1984: BILL BRUFORD on the SIMMONS ELECTRONIC DRUM KIT | Micro Live | Retro Tech | BBC Archive

[@DanRelayer_Ukraine]

Never seen a presenter that well-versed for the subject matter at hand.

[@TheValueOfN]

My cynicism necessitates my suggestion that Dave Simmons may have been consulted during the planning of which questions were to be asked.

[@nforne]

@@TheValueOfN You mean they did research?

[@OlafProt]

Couldn't better auld Lesley Judd. Learned her chops on Blue Peter so you couldn't be out there knowing nothing.

[@jake-gk1jy]

I agree

[@mikemccaine4229]

Did she say "Oh yeah, nice kick!"? Marriage material!

[@bjorn_moren]

So uncommon to see a well prepared journalist asking all the right questions.

[@MadScientist267]

People weren't stupid in the 80s like they are today 🤷‍♂️

[@MikeyRB77]

Yes. That's called "a script". What IS different, is that the 'script writer' consulted with Bill and Dave before filming. It's how professionals used to make television.

[@oxouk]

I’m actually impressed with her knowledge and drum vocabulary.

[@itstheterranaut]

I believe she was married (or about to marry) a drummer at about this point.

[@like-icecream]

yeah back when they didn't lie on CV's

[@longi625]

@@like-icecream Lesley Judd knows everything, she had to, she was on Blu Peter & Tomorrows World! Ledgend!

[@mgoulet002]

She is a Leslie speaker.

[@paulbrookes413]

TALKING DRUMS

[@mike18699-e]

I enjoy watching these clips from shows that were really educational, well researched and presented, and didn't talk down to the audience. It's just tinged with regret that they don't seem to make 'em like this any more.

[@krashd]

The closest thing I can think of today would be Click on the BBC, I really enjoy that because like Micro Live and other shows of the 80's it too has knowledgeable hosts who don't feel the need to dumb down whatever they are discussing. A lot of shows today feel the need to try and be cool and funny like Top Gear when many people are looking for an informative show like Fifth Gear.

[@JustinAshworthMusic]

Totally. You don't get music journalism like this anymore.

[@Sajedulguy]

BBC is full of colourful rubbish these days

[@likez2jam]

^THIS

[@Goodboy0953]

I had this set….🤪🤪🤪🤪

[@ashleywetherall]

Loved Leslie Judd.. She always did her homework on anything she presented.

[@docsavage8640]

Much better than Ashley, Naomi, or Wynonna.

[@finnsterling6514]

@@docsavage8640 Ha. Seriously funny. And also seriously, yeah, this reporter was truly impressive. To hear someone that's not a drummer use the jargon so naturally was genuinely surprising (in a good way).

[@TheSonicDeviant]

Imagine Cathy Newman had done that with Jordan Peterson.

[@TrivellaORama]

She's credibile even dressed like a clown

[@CarcPazu]

@@TheSonicDeviant So what you're saying is that hitting those drums makes you want to hit women?

[@dosgos]

She had great questions! Lesley Judd showing us how a professional interview is prepared for and conducted. That was a fun conversation.

[@Riazor1370]

Bill speaks just like news broadcaster, good pleasent tone and smart articulation.

[@LeeGee]

Posh.

[@dudeeronomy3805]

Not a single ahhh or um

[@RushTrader]

Bill Bruford was a true prog rock drummer... he progressed! I greatly admired his thirst for change and innovation no matter what project he was involved with.

[@Kohntarkosz]

He's not even a "prog rock" drummer, or even a "rock drummer". He's actually a jazz drummer, who somehow got dragged into the world of "prog rock". I always found it amusing how, in the Yesyears documentary, Bill and Jon Anderson seem to have different memories of how he came to audition for Yes. Jon says "We placed an ad in Melody Maker for a drummer, and one of the people who called was Bill Bruford", then they cut to Bill basically suggesting that they called HIM in response to HIS ad announcing his availability as jazz drummer. He said that because of that, he initially assumed it was a jazz group asking him to join. I've always wondered if that was him sort of bending the truth a little, to justify how he ended up playing rock music for so much of the first couple decades of his career, rather than playing "proper" jazz music, when the truth might have been he couldn't get any work as a jazz drummer so we switched gears, because he figured ANY work as a musician was better than having to get a straight job.

[@jumpinjojo]

When did he die?

[@RushTrader]

@@jumpinjojo He didn't die, but he's retired and hasn't played drums in many years.

[@fabrikk60]

@@RushTrader Bill didn't retire, he changed careers from being a gigging musician to being a music professor and an author of music theory books. Making that switch involved earning a doctorate from a university.

