Dino Danelli & Liberty DeVitto Conversations 1

Filmed conversation between Dino & Lib at the Cutting Room in NYC for Modern Drummer Magazine

[@clinicaleducator1237]

As a drummer for over 50 years......this guy was and still is my idol. I saw the Rascals numerous times. Met them several times. Very nice guys...all of them. HUMBLE!! I lived in New York back then so they were ALWAYS playing somewhere in the area. When Dino played the girls went into coma. His style, groove (twirling those sticks) and appearance ( he is a good looking cuz ) MADE rock and roll in the 60's. WE ALL wanted to be Dino Danelli. I understand EVERYTHING Liberty said in these conversations. Loved listening to them then and still love it today. Thank you for 50+ years of rock and roll guys.

[@jo-annkawakami3373]

Heart broken to hear about Dino's passing. Gr8 drummer & person. Groove on & keep twirling those sticks in heaven. RIP, Dinoooo! We luv U.

[@harperstacey9604]

I was also sad to hear about Dino's death. I had a crush on him for many years. From Ms. Harper Stacey.

[@TuckerSP2011]

Dino takes every compliment and turns it around to Liberty. He's thst humble. RIP Dino.

[@russellpoblano884]

RIP Dino ! A great drummer with a jazz influence ! Beautiful music of the 1960'S. East coast blue eyed soul ! We here in L.A. , the East side inparticular, loved the music . "Come On Up" to heaven Dino....

[@patm5086]

East coast rules

[@krisscanlon4051]

Two great Italian East Coast drummers...both amazing.

[@patm5086]

God bless Dino Danelli RIP

[@PhilZaza23]

RIP Dino! Great Drummer Great Band! Glad I got to see them!

[@harleydavidson6851]

They used to play in my Godfathers club in Sheepshead Bay! Before they made it big. The Bay Au Go Go.. I was a kid & I Remember seeing the girls dancing in them suspended cages. Awwsome drummer! They were Great 👍.. Best music ever. God Bless..

[@jazzysnaps]

Dino in my view ( educated ) was one of the greatest drummers of the 60s 70s era my first vision of him playing, good lovin is set in stone in my memory, it is rare to see a drummer just climb into a song and drive it like a race car. Respect.

[@taneclark6926]

he's my favorite drummer and always got my attention, what a guy.....

[@Jugivadi]

A couple of super cool dudes man. RIP Dino, love these guys.

[@rhlc301]

I was the drummer inthe band that lost my job at the Choo Choo club in Garfield to the rascals. I knew Dino since the Hoboken days with Ronnie Speeks and the Elrods. The man revolutionized the rock drumming era. I nnew Eddie and Dave Brigati from the Joey Dee days.

[@fmtalks1386]

You can tell Dino is very proud of his jazz roots.

[@chungiemunchin]

I love Liberty's attitude. For all of his success and prominence as the drummer behind Billy Joel, he shows himself as a fan first. You gotta love a cat like that! Dino was one of my all time drummer heroes as well.

[@rogermansour6085]

Dino , a huge influence on my playing.I played with The Vagrants and we did alot of gigs with the fabulous Rascals, .also Liberty another legendary drummer. Evangelist Roger Mansour Missionary to Haiti

[@dynasticlight8706]

Hey Roger. Saw ,You guys open for them. It's , Tom , was w/ Alessi Bros. then . You ,came to studio and wanted My Ludwigs. w/ 26" Bass Drums .We laughed. Then ,hung out at Electric Lady ..

[@lordburlap4514]

Dino...one of the best....

[@maekae911]

Back in the day, Dino really rdrummed a beat in my heart.😄 🧡

[@Nuudles12]

The Young Rascals are the first band in america , so that makes Dino Danelli the first and only best drummer period.

[@richarda7346]

This is wonderful.

[@terrygaskey17]

I bought Hold On and it was an A Side played on Cleveland Ohio radio

[@peterdavis8585]

Awesome. Glad I stumbled onto this.

[@jo-annkawakami3373]

OMG! Always been a Rascals fan so it's gr8 2 hear from Dino & get 2 know more about him. Luv it.

[@gregmcveigh9966]

I"m just now seeing this wonderful interview - two of my favorite drummers. What I remember about Dino - one of the things - was the sound that he/they got on his kick drum. No reverb, very dry. And it killed.

