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Thread: Buddy Rich - Jazz Legend

  1. #1
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    Buddy Rich - Jazz Legend

    Buddy Rich was a phenominal player but could be a real ahole when it came to his band. (if anyone has nice stories to post please do so)

    Here are some of the infamous buddy tapes in which he would be ranting at his band between shows. Wasn't easy playing for Buddy, he had hellacious standards and let you know about it.

    on the bus
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ddy4_clean.mp3

    on the bus again
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ddy3_clean.mp3

    backstage
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ich/Buddy1.mp3

    Story from a Buddy fan
    "...it struck me as odd he neglected the tradition of introducing the members of
    his band - having them each stand for a moment of recognition. It was while
    he was speaking during his break a person in the front row yelled, "Hey
    Buddy, how about introducing the band members." Without missing a beat Buddy
    fired back, "That's not necessary. They all know each other by now." With
    that, he climbed back on the riser, began the second half of the show and
    never introduced the band members to the audience that night."

  2. #2
    onehunglow Guest

    Damn

    [quote=johnny;24283]Buddy Rich was a phenominal player but could be a real ahole when it came to his band. (if anyone has nice stories to post please do so)

    Here are some of the infamous buddy tapes in which he would be ranting at his band between shows. Wasn't easy playing for Buddy, he had hellacious standards and let you know about it.

    on the bus
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ddy4_clean.mp3

    on the bus again
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ddy3_clean.mp3

    backstage
    http://www.cis.rit.edu/~ejipci/Audio...ich/Buddy1.mp3

    Damn I though that was Andy Griffith chewing my ass at Tahoe. I have sweat on me! I must have played with guy and not knew it. As far as ass chewing I give him a B.
    Last edited by onehunglow; 10-26-2007 at 04:11 PM.

  3. #3
    Danny62 Guest
    Hey I saw this guys grave at Westwood in Sept!

    I will have to check out the links. Don't worry ole Andy will be joining Buddy soon I bet!!!

  4. #4
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    mel torme was good friends with buddy rich and wrote a great memoir of their time together and the mercurial nature of friendship with buddy. the good and the bad...and according to mel, there was a lot of bad at times. buddy was a good hater and it wasn't clear to mel what brought it on.

  5. #5
    Bellfire Guest
    That's not fair! That's like saying if anyone has boring stories about Keith Richards feel free to post. Then I'd say: He awoke brushed his teeth, his hair, showered and put on clean underpants. How much interest would that draw? lol (teasing)

  6. #6
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    Buddy Rich was a good friend of Desi Arnaz Jr. He actually appeared on an episode of Here's Lucy.

  7. #7
    SarahThirteen Guest
    Buddy had a great sense of humor though... I find what he said about his band to be funny... "they already know each other" and to be honest if you were at a buddy rich show that means your a fan and most likely you also know his band members... There are alot of bands that dont intro the other musicians.. its not really needed.

    I had never heard of Buddy until I started dating my boyfriend. He is a drummer and Buddy is one of his idols so Ive seen tape after tape of Buddy shows that he was able to buy and Buddy seemed like a funny guy to me.

  8. #8
    onehunglow Guest

    To be fair

    [quote=SarahThirteen;24829]Buddy had a great sense of humor though... I find what he said about his band to be funny... "they already know each other" and to be honest if you were at a buddy rich show that means your a fan and most likely you also know his band members... There are alot of bands that dont intro the other musicians.. its not really needed.

    That is just a commom thing done since most band members work for union scale. The drums are the heart of a band. They hold the whole thing together. Willy Nelson, met him and great guy but he can't keep time. I have no clue how his bass player and drummer do it. So in Buddy's mind when he hits a highhat and expects a D solo run it had better be there or it makes the drummer look like an ass. Rant, understood-could he done it better-nope that's the world of a scale muscian. It was not just Buddy Lawernce Welk use to go off as well. These men were from a long gone era.

  9. #9
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    the amazing thing about buddy rich is that he was largely self taught. small band or big band he was an amazing player. in his memoir, jazz player extraordinaire art pepper recounts how when he was down that buddy hired him. he discusses how amazing it was to play with someone of his talent level and when art pepper got sick how buddy went over and above what he needed to do in getting him to the hospital/paying his bills.

  10. #10
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    here is a nice clip of buddy by himself on the tonight show. imagine one of the rock and roll drummers trying to replicate this:
    http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/b...ticktrick.html

  11. #11
    Tombstone Tourist Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by SarahThirteen View Post
    Buddy had a great sense of humor though... I find what he said about his band to be funny... "they already know each other" and to be honest if you were at a buddy rich show that means your a fan and most likely you also know his band members... There are alot of bands that dont intro the other musicians.. its not really needed.