[@progrockjournal]

@@Kohntarkosz Do you think Bill Bruford was unaware of the kind of music YES played at their peak of popularity, i.e. when he joined? AHAHAH

[@kendohmassif1984]

Bill Bruford was my lecturer at music college was great to be taught by him!

[@robertnettleship5467]

Which school was that out of interest?

[@blaiseutube]

Omfg, what a privilege!!

[@Rampart.X]

Awesome

[@S-Ltd1000]

Imagine having Bill Bruford as a teacher.😳

[@ladycharlesmusic]

That's amazing - truly one of the greats! How was he as a teacher?

[@FatNorthernBigot]

I think we've found the most 80's video on KZbin.

[@jeshkam]

Except that the mullet is not long enough.

[@StratsRUs]

Rock School is on YT !

[@FatNorthernBigot]

@@StratsRUs Is it? I remember that. (I'm guessing at hasn't aged well)

[@StratsRUs]

@@FatNorthernBigot You have to watch it !

[@FatNorthernBigot]

@@StratsRUs just watched a bit of series 2. It’s like a parody of the 80s. 😂 The five string bass (surprisingly, not fretless) player is wearing his dads suit with the sleeves rolled up. The keyboard player played something called “samples” 👍

[@officialWWM]

That kit was sooooo cool back in the day. It still looks very futuristic.

[@PhuckHue2]

ugh but the sound

[@officialWWM]

@@PhuckHue2 😂😂

[@marguskiis7711]

because the future never came

[@EddVCR]

I thought this kit looked so sick when I was a kid growing up in the 80s (I still do TBH.) Whenever I drew bands, I’d always draw a drummer with this kit and a keytarist 😆

[@fabrikk60]

@@PhuckHue2 I loved the sound. Percussion sounds are not binary. Just because electronic is different, doesn't make it better or worse. Just different.

[@frankelgueta1350]

The interviewer was absolutely brilliant. Excellent background knowledge and very articulate. Oh and Bill Bruford was pretty cool and obviously very intelligent too!

[@ALSNewsNow]

Not really, this is how it used to be believe it or not. The 80s were talent based, not um, well......

[@stillianos]

She really asked the right questions! Amazing!!

[@ThefightingCelt]

When Phil Collins needed a second drummer for Genesis's 1976 tour , the first person he turned to was Bill Bruford . Nuff said . Fantastic drummer .

[@BlueStratRedStrat]

.. I thought you were going to say Lesley Judd for a minute.

[@stephenclues2948]

Yes, "Fragile", legendary.

[@heliumtrophy]

@@BlueStratRedStrat With the two cats that didn't prefer Whiskas!

[@joeyoungs8426]

Exactly. Gradually Going Tornado.

[@krollpeter]

He offered to play for Genesis, but was not happy there. The songs were all written already, and Mr. Collins had set ideas about how he wants to hear the drums.

[@jeanbonnefoy1377]

In that time, interviewers (here, Leslie Judd) knew their job and asked pertinent questions in a very professional and clearly perfectly educated way. Sadly, it's obviously no longer the case...

[@nepntzerZer]

thats on purpose. asking pointed questions permeates critical thought, if people started thinking they would start asking bigger questions.

[@NickSBailey]

the programme was already aimed at a bit of a geeky audience, so you do still get this kind of thing just not on daytime ITV

[@krusher74]

In that time rolf haris and jimmy saville also presented kids TV shows.

[@cuebj]

True. They were interviewers, often with written journalism backgrounds. From Parkinson in peak celebrity slot to this. Now they are 'presenters', bouncy faces, the guests exist to back the presenter and their wit. Jonathan Ross managed both ends of the spectrum by doing froth with guests he wasn't bothered about but transformed into fascinated, informed geek when the guest was someone he respected

[@assassin8636]

​@@cuebjso what's your point

[@ThankYouB0B0]

That woof was legendary.

[@simongarrettmusic]

Well done BBC, solid program-making that stands up decades later.

[@timburdsey]

Excellent, Simon. I quite agree. I loved Micro Live. Have you seen the comedy spoof, ‘Look around you’? A wonderful, warm-hearted, and brilliantly well-observed homage to science and technology programmes like this from the 70s and 80s.

[@FriendlyHenry]

Intelligent, informative, engaging conversation. No formulaic tropes or over-sell of the content. I miss TV like this...

[@assassin8636]

They still do that right?

