True musical virtuosos are minimalists who put roll before rock
Musicians like Muddy Waters and Charlie Watts played fewer notes than showoffs like Jeff Beck, but they were the right ones
by Mike Edison
Mike Edison is an author, editor and musician. Formerly editor of High Times and Screw magazines, his writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast and The New York Observer, among others. As a drummer, he has opened for bands including Sonic Youth, Sound Garden and the Ramones. His books include the memoirs I Have Fun Everywhere I Go (2008) and You Are a Complete Disappointment (2016); the social history Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! (2011); and Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters (2019). He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Written by Mike Edison