in the room and give it an hour and a half where everybody tries different things.
Past And Present JM: What are you listening to these days, old and new? RH: I’m liking bands I never thought I would. Like Tool, Danny Carey is a monster! The bass player is my neighbor, so I got to know them through that. I was just listening to the new album coming here, just awesome. And you see them live and it’s just like that. Faultless.
GEARBOX
Drums
DW Mapa Burl Sunburst Fade
22” X 18” Kick with Woofer
8” X 8” Rack
10” X 8” Rack
12” X 9” Rack
14” X 12” Floor
16” X 14” Floor
14” X 6” Solid Snare
Cymbals
Sabian
14” Xelerator Hi-Hats
12” AAX Splash
16” El Sabor Crash
17” El Sabor Crash
18” China
JM: Yeah they’re one of the best bands out these days: Musically, technically, aurally, visually. RH: I still dig out a lot of the old Howling Wolf, and I was listening to Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee last week in the car. Nine Inch Nails…some of that stuff is really good, the sounds are just really powerful. I caught him on television, they showed a concert with Josh Freese on drums, he’s really good. And that’s the kind of music I never really liked before.
17” AAX Crash
16” Evolution Crash
20” El Sabor Ride
17” Xplosion Crash
20” AAX China
Heads
Evans
Racks – G1 Clear Tops / DW Bottoms
Snare – G1 Coated
Kick – EQ 4
Hardware
DW9000 Double Pedal and Hi-Hat
Soundseat – Little Feat Throne
Sticks
Pro Mark
747 Richie Hayward Model
RH: And I’ve really grown to like the edge too, I don’t necessarily like all bands like that. I can’t stand Korn, those guys are just bullshit. The ‘can hardly play-boys’… (laughing).
WEBFOOT
littlefeat.net drummerworld.com youtube.com myspace.com/littlefeat
References:
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