Oysterhead

Going back at least to Franz Liszt, each decade has had its music idols. Elvis swung his hips in the '50s, The Beatles ruled the '60s (and they still rule), and The Eagles soared over the '70s. More than any other band of the '80s, I remember The Police arresting everyone's attention. I still remember wondering as a fifth grader when Every Breath You Take and King Of Pain were ever going to fall from the top of the charts. Sure, U2 got big in the later in the decade, but Synchronicity was the #1 album in the USA for seventeen weeks.

A large part of my love for The Police came from the amazing percussion of Stewart Copeland, the best drummer in all of Rock (Neil Peart possesses great technical still, but Copeland destroys him in polyrhythmical virtuosity and style). Just listen to Wrapped Around Your Finger and let the awe wash through you.

For years I've wished that Stewart Copeland would stop composing and just play those damned drums, so I was surprised to get a call from my dear Amanda tonight saying that she'd heard on the radio that Stewart Copeland did take up the sticks once again back the 2001 as part of the supergroup Oysterhead, along with Les Claypool of Primus and Trey Anastasio of Phish. I've only heard clips from the band's site, and so far Claypool's whacky influence seems heavy, and I'm not sure it meshes just yet, but then I'm not a huge Primus fan. But with Mr. Copeland behind the skins, I'll definitely be giving Mr. Oysterhead more attention.