ShoutoutLA: "Meet Brendan Buckley | Drummer" (November 20, 2023)

"I am a freelance musician. This means that every year of my career looks remarkably different than the previous one. And, I actually have very little ability to predict what adventures lie around the corner. I work with a variety of different artists. Sometimes, I am hired by a manager or artist to perform on a live concert tour. Other times, I am hired by a producer or artist to record music in a studio for a new album... "

https://shoutoutla.com/meet-brendan-buckley-drummer/

 

[Mimi Ramone]

"I admire the value of “discipline” in others. We all know that life can be quite challenging. I am inspired by people who overcome the chaos and hurdles that the world throws their way by establishing solid moral codes, positive work-ethics, productive daily planning, and so on. I feel as though so much can be accomplished if we possess a disciplined persistence."

Then I think he has the wrong band leader at the moment or maybe he can bring some of that mindset to the party. Must drive him nuts ^^

I think he sounds totally professional and rightfully so. I mean he has a job as a freelance musician and must pay the bills, of course he tells it as it is, besides that the interview wasn't about his engagement in Morrissey's touring band. He seems very down to earth and matter-of-factly and I like that.

Regarding Morrissey having mostly hired hands in his band, I think, that he obviously wants it that way nowadays, otherwise he would have sorted out the situation with Gustavo and Alain. I mean at the end it suits him better, doesn't it? If there are problems and someone must get disposed of it's much easier if it only was strictly professional in the first place.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

He's not asked about being the drummer in Morrissey's band so he doesn't talk about being the drummer in Morrissey's band. He's a musician for hire. Moz is a solo artist. Since The Smiths came to an end Moz has used musicians for hire. That's how solo artists operate. From Andrew Paresi to Brendan Buckley, Moz has gone through how many drummers? I would imagine anyone working for Morrissey knows that at any moment they could receive a fax or a text message informing them, it's over. Must be kind of scary and thrilling at the same time.

Correct, Morrissey did use musicians for hire UNTIL 1991. Having experienced both The Smiths and The Lads, as people say, I preferred The Lads. All my friends did too. They were a real band and it was BEAUTIFUL to behold.

 

[JerryCan]

I do admire BB, he always seems to come across well in his interviews. Think he's a diplomat and knows how to tread carefully. I like to think M is pleased to have him set up behind him on stage. Solid drummer and super cool with it.
Need to check out his recommended book “The Inner Game of Tennis” by Timothy Gallwey. Maybe help me achieve something in my life before it's all too late.

 

[gashonthenail]

Correct, Morrissey did use musicians for hire UNTIL 1991. Having experienced both The Smiths and The Lads, as people say, I preferred The Lads. All my friends did too. They were a real band and it was BEAUTIFUL to behold.

Any 'band' is a temporary coming together of musicians who gel together and work together - but it is by nature temporary. The lads were that and the current band is that. Don't get me wrong, I love Alain and the lads, and I've said before that some of the songs composed by Alain are up there as Moz's best, but I don't think Moz is going to be recording any new material any time soon, given that his 2 most recent albums remain in limbo. So a touring band is all he needs at the moment. And for that purpose the current band is fine.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

I do admire BB, he always seems to come across well in his interviews. Think he's a diplomat and knows how to tread carefully. I like to think M is pleased to have him set up behind him on stage. Solid drummer and super cool with it.
Need to check out his recommended book “The Inner Game of Tennis” by Timothy Gallwey. May be help me achieve something in my life before it's all too late.

View attachment 97830

Not gonna lie, I do love BB's look and hair. Very rock and roll. Definitely my favorite current band member.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Not gonna lie, I do love BB's look and hair. Very rock and roll. Definitely my favorite current band member.

 

[Amy]

Correct, Morrissey did use musicians for hire UNTIL 1991. Having experienced both The Smiths and The Lads, as people say, I preferred The Lads. All my friends did too. They were a real band and it was BEAUTIFUL to behold.

If Boz leaving without so much as a "thank you" from Moz, or Alain leaving twice under dubious circumstances doesn't drive it home, nothing will - there was never a "real band."

Morrissey recruited rookie musicians because he liked their "aesthetic". To say that some of them were limited would be generous - some were dire and he was frequently embarrassed by that (eg. the Nick Kent and Allen Toussaint situations). He called the shots the whole time and when members fell out of line, they were gone.

They were hired hands wearing Doc Martens, and it's just the same now. I don't see why the new women in the band deserve such scorn and derision but we're getting misty-eyed over Spencer, who was almost infamously crap when he first started and didn't stay in the industry after he left - it's bizarre.

There has never been ONE musician who came even close to being an equal partner in the solo era. There has never been a truly standout musician, someone who could share the limelight. And that is by Morrissey's own design, he knows what happens - they have more power and more opportunities, they won't take orders and boom, they've gone.

 

[SuedeMoz]

Correct, Morrissey did use musicians for hire UNTIL 1991. Having experienced both The Smiths and The Lads, as people say, I preferred The Lads. All my friends did too. They were a real band and it was BEAUTIFUL to behold.

It was easy to buy into that image... but were they a "real band" in that any of them had a say in when they toured, where they toured, and what they played? Wasn't it also revealed that the band and Morrissey didn't stay at the same hotels? The power dynamic is clear, it's always been Morrissey and hired hands since he became a solo artist... it's just that some stayed longer (Alain the first time, Boz, and unfortunately Jesse).

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

If Boz leaving without so much as a "thank you" from Moz, or Alain leaving twice under dubious circumstances doesn't drive it home, nothing will - there was never a "real band."