    I had never heard of Buddy until I started dating my boyfriend. He is a drummer and Buddy is one of his idols so Ive seen tape after tape of Buddy shows that he was able to buy and Buddy seemed like a funny guy to me.
    Actually Buddy Rich was a total and complete Richard Cranium (dick head). He was truly one of the meanest and unforgiving people to walk this earth.

    The reason he never introduced his band members was because of ego and the revolving door he operated. It was a rare musician that lasted 6 months with this jackass. And look at their ages - his backing musicians (he really never had a band per in his last 20 years) were all in their 20s. Hell, when I met him in the late 70s his agent was in his 20s!

    He also pissed off alot of people when they invested in his nighclub in Hollywood and he ripped them off - Johnny Carson included.

  12. #12
    stinkythejokedog Guest
    I saw BR in concert in the early 70's (I was youngster) and he was incredible...but I do remember him yelling at his band during and in between songs...he was a riot
    Last edited by stinkythejokedog; 10-27-2007 at 10:29 AM.

  13. #13
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    Read 'Traps' by singer Mel Torme. It gives the good and the bad. It is a memoir of their friendship dating from the 40's through the death of Buddy.
    Compare Buddy and his way with his band and someone like Woody Herman.

  14. #14
    onehunglow Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Tombstone Tourist View Post
    Actually Buddy Rich was a total and complete Richard Cranium (dick head). He was truly one of the meanest and unforgiving people to walk this earth.

    The reason he never introduced his band members was because of ego and the revolving door he operated. It was a rare musician that lasted 6 months with this jackass. And look at their ages - his backing musicians (he really never had a band per in his last 20 years) were all in their 20s. Hell, when I met him in the late 70s his agent was in his 20s!

    He also pissed off alot of people when they invested in his nighclub in Hollywood and he ripped them off - Johnny Carson included.
    Very true. I never met him , but Kenny Rogers and Glen campbell both had a hair trigger. Rick Nelson went way off in 83 when someone told him he'd had enough. Life at Tahoe.......I don't miss it.

  15. #15
    RoRo Guest
    I loved watching him on the Carson show...I love drummers in general, not sure why

  16. #16
    onehunglow Guest

    Tombstone

    A bit off topic but how did Rick Nelson get along with the the SCB?

    I saw him twice. Once at Tahoe and he went off the deep end when I think his bass player said he had enough. He looked like a total ass.

    Saw him in Phoenix and he fell of the stage. Dead drunk. Most of the people left and he did a few songs and said "fuck it, were done!". Lots of boos and he flipped the crowd off. That was about 81 or 82. He was in a big motorhome at that time.

  17. #17
    Bring_Out_Yer_Dead Guest
    I remembering seeing Buddy Rich on The Tonight Show
    with Robert Klein (one of my favs) subbing as host.
    Robert asked him if he knew how to read music
    and of course Buddy said no.

    Then Robert said "Oh so you learned by the
    color method! Red, yellow, green, purple"
    while he imitated playing a child's xylophone.

    Buddy got pretty pissed if I recall correctly.
    Anyone remember when he made
    snide comments about country music
    many years back?

    Cheers all,
    Doug

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bring_Out_Yer_Dead View Post
    I remembering seeing Buddy Rich on The Tonight Show
    with Robert Klein (one of my favs) subbing as host.
    Robert asked him if he knew how to read music
    and of course Buddy said no.

    Then Robert said "Oh so you learned by the
    color method! Red, yellow, green, purple"
    while he imitated playing a child's xylophone.

    Buddy got pretty pissed if I recall correctly.
    Anyone remember when he made
    snide comments about country music
    many years back?

    Cheers all,
    Doug
    It was Dusty Springfield who was opening for him. This is what she says in her bio:

    "Bandleader Buddy Rich, a notorious bully, once insulted her from the stage when his band shared a bill with her at New York's Basin Street East in 1966: After talking about a number of black singers as being "second rate," he introduced Springfield by saying "and here's a third-rate one."

    After several nights of putting up with Rich's insults and show-biz sabotage (he refused to allow her the time she needed to rehearse with the band), Dusty stormed into his dressing room and, after trying to reason with him, slapped him across the face in frustration. The last night of the gig, a member of Rich's band presented her with a pair of red boxing gloves â?? a tribute to her gutsiness in standing up to their wearisomely abusive boss."

