Mike Clark Explains The "Actual Proof" Groove

Watch drumming legend Mike Clark explain the famous "Actual Proof" groove from Herbie Hancock's "Thrust" album- only on DrumChannel!
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[@jas_bataille]

If you're a drummer, you know you questioned your entire life the moment you heard him goes, "the beat ain't that complicated"

[@ARR-57]

Even if ur not a drummer…as simply nothin more than a listener and lover of music…Actual Proof was my 1st experience of being blown away by Mike Clark when it came out…and when he says how it’s not that complicated I get blown further…lol…I absolutely love what he does on the cut in conjunction w/all the band members but specifically bassist Paul Jackson…👌🏿

[@markanderson3870]

Yeah right off I'm like, ooooohhh....

[@flagg00]

Me sitting there with 7 out of ten of my fingers broken and both wrists critically injured like "yea right easy"

[@johnny5.56]

It's al relative

[@mejsjalv]

It's about as hard as it gets to play some funkified stuff on the drums. I'd go as far as saying that if you nail this groove, you might as well graduate from music school. It has a whole lot going on and it sounds really nice.

[@chickenbeforeegg]

This dude is straight gangster.

[@scotty6124]

For any drummers starting out, look how relaxed and laid back Mike is. It took me decades to realize the more relaxed you are the better you will play and the easier it will get as you age.

[@digloproductions]

Same for me as a bass player

[@kevinsullivan2362]

Yup, I didn't play for long, but I remember my instructor told me to relax. He also mentioned relaxation helps avoid injuries.

[@pretorious700]

Mike and Paul Jackson together really blew my young mind when I first heard them. RIP PJ.

[@brusselslover9333]

Thrust is one of my favorite albums, and Mike Clark just killed it on every song! What a badass drummer!

[@richardworth350]

thrust is the best from that period

[@ThaSound]

EVERY TRACK; he did to the pocket what I do to Betty Lou after a Guinness Stout!

[@marcthomas8502]

I'd been taking lessons for about 6 months and one day I walked in and Mike Clark (I had no idea who he was at the time) was there visiting. My teacher asked him to play a little bit for me and he threw down something that I later recognized as this groove. Played for thirty seconds, got up, shook my hand and said I don't want to take up too much of your time (I was all of 16 years old) & have a great lesson. From that 30 seconds he played I could just tell he had "it." And a super nice guy as well! Been almost 30 years and I'm finally sitting down to figure out this groove!

[@jas_bataille]

Wow that's a great story!

[@caryd67]

Back around 1983 I had what was already a battered copy of Modern Drummer magazine which featured my hero at the time, Bill Bruford. It also included an article about Mike Clark. I read it over and over because he sounded like a really intriguing cat. Then one summer day on my way to my buddy’s house (who had a drum kit) I passed a yard sale, and I’ll be damned if a copy of “Thust” was sitting in the grass. Paid about a quarter for it, and it changed my life. I still can’t play Actual Proof, but Mike’s linear approach has definitely become ingrained in my drumming. Thanks Mike for your incredible work.

[@speedsterh]

Good story, thanks !

[@1BuckeyeRob]

Dude my buddy had that exact copy of MD!! Just truly discovered Mike about five years ago.

[@teelurizzo8542]

Classic groove by one of all time greatest drummers.

[@radeum1010]

To have tortured my self over the years with a beat that is 'not that complicated' apparently and see Mike Clark so casually explain it....? That's as good as it gets. How fortunate is it for todays generation to just dial up on KZbin a tune you like and within reason see the artist himself giving a demonstration in detail of what he has done. Beats the hell out of having to use a 'superscope' tape recorder that could slow a tune down. And YT has 3 speed settings to slow it down in key now as well.. That's just not fair.😫

[@rillloudmother]

for real, i transcribed the first three 3 choruses of herbie's solo along with the drums and bassline. it took a while!

[@DjSoulMajestix]

i get you buddy i get you !!

[@danmarcsca3835]

Mike Clark : out of this world underrated drummer. I loved harvey Masson, and i discovered Headhunters with headhunters album and Chameleon played by Masson. Then I listened to Thrust with Mike Clark and it just snapped in my head. He was the best drummer for this music. And the best with Paul jackson on bass. Herbie knew it well. I learned to play bass listening to him and Tower of Power rythm section (Rocco Prestia and David garibaldi) Thank you for everything mr Clark !

