Static Live Magazine July 2020

Semper Musica
By Jamie Lee
It’s fitting that the most mundane and least visible
component of any stage denotes the truly powerful nature
of a band’s least heralded but most important member.
For most it is easy to assume that the drummer is simply
sitting on a stool in the corner, appendages flapping away,
adding onomatopoeia to otherwise musical moments
provided by the REAL MUSICIANS—we’ve all heard the
jokes. (What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend?
Homeless)
Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my duty to help set the
public straight and help rehabilitate the image of music’s
most important position. We’ll start the reeducation with
simple semantics. A drummer doesn’t sit on a chair, stool,
or bench although all work in a pinch. The place where a
drummer rests his or her booty is called a THRONE. The
drummer presides over any given evening with a list of
demands that can be difficult to balance. To righteously
command such a position is an immense responsibility.
Before we dive deeper we must make it clear that
restaurants, bars, night clubs, and all other venues hire
live musicians to create an enjoyable atmosphere for their
patrons. More enjoyment experienced by patrons equals
more time and money spent at the venue. A drummer is
in the perfect position to either facilitate or hinder that
dynamic. If the drummer is kind and just they will play at
an appropriate volume that allows for free communication
between all people in the building. If people have to shout
to each other across the table or—even worse—the bar,
overall enjoyment is decreased. In this way drummers
affect tips for bartenders, servers, busboys and gals, and
even the rest of the band. Time after time this idea has been
reinforced by nervous managers looking for reassurance
that I’ll be quieter than I look.
To play at an appropriate volume is a choice to place other’s
enjoyment over our own.
BY BILLY DEAN
To continue, it is important that we shed light on the true
social/musical role of the drummer. The most ancient
responsibility of the drum THRONE is the inducement of
dance. Dance is the natural effect of drumming and has
been since the first caveman started banging away at a log
in rhythm.
However, the drummer’s setting dictates the level of kinetic
ecstasy that is possible. Unabashed dance is becoming
a thing of the past, at least in bars and restaurants.
Furthermore, prospects for dancing are reduced when
dining is the main purpose of an outing.
However, if a drummer does a good job at reading the
crowd even the table hiding in the back of the room will
be toe tapping or least chewing in time. We drummers
create a hypnotic pulse that bodies can’t deny. We can gain
acceptance from even the most motion resistant, fun averse
folks. I’ve seen the transformation many times. A quiet
room of hungry statues loosens into their humanity after
30 minutes of good grooves and ultimately makes their way
to band stand for some rhythmic wiggling. By the second
set bodies are pulsing next to each other and drinks are
flowing—someone’s night is going to end well.
Again, the drum THRONE is able to directly affect the
enjoyment of an entire room for the night and may turn
your first date into a second.
Drummers in their natural habitat are loud creatures.
Holding drumsticks is an invitation to hit something
HARD. To say there isn’t tension between what we
drummers would LIKE to do and what we SHOULD
do would be a lie. I am always ready to break into a selfindulgent,
chop-laden tangent like an unhinged, impulsive
tweet. But, I respect the THRONE and choose to use my
powers for the greater good.
The next time you find yourself enjoying a night out take
note of the drummer and how they are making your night
better.
With our nation’s Independence Day around the corner,
I wanted to talk about our country’s providers of security,
the blanket of freedom we all live under - the United
States Military. I want to bring to light a non-traditional
part that most do not know about and only happened as
of last year. You have heard of the Marine Corps Band;
however - they have added an MOS (Military Occupational
Specialty - their daily job) of vocalist to be signed
on contracts in 2019. There have been vocalists in the
past but, last year a woman named Megan Lynn Browning
was the first to sign a Marine Corps contract with the
MOS ‘vocalist’ attached.
Lance Corporal Megan Lynn Browning has been a professional
singer since 2008, and has been a US Marine
since 2018. She was trying everything to supplement her
music career - working in amusement parks, etc but, it
wasn’t fulfilling her as a complete person or giving her
the monetary means to be a success. She wanted more
and so she moved on to the Marine Corps. (Read all
about Megan Lynn Browning on her blogSemperVocalis.
com)
The Corps offered a Musician Enlistment Option Program
and, by no means are these talented people who
qualify any less of a Marine. First, you must audition and
qualify for a placement in the music program. Once you
are qualified for the program, you will then be required
to pass the Initial Strength Test - basic enlistment protocol
and then enter into the Delayed Entry Program,
during which, your recruiter will prepare you for recruit
training. You will then attend 13 weeks of recruit training
- you know-‘boot camp’ at Marine Corps Recruit
Depot Parris Island or San Diego, this is based on where
you live in the country, east or west, simple right? After
surviving and graduating boot camp, you will attend
your schooling, as Marines do, only in this case it is the
Naval School of Music where you will receive advanced
musical training; instrumental, vocal (if applicable) as
well as academics, all before you are assigned to one of
the 10 Marine Corps bands.
You see, music is truly everywhere and I am thankful
that they are starting to recognize that just because you
do not play an instrument, a voice is just as powerful in
the music community. You may think that this is a cushy
job for the Marine Corps however, they are still required
to hold the same physical and mental standards as any
Marine. I feel that the integration of music into
our military is vital to our
nation’s security. I mean, has
anyone ever heard of Bob
Hope? The USO? For 200
hundred years the Marine
Corps (and the other
branches) have had music
within their elite walls,
following in the
footsteps of
legendaryMarine
musicians like John
Philip
Sousa to jazz musician
and Ellis Marsalis whom
was referred
by the mayor of New
Orleans, Mayor LaToya
Cantrell, “He was the
prototype of what we
mean when we talk about
New Orleans jazz.”
Musicality brings hope,
a reminder, a feeling of
belonging, our freedom
fighters need talented people
around them to make sure
in the thick of it they
remember what they are
fighting for and to instill the
hope needed for them to
return home safely. Music
can heal and in the current
situation that our nation
faces the military are
not the only ones in
need ofthe power
of music.
Semper Musica