  19. #19
    SarahThirteen Guest
    I was talking with my boyfriend the other day about Buddy and he told me a story that he had read somewhere.... There was this one kid I dont remember who but he had broken his last pair of sticks and Buddy had a show at a club that was right down the road from them... so his friend said Buddy Rich is playin down the street just go ask him for a pair of sticks... well knowing that Buddy was an "asshole" he was afraid to go ask him but he did it anyways and Buddy gave him a couple dozen pairs of sticks and told him.. "dont tell anyone about this it will ruin my rep."

    lol... thought it was a funny story.

  20. #20
    Cathy J. Guest
    Buddy Rich played at a local horse racing race track here not long before his death. Only 7 people showed up.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cathy J. View Post
    Buddy Rich played at a local horse racing race track here not long before his death. Only 7 people showed up.
    Man, going by the tapes I sure wouldn't want to be on that Bus for the ride back home....

  22. #22
    Cathy J. Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by johnny View Post
    Man, going by the tapes I sure wouldn't want to be on that Bus for the ride back home....
    well at least Buddy did better than Jim Bakker when he announced he was going on tour. This was just after the Jessica Hawn stuff.

    he sold 4 tickets in Virginia Beach, 3 in Pittsburgh, and only one in Denver. I am pretty sure we are talking major arenas here, not some little church.

    needless to say the tour was cancelled.

    Back in the 80s The Christian rock band Stryper I heard only sold 10 tickets to a show somewhere. I think it was either Phoenix, maybe Denver. That show was cancelled due to the "the flu". I guess its sometimes best to hid the real truth, even if it was Stryper.

    Does bring up the question, has there every been a concert where NO one showed up?
    Last edited by Cathy J.; 11-04-2007 at 01:44 AM.

  23. #23
    NOVSTORM Guest

    Talking

    [quote=onehunglow;24873]
    Quote Originally Posted by SarahThirteen View Post
    Buddy had a great sense of humor though... I find what he said about his band to be funny... "they already know each other" and to be honest if you were at a buddy rich show that means your a fan and most likely you also know his band members... There are alot of bands that dont intro the other musicians.. its not really needed.

    That is just a commom thing done since most band members work for union scale. The drums are the heart of a band. They hold the whole thing together. Willy Nelson, met him and great guy but he can't keep time. I have no clue how his bass player and drummer do it. So in Buddy's mind when he hits a highhat and expects a D solo run it had better be there or it makes the drummer look like an ass. Rant, understood-could he done it better-nope that's the world of a scale muscian. It was not just Buddy Lawernce Welk use to go off as well. These men were from a long gone era.


    omg My first cousin was married to Lawrence Welks neice and he was a real bastard! He put the Lennon sisters thru hell and was a dictator. His neice trashed him left and right for his bitchy ways. lol
    Last edited by NOVSTORM; 11-04-2007 at 10:28 AM. Reason: spelling

  24. #24
    onehunglow Guest

    True

    [quote=NOVSTORM;35896]
    Quote Originally Posted by onehunglow View Post



    omg My first cousin was married to Lawrence Welks neice and he was a real bastard! He put the Lennon sisters thru hell and was a dictator. His neice trashed him left and right for his bitchy ways. lol
    One of my best pals is related to him. Close close relation. He had no time for his own Family when he made it big. He went nuts when the Lennon's said they were moving on. All he had to do was pay them. They didn't come cheaper than LW. His sister asked him for tickets to a show and he said she could buy them at the window.

  25. #25
    Tombstone Tourist Guest
    [quote=onehunglow;36006]
    Quote Originally Posted by NOVSTORM View Post

    One of my best pals is related to him. Close close relation. He had no time for his own Family when he made it big. He went nuts when the Lennon's said they were moving on. All he had to do was pay them. They didn't come cheaper than LW. His sister asked him for tickets to a show and he said she could buy them at the window.
    What's the difference between Lawrence Welk and a moose?

    Well, with a moose you have the horns in front and the asshole in back ....

  26. #26
    Tombstone Tourist Guest
    A horn player who had been playing with Buddy Rich for many years came back from vacation to hear a rumor that Buddy had died. He didn't quite believe it, so he phoned Buddy's wife and said "Can I speak to Buddy please?" Buddy's wife said, "I'm sorry, Buddy passed away last week." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," he said, and hung up. A couple of hours later, he called her again. "Is Buddy there please?" "No, I'm sorry. Buddy's no longer with us," said Buddy's wife. And hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, he called Buddy's wife again. "Can I speak to Buddy please?" he said. She recognized his voice, and said: "Look, I've told you before, BUDDY'S DEAD!" And slammed down the phone. Two minutes later, and the phone rang again... "Is Buddy at home please?" the horn player asked. Buddy's wife was furious. "I'm not going to tell you again, Buddy is dead.. D. E. A. D. DEAD. Why do you keep ringing me to ask for Buddy???!!!!" He thought for a moment, and said: "I just love hearing you say it."

