Grab Your Imaginary Sticks. It’s Show Time!

If you’re one of the five people left on Planet Earth who didn’t get a copy of Rock Band from Santa, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Crap. Now how can I play fake instruments along with rock and roll music?”

Well, I’m here to help. Long ago, in a time before videogames, enterprising kids hunkered down in their parents’ basements, put on their Dad’s headphones, dropped a stack of 45s on the turntable, and played “air guitar” to their favorite songs.

(If several words in the preceding paragraph look alien to you, it’s okay. I speak of a time long ago, when we had to place vinyl grooved disks on a spinning turntable and apply a needle to the disk to produce rocking sounds. We loved it.)

I was never big into playing the air guitar. I was an air drummer. That might have been because my folks’ album collection was heavy on the Ventures, which is one of the great all-time rhythm groups.

One of the things I found about air drumming is that it’s one heck of a good workout. Drum your way through five uptempo tunes and your heart rate will be elevated. It’s also good for your coordination, assuming you get your feet involved at least for the bass drum (and why wouldn’t you? What are you, an air slacker?)

So, in the spirit of sharing the air drumming goodness of my youth (and earlier today. Yes, I am still an air drummer), I’ll share with you some of my favorite drumming songs.

• Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator (wait until the rhythm break, which works bass drum, cymbal, and snare).
• Genesis – ABACAB (Phil Collins doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the best drummers rock has ever seen. But he is. This song will give you a workout. Once you get it down, step up to “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”)
• Rush – Tom Sawyer
  (Neil Peart. Come on. Come ooooooon!)
• The Who – Baba O’Riley (You notice how I pick the really good drummers? Keith Moon vs John Bonham will start fistfights in some places. Moon has a place in my heart for God’s Downbeat in this song. You’ll know where it is. “Behind Blue Eyes”, off the same album, is a good cool-down, too)
• Led Zepplin – Kashmir
  (Speaking of John Bonham, this is the best air drumming song, bar none. Black Dog is pretty good, too.)
• Advanced Master Class Air Drumming Tune: Dave Matthews Band – Too Much (DMB Drummer Carter Beauford is the busiest drummer I’ve ever heard, but not a single thing he does is wasted nor overblown. )

Okay, so there’s your list. Pick up the tunes if you don’t have them, grab your favorite headphones, and get to drumming!

Feel free to drop some suggestions of your own in the comments, too. I know I missed a lot of good songs. Let me know which ones you like.

Other Posts of Interest:

• Pandora to be Killed by the Record Industry
• Billy Joel Needs to Stop Writing Songs
• My Favorite Christmas Tunes, All In One Post

Tags: Genesis, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Led Zepplin, Music, Neil Peart, Phil Collins, Rush, The Who

Category: Music, Rampant Geekery