[@kpag3030]

These were everywhere in the mid-late 80’s. I thought those red octagon pads were so cool

[@slasherdope8065]

I honestly wish electric drums still looked like this

[@CognosSquare]

And sounded :)

[@davidlherring]

Someone needs to invent hexagonal mesh heads.

[@YoushouldNOW221]

Mandala drums. Look the same, have all the same pros and none of the cons. Same look, variety in sound choice, sensitivity, playing zones, etc. None of the massive expensive hardware, no difficulties changing sounds or plugging into things, etc. Danny Carey uses them and they're INCREDIBLE

[@c1ph3rpunk]

I had a set of Simmons pads in the 80’s, while they were interesting and progressive, they sucked pretty bad. Had to use the heel of the stick most of the time, the tip just wouldn’t register on the pad. Velocity and touch sensitivity was nowhere near what was advertised, there was virtually no way to control attack, release or even volume in any meaningful way. Then there’s the sounds… not great.

[@sharinglungs3226]

Oh god no. Just looking at what he had to play for cymbals and a hi hat, no thanks! Plus how would you do a cymbal choke? I don’t mind the hexagonal look though.

[@psterud]

Man, I've always thought Simmons drums were not touch sensitive, just simple sound pads. That set was a lot more expressive than I thought it would be. Electronic drums have not come THAT much farther since then.

[@warleswil3080]

Are you seriously saying electronic drums haven't progressed much more than this?

[@yumsoup3377]

@@warleswil3080 it does appear very similar to a low end rubber pad ekit

[@psterud]

@@warleswil3080 It's a little tongue-in-cheek. What I'm saying is that the expressiveness of those Simmons was more advanced than I thought they were. And that was close to 40 years ago.

[@warleswil3080]

@@psterud oh ok understood 👌🏽

[@psterud]

@@warleswil3080 Have you played recent electric drums? Just curious.

[@ernestomartinez4090]

This is fantastic. Quite arguably one of the best drummers in music history and Dave Simmons himself. I always liked the sound of the Simmons drums on the Genesis "Second Home By The Sea" instrumental piece performed in 1983 by Phil Collins on the "Genesis" album from that year.

[@keyonkelly5693]

Phil’s Simmons kit, Tony’s synth playing make that song awesome

[@no_name1107]

Nerds.

[@cmt8485]

Okay, just chill out. Not even sniffing on "arguably one of the best drummers in music history"

[@Schimnesthai]

Genesis and King Crimson rocked the Simmons, love it!

[@morbidmanmusic]

How'd ya come up with "one of the best"? Out of how many? How many have you NOT heard? He's a good drummer. Clever to an annoying point at times. But a hero none the less. His time has lots of issues. Even his king crimson producers mention that one.

[@rainerunsinn4808]

In Germany we never had shows like that. Seeing this in 2022 blows my mind, what a great TV show.

[@larryschreiner]

Lesley Judd seemed very well informed about drumming.

[@ERIC-65]

I bought a SIMMONS SD 1200 drumkit recently , and I'm awesomely impressed by it !

[@johnspokus]

The real Simmons company went our of business in the early 90's . Guitar Center owns the name now, and those current SD kits are made in China, and branded for a numbers of companies.

[@Goodboy0953]

I had this same kit.. Bill really sold me back in 84…

[@TrixiLovesYou]

The interviewer either prepared really well or is a drummer herself. Something you don't see anymore.

[@makipri]

She got married to a drummer soon after this episode. But she has been well versed usually when presenting.

[@2kReels]

Micro live was such a good, professional show. I love bingewatching old episodes on KZbin. So much to learn or relive.

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

I love it when he points out she’s leaning on the control unit, and then goes back to leaning on it. I also like the comment by the male presenter ‘I’ve often thought everybody will want to play drums , but end up programming them on a computer instead’ Well I’m not sure ‘everybody’ but lots of us do.

[@wojtylo]

The lady sounds to be very knowledgeable about the topic of drum set. I loved it.

[@VJFranzK]

We need more polygon shaped drums in the present day!

[@ColtraneTaylor]

@photag216 You said it.

[@ollemolander1370]

@photag216 well, there is actually plenty of companies who make full sized shells, or converter kits etc (but you probably knew this! dont mean to be smug about it) very few electronic cymbals go above 18" tho, usually around 10-14" only..