[@DarkeningSkies1]

He was superb with Brand X as well.

[@jonp4846]

@@DarkeningSkies1 Hell yeah! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6emZIt7nMqeq7c

[@ericdreizen1463]

Too bad for Mike that Harvey became one of the busiest studio musicians in Los Angeles & Mike, heh heh heh, ONLY JUST CONTINUED TO DO $150 BAR MITVAHS & WEDDINGS IN NY!! UH HUH!!

[@rickyprasad5810]

@@ericdreizen1463diccccckkkk

[@davidofpiano423]

Unparalleled pocket shaping from this guy. Draws in so many different elements together like some kind of culinary wizarding genius. Oakland's finest right there.

[@peterg.bassist]

Thank you Mike Clark for creating one of the most amazing drum performances with Herbie Hancock! ...smokin'!!!

[@randyclere7756]

Mike is a national treasure. As a bassist, I LOVE HIM!!

[@NikosKoroneos]

My absolute hero. The most elegant and sophisticated drumming with style personality and syncopation with meaning. Mr. Clark changed the game.

[@halhal98]

The real actual proof. Thank you for the great play Mike.

[@klank67]

I know I just said it but it's worth repeating... this is groove gold!!

[@pangeaproxima3681]

ok, ok...

[@EricBlackmonGuitar]

I have always loved this guy. The amazing MIKE CLARK!

[@markgriskey]

His work with Hancock was so incredibly inspiring. I was a teen and just starting to play when those albums came out.

[@klank67]

That's some killer pocket right there kids!!

[@nebbykoo]

I love Mike Clark. He was a big influence on my playing as a boy. He's so natural and flowing. He dances on the drums. Absolute master.

[@quincydrones928]

God damn a seasoned Mike Clark plays with so much feel.

[@ryebread7224]

“The best is not that complicated” is the funniest shit I’ve ever heard!

[@saky228]

the beat*

[@ryebread7224]

@@saky228 haha yeah…. Stupid autocorrect…. I didn’t notice it changed “beat” to “best” before posting. But yeah, I meant “beat”.

[@tipofelice]

Mr. Mike Clark, a most wonderful drummer! Naturally talented musician who expresses beautifully on the drums.

[@AngeloSantelliMusic]

This is the holy grail. Wish it went on for like 10 minutes and I’m not even a drummer

[@ericdreizen1463]

YEAH. UH HUH. HMMMM...ABSOLUTELY!! YES SUH!! YEP. THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY VERDAD! UNEQUIVOCAL FACT! I can safely agree. Well, okay, I guess so. That could very well be. The day has arrived when I can say u're right. Hey, know what? U speak volumes! Ya! Yes! Yeas! Yeah! Heh heh heh......OHHHHH GAWDDDDD YEASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@davel.9467]

An absolute monster. What a drummer!

[@KONAMAN100]

That is joyous, that last bit at the end is sensational

[@markn.7623]

One of my all-time favorite drummers! His playing on Actual Proof is one of the best fusion/funk performances ever! 👍👍❤

[@Sauron191]

You blow me away Mike … everytime!!! 👊🏻👊🏻

[@jasonpowell8832]

Profound. I’m just in awe of how much originality is in this

[@Jellybeantiger]

Only just getting this drummer through Brand X,I just listened to Thrust and my mind was blown,I am a drummer but a massive rhodes piano fan,so listening to Thrust was a double bonus.

[@alexbaum2204]