Morrissey recruited rookie musicians because he liked their "aesthetic". To say that some of them were limited would be generous - some were dire and he was frequently embarrassed by that (eg. the Nick Kent and Allen Toussaint situations). He called the shots the whole time and when members fell out of line, they were gone.

They were hired hands wearing Doc Martens, and it's just the same now. I don't see why the new women in the band deserve such scorn and derision but we're getting misty-eyed over Spencer, who was almost infamously crap when he first started and didn't stay in the industry after he left - it's bizarre.

There has never been ONE musician who came even close to being an equal partner in the solo era. There has never been a truly standout musician, someone who could share the limelight. And that is by Morrissey's own design, he knows what happens - they have more power and more opportunities, they won't take orders and boom, they've gone.

How does M define what a band is to him? The Lads were probably more of a ‘band’ than The Smiths were to M. I wouldn’t be surprised if he viewed just him and Marr as the ‘band’.

Not saying he didn’t value the other members though.

But yeah. M is always the boss, and to think otherwise would be foolish.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Correct, Morrissey did use musicians for hire UNTIL 1991. Having experienced both The Smiths and The Lads, as people say, I preferred The Lads. All my friends did too. They were a real band and it was BEAUTIFUL to behold.

well, you fell in love with the image of ‘a band’
of course that image was helped by the fact that most of them knew each other and were friends before becoming M’s ‘band’. M liked and cultivated the image of a band of boys supporting him/being a part of a gang, a rock’n roll fantasy.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

It was easy to buy into that image... but were they a "real band" in that any of them had a say in when they toured, where they toured, and what they played? Wasn't it also revealed that the band and Morrissey didn't stay at the same hotels?

The power dynamic is clear, it's always been Morrissey and hired hands since he became a solo artist... it's just that some stayed longer (Alain the first time, Boz, and unfortunately Jesse).

The power dynamic is unclear. And maybe we just don’t have evidence, but it seems that M is closer to Jesse than to the others, as far as being seen just hanging out, separate from the context of a work scenario. Which may say a lot.

 

[Amy]

How does M define what a band is to him? The Lads were probably more of a ‘band’ than The Smiths were to M. I wouldn’t be surprised if he viewed just him and Marr as the ‘band’.

Not saying he didn’t value the other members though.

But yeah. M is always the boss, and to think otherwise would be foolish.

I don't think Moz is a natural band creature. I don't mean that negatively, I just mean - as a non-musician and a singer, there has always been some level of distance between him and the guys (through necessity) and when you combine that with his introversion and social issues, it would always be hard for him to be 'part of the gang' even if he wanted to be. It's like being mates with your boss, there's a power dynamic. I can see how you'd have an easier life though, if 'the band' all knew each other and got on and you didn't need to referee arguments. That's why there is always one band member who becomes the gofer and has to sort out all the hiring, firing and people stuff.

 

[Orange Crush]

I don't think Moz is a natural band creature. I don't mean that negatively, I just mean - as a non-musician and as the lead singer, there has always been some level of distance between him and the guys (through necessity) and when you combine that with his introversion and social issues, it would always be hard for him to be 'part of the gang' even if he wanted to be. It's like being mates with your boss, there's a power dynamic. I can see how you'd have an easier life, as a singer, if 'the band' all knew each other and got on and you didn't need to referee arguments. That's where there is always one band member who becomes the gofer.

I was just thinking of this today, ie Moz and his non-musicianship. If I'd been in the company of musicians for decades I'd have made a real effort to learn to play an instrument or two. I know each to their own, but what an opportunity to learn. Maybe he does play something in private, who knows. I don't know which hobbies he may have, but I guess he's got plenty of time on his hands.

 

[JerryCan]

well, you fell in love with the image of ‘a band’
of course that image was helped by the fact that most of them knew each other and were friends before becoming M’s ‘band’. M liked and cultivated the image of a band of boys supporting him/being a part of a gang, a rock’n roll fantasy.

I think they all knew the score from the get go.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

I think they all knew the score from the get go.

The definition of cool to me.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I was just thinking of this today, ie Moz and his non-musicianship. If I'd been in the company of musicians for decades I'd have made a real effort to learn to play an instrument or two. I know each to their own, but what an opportunity to learn. Maybe he does play something in private, who knows. I don't know which hobbies he may have, but I guess he's got plenty of time on his hands.

Yes, the voice is not an instrument. Nor does he ever have any say in song arrangements, vision of where he wants to take the song, and I’m sure like the rest of us, he knows that whatever non musical melody he comes up with, it will not impact the song or us at all. But yeah, that said … Morrissey is not a musician.

 

[Nakedbrunch]

Ryan Lowry shared on his Instagram story that he's headed to Japan too, perhaps we can expect another photoshoot of Moz and the band?

 

[bhops]

Ryan Lowry shared on his Instagram story that he's headed to Japan too, perhaps we can expect another photoshoot of Moz and the band?

Ummm I hope has cleared this with Damon

 

[JM🇬🇧]

Never as good but the current lineup might be as bad as it can get, for me anyway. I have no interest in any of those people currently on stage with Morrissey.

I think they’re great. Probably the second best band he’s had this year.

 

[PapaJackass]

View attachment 97864

I think they’re great. Probably the second best band he’s had this year.

you must be a new generation fan...
because this is the worst backing band in the history of MOZ... all 40+ years.
They all look like the gentrified/woke cast of some lame CW vampire tv show.
They play and sound worst than a MOZ/Smiths tribute band.

Moz is in his "Fat Elvis" stage.... his voice is the strongest ever but he is just going through the motions with the same ol tired setlist.

"truly disappointing"