[@ollemolander1370]

@photag216 cheapest way to get there is, buy a cheap used drum kit of the sizes u want. Find "internal drum triggers" on like ebay or similar (nicer then external triggers) Get Roland mesh heads, or other cheaper brand that is TWO layered (never buy one layer, they just brake..) Cymbals, probably most expensive, get the biggest size u feel you can afford with, could get a good deal used as well. Roland or ATV is always recommended, VH-11 for a hihat. buy a used Roland drum module WITH Midi out (suggestion is old Roland TD-9) Get a cracked version of Logic or similar, and get a cracked version of "Superior drummer 3" or "Addictive drums" and connect via a USB-midi converter (these are cheap) all and all, you looking at around under 1500-2000 grand, or less, depending on how fancy you go. My inspiration came from a youtube video named "Superior drummer 2.0 TD-9 triggering" from a few years back. (This rig cost about $1900 like 8 years back, tho with a new drum-module AND new cymbals) 65-drums is probably the best e-drums channel on youtube :) he has some good videos on buying used E-drums as well. good luck!

[@josesojo9203]

@@ColtraneTaylor o9o990kojoni

[@djmips]

Are we going to ignore how masterful the dog bark was?

[@anaxamanderjelliff7733]

The dog bark was impeccable

[@Kohntarkosz]

I remember a few years later, Bill Bruford appeared on an episode of Rock School, another BBC show, where he demonstrated a larger and more advanced Simmons kit. I remember him showing off how you could do things like link switch a given sound to any pad he wanted, by having the "snare" pad set to trigger bass drums, "Suddenly you can do 7 stroke rolls on your bass drum...forget about that double bass drum technique", and program in sequences, so that when you hit a pad, you can get a short melodic sequence (which reminds that I remember watching a Grateful Dead video, where Mickey Hart used a Roland Octapad to trigger sequences), and so forth, then at the end plays this actual composition that had chords and melody, but it was all him playing it solo. "Now you can be a REAL musician", Bill facetiously tells us.

[@welp3904]

What an excellent interviewer. He's so interested and really immersing himself in the situation. Love it.

[@alanhynd7886]

Oddest fact about Bill Bruford: after a stellar career in Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, etc. he entered University in 2016 to study music. Who the hell was going to teach him?

[@MagnumVal]

Not a man or woman alive with nothing to learn

[@MacXpert74]

Well music is such a wide topic, there will always be aspects about it you don't know much of. Being a top-drummer doesn't make you a music expert in all facets by default.

[@aakkoin]

I think his aim was not so much to be a student, but to get the credentials for a doctorate and teach and write about music and performing.

[@weehudyy]

Neil Peart took lessons from a jazz guy quite late in his career , Levon Helm went back to school in his late 40s ... Sometimes it is good to formalise what you already know instinctively . To teach effectively you have to be able to explain what it is you know .

[@weehudyy]

Neil Peart took lessons from a jazz guy quite late in his career , Levon Helm went back to school in his late 40s ... Sometimes it is good to formalise what you already know instinctively . To teach effectively you have to be able to explain what it is you know .

[@billyhughes9776]

I love how he politely pointed out she was leaning on the "main unit".

[@Old_Man_Jay]

I'm not sure if we had any shows like this in the States, but If we did, they certainly don't exist anymore. A shame. This seems like such an interesting and informative show to watch.

[@nelsonsullivanhd9908]

Originally Prince had the idea to attach an acoustic pickup to a drum head and used it as a midi trigger. That way he could utilize Linn sounds in a live setting, with a live drummer.

[@Kohntarkosz]

Well, Dave Simmons started doing his stuff in 1979, which was quite a few years before the Linndrum existed. Also, electronic percussion dates back to the early 70's. Kraftwerk, Carl Palmer, and others were experimenting with electronic percussion circa 73-75, and the Syndrum and Synare devices came along a couple years after that (though those were really only useful as sound effects devices, or maybe for playing melodic stuff as a glockenspiel or marimba player might).

[@alamunez]

Lol 😄 I heard Prince also invented the guitar, cheese and the 7 day week.

[@nelsonsullivanhd9908]

@@alamunez I didn't say anything about invention. Thanks for proving yourself as a snarky Internet know-little. Ever the pioneer, Prince pushed to incorporate electronic elements into the drums. For the Purple Rain tour, this led to the drum tech creating a custom interface so that the LM-1 could be played on stage at a time when the technology was not yet available to support playing the drum machine via pads. The interface allowed Bobby Z to trigger the Linn sounds via the LM-1’s outputs via piezo pickups placed inside the snare and replicate the sounds on the recordings. Before long, playable trigger pads became a big hit among drummers and a new era was ushered in.

[@nelsonsullivanhd9908]

@@Kohntarkosz good for Dave Simmons and his history. Sounds like you're pushing your unsolicited narrative to somehow discredit my input.

[@AllThroughALife]

@@alamunez - It's well known that Prince invented the octave as well as the weekend...

