Daddy Funk is Simon Greenhill a Drummer and Latin Percussionist since 1976 working professionally in the UK and worldwide for over 15 years. He has a successful Drum Tuition practice in the UK, inspiring his students on Drum Kit and Congas.
Simon the DF is endorsed as an educator by Yamaha Drums and Zildjian Cymbals an association that was established in October 2005. He has a continually ongoing recording project "Signs of LIFE" which displays his extensive song writing and performing talents. Volumes 1 and 2 are available now while "3" is due for release Winter 2006.
While exquisite modern Jazz Duo and Trio work can be heard and bought on www.friendshipandrespect.com There is also his T-shirt and sweatshirt clothing range, featuring the iconic DF Logo as seen on this site.
Daddy Funk was well known in the UK as a member of the Funk Rock Band "Funkabubble" in the mid-90s gaining success with the single "Control"; the video for which had consistent airplay on MTV Europe. Co-founder of the Funk Band The Bird Tribe who became hugely successful touring extensively in the UK. Resident Percussionist for the high profile House Club "Maison" for 4 1/2 years.
Simon lives with his partner; Photographer "Panther Kitten" and his step children on the sunny South Coast of Britain.
DF in the Studio.
Daddy Funk hanging out with Billy Ward in
London, May 2006.
Both Players are Endorsed
by Trueline
Drumsticks.
It is I, SiMoN The Original Daddy FuNk Here, bringing You the NeXt iN My GREATEST Musical Influences Blogs & It IS……………………..The Living Monsters of Rock Inspiration………………………….
RUSH!!!! >>> Featuring the ASTOUNDINGLY TALENTED & Truly Nice MaN oN DRUMS………..
NEIL PEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I Got into this AMAZING Canadian Rock Trio in the Summer of 1979, not long after My 14th Birthday. >>>
I have Vivid Memories of Cycling down Wimbledon Hill, in London to Rummage throuGh the Packed Shelves of My Local Record Store!>>>
Before Very Long I owned Just about Every LP RUSH had Released Up to that Point, spending My Hard Earned Cash on this Imaginative, Creative Music.
(By this age I had 2 Paper Rounds, a Saturday Job in a Stationary Shop in Wimbledon Village & I was a Child Actor on the West End Stage in London, in the Production of “Oliver” at the Albery Theatre on St.Martin’s Lane!)
My ALL TIME Favourite Albums by RUSH would have to be “A Farewell to Kings” 1977, “Permanent Waves” 1980, “Moving Pictures” & the Live Album “Exit…Stage Left” both from 1981.
More Chat in a Minute, but without Further Ado, Here is a GREAT Live Performance I found oN the MIGHTY YouTube……
This is “YYZ” from “Moving Pictures”>>> This Clip Includes a NEIL PEART DRUM SOLO!!!!!
Ooooooooooh!!!!
What can be said about Neil Peart that hasn’t been said by Drummers a MILLION tiMes Before?! >>>
He is an Amazing, Intellectual, Introverted GENIUS! >>>
An Astounding DruMMer, a GREAT Lyricist & Writer……a Calm, Humble & Amazing MaN!>>>
Working Tirelessly in the same Band, with the same Guys since the Early 1970’s.>>>
Also to have the Inner Strength to come back to the Music Business after Soul Destroying, Personal Tragedy (Both His Teenage Daughter & His Wife Died shockingly, His Daughter in a Car Crash & His Wife of a Terminal Disease, brought on by a Broken Heart)
to Record, in My Opinion oNe of their Greatest Ever Albums “Vapor Trails” 2002, followed by an ENORMOUS World Tour which produced the INCREDIBLE Live DVD “Rush in Rio”2003.
Neil Peart, Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson were & still are responsible for My Aspiration toward & Understanding of Integrity & Honour in Music. The Emotional Excitement & Sense of Freedom that the Power of GREAT MUSIC can Create.
TOP MEN IN THEIR FIELD!!!
& Neil Inspires Me to Keep oN DRUMMING & Keep oN Writing Imaginative LYRICS!
It’s ALL a Bit Hectic at the MoMeNt, with all the NEW Web~Site Developments, LOADS of TeaChing, Writing the “Melodic Drumset Applications” Book (It’s going to be REALLY Great!) & ReCording like CRAZY for the “Daddy Funk & Scorpion King” NEW CD “3″ (TOP NOTCH Music, Songwriting & Production!) BliMey!!!
Oh & Some NEW YouTube Videos Will be Heading Your Way SOON TOO!!!
