I grew up on Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the whole 70's music scene as my first impressions of music. I moved on to other music as I grew older, and as such, started to to really focus on the players. Unfortunately I never revisited the players of my youth, and I can only say I'm glad I have, even this late in the game. You are a musical machine and I'm a better person for discovering your playing. 🙏🏻
Interesting update: In a video released today, Jonathan Moffett comments that when he did those videos for Drumeo (all of them) 4 years ago, he went in unprepared and unrehearsed. Hadn't played any of those Michael Jackson songs in over a decade, and was playing from memory. 10 years. From memory. Unrehearsed. Try to get your head around that. 50+ million views on Drumeo. These performances are epic.
I think, since MJ was a perfectionist through and through, Jonathan must have played MJ's songs at least 2 Billion times. I bet, if he wakes up from a 10 years koma and he cant remember his name - give the man some drums and he will kick it as he was on stage back in the 90's. Living legend! Just like he hits every of MJ's adlibs "OU". Amazin...
@@bravo915 It looks like it, eh? But in an interview, Moffett claims that he likes leather shoes with soft leather soles, and the more beat-up they are, the more he likes it. To each their own. The slide effect is part of his footwork. Simon Philips likes Converse. Some drummers like socks, bare feet, even slippers.
If you look at old live footage all you see is a huge smile killing it on the drums. Now all you see is a man that misses his buddy while still killing it.
Someone once asked Michael Jackson why he insisted on "Sugarfoot" was the drummer he insisted on. Jackson's response was the fact that in thirty years of performing with him, Jonathan had never made a single mistake.
Now think about his wife’s words. He was not rehearsing this song since 2010 and he didn’t try it before playing at Drumeo. He just read the music sheet because the recorded version differs from the live ones and he was used to play the live version. And he did it in one shot, with no retakes. He’s tied up to rhythm and music in such a personal way that is unbelievably deep and beyond human understanding. It’s spiritual.
He's been doing this for 60 years and MJs songs aren't technically complex. Yeah he has a great pocket, but can't really compare him to other top drummers.
I remember seeing an old clip of Michael saying "it don't sound like that when Sugarfoot plays it"...referring to another drummer that wasn't cutting it for him.
do you remember which clip? I'd like to see that 😅 that some mad props for Sugarfoot to have him say that. It was similar to when he took Beat it out during the second leg of the Dangerous tour becauss Jennifer Batten wasn't there and he didn't like how the new guitarist played the solo
@@kuntay88 Michael said it few times also during the Jacksons period. But what OP said is right because I've seen it too. But there are so many clips it's impossible to find it
Hard to believe that! Especially when Mike had Ricky Lawson play for him for 2 different tours. Bad and Dangerous. Not implying that Johnathan Moffett isn't a good drummer but Lawson had a bunch of well known artists that he played for besides The King of Pop. Which is why I believe, and I could be wrong, Johnathan Moffett re-emerged to play with Michael during the '96 - '97 world tour. And to back up this claim, it was during that time Rickey was touring with Phil Collins.🤷🏿♂️
Sugarfoot is a machine! Killer groove and precise as hell. I love watching the videos he recorded during this session…there are several MJ songs he plays flawlessly here.
It’s crazy that he’s a self-taught drummer. He started playing with the Jacksons in 1979 for their Destiny tour. I actually saw him play live in 1981 for their Triumph tour. MJ liked how Sugarfoot would accent his dance moves with his drumming.
@@TheSmiley8225 yep, that’s true, but it was the basic rudiments on just the snare. There was no one in his neighborhood that could teach him how to play on a drum set, so he had to learn on his own.
Moffett is the embodiment of the Ringo Starr argument. You do not perform a song, you perform a context. Take it out of context, and its not rocketscience. HowEVER, consider the context and it becomes nigh magic.
I’d like to hear Andrew review/discuss Ringo, especially with the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary coming up. I don’t think younger people understand what he’s so important.
I know nothing about music or drums. I randomly watched this video of sugar foot. The sheer intensity, perfection, his passion for drums, just his being was so inspiring to watch. I found a superhuman who literally dedicated to mastering just one skill for years and years and i was spellbound. One could sense that this is not an ordinary human playing an instrument. It is something very special.
So I work as a stage hand and do a lot of lighting work. I was a follow spot operator for the Michael Jackson Cirque de Solie show. That tour hired MJs entire band to play live with the circus acts. Just before intermission all the spot ops were done our cues and we ended up standing in the rafters of the arena over Sugarfoot watching in awe. The power and the flare was incredible. He plays ridiculously loud too.
One of the reasons Michael took him as his drummer was that Jon made him dance. He was right. If you listen to him, your head automatically moves, you start smiling at how good he is. His precision, his groove, how smooth he is, it's just insane. Yeah, there are drummers out there who can make it technical and difficult to play, but can they play it like him? Not a chance.
Why Mike picked sugarfoot: His precise, technical abilities. He could hear the song Mike sang to him and play the drum part. Mike didn’t use technical language when he wrote songs. Mike would accapella the instruments to his band members and the ones who could work with that he kept.
"Many drummers want to skip right past this to be Neil Peart. Don't do it, kids!" Exactly, if you do that you won't sound like Peart, you'll sound like Lars Ulrich.
