Dead Sara, Thumpin’ Sean

In order to understand why Dead Sara is the only band that works for me while I’m writing, let’s have a look at its parts. I’ll start from the ground up with drummer Sean Friday.

Since “Weatherman” is the first song I heard from them, I’ll break down what I hear in layman’s terms. Drum roll, please. Literally, as that’s how Thumpin’ Sean powers into the track. His drumming during the verse helps push along the riff—even when Bouncy Siouxsie isn’t playing it and Groovin’ Chris is carrying a bass groove—with a great use of the kick drum. He simplifies the kick in the chorus and pounds out a straightforward beat. When the band is playing the riff, just before Mighty Emily sings, I think I hear a stutter step with a double kick before the snare. A clever trick to call attention to the space before the vocals. He uses some big, sweeping fills that are probably behind the beat for a fraction of a second before the bridge. The bridge is a brilliant example of how to layer drums. Starting with a constant kick, bringing in fills that might actually be drum rolls, adding toms when the riff isn’t being played, then continuing until the music stops. Enter feedback and vocals.

Drums are a monstrously important part of a rock group, probably far more than is immediately apparent. They do much more than just hold down a beat, they are the most dynamic instrument (vocals excluded) as they can go from a whisper to a roar without stomping on a pedal. This gives an organic power to heavy rock sounds and a whispering touch for the softer ones.

Sean’s parts may not be easy to play but they are easy to pick out. I focused on these different sections when I wrote parts of the novel The Demon on Stilts. If I need to hear hoofbeats when writing a scene, what better than a drum roll? If I need to feel the tension drop in a scene before it explodes, what better than a light touch on the hi-hat before slamming into the cymbals?

Next Post, Groovin Chris. Even if he is no longer with the band, he was part of it when I first listened to Dead Sara more than a decade ago.