Sorry to probably get you guys all excited from the title, but I was just wondering what everyone else thought.  Do you guys think we'll ever see the return of Clune with David.  I know we haven't even really heard what the new band can do without the release of the new album yet, but I really dont care how amazing its gonna be, I still want Clune back.

I dont want clune back. It look unprofessional with him in that top of his. The music has moved on since then. Pryor is brilliant, seen him live? On please forgive me he was simply fantastic

I think he will return if and only if pryor leaves/gets let go. Having met clune twice i love the guy and believe he is an amazing drummer -- pryor is amazing too, they're both amazing -- just with different styles.

Just the comment that's been always appearing somehow is this "professional" aspect.

Come on guys we've got bands that play in t-shirts and shorts, you've got dudes wearing leather and makeup, the B.N.L. and their literally 99%-totally-nude appearances....etc. They are good at what they do - they get the spotlight. They are professional too. Clune and Dave had their own style going too - lets be real he didn't let him go because he refused to wear a suit ever since 2005 when everyone else started to do that. 

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A million to one outsiders.

I wish people would Stop with the Pryor is "Brilliant" stuff.

He's NOT brilliant, he's Good and so are hundreds of other professional drummers in the world.

(yes, I've seen Pryor live). 

The Clune shirt remark is flat out ridiculous and completely petty and more than a little absurd.

Speaking of good Ol' Clune: I've been listening to many past concerts and I noticed that Clune always has a comment after every song. I get anoyed when listening to it because it sounds as if he forgets that David is the front man. David has been acoused of "not talking to the audience enough" but it gets more noticable when the drummer says more than him at every show. I wonder (not that I ever expect David to say) if that was one of the reasons he parted ways with him. Imagine, day after day, having to listen to your drummer act as though the audience was there for him. There needs to be a certain order and respect given in a band and I think (from the various shows I've watched/listened to) that Clune (as nice a person as he is) over stepped his boundry. Just an thought to share:) Thanks, Mac

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Mac Jackson
Singer/Songwriter of
"Harmony Constant"
myspace.com/harmonyconstant

Tugboat25:

I wish people would Stop with the Pryor is "Brilliant" stuff.

He's NOT brilliant, he's Good and so are hundreds of other professional drummers in the world.

(yes, I've seen Pryor live). 

The Clune shirt remark is flat out ridiculous and completely petty and more than a little absurd.

 

Amongst those of my friends who drum, they have cmmented on how stale clune's drumming was. Same predictable beats. And as for the shirt remark, have you not seen the new band? Are you blind? Its fairly obvious to me david has gone for a smart professional look, something which clune wrecked with his silly shirts and his show stealing antics. Its not petty at all, its a genuine criticism 

Tugboat25:

I wish people would Stop with the Pryor is "Brilliant" stuff.

He's NOT brilliant, he's Good and so are hundreds of other professional drummers in the world.

(yes, I've seen Pryor live). 

The Clune shirt remark is flat out ridiculous and completely petty and more than a little absurd.

Hi Clune, is this you?

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"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." Leonard Cohen

I'm sure there were several factors as to why David asked Clune to leave, but I think Clune talking to the audience too much is probably not one of them.  If David felt his drummer was stealing the spotlight, I'm sure either on stage or back stage he would talked to him about it.  David can be quiet at times on stage, but his no push over.  The last time I saw him was at Park West in Chicago back in December, I remember being front row and there was an arragont drunk woman a couple people down from me practically harassing Neil the guitarist.  After a couple of minutes David finally jumped in and politely and in his own way, basically told her to shut up.

As for the whole Keith Pryor being brilliant thing, I'd also have to disagree.  Theres no doubt that his a good drummer and everything.  David has established himself now, and I'm sure he wouldnt just get any old drummer that was interested in playing with him.  But we still dont even really know what Pryor is capable of.  Without the new album, we dont have any orginal beats from Pryor, so all we know so far is that he can regurgitate Clunes drum beats.  That doesnt even get him close to brilliance.  I know how to play a lot of David Gray songs on guitar, but I dont call myself brilliant.  Now I'm not trying to bad mouth Pryor, but I am saying that its way to early to decide if his this unbelievable, great drummer.  He hasn't proven anything yet with a couple of live shows playing something somebody else came up with.

