As part of our new series called “My Magnificent Five“, we will be asking drummers to give us five names of their favourite sticksmen or women – those that have left the biggest mark in our guests’ musical lives. Why five? Because it is five fingers that make a strong fist (ask Five Finger Death Punch members and fans, they know it only too well). Today, it is time for the Polish groove master, who has collaborated with some of top acts in Poland, such as Natalia Nykiel, Sorry Boys or Brodka – Maciek Gołyźniak.
Maciek Gołyźniak’s Top Five Drummers
“Matt Chamberlain because he’s maybe not so much a role model as I’m not a fan of emulating others, but I don’t mind following how somebody runs their career, develops and thinks behind the kit. I cannot imagine anybody else who would fit better into the path I would like to take, which is a sideman’s work combined with creating one’s own sound, arrangements and instrumentation.
Steve Gadd – no two ways about it. As long as we all live and he gets to walk the face of this planet, this is not going to change. He’s the one who has set the path which I would like to take. I mean, the way he approaches working for the song with his drum parts is the best there is. I don’t think one could do it any better. Steve Gadd is the man.
Out of the players we’re never going to hear again, I will name John Bonham. How could I not? I’m gonna play the famous groove from ‘When The Levee Breaks’ at my clinics for the rest of my career. As much as I’m able to recreate it, it defines the rock groove, the rock sound and what has been overlooked for years, i. e. how great his thinking behind the kit was in order to outperform those brilliant riffs on the drums. I mean, with the guitar player and the bass player they had, whoever would have played the drums in 4/4, it would still have been Led Zeppelin. But there was this guy who said: ‘Hello! I’ve got this drum part you’re gonna get cooked by’. When you hear a groove like ‘When The Levee Breaks’, what more can you say?
The new Dave Weckl. I think the last 10 years of his career (with the exception of the electric period, which I’m not a die-hard fan of) marks a remarkable development of someone you’d think has nowhere to go and has done it all. Meanwhile, he turns into a direction which is really inspiring to me. He has maintained his identity but at the same time has become a new and redefined Dave Weckl. That’s a phenomenal thing. Hats off to him because I thought he’d expressed himself a hundred per cent and it turns out there’s a new side to a brilliant musician.
Last, but not least, would be our fellow juror from last year’s Young Drum Hero contest – Gary Novak. I see no need to expand on that, really. A living legend and a drummer who has redefined electric jazz for me since I first heard him with Chick Corea Elektric Band II.”