My first reaction to this video was shock, couldn’t believe how tight he was, those stick tricks and staying perfectly in beat, that sound, that choke at the end. Just absolutely phenomenal
I yelled DAMN! on the last hit with the double choke haha. My girlfriend heard it and thought something happened and then called me a nerd when I told her haha
The secret behind Moffett's success is the fact that the man is, for no other words, a metronome. His sense of timing is incredibly rare, and the perfect match for a dancer like Jackson. (The end solo dance in "Billie Jean" where he simply creates a beat to anchor MJ is something you can set your watch to.) This can't be taught. This is sheer talent and sensitivity. He gives Jackson what he wants, and executes it night after night, accurate each time. There's no need for dynamics because the live music is always loud and punchy. His cymbals are set high for a few reasons: visibility from the audience (Collins, Ginger Baker, Fleetwood all do the same thing). Also, being up high give you the arm extension you need to play out and loud. Jazz drummers play closer in, as a rule, because dynamics come into play. Here, it's loud and strong all the time. The flying cymbals are all crashes. The lower ones are all effects and hi hats. If you like lots of smashing hardware, watch his "Emotional video of Earth Song", done a year after Jackson's death, and a clearly emotional Moffett is still recovering from this. The cymbals get a real workout, and that video is as satisfying as any you'll see on RUclips.
What's also important to remember is how unbelievably "in the pocket" Michael Jackson was as well. Think about all those noises he makes that follow the high hats at the beginning and on hits throughout the song. He would have tracked all that AFTER the studio guys had laid down the tracks. Go watch Jackson video's and watch him dance. You'll see how he's every bit as "tight" with his movements and vocals as Moffett is here with his drumming. It's no wonder he wanted him to be his drummer.
This is a classic example of a drummer who is drumming for the song, and doing his absolute best to serve the song and using the space in between his strikes on the drum head,a perfect lesson in "less is more" and I know that isn't always the best thing for a song, but in this case it's perfect, and no matter how good of a drummer you are, to play this way consistently is a skill in itself.
Well said! I often tell folks (drummers) who clown on these kinds of pop songs to sit down, and play 'Billie Jean' without straying from the tempo. Harder than it sounds. I had to play it while I filled in on occasion for a cover band up where I live in Alaska, and while its fun as HELL to just lay into that groove, its also kind of pressure inducing to make sure that you don't fuck the timing up.
Lovely reaction! Oh, and the last choke was so on point that the perfection caused a glitch in the space-time continuum and Elvis is entering the building.
I am sure you both have done a deep dive into his other videos. He does the same choke move about 1:23 in Beat It and an entire inhuman ninja sequence about 1:50 ish in on Jam. It’s not ok. I am not on. These clips added years to my life! (And I am an American married to a kiwi from Dunedin moving to NZ for good next year - and I want as many years in aotearoa as I can get!)
What most people forget is that Michael Jackson is such a perfectionist that he has the best of the best and is personally hands on with his crew and he is personally hands on deck with everything he did and May he rest in peace
I watch this videoclip once or twice a week since last year! Man his drumming was phenomenal, absolutely perfect and I like your comments very much too! Amazing stuff buddy 🥁
As critical as MJ is about everything in the production to get picked to play for MJ says it all. The best thing I like about reactions is when you have a really good guy geek over an even better guy. Well done.
Here we have a choreographer on the drums. Im sure hes have lots of fun. And the tecnique and right company for pop music. Smooth, crispy and clear. Lots of learning for me certainly.
Any other metal guys out there that grew up listening to Michael Jackson? He had some super punchy rhythm in his music. Like Djent in 4/4 time.....? I dont know. Just good groove.
Big time. I was a metalhead but I loved pop too and MJ was amazing. Saw him live on the Victory Tour. All my snobby metal friends could go fuck themselves...lol I didn't give a shit if they didn't like it. Talent is talent. It's always impressive.
His drum teacher was Michael jackson... I have had the blessing of having a couple drinks with Moffett back in 2011 while on the MJ CIrque tour. I met the entire BAD band, except for Jennifer Batten. He is SUPER sweet as a human being, and down to earth! Photos i have that neverrrr get old.
The number one reason I love your channel is the respect and reverence you give these drummers. Some drummers just can’t keep themselves from saying things like “I could do that” or “that’s not that hard”. You understand how good these drummers are. The fact that they are an 11 out of 10 does not escape you.
Jonathan - one of the Greatest drummers! I had a chance to meet with him in Moscow.He was very kind to me, when I sad, that I'm a dtummer and dancer of Michael's dances like his Impersonator. Amazing drumming and groove!
real drummers and midi drums have their strengths and weaknesses. real drums have emotion to them, but sometimes the timing is off. midi drums have perfect timing, but it’s soulless. jonathan moffett is the best of both worlds.
There are drummers who use power. There are drummers who use insane speed. There are drummers who use insane meter. There are drummers who use insane creativity. There are drummers who use insane fills. There are drummer who use insane PERSONALITY. Then, there are basically basic drummers WHO NEVER MISS. INSANE POCKET SKILLS.
What I live about his drum parts is that he never over plays which is something I need to work on, so having drummers like this gives me a great example to look to
Great job sir! You were more excited reacting to this cover than most any I've seen and you get pretty excited about a lot of the great drummers you react to. In regards to your comment about him being like a prizefighter (All of the following comments in quotes are from DrummerWorld) "he got his nickname Sugarfoot because of his incredibly fast-paced foot pedaling technique on the bass drum." And as to why Michael hired him, it might have had something to do with this...LOL "He auditioned for The Jacksons in 1979. They hired him immediately after he performed Shake Your Body, a song with a three part overdub, which means it has three drum parts layered on top of one another with three separate passes of recorded individual drums parts."
