Stewart Copeland - Drum Clinic 1985 - Part 1 of 4

Scroll down for info. © 1985 Stewart Copeland. I do not own the rights to this recording, which is commercially unavailable. Uploaded to youtube for fan entertainment / archival purposes only.
Inexplicably, this great drum clinic recording has never been put up on youtube, despite being circulated fairly widely among fans of The Police in the past. Stewart Copeland, just one year before playing his final shows with this band (until their 2007 reunion), provides a 45 minute lesson in minimalism, nailing the beat and ingenuity.
A superb demonstration of Copeland's percussive skill and idiosyncratic magic.
...and check out that Fairlight!
"Copeland is also noted for his strong emphasis on the groove as a complement to the song, rather than as its core component. He once drove this point home at a drum clinic: Copeland announced that he would show the audience something "that very few modern drummers can do," and proceeded to play a simple rock beat for two minutes. [Source: en.wikipedia.or...]
From the original taper:
"I waited in line 2 hours with my Dad at PASIC in Universal City, CA to see Stewart. In fact, he was the only reason we made the drive from Phoenix to attend the clinic. We finally entered the ballroom where the clinic was taking place (we were first in line) only to find the first several rows already filled with VIP's. Undeterred, I took my portable Panasonic VHS recorder and standalone camera on a tripod and sat myself IN FRONT of the first row. Others soon followed my lead and the entire section was packed. I was the only kid who brought a video camera, however; they were a rare item during the mid-80's.
Anyway, I met Stewart and a bunch of other PASIC attendees at an autograph session. He signed my "Rhythmatist" poster which proudly hangs on my wall. I even managed to grab one of the drumsticks he used in the clinic...all in all, a pretty memorable experience."

[@ScottHessel]

Greetings! I am the "mysterious video camera person" who crouched in front of the front row to obtain this.

[@Roonlovesfish3874]

Thank you, "mysterious video camera person." 😊

[@mikevanderhule]

I was there and will never forget it. This is awesome, it just brought it all back.

[@oliverpearson1577]

I seem to recall reading a magazine interview with Copeland years ago and how he described where his best drumming took place. He said he took him months to properly warm up and get in tune with the Police while they were on tour, and by the time they had finished touring, he was nearing his best playing. So he went home and recorded hours and hours of practice sessions. Oh to hear those tapes. I wish he'd release all that stuff!

[@GRIGA01]

I reckon he was referring to the synchronicity tour, as his drumming on that tour was questionably the greatest drumming of all time

[@FrankCrittendenJr]

70's baby! And proud! Can't front but, his the "Beat-Master"! 🤔🧐🔥🥁🙈🙊🙉💪🏿🙏🏿✌🏿

[@TheMilford]

the fact that he lugged out a Fairlight to a drum clinic blows my mind

[@musiclover9361]

Wow! REAL floppy discs! Awesome!

[@underscoreisnotvalid]

Gotta love that snare sound

[@altie29]

It's a frkn cannon

[@AllisterCooper2008]

He plays simply but with so much gusto. It's great. He just has a new approach. - Neil Peart on Stewart Copeland.

[@dodgepeters2050]

AllisterCooper2008 if neil said it that's a fact.

[@petebailey6977]

AllisterCooper2008 yes he said it but it’s anything but simple - it’s superhuman

[@oliverpearson1577]

Two very different drummers and musicians. Stew is an improvisor - a brilliant one, if not the best ever.

[@rodneylee4026]

I never thought of his drumming as simple

[@ralf4131]

Simple? Have you try to play a police song 1:1 than him ?

[@crazybutcool5150]

1985...the year the party never stopped. :)

[@moscropmusicdepartment9693]

Thanks for posting this video. I was at this clinic at PASIC and saw this and other amazing clinics - like the one Vinnie did. I ran into Stewart in the elevator; he was really cool. That was an amazing convention at the Sheraton Universal. I also ran into Jeff Porcaro and Jim Keltner just hanging around. Jeff was a lot shorter than I imagined and he had a deep voice. He was like a god there. Stewart is wearing the t-shirt of C-Fox radio station from Vancouver, Canada. I got to see Larry Carlton play at the Baked Potato with Rick Moratta on drums - awesome.

[@papapoodo6685]

This is PURE TREASURE!!!! Thanks for posting this!!!!

[@judeannegossin3148]

He also composed The Equalizer theme in *85. Really rocked it

[@6581punk]

And the theme tunes for Droids TV show.

[@Themplayahz]

Thank you so much for sharing, I had no idea Stewart did clinics in the 80s!

[@newzealandpromoter]

He only did this one!

[@ZINCOVIX8754]

Wow.Thank you very much for this rare footage.Fantastic.

[@larkydozer]

Thank you for putting this up.

[@TheDrumCartel]

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!! this is awesome!!!!!! thanks for posting it!!!

[@drumsanddrumming]

his 22" kick drums sounds like a 26" . good work

[@serban-costinsmaranda8049]

Now you really can hear those RUDE cymbals in action!