[@robertpeers3742]

First saw the Rascals at The Barge club,Long Island,'64,before they signed with Atlantic.I was 14 and my sis Nancy was dating Felix.I last saw them at Criteria studio in N Miami in '69

[@oldschoolSlyfan]

I would love to know how many sets of drums he's set on fire over the years. This man could play the drums.

[@goneatlast]

"Hold On" stands as such a Dino jewel from the Rascals' "See" lp. Dino plays in a class by himself. Thanks for posting this informative interview.

[@johnnyreo9681]

...He was the whole package. God given talent, technique, over the top star quality ...I believe he got those stick tricks from jazz great,Sonny Payne.. I'm not sure he got the recognition he really deserved,,,but hey, we're still talking about him right now, right?

[@travelinman617]

Dino was incredible great drummer one of the best I ever hurd rascals were awsum that's for sure

[@dunskie]

That whole "Stranger" album was a drumming masterpiece by Liberty.

[@kevinkmny]

I wouldn't say best, but certainly one of them, and one of the coolest to watch.

[@bjjt-nu9dx]

Dino was the man early '60's . Performer. No tilt cymbals. 24" BD. Mickey's Monkey/Lovelights.

[@glennadamson9576]

Thank you for all the great music and your superb drumming, and the joy you brought to me and millions of music fans, your legacy will live on in every kid who picks up his first set of sticks. Thank you and God bless you and yours.

[@otineb5]

Badass interview, for sure.

[@chirodrum]

Great to see two of rocks best in this format. Thanks!

[@joywimer4281]

Dino grrrrrrrrrreeat drummer 🏆🏆🏆 this guy too

[@knightsofpythias]

Just finished watching all 10 parts of this interview. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. I bought my '66 Ludwig kit because of Dino Danelli. The set looks more like Ringo's, but it was because of Dino (THE best rock drummer of the 60s.)

[@michaelchindamo7886]

I am very familiar with "Hold On" that Dino is speaking of. I practiced that song about a million times. This groove was something that I used for many gigs as it has a great application and syncopation that can be applied in many variations.

[@bestever5511]

I was friends with a drummer Randy Castillo who used to be with Ozzy for 10 years. And I was sitting with Randy and another friend of mine's house who was just gotten married, the bass player for heart, and I told Randy I think you got your style from Dino danelli, and he said absolutely did!

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

Dino was a childhood hero of mine. Maybe 22 years ago, I was in the Long Island Drum Shop, trying to get an old Premier snare drum repaired, and they had one of his Premier kits with the green, white and red stripes on the shelf. I was floored. RIP to one of the coolest ever. And Mr. DeVitto is no slouch, either.

[@robin2012ism]

rip Dino.

[@annetteathanasatos1229]

Dino, you look great. The first time I saw your group The Rascals, I said move over Gene Krupa, Dino is here. When you are playing the drums, wow Dino you can play, there is something about you, your whole body moves with the beat of the drums. You are terrific, and so are Felix, Eddie & Gene. Wishing you all the very best. Keep swinging'.

[@DYNODRUM]

I saw THEM AT island Garden near my House ; The Hassles opened [B.Joel] The Vagrants were next [Leslie.West] The Vanilla Fudge Next [early on] & The RASCALS wore the Crown as they headlined . And blew the whole lid off ..

[@greg8598]

As a drummer, I always cringe when I see or hear Keith Moon rated as being up there with Bonham. For me, he was a flashy percussionist who just didn't have the patience to actually "keep time". Now Dino, on the other hand, was just as flashy as Moon, but Dino NEVER ever stopped keeping time, which is a drummer's main job. Dino is right up there with the best.

[@dynasticlight1073]

Entwistle and Townsend ,both said He could never land rite. Thats how they developed their sound . He should not be mentioned anyhere near "Dino". Seen these dudes many times .BEFORE THE WORD AWESUM WAS INVENTED.

[@Jerry-oo8hd]

Wow. Something sane written here! Moon was no Bonham. Rolling Stone awarded John the best rock drummer of all time, and for Good Reason. He could swing a straight 4 or 6/8. Incredible. Moon didn’t have a hi hat

[@edgarcook9607]

Dino studied with Gene Krupa; to me, Dino plays Rock n' Soul music with a lot of Krupa tricks (twirling, the freeze beat, etc.) and a Krupa attitude!