  27. #27
    Danny62 Guest

  28. #28
    Catherine of Siena Guest
    Mel Torme wrote a nasty, untrue book about Judy Garland.

  29. #29
    JestersKiss Guest

  30. #30
    Chunga Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by johnny View Post
    here is a nice clip of buddy by himself on the tonight show. imagine one of the rock and roll drummers trying to replicate this:
    http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/b...ticktrick.html
    Amazing. In a suit no less. Here's Buddy at about six years of age.



  31. #31
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    I remember him in Visit To A Small Planet.

  32. #32
    wozzy Guest
    In the words of Nil Peart, the Drummer for the band Rush:

    "There are many, many mediocre drummers, lots of good drummers, a few great drummers, but there is and only will ever be, one Buddy Rich."

  33. #33
    King Tut Guest
    Buddy was asked once if he ever learned anything from a "rock" drummer. His reply was "just one, John Bonham". He didn't elaborate. But post 1970 Buddy incorporated rapid fire "doubles" into his bass drum playing, a trademark of Bonham. Prior to that he played single strokes. My friend who is a weirdo drum historian swears that that was what Buddy was referring to.

  34. #34
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    here's one at age 61
    http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/b...amazing78.html

    john bonham was amazing in his own right. led zep was a blues based rock band.
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
    Check out Floyd's new Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

  35. #35
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    I liked the Muppet Show clip with he and Animal.
    The most dangerous woman of all is the one who refuses to rely on your sword to save her because she carries her own.

    - R.H. Sin

  36. #36
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    billy cobham recorded this tune with the buddy rich band in the 'burning for buddy' tribute

    http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/b...bhammiles.html

    and if you are into drumming at all check out this website.
    www.drummerworld.com
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
    Check out Floyd's new Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

  37. #37
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    sounded like a creep. glad he's gone. i hate creeps, now matter who they are
    pull the string!

  38. #38
    ShockDoc Guest
    Hi -This is my first post here. Dont know if this is true, but supposedly when Buddy was being wheeled into the emergency room after a heart attack, the nurse asked him if he was allergic to anything, and he wearily replied, "Yes=country and western music."

  39. #39
    MoonRabbit Guest
    Burt Reynolds pissed Buddy off good on the Tonight Show I believe.
    (one of the late shows).

    Buddy Rich was wearing a blue outfit kind of like a jumper suit with a zipper
    that went from the top of this suit all the way to the bottom.

    And Burt Reynolds remarked "longest fly in America!".

    Man was Buddy pissed!

  40. #40
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    i've heard jerry lee lewis was sometimes hard to get along with.
    Knowlege Comes With Deaths release

    Heaven's on the pillow,it's Silence competes with Hell

    "If you don't go to other peoples' funerals,they won't come to yours."-Yogi Berra

  41. #41
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    maybe not a great guy, but what a drummer.
    just watch this discussion/demo on the preferred grip.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0V4Aqs2D48



    Last edited by johnny; 02-18-2012 at 08:35 AM.
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
    Check out Floyd's new Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

  42. #42
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    on the Lenny Bruce Show, circa 1959 with a nice rhythm section and Sweets Edison on trumpet.
    look at Buddy's drum set up. simple but listen to him play.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqpuFk9FaGA
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
    Check out Floyd's new Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

  43. #43
    Town Without Pity Guest
    Another talented asshat....I thought he was very talented, it's a shame he treated his own band like that....must have been some ego he carried around.

  44. #44
    Vandalay Guest

    Buddy Rich

    Just got done reading about him,..and for those who didn't think he was a major prick, check this out


  45. #45
    DionysianSpirit Guest
    I don't see why the "Great Player/Not So Great Human" description was added to the thread title. It breaks the continuity of the forum and seems a little bit unnecessary, or are we going to do this with all the thread titles?

    Michael Jackson Icon/May or May not have been a Pedophile
    or
    Whitney Houston Great Singer/Crack Head who drowned herself

    The truth and an opinion are not always different things...either way, I think the thread title should be modified.

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by DionysianSpirit View Post
    I don't see why the "Great Player/Not So Great Human" description was added to the thread title. It breaks the continuity of the forum and seems a little bit unnecessary, or are we going to do this with all the thread titles?

    Michael Jackson Icon/May or May not have been a Pedophile
    or
    Whitney Houston Great Singer/Crack Head who drowned herself

    The truth and an opinion are not always different things...either way, I think the thread title should be modified.

    Dionysianspirit, I think you make a good point. When I started the thread almost 5 years ago, it was on a whim that I put that in the Title. Back then, the forum was a little more loosey goosey than it is now.
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
    Check out Floyd's new Band:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

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