Buddy Rich Quotes & Sayings

“Every drummer that had a name, had a name because of his individual playing. He didn't sound like anybody else, So everybody that I ever listened to, in some form, influenced my taste.”

“I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way.”

“But, I don't think any arranger should ever write a drum part for a drummer because if a drummer can't create his own Interpretation of the chart and he plays everything that's written, he becomes mechanical; he has no freedom.”

“I think the drummer should sit back there and play some drums, and never mind about the tunes. Just get up there and wail behind whoever is sitting up there playing the solo. And this is what is lacking, definitely lacking in music today.”

“Almost everything I've done, I've done through my own creativity. I don't think I ever had to listen to anyone else to learn how to play drums. I wish I could say that for about ten thousand other drummers.”

“If he's a true symphony artist, he knows better than that because he knows that the only truly creative musician is the jazz musician.”

“But primarily, the drummer's supposed to sit back there and swing the band.”

“But I think that any young drummer starting out today should get himself a great teacher and learn all there is to know about the instrument that he wants to play.”

“I think it's a fallacy that the harder you practice the better you get.”

“I can think of a lot better things to do with my hands than to cut them up on the rim of a drum.”