Exclusive Interview with Andrew D. McNeill
This Memphis drummer's skills were shaped by the musically rich city of Memphis, Tennessee. Learn about him and this magnificent city in this special interview.
Coffee Time News's Yuri Sundermeyer and Mariana Lopes got to listen to Andrew D. McNeill play a number of times at the wonderful Jazz Ascona festival. This sought-after drummer plays for numerous bands and musicians, but at this particular event he was showing off his skills playing for Vanessa Collier's band. His musical expertise is only matched by his Southern hospitality as he was extremely gracious in spending time with Yuri, who had the opportunity to interview him about his life in the world of music. We thank Mr. McNeill for his kindness and support. We also thank our Coffee Time News team members who helped in transcribing and translating this worthy addition to our Drummers' Corner section.
Interview conducted by Yuri Sundermeyer. Written and Translated by Yuri Sundermeyer, Constança Pereira, Constança Simões, Maria Calado, Ana Teresa Santos, Maria Santos and Francisco Rodrigues
Mr. McNeill with our student-journalist, Yuri Sundermeyer.
Andrew D. McNeill playing live one of his favorite songs with the vibrant Vanessa Collier. The song is "When Love Comes to Town".
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Memphis, Tennessee. Everyone thinks Elvis Presley. Does Elvis mean that much to you? What should we know about music in Memphis right now?
ANDREW D. McNEILL: Elvis means a great deal to me for sure, but that’s just one aspect of Memphis. Many people don’t know a lot of the different kinds of music that were innovated in Memphis. You’ve got Sun Records, which started out recording blues and discovered Elvis and everybody on that label, including Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. So, definitely, I do admire Elvis’s work, but I can’t think about Memphis without thinking about Hi Records and Stax Records, which propelled so many careers: Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, many soul and R&B, rock, country, blues… all done in Memphis. We love Elvis, but there’s so much more to Memphis than just that and people who were just as talented as him made just as much of an impact. Some people around the world may not realize how impactful Memphis was outside of Elvis. There’s so much more to it.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Memphis, Tennessee. Toda a gente pensa no Elvis Presley. Elvis é tão importante para si? O que devemos saber sobre música em Memphis?
ANDREW D. McNEILL: Elvis significa muito para mim, mas claro que não é o único aspeto importante a referir em Memphis. Muitas pessoas não conhecem os vários tipos de música que foram desenvolvidos nesta cidade. Existe a Sun Records, uma editora famosa, que começou por gravar blues e descobriu o Elvis e outros indivíduos admiráveis, incluindo o Jerry Lee Lewis, o Johnny Cash e o Roy Orbison. Por isso, definitivamente, admiro o trabalho do Elvis, mas não consigo pensar em Memphis sem pensar na Hi Records e na Stax Records, que impulsionaram tantas carreiras: Otis Redding, Booker T. e os MGs, muitos a soul e R&B, rock, country, blues… tudo realizado em Memphis. Adoramos o Elvis, mas há muito mais em Memphis do que ele próprio, e pessoas tão talentosas que tiveram o mesmo impacto. Algumas pessoas no mundo podem não se aperceber do impacto superior de Memphis, em relação a Elvis. É muito mais do que isto.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: What style of music did you begin with as a drummer? Do you consider yourself mainly a jazz drummer?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: I started out playing a lot of rock music. My older brother introduced me to jazz and hip hop and blues and a lot of different genres. So, I started out playing rock, but it forayed into many genres kind of all at once and being in Memphis, we have a little bit of everything around us in the city. So, I would consider myself a music drummer more than just a jazz drummer, because I love jazz as much as I love country and I love hip hop as much as I love funk. It’s all music to me. I consider myself more of an all-music drummer.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Com qual estilo de música começou, quando se tornou baterista? Considera-se principalmente um baterista de jazz?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Comecei por tocar rock. O meu irmão mais velho apresentou-me o jazz, o hip hop, o blues e muitos géneros diferentes. Assim, comecei por tocar rock, mas experimentei vários géneros ao mesmo tempo e, estando em Memphis, temos um pouco de tudo à nossa volta na cidade. Assim, considerar-me-ia um baterista musical mais do que apenas um baterista de jazz, porque adoro jazz tanto como adoro country, adoro hip hop e adoro funk. É tudo música para mim. Considero-me mais um baterista de todo tipo de música.
Andrew D. McNeill performing at the massive Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas.
