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JANUARY 2012 2011 has ended by being my busiest teaching year ever with a little kick of performing at a few private functions in November and December. A couple of these bookings came through on the strength of my website. Usually the person booking me will ask if I am a session drummer and if I can perform with no rehearsal. I don't like using the term session drummer as in my view these are players that are constantly in the studio working and that scene does not exist anymore. Though if I compare myself to some of the "self appointed" session drummers in Sydney then I would have to be on the list. My encyclopaedic knowledge of pop songs and their drum parts alone would put me in a small select group of players. It is something I constantly tell some of my older students who want a career in drumming - "learn songs". When you are playing in cover bands there are songs that you must know be it Twist and Shout or Hotel California. I recently played a function where the guitarist proclaimed to be a huge Rolling Stones fan so I suggested we play "Satisfaction" as the dance floor was always full. I just got a blank look and then told that he did not know the chords. Not good. Needless to say I did not ask for his card at the end of the night. If you want to work you must make yourself employable. Another thing I have learnt after playing 40-50 shows with bands I had never met was "you must put your money where your mouth is". I won't accept a booking unless I know I can confidently nail the parts which results in the band asking for my business card. I also make sure I do my homework. That means possible future jobs and a player that can turn up on the night and play by ear is as rare as winning powerball.I also want the band to realise that I am not a $100 a night player. I subscribe to the "pay peanuts, get monkeys" school of thought. New Years Eve was spent at a private residence on the Sydney harbour waterfront performing with The Beatnix (once again-no rehearsal). I had not played with the band for four years and we had a great time and enjoyed a fantastic view of the fireworks. I also want to make note of a couple of students who scored very well in their AMEB drumset exams last year. Jarrah Aleksandric and Robert Delaney scored an A in Step 1. Will Byrne got a B in Step 1 and Owen Mak got a B in the Step 4 course. Great results and particularly Owen who sat the Step 4 at the age of 13! He is an outstanding drummer at Kings Preparatory School (only in Grade 6!!). Look forward to a busy and exciting 2012! Regards Nando July 2011 It has been a busy six months to date with my beautiful wife and I selling our previous place of residence in Annandale and moving the family into a much larger place in the inner west suburb of Leichhardt. I am also excited that I can finally have a large "music room" where I can house my thousand cd's and about 200 music dvd's and also install a new practice kit. Having a large lock up garage is nice as well! I have only played one live show this year ( by choice ) but have been kept busy teaching and helping my many students. I have several outstanding drummers at the moment - David Schneider, Matt Binskin, Owen Mak, Jacques Lategan and the young William Byrne who dazzles me every couple of weeks with a note perfect rendition of a Beatles tune - at the age of ten. He has earned the nickname "Mini Me" as I see myself in the level of dedication and the love he has for music. He will definitely go places as a drummer. His band master at his school has already told me William is the best player he has seen at that age. The teaching business is still keeping me busy and my passion for teaching is still there after all these years. I really enjoy helping students of all ages and am extremely humbled to have students travel from as far as Penrith and Castle Hill for lessons. I have had some students learning with me for well over five years and I hope they enjoy the sessions as much as I do conducting them. December 2010 Coming to the end of another busy year. I have been lucky to continue being asked to do some shows, recording dates and school workshops but most of all I am enjoying being a dad. I recently played some shows down at Crown Casino in Melbourne to about 300 people a night for the "Nowhere Man " production. The guys in the band were great and like I have done on many occasions in my career I played the shows without a rehearsal. Recreating the drum parts originally played by Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr and Andy Newmark feels extremely natural to me and I know those parts quite intimately.If there is a drummer in all of Sydney that knows those parts and plays them with the feel that they deserve then I haven't met him. It was a real buzz playing classic songs like Jealous Guy, Starting Over, God, Imagine, Instant Karma, Gimme Some Truth etc. I also played a show in Sydney with the Nowhere Man backing band as "Beatle Magic" to a full house. That was also a lot of fun. After many years of playing on others recordings and projects I finally got round to recording my own composition. I have co-written songs but this was the first track that I wrote on my own and sang lead vocal. I asked my good mate Michael Carpenter for some help and he played guitar and bass and helped with backing vocals. He also put his polishing touches on the production at the always fully booked Love Hertz studio. He also played an exquisite slide guitar solo with great finesse. The song which I has a 1970's pop ballad feel is available for download on itunes.com. It is called Run To Me. On a sad note after seven years I have had to stop teaching all my great students at Arden Secondary College in Epping. The music department was being run by what could be best described as "textbook musicians" who did not appreciate my experience, knowledge and skill. Since there is no point giving "strawberries to pigs" I had no option but to leave. Luckily all the students have told me that they will now come to my private studio which will mean that there will be no students left for the person replacing me. Well done music department ! I use the word "music" very loosely in this context. Once again many thanks to John Lo Schiavo for all his help, suggestions and advice this year on the webpage. JULY 2010 Feeling a little like the lyrics to John Lennon's "Watching The Wheels". With the teaching business running on six cylinders,band workshops,maintenance and tuning work and the desire to stay at home more, my enthusiasm for live work is at an all time low. It is hard to justify playing a show getting home late and then following up for payment weeks later because