So FiNally, Here is the NeXt iN My Series of GREATEST Musical Influences Blogs……….& It IS……………STUART COPELAND, the Ground~Breaking, Original & Awesome DRUMMER, from the Iconic Band “The Police” !!!
In 1979 Stuart Copeland COMPLETELY Changed the Way I Heard & Understood RHYTHM on the Drums!>>>
The Young Simon Greenhill was 14 at the tiMe wheN “The Police” EXPLODED onto the UK Music Scene & I swiftly BouGht Both of their Albums “Outlandos D’Amour” & “Reggatta de Blanc” & All of the 7″ Singles I could get My Hands oN, Including a Multi~Pack of Picture Sleeves & BLUE VINYL Discs!!!
What was SO DIFFERENT about this Rock Trio was their RHYTHMS, which were ALL ABOUT Displacement & Syncopation within a Pop Music Song Structure. >>>
BRILLIANT!!!
I’ll let Stuart Himself explain this Phenomenon, in a Video Clip takeN from an Interview on the Music TV Programme in the UK “The Tube”. The Interviewer is Jools Holland. ENJOY!!!
This Clip was Recorded in Monserat, where “The Police” were Recording their, then, New Album “Ghosts in the Machine”.
I was SoooOOOO Into this band, in their EARLY COOL days! >>> So much so, I joined their Fan Club “The Outlandos Fan Club” in January 1980! & I still have a Ring binder Folder to this day, which contains all My Correspondence until I went off them in early 1981!!!>>>
For the ReCord, it took Me a While to write this Blog About “The Police” because, much as I LoVed Stuart Copelands Drumming & Stings Songwriting………………Sting is NOW a Class “A” DICK!!!!! >>>
I Have VERY LITTLE Respect for the Man or His Music anymore (He NOW lives Permanently Up His Own Arse, Owns Half of Tuscany & in the Recent Reunion Tour, WILDLY Overcharged for EVERY Ticket…..as if ANY of them NEED the Money!!!!)…………but in 1979 He WAS CoOL!
So there You have it!
Oh & Stuart Copeland’s CD Project “Oysterhead” “The Grand Pecking Order” was Very GoOd, if a Little Weird! >>> But then it DID Feature The UnCrowned KING of Weird……Les Claypool!
So here’s the NeXt oNe iN My Series of GREATEST Musical Influences Blogs & It’s the FaNtasticly Stylish 80s Pop Band “Japan”, Fronted by the Enormously Talented & COOL David Sylvian! >>>
STYLE, FASHION, STYLE & COOL!!!! >>>>
That is what this Band were ALL about. >>>
It’s 1981 & the Young Daddy FuNk is 16 & into High Fashion, CoOL Music, Art & Theatricality. At the TiMe I was taking Art, Drama & English “A Levels” before Finally Going to Art College in 1983.>>>
Britain in the Early 80s was a Hotbed of Creative Culture, with the Rise of Style in Youth Culture throuGh Magazines (iD, Sky, Smash Hits), Music & The Pop Video, HuGe ReCord Company Budgets & Youth TV (The Tube, Top of the Pops, MTV, Max Headroom). The Pop Video was King & Radio & Music TV was HUGE Business.>>>
“Japan” were at the Forefront, but iN a Way also Under the Radar, or dare I Say it, SliGhtly ABOVE it All! >>>
“Japan” were Brothers David Sylvian (Vocals&Guitar)& Steve Jansen (Drums & Vocals), with Mick Karn (Bass&Vocals) & Richard Barbieri (Keybords)>>>>
They are Probably Best Remembered for Their Single “Ghosts” whiCh Reached Number 5 iN April 1982, oN the UK Pop Charts. This was their BIGGEST Single from Their Most Successful (& Final) Studio Album “Tin Drum” >>>
HoweVer it’s Japan’s Penultimate Album “Gentlemen take Polaroids” (1980) which was My Personal Favourite……& it is the Title TraCk which I would like to Show You Now!>>>>
This LiVe Performance was taken from Their Live LP & Video “Oil on Canvas”, which I Watched ENDLESSLY!!! >>>
The DruMMing of Steve Jansen was HiGhly Influencial oN My Style of Playing & He Remains to this Day one of My ALL TIME FAVOURITE Pop Drummers!>>>
David Sylvian & Steve Jansen are Still Recording GREAT Solo Work & Tour the World from TiMe to TiMe for their HuGe & Die~Hard FaN Base.>>>
