Gary Husband
Online Interview with John Flowers at www.drumplayer.net.



Reproduced with permission, this was an interview conducted on January 26th 2001
by John Flowers at www.drumplayer.net



Gary Husband is a true percussionist known for his incredible drumming with such artists as Allan Holdsworth, Level 42, Jack Bruce and many others. He is also a very talented piano and keyboard player known for his work with the Gary Husband Trio and Billy Cobham.

This is an on-line interview I had with Gary on Jan.26, 2001

J.F. - How did you decide which songs to play on "The Things I See"? Were they your favorite songs with Alan, or were you trying to create a mood with the album?

GARY - Well, we can never underestimate the importance of instinct, inspiration and the necessary steps we should take to "listen in" to those things. It's a process I value, respect and rely on greatly. I wait for some kind of instruction ... and I deliberately put myself in the position where the doors are open for these kind of "mystical notions" to come flowing in. Therefore (!) all the compositions suggested themselves to me. So did a lot of the impulses and directions of form and adventure, so ... I just follow it, trust in it and let it take shape. A very spiritual way of approaching things I guess, but it suits me!

The thing is, these are very much interpretations - that means a completely new structure and form of development, rather than just "transcribe" Allan's music and play over it.

I have a big, big love of harmony, and the power of it - stemming back to my classical upbringing I guess to an extent. I'm also involved in improvising on a daily basis too, and striving to be as eloquent and poetic as I can through that. Form intrigues me, the "call and effect" of things ... and it's all evident in the work I've done for this album. It's a tribute to Allan, but very much in a way that I could totally represent this material and have each piece live again in a very new light. I really hope for it's success because I've never been happier with anything.

J.F. - Will we hear any of "The Things I See" tunes live?

GARY - Actually, I've already performed the first live presentation of this repertoire, at a small club in Stoke Newington. I'm really going to be wanting to do a lot more in the future though, particularly since the pieces are very conducive to being developed in all sorts of different ways through live performance. The album, I guess, is just the beginning of it's journey in a lot of ways!!

J.F. - Not many drummers are "true" percussionists with the ability to play piano. Do you draw upon any different motivation sitting at the piano versus the drum kit?

GARY - I guess you mean from the point of view that you class piano as primarily percussive, which I don't. I think of piano like any instrument, capable of the most infinite range of musical effects, not excluding rhythm, of course, but certainly not just obviously syncopation based to the exclusion of everything else. I generally love piano the most when it's understated and gentle, although you wouldn't believe it by my approach very often!

Regarding differences in terms of motivation, or attitude, or anything? No... no difference at all surprisingly. Not to me. It's my first instrument, chronologically speaking, but I do not feel any longer that one has precedence over the other. I guess I'm quite unusual in this way.

J.F. - You have played in some killer groups with some serious musicians like Allan Holdsworth, Billy Cobham, Jack Bruce, Level 42 and Mark King. What advice would you have for aspiring session drummers trying to land that killer gig?

GARY - Well, for someone aspiring to be a session musician, in the usual sense, I would encourage them to brush up on their programming, social tactics with fixers and so forth, gain a lot of contacts ... all that stuff. I think it's probably the most necessary thing to be as open and versatile as possible too, musically, but ... y'know it really isn't a world I ever aspired to be a part of, and I never really approached those particular associations from the point of being a seasoned "sessioner".

In that world it's not necessary to have a "voice", or a very identifiable musical personality - in fact it's probably more to your advantage if you don't.

With Allan, Jack, Mark or Billy Cobham I was able to work accordingly to the high degree of integrity that I like to consider necessary in that I didn't pursue anything I didn't believe in, or that didn't require me feeling like a charlatan. I really care about it all too much to approach anything not in that way. I've been very fortunate to play with some wonderful musicians so far, but it's also very important to "have something to say" you know? I have many weaknesses, many unbearable aspects about my playing etc., but I have a "voice", and I do have something to say, every time I sit down, be it mediocre, great, lousy or whatever. You've got to be in tune with a real "need", a "reason" to express something. Of course you have to be motivated too, so, from this point of view I feel perfectly qualified to be involved in the things that I do with those great guys ... especially Allan; that was apparent from the beginning.

