This month, ex-Libertine and drummer Gary Powell declares his soft spot for jazz music.
“I’ve got a massive passion for jazz, which started via my dad and his minimal jazz collection, which I raided when I was kid then just started really getting into it myself. The first jazz album I bought was Miles Davis’ ‘Boplicity’, and from then onwards it was just getting into everything – Chick Corea and prog-orientated stuff like Return To Forever.
The jazz drummer that I was really into was Dave Weckl on the Chick Corea album ‘Eternal Child’. I heard him playing on that and it opened up a lot of windows for me for checking out different drummers. My approach to drumming is to be as musical as I possibly can be. Most indie drummers just lay down a stereotypical beat that helps to drive the music along, as opposed to adding a voice to the song that will actually help to create dynamics and even emotions to whatever it is that song is trying to portray.
I’ve ascertained that from the likes of Elvin Jones and Philly Joe Jones as well; those guys were just really musical. John Coltrane’s ‘Love Supreme’ would be a good start for the uninitiated in jazz. It’s amazing how many popular musicians all have Coltrane in their collection.”
The Invasion Of…’s new EP ‘373’ is out now on 25 Hour Convenience.