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Stopped by to watch this again....LOL I asked YOYOKA if she had seen this video, and she said "Yes" and whips out a photo of the two of them (YOYOKA and Sugarfoot), and why wouldn't she...LOL
Yeah but what I think he’s try to say is he played for “Michael Jackson” it doesn’t get better than MJ-kinda like ok you have arrived and everything you have worked for was for this moment (playing for the biggest artist of all time)
Besides the amazing "cyborg" feel that's being demonstrated here, It's pretty cool that (I suspect) he's not just playing the song, he's doing his whole part of the show. Twirls, everything...
Dave has a front row seat to arguably one of the best drummers of our generation. How could you not be bobbing your head smiling like a kid watching and hearing this? I mean, the timing is impeccable. Those crashes, unreal.
Human drum machine with feel ! As for the high cymbals , I know a lot of studio engineers like the cymbals high up to seperate the tom mikes from the overheads . I have tried this and it certainly helps sonically ,but man it's weird to play. As a bonus ,when playing live, the audience gets to see the drummer . Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
I play drums myself but watching this Just reminds me time and time again why I love to play drums it’s something I can’t even explain it’s in my heart 🙏🏻🔥
fyi high cymbals were typically used when they wanted really clean drums for recording or live audio. They did this to minimize mic bleed. I've seen a lot of old school pop drummers do this in order to create the cleanest sound possible with minimal bleed compared to having everything up close and tight and thus allowing more bleed.
My dad was an old school rock and roll drummer with class, a master of his craft and an unsung percussionist hero of his generation. That being said, I wish he could have seen this drum video. And I wish I could see his reaction outside of my mind. I can hear him saying “that cat is so bad” lol.
He actually does that choke all the time in the 'Threatened' video, also on Drumeo. And in Wanna Be Startin' Something he does a little solo, and again in a separate solo video. The man is a drumming machine. There are different kinds of drummers. One kind of performing requires different skills vs another kind.
Hey Andrew, I love this selection! Jonathan Moffitt also has a similar video for Michael Jackson Beat it that is stellar! Good to see your video, I've been out of commission for a while... Diabetes. Had my big right toe amputated. I think with therapy I can continue drumming. Until then, I have your videos to be inspired by!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums thanks Andrew! Much appreciate you and your channel! When I can get behind a kit I'll for sure let you know! (And all the stuff in between!)
My wife did nursing school in the late 1980s. Every student certifying for CPR had to say, " Annie Annie are you okay?" Before starting CPR, or you failed. Still cracks me up.
I dunno why no one has reacted to his drum solo. It blows everything else away. He takes the simplest 4/4 beat, throws in as many ghost notes as you could imagine, and executes it flawlessly.
Someone said it best in a comment on the original video; something to the effect of 'I always thought they used a drum machine on this track. Turns out they did'.
The first hit tells you everything you need to know. Sugarfoot is beyond clean. His timing is so crisp and clean and perfect. It simply doesn't get better.
Oh man your editing in putting that record scratch and image after the last note was hilarious! I laughed to tears and repeated that moment with your reaction multiple times. Nice Andrew!
MJ was a perfectionist and this guy had the gig for decades, what we think is therefore irrelevant. Love your reaction to watching perfection happen before your eyes - added to the "WTF" that I get everytime I watch it.
Gobsmacked. I will be releasing a video shortly on 'easy' vs 'hard' drumming and the various myths surrounding that. It will be part of my 'Things I learnt At Jazz School' series. It's absolutely understandable for this to go right over peoples heads as it's on the surface relatively simple drum parts. (relatively). It's very easy to assume by default complicated drumming is 'better' or more desirable' or 'harder'. Well.... that depends on the execution. This is why I asked YOU at the start to think 'why of ALL the drummers in the World, did MJ choose this one?"
people seem to think that faster= better. groove like this isn't easy. the show wasn't about him, but sugar still made himself an intrinsic part of the song. if you play just the rhythm, can you recognize the song? THAT is impressive. I'm waiting for yoyoka to find sugarfoot. the world will never be the same!
I had never really listened or looked into Jackson's stuff, until about a month or so ago when I seen this Drumeo and I was blown AWAY at how concise he was . Immediately sent me down the Sugarfoot rabbit hole. I've been waiting for this one ;)
@Andrew Rooney - I am inclined to look at this as not just a “simple pop song”; but also a backdrop/groove for Michael’s choreography. A tight drum track with squared-off meters is friendlier to fast moving feet…. Which goes to a premise I have long held that many of the tap dancing features of long ago where the forerunners of the later-day drum solo…
I find a lot of it comes down to "touch" and how you play your strokes. You could get a thousand A+ top notch drummers to come through and play this song, and nobody would sound QUITE like this. It's a very unique touch and feel he has, obviously besides his incredible skill and being deeper in the pocket than a politician. Also I'm not 100% sure if he wrote this song but I assume he did and there's a difference between skill, execution, and creativity. To write this song with so much groove and brilliant note selection all the way through without overpowering or overplaying is incredible. I have a newfound appreciation for Michael Jackson songs
They had so much synchronicity on stage.. when Michael did his solo with Billie Jean it was just the two of them and it's always incredible... my favorite part of this one is when Michael goes Whoa!! and Sugarfoot hits at the same time every time..
This is the third time watching this reaction video and I start to realise why I like it so much. You know when you know something is good, but don’t know how to explain it? Well, this man helps so much in the explanation why this is such a top-tier performance: great video! Learned a lot, even tho I have never played drums in my life before.
It would be interesting to see his playing quantised just to see how close he is to perfect. Most quantised drumming sounds lifeless but here we have almost perfect tempo and pitch, which is what quantised drumming is trying to achieve, and it has ALL the drive and energy we love about real drumming.
I was thinking the same thing. Seems like there would be a computer program that could analyze it. Would make for a good video. And to do that with other drummers and compare them.
