Billy Corgan Quotes

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

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.

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

I wanted to play drums and if I didn't play drums, I wouldn't make music and drums are the foundation for what I do.

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.

And I like messing around in the engine room of music. Seeing what happens in the rhythm section area.

How can you not love a man banging on the drums? He knows how to keep a rhythm.

The heart of a music is its rhythm. The heart of rhythm section music is the rhythm.

I'm a percussionist, so that's most of what I know when I attack a record. Melodically, knowing the keys - my first love - that makes the perfect blend.

The main rhythmic loop in 'Alaska' is me just patting on my jeans.

My playing is always just a little on top of the beat. I can't lay down the kind of groove that Brad Wilk can. I'd really have to lay back to do that; it just doesn't feel natural to me.

To me it's just the knock, man. It's the knock and the groove of the beat. When I start a song, it's the first thought. It's the first thought and the first cadence, because that's the most natural. You know what I'm saying? I feel like people can feel when something is natural.

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

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

I really pay attention to the bass in the music I listen to, and that's what I tend to write toward.

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

The bass player's function, along with the drums, is to be the engine that drives the car... everything else is merely colours.

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.

But primarily, the drummer's supposed to sit back there and swing the band.

An important part of being in a band is the rhythm section.

But I've gravitated more towards the drum set.

The drums tell me everything. Everything else registers a millisecond later.

I am just a guy who plays drums.

It's been years and years and years I've been playing the drums, and they're still a challenge. I still enjoy using drumsticks and a snare drum.

It's always been my dream to have a monster rhythm section that's just all groove and pocket.