THE INNER MOUNTING FLAME

This was the first Mahavishnu album I ever owned, and I think that it is still my favorite. As a drummer, I am completely in awe of Billy Cobham during the entire album. The ease with which he can play in obscure time signiatures and switch between them never ceases to amaze me. Playing in 9/8 is very difficult to the average drummer; and almost impossible to create a groove that sounds so natural. Billy Cobham is able to do just that on every song. When I say if a drummer is good or not, I consider many things. Neil Peart of Rush is an excellent drummer, but sometimes I get the feeling in his playing that he is just waiting for the next time in the song where he can do a fill involving 32nd notes and all 37 of his toms. It sounds very cool, but when a drummer like Cobham plays I can tell that he is actually part of the music of the band, and not just something that is keeping the tempo steady and attracting drummers as if magnetic to their shows with his impressive, yet musically lacking fills. Don't get me wrong; I love Rush. But when it comes to raw musical talent and complete understanding of what the drums are capable of doing to music, I prefer to listen to Mahavishnu Orchestra or Yes. I should also mention that both Billy Cobham and Bill Bruford use a very simple drum set compared to Neil Peart.