This shows us that sometimes perfection in execution really does matter and really does make the part. Something that drummers were more into in the 1980’s than now, and I often miss it. This shows us why.
Was this the album that originally had electronic drums so he just learned to play them perfectly with groove? I remember watching his drumeo part and my jaw dropped. I'm a guitarist but a drummer like he would make even me play tight, it's really easy to appreciate when your whole body wants to move and smile when you watch and listen to him play. And the way he plays. He's moving and bopping head to the rhythm, he is the living beat himself.
Really enjoyed watching this!! Great reaction video!! 😂🙏
You are an inspiration. Thank you for the music, passion and showing how the best do it. 🙌
All the best man.
Yeah me too. I love watching others being amazed at the same stuff amazed me 😂
Like Kenny said, we're in church.... 🤗
@@AndrewRooneyDrums a true living legend answering comments!!! OMG!!
I grew up on Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the whole 70's music scene as my first impressions of music. I moved on to other music as I grew older, and as such, started to to really focus on the players. Unfortunately I never revisited the players of my youth, and I can only say I'm glad I have, even this late in the game. You are a musical machine and I'm a better person for discovering your playing. 🙏🏻
@@millerbeer01 amen to that
Interesting update: In a video released today, Jonathan Moffett comments that when he did those videos for Drumeo (all of them) 4 years ago, he went in unprepared and unrehearsed. Hadn't played any of those Michael Jackson songs in over a decade, and was playing from memory. 10 years. From memory. Unrehearsed. Try to get your head around that. 50+ million views on Drumeo. These performances are epic.
Holy. S***.
That's bonkers.
I think, since MJ was a perfectionist through and through, Jonathan must have played MJ's songs at least 2 Billion times. I bet, if he wakes up from a 10 years koma and he cant remember his name - give the man some drums and he will kick it as he was on stage back in the 90's.
Living legend! Just like he hits every of MJ's adlibs "OU". Amazin...
And he did it wearing church shoes.
@@bravo915 It looks like it, eh? But in an interview, Moffett claims that he likes leather shoes with soft leather soles, and the more beat-up they are, the more he likes it. To each their own. The slide effect is part of his footwork. Simon Philips likes Converse. Some drummers like socks, bare feet, even slippers.
@@bravo915 😅😂
If you look at old live footage all you see is a huge smile killing it on the drums.
Now all you see is a man that misses his buddy while still killing it.
This^
*I miss too*
Aww
Someone once asked Michael Jackson why he insisted on "Sugarfoot" was the drummer he insisted on. Jackson's response was the fact that in thirty years of performing with him, Jonathan had never made a single mistake.
That's kinda rediculous
Somehow believable
Clearly he's on another level ...
Yep. And once you understand how brutally Joe physically punished Mike for any slight mistake, it makes even more sense
@@AndrewRooneyDrums To be fair, I think the idea behind the statement was moreso an implied ''...mistakes that I could notice, at least"
Legends have it that it is actually Jonathan moffett that is the real “smooth criminal”
Sure is Tobias!
Legend has it, Jonathan moffet's middle name is "Anne" & Jackson is actually checking up on Jonathan during the chorus...🤣🤣🤣
@@ghostprotocol89 golden 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well said Tobias
I’m a metal guy, but this was hands-down my favorite drumeo video. Jonathan Moffett is incredible and disciplined beyond any. Pocket.
Hard to describe this level pocket Nicholas!
His drumming for “Wanna start somethin’” is my absolute favorite from his Drumeo videos.
Same here 🤦🏽♂️
Now think about his wife’s words. He was not rehearsing this song since 2010 and he didn’t try it before playing at Drumeo. He just read the music sheet because the recorded version differs from the live ones and he was used to play the live version. And he did it in one shot, with no retakes. He’s tied up to rhythm and music in such a personal way that is unbelievably deep and beyond human understanding. It’s spiritual.
100% agree. This is utter heart and soul. Unbelievable
In the interview he says he can’t read music. Let’s face it, he doesn’t need to. He’s just a natural 👍
@@TheCowgirlNiamh Many drummers can't read music. Buddy Rich never learned how. Phil Collins was another matter.
He doesn't play to a metronome, the metronome plays to him
Best comment
Yup Human Metronome. Precise as a swiss clock.
Duh... A metronome is calibrated using Jonathan's work
Verdade.
He played for Michael Jackson because he makes that beat unique without stealing the show. Sugarfoot has precise timing, which is so difficult
I'm pretty sure that it was mentioned countless amount of times - Sugarfoot was the only drummer that made Michael dance witih a simple straight beat.
Indeed
precise timing is underselling it
his beat is on the same level as machine drumming, down to the decimal points of a second
it's simply insane
He's been doing this for 60 years and MJs songs aren't technically complex. Yeah he has a great pocket, but can't really compare him to other top drummers.
@@Heatwave9000Shit. I bet if you ask those top drummers you'd get a different response.
That double cymbal choke behind the head is literally everything
I remember seeing an old clip of Michael saying "it don't sound like that when Sugarfoot plays it"...referring to another drummer that wasn't cutting it for him.
Ricky... he missed Jonathan when Ricky was all he had
do you remember which clip? I'd like to see that 😅 that some mad props for Sugarfoot to have him say that. It was similar to when he took Beat it out during the second leg of the Dangerous tour becauss Jennifer Batten wasn't there and he didn't like how the new guitarist played the solo
@@kuntay88 Michael said it few times also during the Jacksons period. But what OP said is right because I've seen it too. But there are so many clips it's impossible to find it
@@eskiltester3913 too bad 😅 but thanks for the reply
Hard to believe that! Especially when Mike had Ricky Lawson play for him for 2 different tours. Bad and Dangerous.