Andrew D. McNeill and Vanessa Collier made a big impression on our young student-journalists. Both Yuri and Mariana were ready to join the band and hit the road with them.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: What were you doing at thirteen that helped you get to where you are today?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: At thirteen, practicing. I practiced a lot and I listened to as much music as possible. All genres, even if it was music I didn’t like, I still tried to listen to it and try to absorb as much as I could to maybe make me a better musician and appreciate all cultures and all musics. So, thirteen was just… I would lock myself in my room and just play along with as much music as possible.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: O que é que você fazia aos treze anos, que o ajudou a chegar onde está hoje?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Aos treze anos… praticar. Pratiquei muito e ouvi o máximo de música possível. Todos os géneros, mesmo que fossem músicas de que não gostasse, tentava ainda assim ouvi-las e absorver o máximo que podia para me tornar um músico melhor, apreciar todas as culturas e todas as músicas. Então, aos treze anos fechava-me no meu quarto e tocava o máximo de música possível
YURI SUNDERMEYER: What or who was your biggest inspiration in music as a young drummer?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: As a young drummer, I would have to say a drummer named Steve Jordan. He’s from New York. He’s currently the drummer for the Rolling Stones, but he got his start playing on sessions in New York and playing Saturday Night Live and all these TV bands. He just represented everything that I loved about the drums and all the genres. He, as a person, had an impact on me. I actually was able to meet him when I was seventeen and that just changed my trajectory quite a bit, so I would say Steve Jordan.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Qual ou quem foi a sua maior inspiração musical quando era jovem baterista?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Enquanto jovem baterista, diria que era um baterista chamado Steve Jordan, ele é de Nova Iorque. Atualmente é um baterista dos Rolling Stones, mas começou por tocar em Nova Iorque e no Saturday Night Live e em todas essas bandas da TV. Ele simplesmente representou tudo o que eu adorava na bateria, e em todos os géneros. Ele, enquanto pessoa, teve muito impacto em mim. Na verdade, pude conhecê-lo quando tinha dezassete anos e isso mudou um pouco o meu percurso, por isso diria Steve Jordan.
Andrew D. McNeill photographed with Steve Jordan who is standing to his right. Mr. Jordan was Andrew's biggest inspiration. Standing to his left is Terence Clark who is Andrew's mentor. Both men played important roles in Andrew's development as a drummer and musician.
One thing Coffee Time News learned while in Ascona, Switzerland is that everybody loves Brian Blade. Mr. Blade's expertise is admired by drummers of all kinds of music from around the world. Andrew had the chance to meet Mr. Blade and take a photo with him which he was kind enough to share with us.
Andrew McNeill performing one of his favorite Vanessa Collier songs called "Percolatin".
YURI SUNDERMEYER: I admire Brian Blade. Have you heard of him? Who would you suggest I check out?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: I love Brian Blade. He is one of my favorite drummers of all time. I truly admire him. The first time I saw him play, I was in Switzerland and me and my bandmates were playing in Lucerne, but we took a trip to Zurich, because he was performing. He is one of the most amazing and innovative drummers. I liken him to being as a painter. Do you play drums?
YURI SUNDERMEYER: I just started. It’s been almost a year now.
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: You are going to surpass me and Brian Blade in no time, I’m sure. If that’s where you’re starting… Brian Blade is amazing. Every time I watch him play, I really do liken it to watching a painter paint a mural, because he is that beautiful of a musician. He’s an incredibly kind person and he’s from the region I’m from, so oftentimes we share the same values. I just see his music that he makes on a spiritual level. He’s from Louisiana. He’s almost like this combination of all these other drummers that came before him, and his brother Brady Blade is just as great of a drummer as he is. Who I would recommend you check out… Al Jackson Jr. from Stax Records in Memphis… Howard Grimes… do you know Elvin Jones? He’s a jazz drummer. Maybe check them all out. There’s a million drummers. Steve Gadd… he is one of my favorites and he plays all genres.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Eu admiro o Brian Blade. Já ouviu falar dele? Quem é que eu deveria conhecer no mundo da música?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Eu adoro o Brian Blade. Ele é um dos meus bateristas favoritos de todos os tempos. Eu admiro-o muito, a primeira vez que eu o vi foi na Suíça, eu e os meus colegas de banda estávamos a tocar em Lucerna, mas fizemos uma viagem a Zurique, porque ele estava a tocar lá. É um dos mais maravilhosos e inovadores bateristas. Eu vejo-o como um pintor. Tu tocas bateria?
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Eu comecei a tocar bateria à cerca de um ano.
