STEWART COPELAND

I know what most of your responses are going to say.

I thought that Oysterhead was a better show live than the Police.

My local Oysterhead show never happened, so I didn't have the luck to see them play live and therefore have no basis for comparison. But I'd expect them to be pretty different beasts because the styles/approaches are so different.

What about O'head did you prefer, Grant?

Oh boy. Here comes the kerfuffle.

I suspect a lot of people here didn't get in on the Oysterhead tour and may have no standard of comparison, but when I saw them last year they were terrific.

Um....er.....direct comparison.....No comment.

You suspect correctly.

I've never seen OH, but I'll be sure to if they come around again in my area!

Oysterhead at Bonnaroo last year was so fucking awesome! Think that will ever be released on dvd?

But I can't compare, because I've been avoiding watching any videos, so the concert will be more fun. I tried not listening to any of their stuff, but that didn't last to long on that...

I guess I need to find some OH samples to see what all the fuss is about...

I would have probably gotten into them sooner, what with me being a Police fan since 1979, but Animal Logic just left a baaaad taste in my mouth.

Wow. Those are two completely different bands who happen to share a drummer. I don't know that trying to compare art through a ranking system is a good idea.

What's better: Picasso's Guernica or Monet's Waterlillies?

I am well aware that they are/were two completely different bands. It wasn't meant as a direct comparison, just that something Stewart was involved with post-Police was, in my opinion, less than stellar, and turned me off to what I perceived was his 'new direction'.

That being said, that was also a very long time ago, and I'm sure to check out Oysterhead now.

You have to check them out. Buy "Grand Pecking Order", and download their Bonnaroo show. Even if you don't like it, Stewart's butt makes it worth it.

Well I loved loved loved Oysterhead, and I'm not a jam band person,
but the musicianship and songwriting are top notch. I didn't care
for the crowd of mushroom laden freaks who were having epileptic
seizures all around me, but that was a dang good show. I just saw
the Police twice and saw them a long time ago twice, and it was
just ok. SC was the best part of the show, especially seeing him
close up and well not so personal. Cheers- Grant

>> Stewart's butt makes it worth it.

Uhhh...I'll have to take your word on that...

I'll see what I can find/get this weekend.

When Oysterhead toured, HBO featured them on their show Reverb (or something like that). This was in the pre-Tivo days (for me at least) and I never saw it. Anyone seen this, have this, or know where to get a copy of this? The only other pro-shot Oysterhead I know of is the single track on the Les Claypool DVD (great but only one track) and when the played Conan O-Brien. I lost the VHS tape I made of that performance and I notice that NBC had that clip removed from YouTube.

I saw OH in Vancouver in 2000 and Police on May 30th (the infamous "bad" show). Stewart was rushing a lot at the OH show and when the songs got jammy he would usually slide into that 6/8 feel he uses. It wasn't super inspiring. Them's was the early days and I was thrilled just to see Stewart on stage, of course.
The May 30th show was fantastic. Stewart was fantastic. His meter was dead on. DEAD ON. He may well have had click in his ear buds, he was that tight. His fills ripped through the air. Even the Vancouver Sun news review said he was "possibly the greatest drummer in rock". His feel was perfect, making each song a different beast. His snare was like a sonic boom.
David

[quote="David Herbert"]Even the Vancouver Sun news review said he was "possibly the greatest drummer in rock". His feel was perfect, making each song a different beast. His snare was like a sonic boom.
David[/quote]

Well stated David. I was at both those shows too and as far as Oysterhead goes; I was thrilled just to see Stewart performing live after so many years away from The Police (fall 2001). The Vancouver May 30th 2007 show was fantastic despite Stewart's own review and the subsequent media feeding frenzy.
His snare has always sounded awesome live or studio. That reverse gated sound is signature.
No "possibly" about it. He IS the greatest drummer as far as I'm concerned.

Brain and tech: Oysterhead
Heart: Police