Not implying that Johnathan Moffett isn't a good drummer but Lawson had a bunch of well known artists that he played for besides The King of Pop. Which is why I believe, and I could be wrong, Johnathan Moffett re-emerged to play with Michael during the '96 - '97 world tour. And to back up this claim, it was during that time Rickey was touring with Phil Collins.🤷🏿♂️
Sugarfoot is a machine! Killer groove and precise as hell. I love watching the videos he recorded during this session…there are several MJ songs he plays flawlessly here.
This is out of this world precision
His pocket is encased by a metronome.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Michael needed his work. They were one on stage.
Jonathan wss able to amplify Michael's moves.
Yea, Sugarfoot said in a video that Michael Jackson demanded perfection everytime. I think that´s what Sugarfoot brought to the table and it shows.
there's a reason Jon Moffett has been a first call touring player for some of the biggest artists of all time.
100% Kren!!!
That last choke is actually illegal. At least I think so.
Check out Sugarfoot’s drum cam for beat it. I think around 0:45 he does a ninja cymbal choke
HAHA Duncan. Outlawed in most states. Lucky Drumeo is in Canada
If it's not it should be
Last I heard biden ordered the DoJ to investigate Jonathan 😎
I often wonder how many times the cymbals nearly took his fingers practicing that lol.
It’s crazy that he’s a self-taught drummer. He started playing with the Jacksons in 1979 for their Destiny tour. I actually saw him play live in 1981 for their Triumph tour. MJ liked how Sugarfoot would accent his dance moves with his drumming.
Lucky you
Wow that’s insane
Self taught??? No way!
He said in the interview that he had a drum teacher when he was first starting out .
@@TheSmiley8225 yep, that’s true, but it was the basic rudiments on just the snare. There was no one in his neighborhood that could teach him how to play on a drum set, so he had to learn on his own.
Moffett is the embodiment of the Ringo Starr argument. You do not perform a song, you perform a context. Take it out of context, and its not rocketscience. HowEVER, consider the context and it becomes nigh magic.
I’d like to hear Andrew review/discuss Ringo, especially with the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary coming up. I don’t think younger people understand what he’s so important.
Oh that's a great idea. A Ringo breakdown!!
@@helenlig323 yeah, great idea.
thats genius, music is all about context.
I know nothing about music or drums. I randomly watched this video of sugar foot. The sheer intensity, perfection, his passion for drums, just his being was so inspiring to watch. I found a superhuman who literally dedicated to mastering just one skill for years and years and i was spellbound. One could sense that this is not an ordinary human playing an instrument. It is something very special.
So I work as a stage hand and do a lot of lighting work. I was a follow spot operator for the Michael Jackson Cirque de Solie show. That tour hired MJs entire band to play live with the circus acts. Just before intermission all the spot ops were done our cues and we ended up standing in the rafters of the arena over Sugarfoot watching in awe. The power and the flare was incredible. He plays ridiculously loud too.
One of the reasons Michael took him as his drummer was that Jon made him dance. He was right. If you listen to him, your head automatically moves, you start smiling at how good he is. His precision, his groove, how smooth he is, it's just insane. Yeah, there are drummers out there who can make it technical and difficult to play, but can they play it like him? Not a chance.
💯👌
He said that in the Drumeo video… that he could move you, without touching you. He said that his groove will move you!!
30 years of working with Michael Jackson, playing the most famous songs of the king of pop, congratulations master.
Why Mike picked sugarfoot:
His precise, technical abilities.
He could hear the song Mike sang to him and play the drum part. Mike didn’t use technical language when he wrote songs. Mike would accapella the instruments to his band members and the ones who could work with that he kept.
I can see MJ beatboxing in front of his band
@@WanderingMind_ 🤣🤣
The precision, drive and energy of his playing is insane.
Many drummers want to skip right past this to be Neil Peart. Don't do it, kids!
100% This is insanity
this is equally as hard to play as most rush if not all. the new standards in metal are drummers that made neil pert intermediate level for me
"Many drummers want to skip right past this to be Neil Peart. Don't do it, kids!"
Exactly, if you do that you won't sound like Peart, you'll sound like Lars Ulrich.
Well that doesn’t last anyway. Because every kid eventually realizes that they will never be Neil Peart. There’s only one Professor
@@poonoo87 Sugarfoot ranks right up there with Bonham Rich and Peart
Q: Michael, do you use a drum machine or a drummer?
A: Yes
HAHA. Pretty much!
My first reaction to this video was shock, couldn’t believe how tight he was, those stick tricks and staying perfectly in beat, that sound, that choke at the end. Just absolutely phenomenal
Yes Matt!
It's impossible to watch him drum and not smile. So good!
Yup!
I yelled DAMN! on the last hit with the double choke haha. My girlfriend heard it and thought something happened and then called me a nerd when I told her haha
Music nerds. YES!
The secret behind Moffett's success is the fact that the man is, for no other words, a metronome. His sense of timing is incredibly rare, and the perfect match for a dancer like Jackson. (The end solo dance in "Billie Jean" where he simply creates a beat to anchor MJ is something you can set your watch to.) This can't be taught. This is sheer talent and sensitivity. He gives Jackson what he wants, and executes it night after night, accurate each time. There's no need for dynamics because the live music is always loud and punchy. His cymbals are set high for a few reasons: visibility from the audience (Collins, Ginger Baker, Fleetwood all do the same thing). Also, being up high give you the arm extension you need to play out and loud. Jazz drummers play closer in, as a rule, because dynamics come into play. Here, it's loud and strong all the time. The flying cymbals are all crashes. The lower ones are all effects and hi hats. If you like lots of smashing hardware, watch his "Emotional video of Earth Song", done a year after Jackson's death, and a clearly emotional Moffett is still recovering from this. The cymbals get a real workout, and that video is as satisfying as any you'll see on RUclips.