the person that booked you has conveniently forgot that having me play drums for you is not something that I do to pass time. Most of the Sydney music scene is run by backyard operators who are living week to week. When I played for an artist with a No 1 hit on the charts I thought it would be different - NO. After several emails and probably interrupting the employees' coke snorting sessions it still took over four weeks to settle my invoice. Sometimes I feel like I am half drummer, half invoice book with a no nonsense reputation and dealing with people that are not switched on or battling their own demons is not something I particularly want to deal with at age 42. Anyway enough moaning:) I recently had an opportunity to rediscover the great recordings I did with Michael Carpenter. I had not heard them in years and feel quite proud of the tracks. The overall arrangement and productions are first class and there is no doubt that Michael is criminally underated as a talent. He is also the most "switched on" musician/producer I have ever worked with. I came across a track "No Way Out" on youtube. Have a listen it is a great song. Both albums are available on Amazon. They are called Kingsrdworks and Rolling Ball. Rolling Ball also features a composition I wrote with Michael called On My Mind. I hope to continue writing and I have a little gem up my sleeve called "Run To Me" which I hope to record soon. Please check out and visit Michael's site at www.mcarp.com and go to his bandcamp page where you can download the album or purchase it as a cd. The page also has the Kingsrdworks album as well. Listening wise I am listening to the great Mark Mondesir on John McLaughlin's new release "To The One". A player that really inspires me. He sounds like a young Narada and really digs in when he plays. Outstanding. Regards Nando DECEMBER 2009 The year is rapidly drawing to a close and it has probably been one of the busiest and most hectic of recent years. The arrival of my daughter Aria has shifted the focus from making a living as a drummer/tutor to helping raise this beautiful little girl. At this point I would also like to thank the numerous kind people who gave presents and cards on Aria's arrival. My wife Xanthi has also played a monumental role as a new mum and I would like to thank her for that. Playing wise I have played drums at several functions with The Everyday People Band in the last few months which is what I am happy to do at this stage of my career.These five star events are a luxury and someting one can easily get used to! I was also asked to play on a few tracks recording drums for a new artist - Beth Rawson and finished off a couple of tracks in the studio for Roy Pachi both due out early 2010.The Yamaha 9000 is still the rolls royce of drumkits, in my opinion. I also still harbour ambitions of playing another stage musical and I hope it can happen soon. Teaching wise a couple of my students scored an A in their exams and that has also been gratifying as they put in a lot of effort for that result.The Willoughby studio is also fully booked but the down side is I don't get to spend time with my family. I am also trying to get some piano practice in whilst digging the music of Bill Evans and Michel Petrucciani. Regards Nando MARCH 2009 Things are still chugging along and the good news is that my drum studio which is now just over a year old is now running at almost full capacity numbers wise. I feel very fortunate to pass on my knowledge and skill to students and am satisfied that I am also in such demand amongst students. Performance wise after a fairly quiet 2008 I have been playing drums for one of Sydney's premier corporate function bands playing at many 5 star venues in Sydney. I have played about eight shows with The Everyday People Band in the last two months and have to thank Mark Jonas for booking me on the look of my website - thanks Mark! I look forward to many more shows.You can view the website at www.everydaypeopleband.net.au. At a recent show I was happy to share the stage with one of the most impressive vocalists I have ever played with(and I have played with a few!) - Evelyn Duprai. I had played on a yet unreleased album with Evelyn but had never met her in person. She is a real talent and has also finished a stint as backing vocalist with the Australian Idol backing band. Like most great performers she "hears real fast". I hope to work with her again. Class. Listening wise I have been listening to Stuff (featuring Steve Gadd) but have also revisited the emotional voice of Mark Hollis who was the lead singer with Talk Talk.I was a big fan of Talk Talk back in my twenties! A great underrated band of the 80's who were much more than a synth pop band. I recently bought the Live At Montreaux dvd. Mark had a great presence on stage, not to mention the voice on him. Most people will know them for the hit "Its My Life" which was covered a couple of years ago by No Doubt with Gwen Stefani (reach for my stemetil!!). Check them out (the real thing) - a unique listening experience. Regards Nando APRIL 2008 Welcome to the newly designed nandodrums.com with thanks to go to my mate John Loschiavo who has done a stellar job in a short amount of time! Take a look at some new features such as media, video and more photos added to the gallery page. Career wise I played in the Abbamania show last December and have just finished recording all the drum tracks for a new CD for Roy Pachi at Limestone Studios. The album also features my all-time favourite Sydney guitarist Rex Goh (Air Supply, Savage Garden) and the backing vocals of Evelyn Duprai (James Morrison). Steve Boody has done a great job on the production and the album will out later in 2008. Teaching wise I have opened the Willoughby Drum Studio where I currently have about 30 pupils and this year I have also begun teaching at Newtown Public School where they have a great music program. I will also be spending some time with long time mate Gavin Harrison who will be out later this month performing with Porcupine Tree. I met up with him in Krakow, Poland last year but I will be hanging out with him as they are playing up the road at the Enmore Theatre. A superb technician who is one of the UK's top drummers. I also wanted to make special mention of the late Mark Craney who I have been listening to a lot recently and his skill never ceases to amaze me. If you get the time, listen to the following cd's for some inspiration - Brother To Brother (Gino Vannelli), A (Jethro Tull), Civilized Evil (Jean Luc Ponty). Cheers Nando
Click on the link above to listen to 'On My Mind' co-written by Nando Pettinato and Michael Carpenter
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