# Remember that drum style/beat that Brit bands used in the early 90s? Was there a name for it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851 "2014-02-21T06:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/1 "2014-02-21T06:40:22Z")
I was revisiting some old music I was into back in High School and remembered how alot of the Brit bands I was into back then all had that similar beat in alot of songs. It was very popular in early 90’s britpop. 3 examples that immediately spring to mind are: RIDE-Vapour Trail: [Ride- Vapour Trail - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygGw_zo_W8A) Blur- No other way: [Blur - There's No Other Way (Official Music Video) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJzCYSdrHMI) Big Audio Dynamite-Rush : [Big Audio Dynamite - Rush - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8zs898lr4) It’s not _exactly_ the same in each song but they all have that what I called brit drumming. I was thinking maybe it was some sort of influence from the Manchester scene, but then when I think of Manchester I think of The Stone Roses and cant remember a song of theirs using that style. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/2 "2014-02-21T06:57:21Z")
does this fit: way down now, world party [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZZrIdbumFiI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGE0gYihlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDro3aPezeI5OtZMVb5iXeKwbczmw "World Party - Way Down Now") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZrIdbumFiI) ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/3 "2014-02-21T07:11:45Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > does this fit: > way down now, world party > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZrIdbumFiI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZrIdbumFiI) Pretty much. I wasn’t familiar with that song before I just listed to it. But if I had heard it outside the context of this discussion i’d think “early 90’s british band” based on the drumming. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/4 "2014-02-21T14:25:41Z")
I know exactly what drumbeat you mean, and I’ve always considered it a takeoff of _[The Funky Drummer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDqaZ8x7tfE)_ (originally Clyde Stubblefield, James Brown’s drummer) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/5 "2014-02-21T14:37:16Z")
ETA - Not saying it’s that exact beat, but strongly influenced by it. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/6 "2014-02-21T15:12:43Z")
It could very well be an attribute of Madchester. The Stone Roses’ [Fools Gold](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBsazIACpYM) has it, as does Happy Mondays’ [Step On](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnBi-LNM0Og). The Charlatans’ (U.K.) Jon Brookes (who I just read, sadly, succumbed to brain cancer last August) definitely had that sound. [The Only One I Know](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RJwW77Lsj8) [Tremelo Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oxqcqaQNPo) While not strictly a Manchester band, I think (and I’m really not sure, thus “I think”) that the Charlatans were closely enough associated with Madchester that perhaps it could be considered an attribute. The drumming has definitely got a funky (in a good way) sound. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/7 "2014-02-21T15:22:25Z")
If it’s what I’m thinking of, I call it a “baggy drum beat” and it is, indeed, inspired by “The Funky Drummer.” More on [baggy beats](http://www.rhapsody.com/blog/post/the-best-baggy-beats) here. And here’s a whole ["baggy beats playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL897EBADAFB316076) on Youtube. See if those songs line up with what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/8 "2014-02-21T15:36:16Z")
Also, to further explain, probably the most defining characteristic of the baggy beat is the placement of the snare. There’s a snare on beats 2 and 4, like in most rock music, but also a snare on the last sixteenth of beat 2 and the second sixteenth of beat 3. The loudness of these two off-beat snare hits varies from song to song. It’s often quieter than the beats on 2 and 4, but usually not completely ghosted. Sometimes, it’s played at the same dynamic as the main snare beats. Also, the primary kicks are on one and usually the second eighth note of 3 (so to the two off-beat snare hits tumble into the kick.) There can be a lot more additional kick drums, but those are usually the two important ones. That said, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this beat played “four to the floor” with the kicks on one, two, three, four so you don’t have that second eighth note kick on 3. Furthermore, it generally should be played with a loose style. There’s a little bit of “air” in the parts, a bit of “swing.” And, of course, there’s many variants. Those off-beat snares can get displaced to the kick or even a hi-hat or something while still maintaining the feel of the baggy beat. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/9 "2014-02-21T15:42:02Z")
Darn it, missed the edit window. ETA: I should clarify, that’s one of the most distinctive baggy beats, based on The Funky Drummer. There are other beats that also fall into the category. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/10 "2014-02-21T23:36:58Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > If it’s what I’m thinking of, I call it a “baggy drum beat” and it is, indeed, inspired by “The Funky Drummer.” More on [baggy beats](http://www.rhapsody.com/blog/post/the-best-baggy-beats) here. And here’s a whole ["baggy beats playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL897EBADAFB316076) on Youtube. See if those songs line up with what you’re looking for. Yeah thats it. So I guess it did/does have a name. Baggy. I remember hearing the term, but back then, I thought ‘baggy’ was referring to the clothing style of the Manchester scene. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/11 "2014-02-22T01:02:34Z")
For what it’s worth, it reminds me of INXS’s [Need You Tonight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrZZfaDp02o)/Mystify from 1987. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/12 "2014-02-22T01:35:58Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > Yeah thats it. So I guess it did/does have a name. Baggy. I remember hearing the term, but back then, I thought ‘baggy’ was referring to the clothing style of the Manchester scene. 🙂 You thought that because its correct. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-drum-style-beat-that-brit-bands-used-in-the-early-90s-was-there-a-name-for-it/681851/13 "2014-02-22T02:11:44Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > Yeah thats it. So I guess it did/does have a name. Baggy. I remember hearing the term, but back then, I thought ‘baggy’ was referring to the clothing style of the Manchester scene. 🙂 It does, but by extension, it also refers to a certain genre of music that went along with this type of fashion in the Manchester music scene. [More info on the term](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baggy). I personally use the terms “baggy” and “Madchester” fairly interchangeably (in the very rare times I use them), but that article seems to suggest there is a distinction between the two. Perhaps that “baggy” music can be from outside Manchester, while “Madchester” is tied to geography?