Thanks for sharing these insights.
What's also important to remember is how unbelievably "in the pocket" Michael Jackson was as well. Think about all those noises he makes that follow the high hats at the beginning and on hits throughout the song. He would have tracked all that AFTER the studio guys had laid down the tracks. Go watch Jackson video's and watch him dance. You'll see how he's every bit as "tight" with his movements and vocals as Moffett is here with his drumming. It's no wonder he wanted him to be his drummer.
The snare and bass are so perfectly in sync, you don't even realize they are used together.
This is a classic example of a drummer who is drumming for the song, and doing his absolute best to serve the song and using the space in between his strikes on the drum head,a perfect lesson in "less is more" and I know that isn't always the best thing for a song, but in this case it's perfect, and no matter how good of a drummer you are, to play this way consistently is a skill in itself.
Well said! I often tell folks (drummers) who clown on these kinds of pop songs to sit down, and play 'Billie Jean' without straying from the tempo. Harder than it sounds. I had to play it while I filled in on occasion for a cover band up where I live in Alaska, and while its fun as HELL to just lay into that groove, its also kind of pressure inducing to make sure that you don't fuck the timing up.
One of the best drummers in the world. The guy played for MJ for a reason. This version was sick.
Yes Nicholas!
Lovely reaction!
Oh, and the last choke was so on point that the perfection caused a glitch in the space-time continuum and Elvis is entering the building.
🤣👍
I am sure you both have done a deep dive into his other videos. He does the same choke move about 1:23 in Beat It and an entire inhuman ninja sequence about 1:50 ish in on Jam. It’s not ok. I am not on. These clips added years to my life! (And I am an American married to a kiwi from Dunedin moving to NZ for good next year - and I want as many years in aotearoa as I can get!)
What most people forget is that Michael Jackson is such a perfectionist that he has the best of the best and is personally hands on with his crew and he is personally hands on deck with everything he did and May he rest in peace
I watch this videoclip once or twice a week since last year!
Man his drumming was phenomenal, absolutely perfect and I like your comments very much too!
Amazing stuff buddy 🥁
Yup! PHENOMENAL
The perfect video, the perfect reaction and the perfect public and perfect show, Thanks Moffett and Andrew Roowney.
❤❤❤🎶🫂▶️✈️🎵🌎🍻💙🎯🎮🎶😎🥂🪘🪘🪘👏👏👏
His timing must be within a thousandth of a second. It's really incredible.
As critical as MJ is about everything in the production to get picked to play for MJ says it all. The best thing I like about reactions is when you have a really good guy geek over an even better guy. Well done.
🙏
Here we have a choreographer on the drums. Im sure hes have lots of fun. And the tecnique and right company for pop music. Smooth, crispy and clear. Lots of learning for me certainly.
A lesson for us all Josue!
Any other metal guys out there that grew up listening to Michael Jackson? He had some super punchy rhythm in his music. Like Djent in 4/4 time.....? I dont know. Just good groove.
Big time. I was a metalhead but I loved pop too and MJ was amazing. Saw him live on the Victory Tour. All my snobby metal friends could go fuck themselves...lol I didn't give a shit if they didn't like it. Talent is talent. It's always impressive.
Metallica, maiden,megadeth,...prince and mj was my childhood.
How did I miss this!! I've been waiting for Sugarfoot to come up on this channel for ages! The man is magic.
Done 2 on him!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums just watched the second one too. I've not been a diligent subscriber!
His drum teacher was Michael jackson... I have had the blessing of having a couple drinks with Moffett back in 2011 while on the MJ CIrque tour. I met the entire BAD band, except for Jennifer Batten. He is SUPER sweet as a human being, and down to earth! Photos i have that neverrrr get old.
Excellent!
The number one reason I love your channel is the respect and reverence you give these drummers. Some drummers just can’t keep themselves from saying things like “I could do that” or “that’s not that hard”. You understand how good these drummers are. The fact that they are an 11 out of 10 does not escape you.
I'm good enough to know I'm not as good as any of these drummers :) LOL
@@AndrewRooneyDrums classic kiwi understatement.
I love the way his drumming leaves space...
Well said Simon!!
Its jonathans passion you can see in his eyes. Especially in the beat it drum performance. You can see he lived these songs in front of millions
Absolutely Cameron.
Stone cold pro
Jonathan - one of the Greatest drummers! I had a chance to meet with him in Moscow.He was very kind to me, when I sad, that I'm a dtummer and dancer of Michael's dances like his Impersonator. Amazing drumming and groove!
He drums tighter than a computer and does not more than what is needed for the song. I love it!
real drummers and midi drums have their strengths and weaknesses. real drums have emotion to them, but sometimes the timing is off. midi drums have perfect timing, but it’s soulless.
jonathan moffett is the best of both worlds.
The consistency is incredible. The whole drumeo video is kind blowing.
There are drummers who use power. There are drummers who use insane speed. There are drummers who use insane meter. There are drummers who use insane creativity. There are drummers who use insane fills. There are drummer who use insane PERSONALITY. Then, there are basically basic drummers WHO NEVER MISS. INSANE POCKET SKILLS.
