Drum Teacher Reacts to Nick D'Virgilio - Spock's Beard - Gibberish - Episode 130

Steve's analysis, initial reactions and hot takes of Nick D'Virgilio of Spock's Beard playing "Gibbersh"
#keeppracticinguntilitseasy #regaltip #makedrumsmusicalagain
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Original Video -
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[@NDVirgilio]

Yo Junkdrummer TV! Thanks so much for doing this video. I really do appreciate it. I’m happy you talked about the singing aspect of the tune. I’m a huge fan of Phil Collins and Levon Helm. Both big influences for me. I’ve never done Broadway but I’m a total goofball. Hence the facial expressions. I’ve been singing since I was a young kid and studied voice/singing since my music school days. I love singing as much as drumming. The lyrics for this tune are a piss take. Pretty much every cliche we could think of all tied together. Anyway, thanks again for choosing me for one of your videos. Take care, NDV 🤘

[@NPazable]

Nick!!

[@sidecardog5244]

Nick was the back up singer to Neal Morse in the first line up of SB. He later went on to be the lead singer after Morse left the band. Just another Genesis parallel.

[@HollowGolem]

"Name a band whose sixth album is a double-disc concept album set in New York City, whose lead singer and lyricist leaves after that album to be replaced on vocals by the drummer, and whose self-titled is in the latter half of their discography." I can name TWO! And it's even funnier because Nick played studio drums on a couple of tracks on Genesis last album, _Calling All Stations_

[@HollowGolem]

"They need a lyricist." Given that the song is called "Gibberish" I assume the lyrics are that bad on purpose. This was '90s prog, when everybody had a little bit of a sense of humor about what they were doing, because who the hell puts out a prog album in the 90s? When he wants to, Neal can absolutely put down some amazing lyrics. (He was still their chief songwriter when this album originally came out, and Nick was backup vocals and drums at the time)

[@petermuller7079]

😁 That was exactly my first thought: That song is a deliberate parody about those pseudo intellectual prog lyrics. So that's on point.

[@NDVirgilio]

Ding ding ding! You won the grand prize. The lyrics are nonsense on purpose 👍

[@BillVerstege]

I was able to see Spock's Beard twice before Neal left. I don't recall the "Broadway" embellishments back then as the whole band was working hard to put on a tight show. This recording is of Nick playing in a studio to a track that he's played a hundred times by now. He does this with no effort since it's all muscle memory by now. Watch an old video of the band live on stage and he'd be doing the same thing without the theatrics. Everyone in that band back then was a top notch player. In the opening to this song, I can remember Neal's brother Alan sitting on a chair playing a cello before the tempo picks up. Never saw that before or since!

[@transatlanticwhirlwind7589]

Nick is so awesome I’ve seen him play some Spock’s beard live it was great.

[@gericko]

Thanks for your reaction sir. :) Spock's is not doing a traditional round here in this song. Each voice part hass a completely different rhythm that repeats, each with having similar but not exactly the same words. So it's not a traditional round where each one is singing the same thing but starting one after the another. ::grin:: So Nick is ignoring 3 other voice rhythms, singing the second voice pattern, and playing a pattern that fits all 4 vocal rhythms. BTW, Nick is now the drummer for Big Big Train, which is a popular English Prog Band. He also has toured with Genesis and played on their Calling All Stations album. He also has toured with Tears for Fears and others.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

Funny that you mentioned Phil Collins as a singer drummer. Nick also played with Genesis. He was the drummer on their final album "Calling all stations" after Collins left.

[@landonpeckham7752]

Nick is also the guy that does drum demo's on Sweetwater and was a session drummer on Genesis's "calling all stations"

[@yeahnahmate1611]

Gentle Giant has heaps of harmonies including the bass player playing violin and singing at the same time lol.

[@tiffshorse13]

It’s not broadway singing. I’m cracking up. I’m also married to the guy. You can believe my words. His facial poses are just him being a great performer. He’s out with Mr. big on tour currently.

[@JunkdrummerTV]

What do you have against Broadway singing?

