Buddy Rich Quotes

My role in AC/DC is to keep time and to drive the band as much as I can. That's a drummer's role anyway.

The bass should be the note of the bass drum, and then you've got the engine of the band that everything else builds on. Everything else, the guitar, the keyboards, is a colour.

There's something about rhythm and bass sections generally, how the bass and drums interact, that's basically the soul of any song.

When I watch drummers, I always want to see energy. It's not about the proficiency of the musicianship; I'm just into the vibe and excitement of it. With drums, it's such a primeval thing.

Most great records really start with the drums.

In hindsight, if I could go back in time and relay a message to my younger self, I would tell him to work on his time keeping, and that the job of a drummer is not to be the one that gets noticed the most on stage, or to be the fastest, or the loudest. Above all, it is to be the timekeeper.

Obviously, I like the drums to be heard. I think they're important.

The core of all the music I love is a good bass line and a good rhythm.

Being a bass player in a band without a drummer for seven, eight years has been kind of weird.

A band is as solid as its drummer is.

I started as a drummer. The feet are an extension of that.

Music and silence combine strongly because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music.

Rhythm is sound in motion. It is related to the pulse, the heartbeat, the way we breathe. It rises and falls. It takes us into ourselves; it takes us out of ourselves.

Perhaps of all the most basic elements of music, rhythm most directly affects our central nervous system.

Well, rhythm is 90 percent of the interpretation.

I like to be one of those drummers who actually add to the music, not one of those guys who sit in a room 24/7 trying to outwit or outplay another drummer.

I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way.

I noticed a lot of guitar players neglected the rhythm part of rhythm guitar and decided I would try to focus in that.

Music deals with time and timing. It's so magical, but when you get into it, every little sound and every little space between the sounds, it's critical, so critical. And if it's not there, it not only feels wrong, but it ruins things.

I've always seen my drumming as lyrical anyway.

I think the drummer should sit back there and play some drums, and never mind about the tunes. Just get up there and wail behind whoever is sitting up there playing the solo. And this is what is lacking, definitely lacking in music today.

Drums just always sounded like the most fun part of that good music for me.

I play more rhythmically than I do a lot of notes.

The golden rule of drums is hands clapping and feet tapping, and when you are in and out of consciousness, you can't do that to best of your ability.

Playing well with others is important - not being too flashy, just keeping good time and of course coming up with cool beats. A good snare drum, kick drum, high hat. Just getting good at the hand feet coordination.