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Tu vais ultrapassar-me, a mim e ao Brian Blade muito rapidamente, se tu estás a começar com estes músicos… Brian Blade é incrível. Sempre que o vejo a tocar eu comparo-o com um pintor, a pintar um mural. Ele é um músico que toca lindamente. É uma pessoa incrivelmente gentil e da mesma região que eu. Então, frequentemente nós partilhamos os mesmos valores. Eu vejo a sua música num nivel espiritual. É de Louisiana, é quase a combinação de todos estes bateristas que vieram antes dele, como o seu irmão Brady Blade, que é igualmente um bom baterista. Eu recomendaria que ouvisses a música do Al Jackson Jr. De Staxx Records em Memphis… Howard Grimes… conheces a música do Elvin Jones? Ele é um baterista de jazz, se quiserem, oiçam-os. Há milhões de bateristas. Steve Gadd, é um dos meus favoritos e toca todos os géneros.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Do you enjoy life on the road? Have you ever been to Portugal?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: I have never been to Portugal. I would love to go to Portugal. I love travelling the world. I do love life on the road, even when I am tired and even when I am uncomfortable, even when I haven’t slept in three days… I wouldn’t rather be doing anything else. Once we’re up there playing for people and bringing joy and hopefully sharing the joy we have in ourselves playing music with other people, that’s what keeps me on the road. I have no intention of getting off the road.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Gosta de fazer digressões? Já esteve em Portugal?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Nunca estive em Portugal, mas adorava lá ir, eu adoro viajar pelo mundo. Eu gosto de fazer digressões, mesmo quando estou cansado, desconfortável e até mesmo quando não durmo há três dias. Eu não quereria fazer outra coisa. Quando estamos em palco a tocar para as pessoas, a trazer-lhes alegria, felizmente a que temos em nós, e a tocar música com outras pessoas - isso, é o que me mantém em digressões e não pretendo pará-las.
After their interview, Andrew D. McNeill and Yuri met up after a Vanessa Collier performance. Yuri found himself a great drummer and an equally great person to look up to.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Was your family 100% supportive of your career choice? Do you have any family members who would have liked for you to have been a dentist?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: My dad was always reluctant if I’m being honest. I’m pretty sure my father, at one point, he wanted to see me run for Congress, you know, politics, but overall everyone in my family is supportive. There are some naysayers, because it’s a hard path to go down, and so when you choose this path it may not make sense to everybody, but you just have to know what’s right for you and I had to keep telling myself to keep working hard. So, there was a little bit of hesitation, but it all worked out and all of my family is supportive.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: A sua família apoiou 100% a escolha da sua carreira? Havia algum familiar que gostaria que você fosse dentista?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: O meu pai sempre foi relutante, se eu for honesto. Tenho quase a certeza que o meu pai, a certa altura, queria ver-me a seguir a carreira politica mas, no geral, toda a minha família me apoiou. Havia alguns pessimistas, porque é um caminho difícil de percorrer, e quando se escolhe esse caminho, pode não fazer sentido para todos, mas só precisamos de saber o que é certo para nós, e eu tive de continuar a dizer a mim mesmo para continuar a trabalhar arduamente. Portanto, houve um pouco de hesitação, mas correu tudo bem e toda a minha família me apoia.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: What worries you the most right now about the world of music?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: The lack of money that there is available for songwriters. I haven’t forayed into songwriting yet, but the streaming companies are pretty greedy and they’ve never been upfront about paying songwriters. That affects me all the way down to a drummer and all the way down to somebody that’s driving or somebody that’s selling merch or making the merch. It affects the whole industry and that’s just one thing that we can get back to prioritizing the talents of songwriters and people who play on records and paying bands and artists what they’re worth all around the world. There should be a standard; there should be laws. I also worry about healthcare and mental healthcare for musicians. I think it should be made more widely available.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: O que mais o preocupa, atualmente, no mundo da música?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: A falta de dinheiro disponível para os compositores. Ainda não comecei a compor música, mas as empresas de streaming são muito gananciosas, e nunca foram justas no pagamento aos compositores. Com consequências desde o baterista até alguém que é motorista, que está nas vendas ou na produção. Isto afeta toda a indústria, e isto é apenas uma coisa que podemos priorizar mais - pagar melhor o talento dos compositores e das pessoas que tocam em todo o mundo. Deveria haver um padrão, haver leis. Também me preocupo com a saúde, com a saúde mental dos músicos. Acho que deveria ser mais amplamente melhorada.
The thrill Andrew feels when entertaining thousands of fans is beyond words.
Andrew uses his talents to work with many up-and-coming artists such as Dawn Taylor. He especially focuses his energy on artists who hail from Memphis.
The chemistry of a band clicking together can only be understood by those on the stage.