And regarding JWP's comments, I hope your friends are either musical savants or elderly instrumentalists, since you take thier criticism of a professional musician so easily.  Have you heard or seen the drumming behind Please Forgive Me?  Clune is keeping time, rythym, and tempo while playing at a drum machine speed.  That's incredible.  And the clothing comments are just plain out ridiculous.  I'm sure if I was a drummer for some well known band or songwriter, getting paid millions of dollars to write and perform, that I'd compromise a button-down shirt for a suit.  Even if it was his gimmick, and it meant more to him than the actual music, he wouldn't fight it kicking and screaming.  What kind of musician would loose focus on the performance to through a temper tantrum about a shirt?

Hi,

I was a late-comer, really, to being into DG in a big way - although I had the standard 'White Ladder' and 'A New Day at Midnight' CD's which I listened to regularly, it wasn't until I went to see David live, this last tour, that I finally had my eyes well and truly opened - and became somewhat a fanatic!!

 
Since then I have digested every live performance available to me - on YouTube, or by buying DVD's.  My partner have watched just about every bit of footage there is!! (Yes, sad!).

So, of course, I had never even heard of Clune til a couple of months ago.  And I decided to keep my mouth well and truly shut on this board about what I thought of him, as most people seemed to really like him.

 
However, having been introduced to DG live only since Clune's departure my heartfelt opinion is that Clune irritated me from the first moment I saw him on stage with DG.  His rather blatantly obvious attempts to upstage David were simply annoying to watch and my general impression was that Clune clearly considered 'David Gray' to be a partnership.  My partner, watching one night with me, and not knowing my opinion of Clune, said 'My God - It was like the David and Clune show back then, wasn't it?'. So, it's not just me.

I feel that the way Clune conducted himself on stage sometimes showed a certain degree of disrespect toward DG - and that was the public face.  We have no idea what was going on behind closed doors.

This doesn't and mustn't detract in any way from the fact that he was/is a fantastic drummer though.  I don't want to entirely bring him down because he's fabulous at what he does.

However, from my perspective, I'm not at all surprised that DG parted company with him.  I found him overpowering and overbearing and I think the new band that DG has now is so much more appropriate for DG's style - not forgetting that DG is actually a solo artist, not a band member or duo.

This opinion will upset some, I know, but it is only my opinion, so please don't put my head on the block!!  But I feel I should show some solidarity with those who have the same feelings as I do - especially as I thought I was the only one til reading this thread.

Take care,

 

Linz x
 

DG4President:

I'm sure there were several factors as to why David asked Clune to leave, but I think Clune talking to the audience too much is probably not one of them.  If David felt his drummer was stealing the spotlight, I'm sure either on stage or back stage he would talked to him about it.  David can be quiet at times on stage, but his no push over.  The last time I saw him was at Park West in Chicago back in December, I remember being front row and there was an arragont drunk woman a couple people down from me practically harassing Neil the guitarist.  After a couple of minutes David finally jumped in and politely and in his own way, basically told her to shut up.

As for the whole Keith Pryor being brilliant thing, I'd also have to disagree.  Theres no doubt that his a good drummer and everything.  David has established himself now, and I'm sure he wouldnt just get any old drummer that was interested in playing with him.  But we still dont even really know what Pryor is capable of.  Without the new album, we dont have any orginal beats from Pryor, so all we know so far is that he can regurgitate Clunes drum beats.  That doesnt even get him close to brilliance.  I know how to play a lot of David Gray songs on guitar, but I dont call myself brilliant.  Now I'm not trying to bad mouth Pryor, but I am saying that its way to early to decide if his this unbelievable, great drummer.  He hasn't proven anything yet with a couple of live shows playing something somebody else came up with.

And regarding JWP's comments, I hope your friends are either musical savants or elderly instrumentalists, since you take thier criticism of a professional musician so easily.  Have you heard or seen the drumming behind Please Forgive Me?  Clune is keeping time, rythym, and tempo while playing at a drum machine speed.  That's incredible.  And the clothing comments are just plain out ridiculous.  I'm sure if I was a drummer for some well known band or songwriter, getting paid millions of dollars to write and perform, that I'd compromise a button-down shirt for a suit.  Even if it was his gimmick, and it meant more to him than the actual music, he wouldn't fight it kicking and screaming.  What kind of musician would loose focus on the performance to through a temper tantrum about a shirt?

Excellent post. Well stated and Right On Target. 

Well you would say that tugboat because he just licked your opinion.

 Wrosegirl's experience is the same as mine. Everyone i speak to who has seen him on tele has said 'he is the one with the funny drummer guy isn't he and the bobbly head?' and the majority have noticed the shirts. A bunch of guys in suits.. then a haiwaan red t-shirt? you dont seem to see the problem do you, or should i say lack of continuity.

