Rock musicians with musical education.

@frogman: You make a good case, with which I agree wholeheartedly. The only genius I’ve known majored in music in college, got his masters in education, and spent his final years (he died from a heart attack at only 55 years of age) recording Bach works at home. When I was recording with him in the 70’s, the only Pop music/writers/musicians he was interested in/liked were Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Dylan, and The Band. Talent (a great songwriter, he decided not to persue a career in music), education, and taste, the trifecta.

@simonmoon: Actually, it’s three chords ;-) . And in especially good songs, a bridge (middle 8 in England) adds a couple/few more

@frogman: 

"As I see it, it is really pointless to insinuate that great chops are anything but a plus for a musician". 

 I'd never agree with the notion that technical facility/theory are "detrimental" but if you are suggesting that acquiring these faculties somehow guarantees one will have something worthwhile to communicate or know how to communicate it tastefully, then we profoundly disagree. 

@simonmoon:

"I love complexity and high levels of musicianship in the various genres of music I listen to. And, the resulting emotional and intellectual experience they bring about"

This illustrates the degree to which personal taste enters into discussion of this topic. While complexity brings YOU a particular emotional and intellectual experience, surely you realize complexity may not have the same impact upon others, who may indeed prioritize very different "results". 

I am no dummy but personally, I do not want to be "in my head" when listening to music. I want to be emotionally and physically engaged. Different strokes for different folks...

stuartk, thanks for responding to what I wrote. Please tell me exactly what it was I wrote that might give that impression. I wrote nothing remotely like that. What you quote doesn’t suggest that in the least in the context of the totality of what I wrote.

Kenny Aronoff (best known as John Mellencamp’s drummer in the 80’s-90’s) is a very well educated and trained musician (check his history on wikipedia if interested), yet is imo a very boring drummer. "Stock" parts, nothing special. Springsteen’s drummer Max Weinberg reads music (required to play in a Broadway pit band as he did prior to being hired by Bruce), yet is a complete bore. Very pedestrian, no imagination, no identifiable style or personality.

Band drummer Levon Helm was completely self-taught, but learned the 13 basic rudiments (the equivalent of tuned instrument scales). That enabled him to play a press roll---about my favorite type of drum "fill", as employed to great effect in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Roger Hawkins (Muscle Shoals drummer, heard in all the great Atlantic Records albums produced by Jerry Wexler---Aretha, Wilson Pickett, etc., as well as in Paul Simon’s "Kodachrome"---a killer drum part, and Box Scaggs "Loan Me A Dime") played as good a press roll as I’ve ever heard (as good as Buddy Rich).

Ringo Starr was (and remains) unable to play the press roll, never having learned the rudiments. That restricted his ability to progress technically, but he’s done "okay" in spite of it ;-) . The Beatles may not have sounded as good if they had a technically better drummer. His creativity and imagination served he, they, and their music well.

Lake Street Dive was formed iat the New England Conservatory of Music. They're gifted but don't take themselves too seriously. Cheers,

Spencer