In the mid 70s I started listening to a lot of rock, fusion and jazz artists like Deep Purple, Colosseum 2, Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, Max Roach, Buddy Rich and others. I studied books with snare drum rudiments. At the end of the 70s I used my tape machine running at half speed to analyze the polyrhythmic patterns created by Cobham on his early albums “Spectrum”, “Crosswinds”, “Life And Times”, “Total Eclipse”, “Shabazz” and his work with John McLaughlin.
Alphonse Mouzon and Michael Walden were/are some of my favorite drummers. Michael Walden understands to combine powerplay with a lot of technic. Tommy Bolin’s „Marching Powder“ from his Teaser album is a fine example. I took one week of private lessons from Alphonse Mouzon in his house in Los Angeles which was great. I learned a lot from him, not just playing. For instance we listened and analyzed some live music.
I also dig Gary Husband’s playing on Allan Holdsworth’s i.o.u. album. It is amazing in which way he supports Allan in his solo of “The Things You See”. He starts in a very subtle way. Drive and tensions increase. A lot of interplay.
I also like to listen to Ian Paice’s recordings from around 1975 until 1980. Incredible bass drum. Listen to “You fool no one” from the album “Made In Europe”. The sound of the Ludwig 26” is amazing. Unfortunately later he lost a lot of his enthusiasm.
From 1977 to 1979 I took acoustic guitar lessons from Olaf Prätzlich who was studying guitar in Cologne at the time. I wasn’t REALLY interested in guitar playing then. After playing some years in bands as a drummer I wanted to contribute more of my own ideas. So I took my acoustic guitar and wrote down ideas. I got more and more routine and started to love the instrument.
I listened a lot to Holdsworth’s legato playing, Jeff Beck, Tommy Bolin’s fusion work, Ritchie Blackmore’s progressive years 1969 to 1976. George Benson is a brilliant technician.
Artists (records) I like to listen to are as follows: Allan Holdsworth (i. o. u., Atavachron), Mahavishnu Orchestra (Visions Of The Emerald Beyond, Montreux 1974), Billy Cobham (Spectrum, Shabazz, Total Eclipse, Life And Times, Magic), Miles Davis (Sketches Of Spain, In A Silent Way), Deep Purple (Live In Paris 1975), Eleventh House (Level One), Jan Hammer Group (Oh, Yeah!), Alphonse Mouzon (Mind Transplant, Virtue, In Search Of A Dream, Back Together Again), Rainbow (First Album, On Stage), Jeff Beck (Wired), Tommy Bolin (Teaser, especially „Homeward Strut“ and „Marching Powder“), Bruford (One Of A Kind), Colosseum 2 (Electric Savage), Buddy Rich Big Band (Roar Of ’74), Soft Machine (Bundles), Soma, Mike Stern (Upside Downside), McCoy Tyner (Song Of The New World), U.K., Michael Walden (Garden Of Love Light, especially „The Sun Is Dancing“), Al Di Meola (Land Of The Midnight Sun), David Sancious (The Bridge), Tony Williams New Lifetime (Wildlife, Believe It), Charly Antolini, Brian Auger, Chick Corea (Hymn Of The Seventh’s Galaxy), Jan Akkerman, Ian Gillan Band (Clear Air Turbulence), Herbie Hancock (Head Hunters), Wes Montgomery, Corrado Rustici, Wolfgang Dauner, Ian Carr, Simon Phillips, Steve Reich, Pete York (Percussion Band).