What I live about his drum parts is that he never over plays which is something I need to work on, so having drummers like this gives me a great example to look to
Great job sir! You were more excited reacting to this cover than most any I've seen and you get pretty excited about a lot of the great drummers you react to. In regards to your comment about him being like a prizefighter (All of the following comments in quotes are from DrummerWorld) "he got his nickname Sugarfoot because of his incredibly fast-paced foot pedaling technique on the bass drum." And as to why Michael hired him, it might have had something to do with this...LOL "He auditioned for The Jacksons in 1979. They hired him immediately after he performed Shake Your Body, a song with a three part overdub, which means it has three drum parts layered on top of one another with three separate passes of recorded individual drums parts."
That is absolutely fantastic Glen! THANK YOU
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Stopped by to watch this again....LOL I asked YOYOKA if she had seen this video, and she said "Yes" and whips out a photo of the two of them (YOYOKA and Sugarfoot), and why wouldn't she...LOL
For me the best part is the kick drum pattern on the bars leading into and immediately following the chorus. 3:58 for example
Whole thing is utterly mindblowing Michael
"He played for Michael Jackson". Need no else.
And Madonna
Yeah but what I think he’s try to say is he played for “Michael Jackson” it doesn’t get better than MJ-kinda like ok you have arrived and everything you have worked for was for this moment (playing for the biggest artist of all time)
I'm no musician so I don't know what I'm talking about but there is no wasted movement and it makes him look almost robotic.
To coincide with the electronic vibe of the music. YES!
Besides the amazing "cyborg" feel that's being demonstrated here, It's pretty cool that (I suspect) he's not just playing the song, he's doing his whole part of the show. Twirls, everything...
❤ I have this Smooth Criminal saved to my tube for many years it like an awesome experience almost religious
I think this is the goal as a drummer. Time and groove for years!
💯🙌
You nailed it...time and groove; the essence of drumming.
Dave has a front row seat to arguably one of the best drummers of our generation. How could you not be bobbing your head smiling like a kid watching and hearing this?
I mean, the timing is impeccable. Those crashes, unreal.
Human drum machine with feel !
As for the high cymbals ,
I know a lot of studio engineers like the cymbals high up to seperate the tom mikes from the overheads . I have tried this and it certainly helps sonically ,but man it's weird to play. As a bonus ,when playing live, the audience gets to see the drummer .
Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
You absolutely NAILED it on the high cymbals. 2 superb and useful reasons to go high on the cymbals.
The guy is true LEGEND, it is so satisfying to watch him play. Have you seen him play ''Beat it'' ? true masterpiece.
I need to check it out
I play drums myself but watching this
Just reminds me time and time again why I love to play drums it’s something I can’t even explain it’s in my heart 🙏🏻🔥
I'm not even a drummer and I get chills every time I see him play. Perfection!
fyi high cymbals were typically used when they wanted really clean drums for recording or live audio. They did this to minimize mic bleed. I've seen a lot of old school pop drummers do this in order to create the cleanest sound possible with minimal bleed compared to having everything up close and tight and thus allowing more bleed.
Great point Daniel.
Live it lends to higher sticks and therefore showmanship also.
He is one the greatest drummers of all time with his focus and tempo and fillings he is literally one of the greatest drummers of all time
My dad was an old school rock and roll drummer with class, a master of his craft and an unsung percussionist hero of his generation. That being said, I wish he could have seen this drum video. And I wish I could see his reaction outside of my mind. I can hear him saying “that cat is so bad” lol.
I go to the drumeo videos a couple of times a month, it's so satisfying and soothing to watch him play
Total pro
He actually does that choke all the time in the 'Threatened' video, also on Drumeo. And in Wanna Be Startin' Something he does a little solo, and again in a separate solo video. The man is a drumming machine. There are different kinds of drummers. One kind of performing requires different skills vs another kind.
i just watched his full video. the way he plays drums is like the way michael dances. very tight and precise hits
YES!
I have watched this so many times.
😂
It's just so crispy clean😮
He puts all his heart and soul while playing the drums. Plus he plays by ear and has everything timed down perfectly.
Hey Andrew, I love this selection! Jonathan Moffitt also has a similar video for Michael Jackson Beat it that is stellar!
Good to see your video, I've been out of commission for a while... Diabetes. Had my big right toe amputated. I think with therapy I can continue drumming.
Until then, I have your videos to be inspired by!
Oh wow Mark. Sorry to hear. You can do it man.
Keep us updated on your journey man. Take care
@@AndrewRooneyDrums thanks Andrew! Much appreciate you and your channel! When I can get behind a kit I'll for sure let you know! (And all the stuff in between!)
Love your reaction videos. The gifs & memes thrown in often have me laughing.
Fun facts: "Annie, are you ok?" is referring to the CPR-doll that was in the recording studio who was called Annie.
Correct. Annie wasn't really okay.
Michael broke her.
@@eskiltester3913 in fact MJ studied CPR. Something his own doctor didn't know how to do properly... and MJ died...
@@richardkovacs2006 doesn't mean he didn't destroy Annie 😂
Bruce swedien told that story
My wife did nursing school in the late 1980s. Every student certifying for CPR had to say, " Annie Annie are you okay?" Before starting CPR, or you failed.
Still cracks me up.
I dunno why no one has reacted to his drum solo. It blows everything else away. He takes the simplest 4/4 beat, throws in as many ghost notes as you could imagine, and executes it flawlessly.
Someone said it best in a comment on the original video; something to the effect of 'I always thought they used a drum machine on this track. Turns out they did'.
HAHA Ian
Ha! I may have made that exact comment years ago
😭😭
The first hit tells you everything you need to know. Sugarfoot is beyond clean. His timing is so crisp and clean and perfect. It simply doesn't get better.
