Drummers on Drumming Tim Very (Manchester Orchestra) shares the five records that shaped his playing [Revisited]
What is up? Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
I decided to move this episode toward the top of the feed and revisit it.
Last weekend, Tim Very, the drummer for Manchester Orchestra, passed away. While we weren’t super close, we stayed in touch over the years. He was kind enough to be part of my first book, and he also came on the podcast to do a Big Fat Five. That’s what you’re going to hear today.
Going back and listening to this conversation was a real gift. Tim was such a creative drummer. Powerful, playful, and always deeply respectful of the song. He knew exactly where to sit in a part. You can hear how thoughtful he was, not just as a musician, but as a person.
Quick heads up about the audio. He was calling in from the back of his tour bus over Zoom. The Wi-Fi was rough. There’s some generator noise. The first half isn’t perfect, but what he says is worth it.
About halfway through, the connection dropped completely. And just to show you the kind of guy he was, he re-recorded his final three picks as voice notes and sent them to me so the episode could still come out on time.
That’s Tim.
I first saw him live at The Fillmore in Philadelphia in 2018. I didn’t buy a ticket. I was playing upstairs at The Foundry with my band. To get to our dressing room, we had to walk along a path overlooking the main room. Manchester Orchestra was sold out below us.
It’s either motivation or humiliation, depending on how your tour’s going.
But I remember watching him and thinking, this guy really understands how to serve a song.
So with that said, this is Tim Very’s Big Fat Five. The five records that helped shape his playing.
I hope you enjoy it. And I hope it inspires you the way it inspired me revisiting it.
TIM'S BIG FAT FIVE:
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Artist - Foo Fighters
Album - The Colour and the Shape
Release Year - 1997
Key Track - "Hey, Johnny Park!"
Drummer - Dave Grohl / William Goldsmith
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Artist - AC/DC
Album - Highway to Hell
Release Year - 1979
Key Track - "Highway to Hell"
Drummer - Phil Rudd
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Artist - Wilco
Album - A Ghost is Born
Release Year - 2004
Key Track - "At Least That's What You Said"
Drummer - Glenn Kotche
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Artist - The Refused
Album - The Shape of Punk To Come
Release Year - 1998
Key Track - "The Deadly Rhythm"
Drummer - David Sandström
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Artist - Colour Revolt
Album - Plunder, Beg, and Curse
Release Year - 2008
Key Track - "Ageless Everytime"
Drummer - Len Clark
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Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
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