[@mike18699-e]

"One-and-a-half megabytes of ROM," said Dave Simmons, proudly.

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

Yes?

[@reimuhakurei3311]

Yeah? It was a lot of Memory back in the day. Not so much now.

[@Havanacuba1985]

My computer then only had about 32 kilobytes

[@mike18699-e]

@@Havanacuba1985 oh yeah. I'm not saying it wasn't a lot of memory back then - it certainly was. It just amused me to think how things have moved on.

[@nickwallette6201]

@@mike18699-e .. which is why these didn't sound a whole lot like drums. :-) Certainly could sound like an interesting _new_ instrument, but convincing, it was not.

[@rovingenglishman]

Used to LOVE this show. Genuinely informative. Having a BBC Micro at home made you feel part of a special new club. Also reminded me I had a Bill Bruford record in the 80's haha

[@arfarfington3563]

What a great piece. Lesley Judd was an awesome presenter: absolutely whip-smart in everything she did.

[@kevsamuelsdiedwafathookeri2254]

Really? I find her obnoxiously intrusive and brimming with false self-confidence fueled by insecurity but hey, to each their own.

[@jumpingjacks5558]

I remember those drums when they first came out. They were all the rage. One thing drummers who use the Simmons kits were injuring themselves in their wrists and elbows. When the stick hit the surface of the kit it would rebound really fast and all the energy went back into the wrists and arms of the drummer. It caused a lot of injuries. Simmons knew this and made a special drumstick that would absorb most of the rebound. If anyone remembers those sticks, they were made out of some kind of gooey substance and the sticks would bend and warp. If you left them in a hot car, the sticks would literally melt in the hot sun. One other thing, they were expensive. I also believe the only came in one size.

[@AtheistOrphan]

0:22 - “Don’t lean on the main unit. Don’t touch it. In fact don’t even look at it.” “This one goes to eleven.”

[@BosworthMcG]

And she’s back to leaning on it 40 seconds later

[@MikeMichaels1987]

hahahhahahaha

[@krashd]

"I think that the problem may have been that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf."

[@Kohntarkosz]

@@krashd "There's no sex or drugs for Ian! You know what I do?! I find lost luggage! I locate mandolin strings in the middle of Austin! I do whatever it takes TO FACILITATE THIS ADOLESCENT FANTASY OF YOURS!!!!!!"

[@fviannaval]

Bill is just pure class. The presenter was really knowledgeable and interested. Long live the BBC.

[@geevee7823]

The 80's would not have been the same without Simmons drums.

[@shspurs1342]

All electric basses drums are sound garbage for any band. It’s impossible for them not to sound a load of crap.

[@HAZARDOUS88]

@@shspurs1342 Incorrect.

[@timburdsey]

#Facts, @Gee Vee. 👊🏻

[@TheBorrito]

32 kbs. Very nice. Folks today have no idea how much memory that was at the time. Massive memory!

[@dogtown_survivor]

I searched for someone to mention that! ❤ Thats less than word document today!

[@leopoldbluesky]

Great clip! The basic principle hasn't changed that much since then, and many drummers use e-drums in the studio - but for live shows acoustic kits still prevail.

[@MacXpert74]

Yes, although funny enough they nowadays try to mimic the sound and look of acoustic drums as much as they can with e-drum kits. Kind of the opposite of what Simmons was doing at the time.

[@Kohntarkosz]

That's interesting, because I remember there were some bands you'd see on MTV playing Simmons drums back then, but on the records, it was obviously an acoustic kit. I remember Spandau Ballet, you'd see them on TV and the drummer had an acoustic snare and cymbals, but the rest of his kit was Simmons. I eventually read he used an all acoustic kit on the records, and only used the Simmons onstage.

[@michaelfaeth]

This is great. Must be an interesting flashback for Bill to watch. I think the interviewer Leslie does a wonderful job, very intelligent questions. Cool to actually see Dave Simmons, the man behind the drums.

[@Arafingol]

All-time favourite drummer!

[@brooke1639]

I love these interviewers styles they are so in-depth with their questions and seem genuinely engaged with them. Nowadays people just skim over things and ask the obvious. I imagine back then (days before KZbin and wiki etc) this would have been a great resource.