[@drumteacher43]

Nick is a killer drummer did not know he could sing like that! Like you said very very hard to do! Loved the reaction Steve! Excellent commentary as always!! I’m a huge prog fan and like you I loved the over the bar line stuff! 🥁💕

[@transatlanticwhirlwind7589]

He can play piano, guitar, and bass too.

[@terrynunn1564]

I've been a huge fan of most of the bands that Nick has been and is in, as a huge Spocks Beard fan, if you listen when they sing in rounds they are not even singing the same words, each guy will be singing something different. Check out Nick's solo album Invisible, he is a very, very talented guy.

[@johncassidy3071]

When Nick was lead singer of Spock's Beard, from the vid I've seen, he'd stand out front, with Jimmy Keagan on drums, playing guitar. He took a break with a steady gig with Circue d'Soleil, so that's kind of Broadway, but after Spock's he joined the prog band Big Big Train as full time drummer (he had been doing work as their studio drummer for a number of albums)

[@VoIcanoman]

I saw them live in New York City back in 2007 when Nick was the lead singer, and man...he did it ALL. He played drums (two kits on stage, occasionally played simultaneously by both drummers), he played guitar, he played keyboards (some of Neal's parts). I was waiting for him to tell Dave Meros to take a hike and start playing bass, or perhaps pull a comedic "Nightmare Cinema" with the rest of the band, each member playing another's instrument, so that Nick could truly claim he played all the instruments. Guy's a freakin' legend. Everyone always saw Neal Morse as the main creative and musical genius in the band, and it's true, it did take them awhile to find their feet again after he left, but by the time their self-titled 9th studio album was released, they were firing on all cylinders, compositionally, lyrically and technically (both instrumental and vocal performances were top notch...I only realized after seeing them live that Nick is actually a far better singer than Neal Morse, and I LOVE Neal's singing). I don't know why they never got the recognition that many other equally-talented (and a few lesser) prog bands acquired...they certainly put in enough work to deserve it. It always blows my mind that one of the 4 main bands that shaped my current musical taste (the other 3 are Pain of Salvation, Dream Theater and Rush), could never actually be a full-time band. *They all have day jobs,* and Spock's Beard was and is their passion project.

[@Jack68676]

A good early example of a prog band with polyphonic vocals is Gentle Giant from the 70s. I would guess spocks beard took a lot of influence from them.

[@VoIcanoman]

Hey, just so you know...the song is called "Gibberish" for a reason. The lyrics are gibberish. They're meant to be gibberish. Spock's Beard actually had an extremely competent lyricist in this period of their history, but I guess they wanted to write a song with vocals, where the singing was the point, and the lyrics were just a means to an end. You can't really articulate in this style of vocal polyphony (I don't think it's quite a round, but it does give me round vibes) with "ooohs" and "aaahs," and that "doowop" style of singing is so 1940s. Hence lyrics that work syntactically, but fall apart semantically. This is a band that liked to play around, writing in a genre that is altogether far too serious (occasionally verging into pretentiousness), far too often.

[@ztazon]

Great reaction! Sorry I'm this late to the party, but an amazing musician like NdV deserves praise anytime. If you haven't by now, check Edge of the in Between, from X, but the live version. There you have a full fledged De Virgilio display, good for heart's content. Cheerz!

[@tylerbailey9329]

I remember I had to sing the chorus for the Queens of the Stone Age song "Make It Wit Chu" whilst playing a simple straight beat and it felt like one of the hardest coordination challenges ever. This shit just melts my brain 😆 I hope I get to meet Nick one day, he's too damn cool.

[@andrewheld4047]

Good to see you back!

[@JunkdrummerTV]

It's good to be back

[@sidecardog5244]

Awesome video. Almost all SB songs had complex harmonies. Ps, Genesis weird similarities abound with Spock's Beard. They start with Nick playing on several tunes on Genesis' last album (the one that shall be unnamed ). Also, Nick is a multi-instrumentalist. Check out SB live stuff. He also plays the keys and guitar.

[@chevelle6268]

I believe Nick also drummed for a while with Tears For Fears. You might want to check out his work there.

[@simplemindedsage]

Nick took over lead vocals in SB after their original singer/keyboard player Neal Morse left. He's no longer a full member, but still does some session work for them. Nowadays he's basically the face of Sweetwater.