 We do have original beats from Pryor, i believe he did both world to me and destroyer. Now is that not original?  And a lot of white ladders drum beats were originally computer generated, mimicked by clune. For someone who claims to know what your talking about nevermind, your sounding a little flat at the moment. Keeping time rhythm and tempo? Well with all due respect isnt that what drummers are there for? If he cant do that he technically isn't playing along to the piece of music....

And as for the criticism of clune's drumming, my uncle played in a band for 15 years (sole income) and has an excellent knowledge of drumming. So yes he is near enough expert, he knows far more about it than you. His comments were that clune uses steady, predictable beats and there is little technical variation in his drumming. He also described it as 'stale'. As for the shirts thing, we all know the shirts are clunes lil tick. He even wears it on the live in slow motion extras. David has spoken about giving his band a facelift style wise and the suits do seem to be a part of it....

I wish people would give pryor a break and realise what an effort he has, his drumming on please forgive me beats clune in my books, and Prior doesnt try to steal david's show either.

 

 

Drum rrrolllll please..... 

Hi everybody, some good points raised by everyone in the ongoing drummer debate.  I was watching something the other day and saw that Clune had no shirt on. Must have been hot.

I have seen each of these men with sticks several times.  When Clune was with the band, I preferred to watch Robbie if I wasn't focused on  Dave. He can be quite animated too but in a way that doesn't distract from David.

Maybe the shirts (or lack thereof) and the attention Clune sought from the audience were just part of his personality and Dave had no problem with letting him express that.  I did notice that Dave would often look to Clune at the end of a song for a laugh or maybe for some kind of reassurance that they did a good job. They obviously had a lot of good times together.

I think they are both very good drummers from what I have seen.  Some people are more receptive to the flamboyant style of Clune. 

Others appreciate what might be  described the natural intensity and under-dog(ged) determination of Keith.    He has worked very hard.  There has been re-working of some songs like NB and Other Side that are phenomenal and Keith would have had to collaborate to develop the drum parts for those.

People come in and out of our lives and influence who we are.  Clune was obviously a big part of  David's evolution as a performer.  However, his absence hasn't affected my appreciation of David and his music. It seems to me that David has an even more powerful delivery in the recent tour.  Someone calls him the master on here (is that you Darren) and that is a very accurate description.

Bottom line, Keith is a wonderful addition to Dave's band and I know that he appreciates us fans. Looking forward to more great shows in the future.

 

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We are family, I got all my sistas with me..

It's not wrong to have an opinion about the new drummer, and because he works hard it doesn't mean he is better than Clune. Clune's sound was far more subtle and varied than Keith's, and frankly, the new suits look ridiculous, the only one that looks like it fits properly is DG's. I'm in Clune's corner on this one sorry..........and before the die hard DG stalkers have a go......yes I've seen them both more than once.

I find it so absurd that people have gotten so flustered about the clothing.  Whether it be Clunes Hawaiin shirts or the new suits.  Now I'm not passing judment on anyone because I realize that I've expressed my own opinion on the matter, but IT'S FRICKIN' CLOTHES!!!  You wanna observe and evalute an outfit, go to a runway show, not a David Gray concert.  Your there to enjoy the experience of watching one of your favorite performers PERFORM, and not stand there and say,"Man I'm glad Clunes no longer in the band.  His shirts just clashed with the suits, and tainted the whole show for me".  It's just stupid thinking, which causes ridiculous ideas such as it's the reason why Clune isn't around anymore.  Music is one of the few media related industries that you dont have to look like a Greek god to do, so lets forget about the materlistic side of it all.

One more thing though.  I've read a lot of interviews with David Gray over time, and I remember one that asked him about how now that he's famous and a millionare, how he spends his money.  He replied that he really deosn't.  The most expensive thing he's bought since becoming well-known was a new piano.  He doesn't take pride in going out and being photographed by the paparazzi in a red Ferrari, or with diamonds on his hands or neck.  He flat out hates the materialism, and desperately avoids it.  So having the notion that David kicked Clune out because he ruefused to where a probably several thousand dollar suit is out of the question.  And I know its bias but I'm going to say it anyways that I'm willing to bet David Gray would be drastically disappointed in his fans to read how wrongfully judgmental they are of the live shows.  Lets come together my brothers, and keep it simple by focusing on the music.  

I know that was corny, but the tension in this bulletin is getting pretty high.