[@harveylee51]

+Serban Oner why do i feel like i'm on ACID when i watch this !!? oh right the video quality or lack of it thereof !! but the point is the music great to see this learning more as i go along !! CHEERS!!

[@SXI96]

his playing with The Police is incredible, the isolated drums track to Synchronicity 2 on KZbin shows his precision and prowess on the drums, he's a monster, his drumming here doesn't showcase his talent imo, great footage though

[@rjanzen3810]

CFOX FM 99 - I had the red version of that shirt waaaaay back when. It's from a Vancouver radio station.

[@adadulce643]

BARBARO... GENIO..

[@newzealandpromoter]

Holy crap! You're the guy! Man, I just about crapped my pants when I got hold of this footage on DVD ten years ago or whenever it was... first of all, thanks for filming the clinic! Secondly - what was the story with this? How did people get in, where was it, did you get to meet Stewart..?

[@robertk2007]

Where he hits the bass drum is so unique

[@stxr]

Interested to know where he hits the bass drum?

[@fucheduck]

he has a solid collection of drums up there, right up there with Neil Peart.

[@fucheduck]

***** duh.

[@Roonlovesfish3874]

So, it is you who Stewart Copeland implores the people at Budokan, Japan, to consider when they left the door at the back of the stage open. 😅 Great upload!

[@carlosclerigadrums]

Thanks a lot for sharing this!!!!!!!!!! priceless!!!

[@gusbandicoot]

Aaaaah the 80's.... I was... -2

[@larkydozer]

"Coco" from Rhythmatist. Love that track.

[@shytoons]

Yep, This came from me years ago... I have this full clinic on VHS all the way back from 1985. I was the one that first got it out to people, so this must have somehow come from my VHS tape.

[@newzealandpromoter]

That's ....interesting! Scott Hessel has already posted below to explain that he actually filmed this himself.

[@shytoons]

newzealandpromoter OK. I never said I filmed it. But when I was in Drum College many many years ago in the later 1980's, I did a trade for this VHS tape. So clearly the person I got it from, must have known Scott. No biggie. But I was the one that started passing it around, so I assumed it was from me. That's all.

[@newzealandpromoter]

Cool! It's incredible to me that after having this on DVD for about 10 years, it had never shown up on youtube - and soon as I put it up, the people who originally circulated it drop by! The internet can be pretty awesome.

[@ScottHessel]

The original version doesn't look much better than this, as I used the best available video camera at the time...which wasn't all that great! Best, Scott Hessel - Drummer, "Gin Blossoms"

[@justaman-km1hl]

Scott Hessel good on ya man!

[@Tango1DP]

pin microphone is a great invention.

[@Twsuf1]

No, it's NOISY up there! 😂🤣😆

[@synchronizerman]

I wish you'd upload the entire footage somewhere before KZbin decides to take this down inexplicably.

[@synchronizerman]

-and I noticed...where is part 4?

[@harveylee51]

it's like committing to a an epic TV series but then it blips out SOPRANOS style at the last SCENE arghhh!!

[@matteoprog2298]

With the Fairlight Cmi

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

Mr Fairlight, come home!

[@widescreennavel]

sAY A PRAYER FOR THE neW zEALAND pROMOTER!

[@jeffreygodspeed]

Scot Hessel, My memory has gone, where was this drum clinic, San Fransisco?

[@ScottHessel]

It was held in Universal City, CA.

[@thomasgadd1287]

This is from buddy rich 1:38… i was never thinking that he can play like that.

[@godfather7762]

How is number one…!

[@hijodetupa]

WHat´s the tshirt he has _? I want one

[@theotherwalt]

.....just waiting for the 5¼ inch disc to boot....

[@manuelazacchetti4726]

👽🖤 DRuMA!

[@davidkrebs1853]

Yes the equipment sounds great! The playing?...well, The equipment sounds great. The Ego? Out of this world!

[@svgitana2499]

Huh?? The last thing that comes to my mind when I hear the name Stewart Copeland is ego! Maybe you should check yours 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@larkydozer]

Equalizer having tech troubles. Hah.

[@Twsuf1]

Lol, he's like a spoiled stiff teenage kid that wants to play drums in a garage band 😆🤣😂

[@thomasgadd1287]

Bet that he play better than you ever will be

[@Twsuf1]

His playing is LOUSY, LOUD & AMATEURISH

[@PatoFrango]

I bet you're a Rush fan

[@Twsuf1]

@@PatoFrango if Rush was playing, I'd RUSH right on out of there!!!

[@thomasgadd1287]

Are you brain death ? Did you watch this part ? 1:28 ????

[@Twsuf1]

@@thomasgadd1287 oh hold on let me go back to 1:28…..hmm, yeah definitely LOUSY

[@thomasgadd1287]

@@Twsuf1 Lousy 😅? He played some buddy Rich’s grooves here… and he is not lousy

[@Twsuf1]

Overrated Drummer 👎

[@samirait-kaci-gf3bn]

You suck