[@grunions9648]

She really knows her onions - very refreshing

[@RayBecker]

Year 2000...Was in an original band and the drummer used Roland V-Drums. We D'Id the guitars and bass along with the drums and vocal mics into the mixer. That fed a five channel headphone amp. Rehearsal was dead quiet. Each guy could choose his own monitor mix and that's how we did it. I've always loved Bruford. Just so solid and steady and he didn't need to be flashy. Seems like a real proper British Gentleman. He and Chris Squire made up on of the most potent rhythm sections ever. The Simmons was a nice set and as the years went on, latency was reduced by quite a bit. In another group, the drummer put triggers on his acoustic set. These added some percussion pieces that really filled out the sound. The interviewer has no doubt done her homework on Mr. Bruford. Very nicely done!

[@adamcarson2086]

Nobody's commenting on that interviewer's ultra realistic dog bark?

[@AzinFiro]

If anyone isn't familliar, I recommend looking up any live show by Mr. Mister. Pat Mastelotto played Simmons live.

[@ToneTraveler]

They didn’t play the live King Crimson footage at the end. An amazing piece of gear for the time. Bill Bruford on the other hand is timeless.

[@michaelodonnell2240]

Guessing it's a rights issue that prevented them from posting that part on this KZbin clip.

[@inspector_7152]

The lady that interviews Bill did good homework and is clearly very interested in knowing more! What an interesting and substantive program. Wish we could see more often these kind of programs nowadays.

[@clivejones5880]

Bill is playing a Simmons SDS7 with a selector pad. His kit is expanded from the basic seven channels (hence the name) to nine channels. The system could be expanded to 12 channels with expansion being enacted by adding additional cards. Each card contains a single note/monophonic analog synthesizer and sample playback or recorded sounds via EPROMs. No MIDI with this kit although and MTM interface as a separate box could be added giving MIDI capabilities (and much more). I still own an expanded SDS7 myself.

[@Kohntarkosz]

On the Three Of A Perfect Three tour, he went "whole hog" (as one magazine commentary described the full 12 pad kit), with an interesting arrangement. He had a hybrid acoustic/electronic kit that mixed an acoustic snare and bass drum with their SDS-7 equivalents, and he had three Simmons tom-toms. I can't remember what he had for cymbals, but he didn't use them much as Fripp had kind of forbidden him from using cymbals during that era. I think he also had a couple boo-bams in that kit. Then, mounted on a rack behind him, were seven more drum pads, which were set up so that he'd have to stand up to play them. He said he did that because he wanted the audience to be able to see when he was playing and be able to link the sounds they were using to what he was doing with his hands or drum sticks. There's a great drum solo in the Live In Japan concert video from that tour, where you can see him playing them.

[@mineblock9024]

I had exactly the same yellow v-neck jumper during my last year at school in 86

[@chickencrackling]

Lesley Thudd. She knows her onions here.

[@jobrimar8291]

Great piece, when tv was still worth watching, and prophetic words from Leslie’s co-presenter half way through.

[@standardissue69]

Exactly.

[@followtheboat]

Judd was wasted on Blue Peter. Going by this clip she should have presented The Old Grey Whistle Test!

[@cJ-cr8gp]

Aaaagghhh! It finished before the clip of Bill drumming in Tokyo…!!!!

[@blxtothis]

Blimey I completely forgot that Bill left Yes and joined King Crimson. I remember the Moody Blues were possibly the first band to experiment with electronic drums back in the late 60s. I recall that for a tour they rehearsed with them but at the Royal Festival Hall (or was it one of the other South Bank venues? Please forgive me I was in my early 20s at the time) they ditched them for the actual performance as the things kept playing themselves and receiving interference during rehearsals. I recall from that concert, that supporting them on the bill were Hotlegs an early iteration of 10cc, who’d had commercial success with a single ("Neanderthal Man") that was heavily featured on mainstream pop radio (Yuk!) and TV at the time. Despite the obvious petty nature of that single, the band themselves were not at all bad, had we realised that Godley and Creme would soon include Graham Gouldman, a bit of a hero for his brilliant songs recorded by the Yardbirds (notably For your Love, Heart Full of Soul and the glory-bringer Evil Hearted You), 3 absolute masterpieces of pop/rock singles, as well as writing a host of other material for chart topping pop bands, such as The Hollies, Wayne Fontana, Herman’s Hermits etc.

[@NowPleaseReadThis]

Nice to see Mr Bruford. It's like looking at an educated intelligent Baroque/Classical master for me as he is the drummer on my all time favorite album 'Close to the Edge'. It took four months to record this masterpiece with Eddy Offord at the helm.

[@KeytarKris]

I love how Synthwave bands still use that kit

[@WinstonTexas829]

This intelligent, well researched interview is a pleasure to listen to. Prescient commentary too.