I have loved this beat since the first time I heard it 20 years ago. I was a freshman in college, just getting back into drums again after laying off while playing sports in high school, and I’d started hanging in more musical circles. I’m dating myself here, but Napster was the thing then and it was morphing into a set of better ways to discover new music. Between online exploration, hitting up record shops, and delving deeper into the musical community, I was being turned on to a lot of music I had not yet heard (and sharing a lot of music too). But this was one of those songs that really stuck with me, and almost entirely because of the drumming. Mike Clark is a name that stuck with me and that I can pull out of thin air 20 years down the line because I was just transfixed. It was the ultimate groove! At the time, I was so focused on getting my chops back. It could have been all too easy to get stuck on Vinnie and Danny Carey and Omar Hakim and the other really technical guys I was listening to. And all that shit is indeed amazing and can teach you a lot, but THIS kept me in the frame of mind that “oh shit, that’s right - I’m a drummer and it’s all about playing what’s best for the song!” My fascination for the very busy and technical styles didn’t go away; like I said, there’s so much to learn from it. But this one song opened up a new wavelength for me and led me down the equally if not more important path of listening to guys like Steve Gadd (“Tapanzee” with Bob James is a personal favorite) and the Stubblefield-Starks connection. I even went back to the drummers I’d loved growing up - Bonham, Chad Smith, and of course Copeland - and their groove was overwhelming! I felt as though I’d missed it and now I couldn’t help but hear it. So much of that was thanks to this one song. I think it woke me up to the importance of not only trying to get my chops back, but that it was crucial to grow up and mature as far as how I saw a drummer’s role. What a mark for a drummer to leave on someone! And to watch him speak so candidly about this groove? Well, let’s just say that through all the bullshit out there, KZbin can be a pretty magical thing at times.

[@3dge--runner]

One of my all time favourite grooves is his recording of this track with Herbie

[@robertjohnson4999]

I like this video. " Actual proof" is one of my favorites by Herbie Hancock, especially the drum beat. This master drummer broke it and simplified it. Awesome!👍

[@MC_Hammerpants]

One of the GOATs

[@Artikulo71]

That drumsound is Amazing!🎵🎶🥁👍👌

[@Deagledrumzz]

Class drummer with incredible grooves and technique that goes above and beyond.

[@ronbyrd1616]

I saw Mike about 10 yrs ago here in East Tenn at a music store drum clinic...super nice and interactive with audience. For some reason I asked him if he knew the band Coldblood (Lydia Pence) , he says "yes Sandy Mckee on drums"...I was blown away...he's been around, and I hope for a very long time. Love watching him!

[@Sauron191]

Mike is my favourite drummer of all time ... He just oozes funk!!! 👊🏻👊🏻

[@edoardozampetti4601]

One of the century,s drummers

[@1maggotbrain]

I always thought he was one of the most underrated off our time

[@DavisSchulz]

this guy is a beast

[@trevormcmanis]

One of the greatest rhythms ever recorded. By one of the greatest drummers...

[@saracinesca9864]

Thank you ,this is wonderful! I love this album .. Mr.Mike Clark,thank you very much! 💥Great! What a drummer..much esteem for you!

[@personanongrata2005]

Yeah the man is Original Cool. He's the man that first flipped my script. Read up on the interviews, dude is a tough guy. He wants not for but the sake of music! A pureist and pioneer, Mike Clark for President!

[@JM-jc1vz]

Thank you Mr. Clark!!

[@ddrums001]

Smokin’ drummer! Is funk and jazz patterns are legendary! All I can say is, Damn! Mike!!

[@supadisseur4713]

For those who want to know wich clyde stubblefield groove he talking about its the give it up or turn it a loose ( in the jungle groove ) from james brown. Every drummer should know this beat. It's a masterpiece

[@trevormckinnon6696]

A terrific touch and feel Mike Clark has on the drums. Always enjoyed his and Paul Jackson's bass playing on those HeadHunter albums.

[@antoniskolias]

I just love this guy

[@CarlosLopez-cw5yv]

Fortunately, slow motion exists! Awesome groove!

[@ThePremel]

🤭😜🤭

[@musopaul5407]

Saw him with Brand X; life-changing!

[@AMIR-nw8co]

Love those grooves.

[@Sauron191]

Mike!!! You ARE the funk master!! No wonder how Herbie clicked you!! 👊🏻👊🏻 RESPECT!!!

[@blahblahoink]

Mike Clark! Funky jazzy groove merchant extraordinaire. My favourite drummer.

[@coolaxe-dw4840]

Totally AWESOME 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

[@jjoriley2221]

Thrust was one of the great albums from that era, and Theme from Deathwish one of the great tunes.

[@jwongk76]

Spook who sat by the door.

[@EvanFromJersey]

He was on fire in the studio version

[@Gianfranco_69]

Its the bounce,when you start to feel the way the sticks bounce and "roll" its a whole new thing

[@louisgreen3915]

The first version of Actual Proof was actualy the soundtrack Herbie did for the movie "The Spook Who Sat by the Door" in 1973. The drumming on that version sounds like Harvey Mason, which to my opinion sounded just as great. Just a couple of seconds before Mike said it, I was thinking Clyde Stubblefield, who for me is the Northstar of all great funk drumming.