Sunday morning, a coffee and some insane Sugarfoot pocket!! Thanks life, thanks Andrew !!
YESSSS!
Oh man your editing in putting that record scratch and image after the last note was hilarious! I laughed to tears and repeated that moment with your reaction multiple times. Nice Andrew!
Glad you enjoyed it! LOL
Late to the party but yeah, that koala and the "hold on, WAIT A MINUTE" had me dying. And repeating
I watch his Beat It performance once a week. Yeah, yeah, it's a simple 4/4 groove... until you try to nail it the way he does. It's sheer perfection.
100%
The precision and intent of each stroke is so cool to watch
I was baked with a mate one time watching sugarfoot's playthrough of Beat It. We had to watch it about 10 times because it was absolutely hilarious.
Good times
Wikipedia: "Atomic clocks are the most precise timekeepers in the world"
Sugarfoot: "lol"
MJ was a perfectionist and this guy had the gig for decades, what we think is therefore irrelevant. Love your reaction to watching perfection happen before your eyes - added to the "WTF" that I get everytime I watch it.
Yes Chris. Biggest gig in the world, possibly if all time. Critiques are invalid 👌
He makes it sound simple. That is part of his greatness.
Gobsmacked.
I will be releasing a video shortly on 'easy' vs 'hard' drumming and the various myths surrounding that. It will be part of my 'Things I learnt At Jazz School' series.
It's absolutely understandable for this to go right over peoples heads as it's on the surface relatively simple drum parts. (relatively).
It's very easy to assume by default complicated drumming is 'better' or more desirable' or 'harder'.
Well.... that depends on the execution. This is why I asked YOU at the start to think 'why of ALL the drummers in the World, did MJ choose this one?"
people seem to think that faster= better. groove like this isn't easy. the show wasn't about him, but sugar still made himself an intrinsic part of the song. if you play just the rhythm, can you recognize the song? THAT is impressive.
I'm waiting for yoyoka to find sugarfoot. the world will never be the same!
@@gizmotis I thought the same thing!
I had never really listened or looked into Jackson's stuff, until about a month or so ago when I seen this Drumeo and I was blown AWAY at how concise he was . Immediately sent me down the Sugarfoot rabbit hole. I've been waiting for this one ;)
@Andrew Rooney -
I am inclined to look at this as not just a “simple pop song”; but also a backdrop/groove for Michael’s choreography.
A tight drum track with squared-off meters is friendlier to fast moving feet….
Which goes to a premise I have long held that many of the tap dancing features of long ago where the forerunners of the later-day drum solo…
I find a lot of it comes down to "touch" and how you play your strokes. You could get a thousand A+ top notch drummers to come through and play this song, and nobody would sound QUITE like this. It's a very unique touch and feel he has, obviously besides his incredible skill and being deeper in the pocket than a politician. Also I'm not 100% sure if he wrote this song but I assume he did and there's a difference between skill, execution, and creativity. To write this song with so much groove and brilliant note selection all the way through without overpowering or overplaying is incredible.
I have a newfound appreciation for Michael Jackson songs
Yeah I luv this guy reactions 🤩🤩💯... I've been listening to Jonathan 'sugarfoot' for like 40yrs on the 'Jackson' tours 🤩🤩
This is what we always hope for whenever someone says "we're sending a pro."
LOL
Back again, just love watching him and your reaction to him
Oh, you’re gonna go down the Moffett rabbit hole now.
Oh damn!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums you gotta check out his Wanna Be Startin’ Something performance on Drumeo. Sick hi-hat work and of course keeping the clean beat.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Take us with you man!
They had so much synchronicity on stage.. when Michael did his solo with Billie Jean it was just the two of them and it's always incredible... my favorite part of this one is when Michael goes Whoa!! and Sugarfoot hits at the same time every time..
Someone said it best on the drumeo video. It's so crisp that it sounds like the beat was made in software. Absolutely insane
Every note is crystal clear and sample like
This is the third time watching this reaction video and I start to realise why I like it so much.
You know when you know something is good, but don’t know how to explain it? Well, this man helps so much in the explanation why this is such a top-tier performance: great video! Learned a lot, even tho I have never played drums in my life before.
It would be interesting to see his playing quantised just to see how close he is to perfect. Most quantised drumming sounds lifeless but here we have almost perfect tempo and pitch, which is what quantised drumming is trying to achieve, and it has ALL the drive and energy we love about real drumming.
I was thinking the same thing. Seems like there would be a computer program that could analyze it. Would make for a good video. And to do that with other drummers and compare them.
When you see him play the first few bars, you know why Michael chose no one else but him. Precise as a computer and straight to the point.
💯👌
You gotta react to his version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", that ending is something else.
Not a drummer or musician but even I can hear the precision and pure talent. Blown away by this.
That pocket was authorized by an Act of Congress, signed by President George H. W. Bush on 12 February 1988.
It's THE LAW
This shows us that sometimes perfection in execution really does matter and really does make the part.
Something that drummers were more into in the 1980’s than now, and I often miss it.
This shows us why.
This is what it takes to land the biggest gig on earth. 👌
the no-look double cymbal hit at 10:00 is so fun :)
Oh boy.... You got that right Dave
Was this the album that originally had electronic drums so he just learned to play them perfectly with groove? I remember watching his drumeo part and my jaw dropped. I'm a guitarist but a drummer like he would make even me play tight, it's really easy to appreciate when your whole body wants to move and smile when you watch and listen to him play. And the way he plays. He's moving and bopping head to the rhythm, he is the living beat himself.