Slipstream

SONG TITLE: SLIPSTREAM

GENRE: GRUNGE
TEMPO: 115 BPM

q =115 Grunge

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TECH FEATURES: POWER DRUMMING

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SYNCOPATION
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FLAMS

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COMPOSER: JASON BOWLD

PERSONNEL: JASON BOWLD (ALL PARTS)

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OVERVIEW
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rock of the decade, most notably Melvins, Pixies and

‘Slipstream’ is a grunge track inspired by bands J

like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains. It
features flams, syncopation, a ride groove and power
drumming among its techniques. [3]
STYLE FOCUS
Grunge drumming is essentially about being honest
Sonic Youth. In the late 1980s, Alice In Chains and
Soundgarden introduced elements of classic rock and
metal to the grunge mix.
In the early 1990s, Nirvana and Pearl Jam achieved
mainstream success. Nirvana’s Nevermind (1991)
topped the US charts, becoming one of the 100 best-
selling albums of all time thanks to ‘Smells Like Teen
Spirit’, the video for which was played repeatedly
by MTV. The irony of its success was not lost on

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with your sound. Fills are limited to flams, cymbal frontman Kurt Cobain, who abandoned Nevermind’s

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accents and tom accents and should be played only to glossy production on their follow-up In Utero (1993).
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complement the song. This is especially the case with

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‘Slipstream’. As usual, solid timing and consistency
with your power are vital in keeping the energy
flowing in the music. Focusing on keeping the audio
mix of the bass drum, snare, toms and cymbals well-
balanced will improve your sound and make you and
the music sound their best.
[5]
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The term grunge was coined by Mark Arm,
singer of the Seattle band Mudhoney (known as the
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RECOMMENDED LISTENING
A good place to start with grunge is with the
bands Mudhoney and Pixies. Tracks such as ‘Pump
It Up’ and ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’ by Mudhoney, and
‘Wave Of Mutilation’ by Pixies exemplify grunge
drums. The albums Bleach (1989), Nevermind and
In Utero by Nirvana feature Dave Grohl on drums,
who epitomises the genre’s style with his powerful
flam accents, memorable drum fills and jumpy,
understated beats. Pearl Jam’s albums carry a more
Drums Grade 2

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godfathers of grunge) back in the early 1980s. This sophisticated edge. Early tracks ‘Jeremy’ and ‘Even

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hybrid of punk, rock and indie spawned hundreds of Flow’ from their debut Ten (1991) highlight the talent
bands who set themselves apart from the mainstream of their first drummer Dave Krusen.

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