"Back in the High Life" by Steve Winwood Drum Cover
This is my rendition of "Back in the High Life" by Steve Winwood. I watched a bunch of videos on this song, from concert videos to other drum covers, and I took parts from some of the ones I liked best and made my own version. Nothing is as smooth as JR Robinson's take. The guy is a machine.
Speaking of this song and the drums, I have an interesting story. No idea if there is any truth to it at all. When I heard it I was a little kid and I heard it in a conversation my uncle was having with someone else, so I may have heard it incorrectly. But anyway, how I understood it was that it was my uncle who actually recorded the drum track on this song and not John Robinson.
Back in the day, it wasn't uncommon for multiple session artists to record and perform on certain songs, especially when the budget was limitless (as in Steve Winwood's case), and the record company, producers, and the powers that be knew a song was going to be a hit. Also, if you listen to John and my uncle, they are very similar in style, approach, and even sound, especially back in the '80s. Both drummers were known in the same circles of musicians and engineers and producers and whatnot. And add in the fact that James Taylor is singing backup vocals on the track.
In any case, it was an interesting story. I'm quite certain he probably recorded a version of the song. But I doubt it actually made it to the final take. I don't see how they could make an error like that. But interesting nonetheless.
OK, here's my cover. Please enjoy!
Song: Back in the High Life
Artist: Steve Winwood
Album: Back in the High Life (1985 Island Records)
Original Drummer: John "JR" Robinson
Music: Drumless track via XTRAX Stems
Take Count: 13
Equipment:
- DW Design Piano Black Drumset
9x10, 10x12, 14x16, 18x22
- Ludwig Black Beauty 5x14 Snare Drum
- DW Blue Pearl Oyster 5x12 Side Snare
- Zildjian Cymbals
16" A Sound Effects Oriental Trash China
- RhythmTech Mounted Tambourine
- Pearl HH3 ChaBELLa Horatio Hernandez Cowbell
- ProMark 5B Balance Rebound Wood Sticks
- DW Hardware & drumheads
- Audix drum microphones (i5, D2, D4, D6)
- MXL microphones (Mogami 603S)
- Røde NT1-A vocal microphone
- Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera
- GoPro Hero 5 Black
- GoPro Hero 8 Black
- Behringer U-Phoria UMC-1820 Interface
- Apple iMac 27" Retina 2019
- Logic Pro X
- Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2021
- Adobe After Effects CC 2021
- Adobe Photoshop CC 2021
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