[@bryanstaddon5998]

Keith played what was needed to make The Who what they are. Thank God he didn’t play like everyone else. I have room in my head for a million drummers. Pure technique is wonderful but so is insane pounding!

[@Jerry-oo8hd]

@@bryanstaddon5998 …oh, I agree, wholeheartedly! Keith was an icon. I could never figure out with all his stick-waving and air-twirling how he ever actually STRUCK the drum head. Looked like he was playing air-drums all the time. But…he made it his own. Made it werk.

[@sunnyFLb]

thank you, bdrum50, for sharing this interview with the rest of us....i found it really interesting and watched all 10 parts in succession.....wonderful hearing two great drummers able to relate to one another about music, musical influences, anecdotal memories....growing up in NY, i was a huge rascals fan and cut a lot of school to hang out outside their homes....LOL... so good to see these noo yawk guys!!! hoping that tours bring them down to FL---i'll be front row ... :-)

[@ffarr1]

Dino was ahead of his time! He was everything I wanted to be at that age!

[@JohnTCoupe]

I have been a fan since day 1~ I 1st saw them LIVE @ my High school ....he just mention MacArthur HS ...A day I will never for get ..& that was over 50 years ago...

[@alis.8141]

Dino was so humble and gives credit to those he admired. He was just the best. My friend and I met the Rascals in 1969 - we were only 14 at the time. I fell in love with Felix and my girlfriend fell in love with Eddie. The whole group were gentlemen, signed our autograph book, took photos and we were hooked from then on.

[@kfc1951]

I seen them at my high school in Brooklyn (Grover Cleveland) in 1967 got to talk to them in a classroom after the show with a pass from the school newspaper Dino signed his name on my girlfriends arm in ink they were a bunch of great guys ! Much later on I saw Felix in Connecticut and related that story to him with much more detail he was nice enough to seem very interested in what I told him like I said great guys all of them thank goodness we have all that music and videos recorded ! RIP Mr Dinelli

[@Victoria0921]

Without a doubt, my favorite drummer of all time...technique, musicianship, stage presence, even though I loved Buddy Rich. Dino Danelli is the only drummer that I couldn't take my eyes off of. God bless him. The Rascals are really in a class of their own.

[@bestever5511]

He's showing Jesus some flamadiddles now. R.I.P

[@terr777]

RIP Dino.

[@fizanthony]

RIP Dino Danelli

[@taneclark6926]

talented, sexy, well taught, and one hell of a sexy guy....

[@MrPorsche85]

Liberty was the drummer for Billy Joel when I saw him about 93. Great drummer, was on it the whole 2 hr. show.

[@dynasticlight1073]

Really .I saw a Band ,The HASSLES .then that were one of many opening bands for the Rascals. That Drummer was Jon Small.. Way B4 libby boy.

[@paljoeynyc]

the club zeros was not in long beach...it was in glen cove...action house was off long beach boulevard in island park...action house featured locals leslie west and the vagrants, billy joel and the hassels, and the vanilla fudge.

[@danielreily2701]

Can I say ditto to franticamber. I don't believe that any one let alone a drummer would dislike the music of Buddy or Gene. They set the bar so high ! Just had to say great comment and now with you tube music check that old stuff out .

[@franticamber]

You young tike players should take heed to where the influences of a lot of great drummers' like Dino and Liberty came from. Make an effort to listen to the earlier phenoms like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich even if you HATE their music. You won't be sorry... I promise!!!

[@otineb5]

I agree, fyi, I grew up in Gene Krupa's old neighborhood known as South Chicago, and the house that he lived in and church where he took snare drum lessons from a Nun are still standing.

[@regaltip8A]

Andy Newmark was also a massive fan of Dinos drumming.

[@tedGEGI]

you're rite-----best is charlie watts of the stones

[@drumsport]

Hard to beat an Italian-American drummer. Danelli, Porcaro, Bozzio, Colaiuta, DeVitto, Castronova, Marrotta, both Appice brothers, Mangini, Carmassi, Panazzo, and Cartellone are just a few of the cream of the crop.

[@dynasticlight8706]

You forgot Donati, Bellsoni..

[@wayneingram3138]

Ditto

[@mikeodonnell6799]

kids dont want to hear about this guy. they are all into Jenna Ortega and Taylor Swift.