[@louultra3550]

Excellent Stuff Dave Simmons is a legend 👌🏾

[@iggysixx]

I like how this goes into detail about how an electronic drumkit actually works. Very much relevant to this very day :) . ("This element registers an input value [...] tells the computer [...] outputs a predefined sound" yada yada. And the info about the materials, and how they differ from the feel of playing on a normal drumkit) Very nice to hear knowledgeable people explain things in detail, but also in understandable language. (The ability to explain complicated things in simple language speaks volumes about their expertise)

[@armorgiraffe]

Bruford is a legend!!

[@vietNguyen.]

I LOVE IT THIS DRUM MASCHINE OF 80S...I WAS BORN IN 90S AND UNFORTUNATELY NEVER HEARD IT IN LIVE :(

[@djdrwatson]

This is the drum machine that does the 'doof doofs' at the start of the 'EastEnders' theme! 😂

[@420_24seven]

No, that's my mother in law falling down the stairs.

[@Nitrobotti]

@@420_24seven Oh my god 💀

[@Kohntarkosz]

Well, they certainly used a Simmons kit on the EastEnders theme (and not just on the intro), but I'm not sure if it was the SDS-7, SDS-5, or a later model.

[@Arkturbettel]

1985. What a blessed time. The time when drummers were afraid to be left out :) Bill Bruford is a genius drummer by the way.

[@synthoelectro]

The sound of the 80s was created by various drum machines including electronic drum kits.

[@humbledrummer777]

Never knew Simmons history at all until now. What a great Brit success story, and with one of my favorite drummers.

[@PianoDentist]

You know kids... you have never had it so good. Can you imagine what it was like to be a young aspiring creative musician in the early 80's, looking at all this great new technology but had no way of being able to acquire it, because of it's relatively huge price tag and bulky size. These days you can buy a drum control surface for less than 50 quid, download free samples and virtual instruments, host it is a free digital audio workstation and have access to huge libraries of sounds at orders of magnitude higher quality than these Syn-drums. And most of your set up can fit in a small backpack along with your laptop. With all these cheap and creative tools at your disposal these days, you'd think modern music would be so innovative and make Bill's contemporaries look like amateurs in comparison ... you'd think! 😉

[@grunions9648]

Limitation breeds creativity and necessity is the mother of invention. Cliches I know, but all the kit in the world won't write a good song.

[@user-ebombobo]

Actually, I think today's kids would think this is cool. It's the 80's revival now, and the market for vintage instruments are expanding, not only analogs but also digitals. (I'm working in a pawn shop in Japan, and even a Casio sampling keyboard can fetch several hundred dollars, and it is the younger generation that buys them!) The generation that thought plug-ins made everything possible may be too old to call kids anymore.

[@jaysterling26]

Ah, those days ...the price of a Fairlight could buy a semi ( not the exciting one). Thomas Leer git his record company to get him one.

[@LeeGee]

Free DAW? I hope you don't mean Reaper, because Reaper isn't free!

[@mistag3860]

same with painting - now you can buy ready made, and primed canvasses, ready mixed oil, acrylic, watercolours etc and zillions of brush types - hasnt created a rash of Picasso types though, just a lot more art...there was a time when you could own all the records made, and be waiting for a new one to come out, now you cant live long enough to hear it all, even listening 24/7. Too much man....same with books....we had the Ilead and LOTR, and now we get Harry Potter plus trillions of books to read. Its wild...no-one now can have listened to the exact same music as anyone else, the next person you meet will come up with the name of a band/artist that you have never even heard! its a jungle out there....sometimes it makes me wonder.

[@countorringtonludlow5211]

You actually learn a thing or two when both people speaking are this knowledgable on the subject. Lots of respect for Leslie coming correct as always.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

These kind of drums need to make a comeback. Electronic drums these days all look exactly alike

[@kevinwhite6176]

simmons made the SD-2000 for a short while recently, which was their flagship and had hexagonal pads. It sold poorly and has been discontinued.

[@teelurizzo8542]

I remember from pictures and images from early 1980s King Crimson, Bill had a hybrid kit including simmons pads, additional acoustic snare, and cymbals, roto toms and octabans `a la Stewart Copeland.

[@samholdsworth420]

Hey, I remember Bill. He played with my dad 😂

[@reimuhakurei3311]

Is your father Alan Holdsworth?

[@crieverytim]

@@reimuhakurei3311 Jerry Holdsworth. Football at Uni

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I love Bill Bruford ( Yes & U.K. ) - he is a Technician. I saw him perform live and he was phenomenal. oNe LovE from NYC

[@patton303]

You’ll be happy to know that Simmons is still in business and they’re producing vastly updated electronic drum kits today.

