Jason Vivone – Why the Band Won’t Let Me Set Up the Drums

Jason Vivone is one of the most unique and talented performers I know.  He has a great knowledge of music, especially the blues.  I asked him recently if he'd like to share some of his stories with our listeners about his career.  Jason is the Current King of the Roots along with his band the Billy Bats, and they will be performing at Dickie Doo on Friday night (August 24).  The following is one of Jason's stories, and we look forward to many more. His new album is 'Lather Rinse Repeat' and it's sensational.  Enjoy! -Denny

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It was the mid-'80s and I was a teenager backstage at a blues show in KCK. I had talked my way in with my autograph book. Then, I hear a voice.

“HELP ME! COME HERE! HELP ME! YOU!”

It is Syl Johnson’s drummer. They have a short time to set up his kit.

In front of the curtain, the emcee is getting his eight minutes of dirty jokes and impressions. Behind the curtain, this poor drummer is desperately throwing everything together. Putting this piece here and this
piece there.

“HEY MAN. HELP ME.”

So I put down my autograph book and dove in. I had already been playing guitar with a drummer in my neighborhood we called Beast. Beast was very protective of his drum kit and I wasn’t allowed to touch it. So I was pleased with myself. “See? I can do this. It’s just drums. What was Beast thinking?”

So with a twist here and thunk there, we have the drums all done. Just at that moment the emcee – all basso profundo-- starts “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s SHOOOOOOWTIME…”

The drummer gives me a quick hug. "THANK YOU SO MUCH".

I feel really proud. The band needed me and I came through.  So I stepped in front of the stage to bask in a job well done.

The curtain whisks open, and that first BOMP from the band and the drummer hits his kit. It starts falling apart. A tom falls off and rolls away like it was going on a smoke break. “Oooopps…” The hi-hat opens and never shuts again. “Damn, I did that one, too.”

The band just keeps playing and that drummer is just pounding the snare with one hand while the other is picking the pieces up around him.  He’s cussing and looking offstage for me.  Just pounding on that snare, like he imagined it was me.

So if you meet a drummer who used to play with Syl Johnson…about 1986 or 87… don’t mention to him that Jason Vivone and The Billy Bats will be at Dickie Doo BBQ in Sedalia on Friday, August 24.

Check out Jason Vivone at reverbnation.com/jasonvivone and on Facebook.