[@Kirkshelton]

I suggested a cover song for my band and they agreed but said I had to sing it. Now I have a mic and do a ton of backing vocals.

[@dbmdrums1105]

13:41 Even i said it out loud ....." Bonham Lick"! Man him and The "REV" inspire me too to like try giving backing vox for my band practise

[@DWH072]

How could it be not what it is

[@TwoandaHater]

FINALLY! (I have said this having not watching the video yet).

[@TwoandaHater]

You are right, I was suggesting him forever because of the singing (not the drumming lol). Glad you enjoyed his vox!

[@The_Rick_Black]

Steve, as a fellow H-Town musician, I will gladly allow you to borrow all the early Spock's Beard records so you can here what they do. The early stuff isn't available on the streaming services.

[@midvale5thyear]

Could you do a vid on any of the drummers from Primus? Prefer Brain first if it matters. Thanks Steve.

[@JunkdrummerTV]

I did!! Please check it out!

[@1ordell]

Haven't had a chance to watch yet, but is that the guy from the sweetwater demo videos?

[@JunkdrummerTV]

yep

[@dbmdrums1105]

alright! Thanks STEVE . Please , Please react to Gar Samuelson drum tracks from MEGADETH " Peace Sells Era".

[@MegaShinobi2011]

If you're still taking reaction suggestions YOU HAVE to check out Yussef Dayes and Alfa Mist's Abbey Road performance of 'Love Is The Message'. Even if you don't react to it, it's still a song/performance too good not to mention

[@JunkdrummerTV]

I already did a Yusef video! Please check it out

[@MegaShinobi2011]

@@JunkdrummerTV Oh I did and I love it. Saw a few artist repeats so I figured I'd ask just in case, but even just for personal viewing/listening based on some things you've said in that video and your Larnell videos I know you'd vibe with the song. Overall I know I'm late to getting to this video but I'm glad to see the page still going

[@robertjantzen6545]

Can we please just hear the piece with comment after ?

[@JunkdrummerTV]

Yeah. Just go watch the video. And quit complaining about a video you watch for free.

[@robertjantzen6545]

@@JunkdrummerTV so you suck...lol...just another nobody pretending to know music... what's your famous band's name? Go to sleep dude.... I'm out and unsubscribed.

[@JunkdrummerTV]

​@robertjantzen6545 and you're just another nobody in my comment section.

[@radicalstanza3614]

Literally no reaction channel does that. For obvious reasons. Incredibly dumb complaint.

[@robertjantzen6545]

Perhaps I was too critical. I apologize. I'm just used to reactions where the music is not so gratuitously interrupted....inserting a comment here and there but waiting until the end to backtrack and cover finer points. It's kinda hard to truly appreciate a piece that's interrupted every 10 seconds or so ..just sayin...take care.

[@robinjohnson6301]

4:43 You want a prog band that does harmonies? Check out Haken! Their drummer Ray Hearne is also a beast. I think you'd probably enjoy this song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpDIZYyObJiKrZY

[@ZackMorse]

Check out Echolyn if you’re looking for more oddball prog with harmonies. Their “As The World” album is a pretty good place to start. Enjoy!

[@danielreed8869]

The song is named Gibberish. It should make no sense

[@scottpope7180]

I tried watching the channel again, but the ridiculously frequent stops just ruin it! Play a section comment on a section, but maybe let more than a few seconds go by? I get the idea... break it down, give your reaction, etc, but all you're doing is driving me over to see the original clip. I'll check back in 2024.

[@JunkdrummerTV]

You should start your own channel and do just that!!

[@tomhill9445]

You're gonna stop it every three seconds ? Life is too short.

[@JunkdrummerTV]

You're*

[@tiffshorse13]

He has never trained in voice. That’s all Nick. He’s a natural singer sweeter than a bird. These songs were written by Neal. Nick has never sung in any kind of musical. Just a couple prog rock operas. Considering he’s been doing this licks since 1990, he’s the originator of those prog rock fills, hits and high hat work.

[@TwoandaHater]

fun to see Nick's wife on here commenting!!!!