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CNET Online, July 22, 2002 (by Eliot Van Buskirk) Sonic Foundry recently announced the availability of more than 800 drum loops recorded by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac at a professional studio in L.A. Normally, finding good analog drum loops to use while recording music on your computer can be impossible--if not illegal. But these pro-quality loops are freely available for anyone to use as they please, and no one must pay royalties to Fleetwood or Sonic Foundry. I spoke with the man himself to find out how this progress was made. M: Are you looking forward to hearing how people use the stuff? M: Are you looking forward to hearing how people use the stuff? MF: I can't wait. The great thing is, I'm so ready for that. And I'm also, you know, hey--people are going to take things more or less as they are, then they're going to get in and carve it up and stretch and throw it around, and I feel like I'm going to be in sort of one of the biggest rock-and-roll bands in the world. M: That's absolutely true. And also, speaking as someone who's tried to do this on an amateur level, the drums are the hardest. I mean, even if people knew how to mike drums, they don't have a drum set… MF: Yup… M: So you end up with this electronic drum sound that's not a choice, it's a necessity for some people, so I think this is a great idea for… MF: I know it is, and it's something that…I'm learning, and doing this with Sonic certainly for me has been a thrill, knowing that I'm in [garbled], in terms of where my stylings are…and I know that it's truly something that I feel really comfortable with. And then knowing that it's going to be taken and people are going to run with it…but that to me is another process that I'm…you know, I don't understand how people would for one moment see this as threatening, or something that's not super, super relaxed to be doing. Because again, all my experience from being in a rock-and-roll band is that it's all about the best sessions, and the best musical moments in my life have been when you're giving something to someone else and they're giving it back. That creates the magic, and that's the wonderment of the musical process and how precious that is. [It's] the only thing that perpetuates that, that survives that actually--not to get too heavy and artsy-fartsy--it is a profound thing, and this format truly allows that. They had something with character. For better or for worse, that's who I am, that's what I've done after nearly 40 years of doing what I do, and [I] had fun with it and do what I like to do in the studio. Lindsey [Buckingham, of Fleetwood Mac] would turn around to me--and there's no right, or wrong, or anything--and I'm sitting there, and I'm playing a Kleenex box, you know… M: [Laughs] MF: And if someone said, "Oh, well that's a great snare sound," I said, "Well actually, it's a Kleenex box." M: Wow. MF The point I'm making is, "Go to it." Take something and do something and have fun with it. M: Yeah, and hopefully computers will allow them to turn a snare [sound] into a Kleenex box [sound] or vice versa. MF: [Laughs] There are no Kleenex boxes on these loops, just so you know. M: Well I guess we're just about out of time here. I have one question to close with that I ask every time, which is "What was the first rock concert you ever saw," because mine was Fleetwood Mac. MF: Wow. M: Isn’t that a ridiculous coincidence? MF: I am pretty damn sure it was Bo Diddley--playing down a really seedy old club--that I went to actually see. I was at concerts, but I didn't remember, the one I really remember was Bo Diddley, with all the ladies out in front playing maracas. And hence, that meant a lot to me as well, because I'd heard Buddy Holly, wondered where that was coming from, some of the rhythms and stuff, "Sheila" and all these songs. And Bo Diddley was, and still is…all that tom-tom stuff stayed with me. M: It's been a real pleasure talking to you, and it was a great first concert for me too, so thanks for that. MF Well I'm flattered, and you'll be happy to know the band itself is alive and well. We're in the studio finishing off what appears to be a double album, which will be out in the new year--early new year, after Christmas--and we will be seemingly behaving ourselves and rehearsed on time to get out on the road in mid-April. M: Well it's been great talking with you, Mick. MF: Great. Pleasure. MF: I can't wait. The great thing is, I'm so ready for that. And I'm also, you know, hey--people are going to take things more or less as they are, then they're going to get in and carve it up and stretch and throw it around, and I feel like I'm going to be in sort of one of the biggest rock-and-roll bands in the world. M: That's absolutely true. And also, speaking as someone who's tried to do this on an amateur level, the drums are the hardest. I mean, even if people knew how to mike drums, they don't have a drum set… MF: Yup… M: So you end up with this electronic drum sound that's not a choice, it's a necessity for some people, so I think this is a great idea for… MF: I know it is, and it's something that…I'm learning, and doing this with Sonic certainly for me has been a thrill, knowing that I'm in [garbled], in terms of where my stylings are…and I know that it's truly something that I feel really comfortable with. And then knowing that it's going to be taken and people are going to run with it…but that to me is another process that I'm…you know, I don't understand how people would for one moment see this as threatening, or something that's not super, super relaxed to be doing. Because again, all my experience from being in a rock-and-roll band is that it's all about the best sessions, and the best musical moments in my life have been when you're giving something to someone else and they're giving it back. That creates the magic, and that's the wonderment of the musical process and how precious that is. [It's] the only thing that perpetuates that, that survives that actually--not to get too heavy and artsy-fartsy--it is a profound thing, and this format truly allows that. They had something with character. For better or for worse, that's who I am, that's what I've done after nearly 40 years of doing what I do, and [I] had fun with it and do what I like to do in the studio. Lindsey [Buckingham, of Fleetwood Mac] would turn around to me--and there's no right, or wrong, or anything--and I'm sitting there, and I'm playing a Kleenex box, you know… M: [Laughs] MF: And if someone said, "Oh, well that's a great snare sound," I said, "Well actually, it's a Kleenex box." M: Wow. MF The point I'm making is, "Go to it." Take something and do something and have fun with it. M: Yeah, and hopefully computers will allow them to turn a snare [sound] into a Kleenex box [sound] or vice versa. MF: [Laughs] There are no Kleenex boxes on these loops, just so you know. M: Well I guess we're just about out of time here. I have one question to close with that I ask every time, which is "What was the first rock concert you ever saw," because mine was Fleetwood Mac. MF: Wow. M: Isn’t that a ridiculous coincidence? MF: I am pretty damn sure it was Bo Diddley--playing down a really seedy old club--that I went to actually see. I was at concerts, but I didn't remember, the one I really remember was Bo Diddley, with all the ladies out in front playing maracas. And hence, that meant a lot to me as well, because I'd heard Buddy Holly, wondered where that was coming from, some of the rhythms and stuff, "Sheila" and all these songs. And Bo Diddley was, and still is…all that tom-tom stuff stayed with me. M: It's been a real pleasure talking to you, and it was a great first concert for me too, so thanks for that. MF Well I'm flattered, and you'll be happy to know the band itself is alive and well. We're in the studio finishing off what appears to be a double album, which will be out in the new year--early new year, after Christmas--and we will be seemingly behaving ourselves and rehearsed on time to get out on the road in mid-April. M: Well it's been great talking with you, Mick. MF: Great. Pleasure. |