Andrew also contributes to this dynamic Memphis blues band. Have a listen to Ghost Town Blues Band's "Poor Man's Blues.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: When your band plays I see, you all seem so synchronized with each other. Does that help in playing music?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Absolutely. I feel like you’re missing the point if you aren’t synchronized with each other and that goes with how you treat each other when you’re not playing music and that also goes into how you live your life, because how you live your life is how you’ll sound on your instrument. So, as long as you’re breeding positivity with your bandmates, having conversations and using good conflict management if there’s a problem that is important to work out and just sharing and communicating. That will make your music sound even better. If you’re up there on stage and not having fun and not listening and not paying attention, you’re missing the point and you might as well not play. So, it’s all about opening your heart to everybody around you.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Quando a sua banda toca, eu vejo que vocês parecem muito sincronizados. A sincronização ajuda?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Absolutamente! Eu sinto que não se estão a “entender”, se não estiverem sincronizados um com o outro, e isso vai como se tratam um ao outro quando não estão a tocar. Também reflete como estás na tua vida, porque como vives a tua vida é como vais soar o teu instrumento. Entao, desde que sejas positivo com os teus colegas de banda, conversando e gerindo conflitos, quando houver um problema importante para resolver, isso vai fazer com que a tua música toque ainda melhor. Se estiveres no palco e não te estás a divertir, não estás a ouvir e não estás a prestar atenção, então não vais tocar bem. Assim, tudo depende de abrires o teu coração a todos à tua volta.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Do you have a ten-year plan? Where do you see yourself in 2035?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: In 2035? A wiser, better musician and person for myself and my family first of all and then just continuing to expand and play with more artists and continue traveling the world and continue playing on records. Just continue the path I’m on and keep growing. I don’t know the future. I usually let that unfold and just try to follow it.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Tem um plano para daqui a dez anos? Onde se vê em 2035?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Em 2035? Mais experiente, um melhor músico e uma pessoa melhor para mim e para a minha família, continuar a melhorar e a tocar com mais artistas, viajar pelo mundo e gravar discos. Basta continuar no caminho que estou a seguir e crescer ainda mais. Não sei o futuro. Normalmente deixo isso acontecer naturalmente e tento apenas segui-lo.
Looking forward to more of the same... Andrew has enjoyed a fulfilling career and looks forward to building on it.
Another great show in the books. Andrew with his Vanessa Collier bandmates after a big show in Ascona.
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YURI SUNDERMEYER: What is your advice for someone like me who is just starting out on the drums? Is there something you didn’t do when you were young that you wish you had done?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Go to as many concerts as possible and listen to as much music as possible. There’s so much music out there, so much. You’ll never get bored and you’ll always find something new that you’ll like and work on. Try to meet as many people as possible, even people who don’t play the drums, but people who are playing guitar or bass. Make as many relationships as you can and treat everyone the same and share your good heart. But also enjoy being a kid too. Go outside and play with your friends and if you play sports, that is good too. But if you want to be a drummer, eventually you go to scale back on the sports, because drumming is a sport and you don’t want to end up with any broken bones. Drumming is an amazing gift that no one can take away from you.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Qual é o seu conselho para alguém como eu, que começou agora a tocar bateria? Há algo que não fez quando era novo que gostaria de ter feito?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Vai a todos os concertos que consigas e ouve o máximo de música que consigas. Há muita musica por ai, nunca vais te aborrecer e encontras sempre algo novo que irás gostar de trabalhar. Tenta conhecer o máximo de pessoas possíveis, até pessoas que não tocam bateria, mas que tocam baixo ou guitarra. Cria o máximo de relações que conseguires, trata toda a gente por igual e partilha o teu bom coração. Mas, também, aproveita ser criança. Vai à rua e brinca com os teus amigos, faz desporto, isso é bom também. Mas se queres ser um baterista, eventualmente, irás diminuir a tua participação em desportos, porque tocar bateria também é um desporto, e não queres ficar com nenhum osso partido. Tocar bateria é um dom incrível que te pertence.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Have you ever played other instruments?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: I did play guitar. I have taken guitar lessons and I had to learn the piano in college, so definitely. If you’re thinking about another instrument, start it now. At a young age, your mind is so much more open to learning and growing than someone who’s twenty years older like me.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Já alguma vez tocou outros instrumentos?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Eu toquei guitarra. Tive aulas de guitarra e tive que aprender a tocar piano na universidade, portanto, sim, toquei. Se estás a pensar em tocar outro instrumento, começa agora. Aprende na tua idade, a tua mente é muito mais aberta a aprender, e a crescer, do que alguém que tem mais vinte anos como eu.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: If you formed a band, could I be a part of it?
ANDREW D. MCNEILL: Absolutely. I’ll play percussion and you play drums.
YURI SUNDERMEYER: Se formasse uma banda, eu poderia estar nela?
Andrew D. McNeill: Claro! Eu faço a percussão e tu tocas bateria.
Our student-journalists enjoyed exploring Andrew's massive body of work and also wanted to share another track he contributed on with Dawn Taylor titled "Switching Sides",
Coffee Time News Contributors on this interview are:
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Yuri Sundermeyer
Constança Pereira
Maria Calado
Constança Simões
Maria Santos
Ana Teresa Santos
Francisco Rodrigues