Part of what makes Yagami Toll!!
YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT LISTENING TO THIS!!
Translation: Lola
Extra Edition
Meet & talk about Led Zeppelin
Featuring: Minato Masafumi, Yagami Toll, Sumitada Koseki and Fujikake Masataka
A look back at the event at Show Boat on 9/25/2008.
What made you go to this event?
Minato-kun gave me wind of it. This event took place on the exact anniversary of John Bonham's death (September 25th). So it was a good excuse for everyone who loves Led Zeppelin to gather and have a 'Zeppelin Study Session' *smiles*.
Murakami 'Ponta' Shuuichi-san performed on the spur of the moment!
Was it Ponta-san's roadie? Or one of his attendants? Anyway, that guy knew Minato-kun so, I'm guessing he told Ponta-san that we were having this event on that day. That's why he came. He was the ultra special guest.
I heard he had a way of blending with the crowd for the question period.
Ponta-san was in the first row right and he's like, "Well I've only been playing drums for about three months now but......." *laughs*.
So you answered the questions of those who came.
You could say there were a lot of drum fanatics there, so there were some crazy questions. But, it was mostly stuff that everyone wanted to know so, I think they were glad they had a place to ask and be answered.
So you talked but tell us about how the drumming session was organized.
At first, Minato-kun told me that he wanted a drum set at each corner of the seating but, of course that would be hard because the sound would echo. So instead we compromised and set up all the drum sets on the stage.
I know you've done your own drum clinics on your own up till now Yagami-san but, how did you find doing an event with four professional drummers?
I think the acoustics and sound were amazing for those listening. Of course having so many percussion instruments together was terrific you know. But when the topic came up about John Bonham's song 'Bonzo's Montro'......I was worried. Because it felt like I was treading on sacred ground. I felt insanely pressured. This was my first time doing something like that with those four and it was amazingly fun and we really worked together well. I'm glad I did it.
Did you learn something from this event?
Actually yes, I did come to understand some things after that event you know. Like about the drum sound for that most famous song, 'When the Levee Breaks'. When I thought about that kind of sound back then, it seemed impossible. I'd ask myself how they managed that ambience. So......I'd say nowadays we can get pretty damn close to it with the way we record. But back then it was really surprising to hear. Anyway, so that question came up during the event, where did they record such a drum sound? And people answered various things at the time like, maybe they recorded in a castle or something. But after, I found out. It wasn't done in any castle. They rented a huge mansion like a villa to make music and ended up recording there. It turned out that the draft from the entrance hall ended up on the recording. There were two floors and steps leading to a balcony and the drum set was above the lowest marble floor. That's how they got that ambience. Now of course we have an easier way of doing it. Just mix between the ON mike and the OFF mike. But even engineers didn't know that back then, it's only been known for the past fiver years or so. Still, I bet it annoyed their engineer at the time. But you know, that was in the early 70s. That's nearly forty years ago. So, you could say we've finally caught up to their way of recording. But my answer to that is; even if you don't know the real way it's done, use whatever works.
I'm still studying and learning from Led Zeppelin and John Bonham today, and I think a way to show your love for something is to please, keep studying. -Yagami Toll