[@MidasEnglish]

Great! Thanks a lot. The beat is not that complicated~!! It will take me "only one year or two years" to master the beat.

[@ChowMeinChowdown]

😂

[@satindrakalpoe9278]

Legend!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@krenwregget7667]

man, that's smoooooooooth.

[@tiluriso]

No doubt Mike is one of the greatest drummers of all time.

[@TheManuelpuerta]

i need an hour long of this

[@freshpansen6313]

Such a huge master! Makes me wanna practice my groove and i dont even play the drums lol

[@ermesborgnino4704]

Very helpful. i just need to break it down...... slowly.... Well done sir!

[@citydrums7525]

Mike set the bar very high with the original version...

[@ericdreizen1463]

He taught himself to play in a very unorthodox manner. He air-drummed on the steering wheel of his Chevy truck 8 hrs a day while driving around for 10 yrs! The result? Heh heh heh, VOILA!! UH HUH!!

[@dagostinoification]

Mike groove very relax ! space.... great drummer !

[@danielugdoracion7554]

You a beast sir 🔥

[@clayh9624]

More Mike Clark. He's the cool dude on drums. The coolest around :-)

[@nowaatosee]

Mike is the master of funk.. everything he did with Herbie Hancock is historical 🎵🎶🎼

[@blueridgedsia]

Mike, thanks for being H20. We would all die without your skils.

[@richardworth350]

you are the man

[@dagostinoification]

Great Mike !

[@ogKalmari]

Everyone knows the basic beat is godlike and on top of that all decisions Mike Clark does when he talks with that beat, on top of that THE KIT SOUNDS godlike too. So Mike Clark does all things just spot on!

[@Sallibotz]

Studied with Mike and Frank Katz at Drummers collective ages ago.

[@marc2397]

Mike Clark, funky ass white boy. ❤️🙏🏻

[@lawrencelumetta5070]

Thrust!... The Fender Rhodes!... Mike Clark! Damn, Damn, Damn! The fucking best

[@asleep909]

This man is a damned HERO! Thrust is by far the funkiest jazz record of the 1970s/

[@pavlosgermanidis2754]

What a beast

[@markgriskey]

I agree but he plays with such eloquence too. Perhaps he’s a panther rather than a lion :)

[@jimmyreid235]

Mike Clark is a baaadd man... funkiest drummer in the universe. His syncopated accenting is the coolest shit I ever heard. I'd love to study with him for awhile... He is a master funk and jazz drummer, not to mention he can kick some blues ass as well as anyone...

[@tootory9506]

Mike is a true fucking genius just listen to him It is peaceful and groovy 🔦 you don't even need to know what he's doing, although it's really great to know, actually! Yeah his magical enjoy my God I know I do

[@yohji5650]

His kit sounds fckin amazing

[@fryk2462]

Coolest drummer in the universe...he can groove to the extreme

[@HarryJoiner]

🔥LEGEND🔥

[@dethronedb]

Fuckin' A - Mike Clark

[@rillloudmother]

I transcribed the first few choruses of Clark's drum line during Herbie's solo, have so much better perspective on what Herbie was doing.

[@e.nowbodhi144]

possibly the most lethal groove of all history

[@ThePremel]

GOD MIKE YOUR TOTALLY INSANE.....YOUR DRUMMING IS PURE EXTRATERRESTRIAL 🤭✌🏻🙏🏻💖

[@bassbird]

its crazy how far back he holds the sticks..im gonna try that

[@markbozz153]

Simple ain't the same thing as easy. mike's the master.

[@Ihitthings3]

“This beat isn’t that complicated” 😂. I love how he takes a direct influence from Clyde Stubblefield and makes it his own, applies jazz bebop sensibility and phrasing.

[@AEN.]

Please could someone write me what is the exact model of this drums? Thanks

[@greer2402]

One of the hardest songs to play on drums

[@MidasEnglish]

Just three years passed away. When could I master this "amazing' beat?

[@Kenyaprince]

So I added a little bit...O really Mike? As a bass player who grew up in the 70's, that little bit, speaks VOLUMES!!!!

[@dagconst1]

Legend

[@mattmarkus4868]

That......is badass.

[@Soavejo3]

Str8 chillin

[@JohnR32111]

Ghost note magic