[@jmowreader9555]

You'll be unhappy to know the company that made the drums in this video went out of business in 1999. Guitar Center owns the trademark now, and they're selling the same Chinese drums as everyone else.

[@OakLawnSpeedShop]

Those were fun to play back in the day….. early to mid eighties. the action on those pads were amazing

[@MePeterNicholls]

School had one of these in 1988 lol

[@Pastryarchy]

Each of the presenters’ questions were brilliant

[@aakkoin]

6:11 wtf, how did that guy make that sound :D

[@aakkoin]

Ah, the obligatory dog

[@marcoslaguna2074]

I love this british interaction. Love from Perú

[@Tmuk2]

That was a pretty astounding dog impersonation

[@paulczech]

That interviewer is very good. She seemed genuinely curious and asked some great questions.

[@yogibeer6686]

Bill Bruford, one of the most underrated drummers of all time?

[@alexhicks5889]

Not at all. Constantly, widely praised.

[@sidsuspicious]

The "underrated" YT mob strike again. He isn't you tool.

[@pascaldeslongchampsmoncton1490]

Sorry, but you must have the wrong definition of the word underrated. Bruford always been recognized as not only a great drummer but also as an innovator of the instrument. And not only by musicians, but also by non musicians who knows a bit about music.

[@aakkoin]

Everybody loves BB and he is a giant legend, but still you don't see him on any Top 10 lists, or stuff like that. It's weird. Today I looked up Paiste cymbals wikipedia page, and "notable artists" do not mention Bill Bruford.... Why? Don't know.

[@pascaldeslongchampsmoncton1490]

@@aakkoin he retired in 2009, he doesn’t play live anymore, or neither record new music. he writes books, and do seminars.

[@troygaspard6732]

Very cool to see this mixture of technology and art. I love King Crimson!

[@randomschittz9461]

In 1985 his hihat was better than my DM5 Pro from 2008. Wtf?

[@MrScrooge1980]

Ikr lol

[@BurnsTennis]

The great Bill Bruford. Saw him three times with Earthworks. 1992 at the Shaw Theatre in Kings Cross, 1998 at Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank, part of a summer festival, then 1999 at Blackheath Concert Halls where I got to shake hands after the gig.

[@properjob2311]

this was when the BBC TV licence fee was actually worth paying

[@drummingdog5706]

I got to see bill play those drums in ‘82 with jeff berlin on bass. Always ahead of his time doing different things. He used octabongs where you would normally have a ride. Blew my mind

[@BryanSteacy]

Please consider a streaming service of the BBC archive. I would honestly pay anything to watch the entire archive of the original Top Gear series as well as Tomorrows World. Also, please consider deinterlacing your uploads to 50fps when you have the original interlaced footage. That way it's truly an archived copy and you're not throwing away any data.

[@TheOptimod]

Sorry Mr Armchair expert, It wont make any difference; each frame of the 25 fps interlaced source contains two half pictures (fields). When properly displayed you see those two half picture separately and sequentially at 50 fields per second -- essentially a real time bob deinterlace. So no, deinterlacing it yourself to 50 fps does not make the video better or so-called 'truly' archived..

[@BryanSteacy]

@@TheOptimod Modern deinterlacing techniques yield perfectly doubled framerates with no issue to the image. Also, the reason a properly deinterlaced video is it's considered a good archived copy is because with KZbin ditching the interlaced data, it's the only way to truly preserve all the data on this platform. You haven't a clue what you're talking about.

[@TheOptimod]

@@BryanSteacy And as a 720p video it probably wasn't interlaced in the first place.

[@BryanSteacy]

@@TheOptimod If this is taken from the master tape which most of these uploads are, it'll be an interlaced source. Also, it's always preferential to upload anything in 1080p or up even if the source isn't due to KZbin's encoding changes since COVID. Anything 720p or below discards massive amounts of data to save bandwidth. So if you want to preserve details at all 1080p or up is necessary. Again, you haven't a clue what you're talking about.

[@TheOptimod]

@@BryanSteacy 720 to 1080 no discernible difference in most cases, and it depends on the source quality which is a variable is it not......

[@tommyrawlings3046]

Bruford is one of the greatest musicians of all time! A Genius in his realm!

[@RomanBeloHorizonte]

4:42 that's a familiar sound 🥴

[@ShawnHolderfield]

Man, I had these when I was a kid. Simmons were the bees knees back in the 80's

[@RossWasTaken]

6:11 iconic

[@jeffreybiscoe6]

A interviewer with enough knowledge to ask legit questions , very impressive in my opinion