Having to make a living of course is another deal - and I've been down more than I've been up!!! Far from ever having being in what you'd call a comfortable place, I really would rather fix roofs, or garden for a living!! Call me the pompous artist if you like (!) but, life is no rehearsal you know!!?? We're not here for long! I have too much respect for music, the function of music and for anybody who listens to it to go out and play something dumb, or corny-ass just for money. It simply isn't worth it, not for me.

J.F. - I for one, am really impressed with your work with Level 42. When you join a band of that calibre, do you learn all of their songs, or just the ones you play live?

GARY - Well, for the record, I think Phil Gould was a wonderful drummer, and I think the sound of him and Mark playing together was much preferable to anything I came up with me ... and I'm being totally honest here. I had moments, here and there, but generally I ended up just doing the best I could do with it all, and some of it stands up well and some it just sucks!!

One of the reasons was that I did not enjoy playing with a band performing that powerfully, and with that much energy, along with a feed of a click track keeping everything so "grounded"!! I hated that!! I guess I'm more a free spirit in that way! I honestly believe I'd have had a better "pocket", or better "time" overall if we'd have just played without all that. There's one of my weaknesses right there!!

Y'know, Mark has a lot of exuberance, live. The only problem with that is so have I!! It's only natural to push and be a little ahead sometimes, and you know what? I think perfect time sounds funny!!! Have you listened to the programmed drums on "Eastenders"? It's probably quantised perfectly but ... it just won't go in my body!!!

There are people really great at this, though - getting the fine balance. Simon Phillips for example, is among the best.

If someone asks me what I would say Gary Husband is all about though, the answer would definitely include the stuff I did for Allan Holdsworth's records, or Steve Topping's album, predominantly. I wrote all those beats on Allan's material too, ... but, I do regard that as a bit of a contribution in the drum world. Y'know, I'm an improviser at heart, or a practitioner of "on the spot composition", (I like that phrase) and I need to be free and just play!!

J.F. - How did you hook up with Eddie Van Halen back in the 80's and were the sessions recorded?

GARY - I played with Eddie by way of Allan. We're talking of the early 80's, and we were making our debut as the group I.O.U. in the States. He used to come and jam with us on some of the early shows in L.A., and then I remember we did a four piece band session, more than once I think, at the Guitar Institute Of Technology with Jeff Berlin on bass. He's a very nice guy, Eddie, and he helped Allan make a record for Warner Brothers.

J.F. - What are some of the latest additions or renovations to your current drum kit? GARY - I'm back with Tama, and very happy about it because the Starclassic range is a wonderful sounding drum. I have only one custom thing, one tom, the 10" which is 7" deep as opposed to the more standard size. I'm constantly experimenting though, and changing my mind about head combinations, cymbals etc. With my new drums, this time I have all sorts of different sizes that I try for different projects in alternative combinations. It makes no sense to tell you what's what right now because tomorrow it'll be different! I'm a little bit restless in that way!

J.F. - What projects can we look for from you in the future?

GARY - I have a drum album to come, "Flesh To Wood", a new album by my trio, "Aspire", and a second CD to add to my album "Diary Of A Plastic Box". Since I'm not really enjoying the luxury of conventional record company interest in any of these things I'm taking them all under my own wing and working towards having them all available via my website (which is www.1212.com/a/husband/gary.html). I'm also talking with Simon Phillips about a possible recording of a piece for two drummers I've got, I'm arranging some UK clinic appearances through Freddie Gee, I'm putting together subject material for a new video I'm going to make, full of all the messages that got left out of the last one (!!), and then ... just "listening in", following the intuition. I may turn a streetcorner today and realise a new idea for something!! Isn't that a fantastic thing?

J.F. - I would like to thank you on behalf of Drumplayer.net for your thoughts and insight. You are truly a gentleman and one helluva percussionist!

GARY - Thank you very much.



Get Gary's latest CD, "The Things I See - Interpretations Of The Music Of Allan Holdsworth".

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