I grew up hacking my way through playing rock and roll drums. In the beginning I sometimes thought I was too cool for lessons, but even then I learned who Bob McKee was - the Split Page author, Cleveland Theatrical drummer, drummer for the Mike Douglas show. Bob McKee was the real deal - and he had been long before I even wanted to pick up a pair of drumsticks.
In my later playing years and more bands than I can name later, the self awareness that I was most definitely not too cool for lessons loomed large. I knew I wanted to play better, I knew I could...and I knew that I couldn't do it on my own. All of the misguided excuses I'd bought into, all of the excuses I'd made up to that point to convince myself...was bullshit. There are numerous reasons I came to my decision, but none of them seem to matter now, not with the news I got today learning that the greatest drum instructor I ever had, or ever could have, Bob McKee, passed away this morning.
I was tending bar in an upscale restaurant, studying with a guy who took some of the mystery out of the things I wanted to correct on the instrument - but this guy's availability became erratic. I decided to seek instruction from someone more consistent. It was convenient that jazz trios played where I worked, and someone threw out Bob McKee's name, asked me if I'd heard of him. I can't recall exactly who dropped his name - I want to say Duncan Crooks, but it's been more years than I want to count...but yes, I had heard of Bob McKee. Bob McKee!
I was thrilled to learn that Bob would be playing with a trio where I worked one upcoming weekend. I'd been asking around and had a couple of other suggestions, one of whom was a guy who seemed completely unreceptive to taking on students - I guess he thought if he could intimidate someone beforehand, it would save him wasting his own time. I get it, but I found that more than a little off putting. That didn't stop me from asking him about Bob McKee:
Off-putting drummer/potential instructor: That's a good way to go - he's my teacher.
I remember thinking, great - Bob is going to be twice as intimidating as this guy...I'm screwed.
I couldn't have been more wrong about that if I tried. Bob was completely encouraging - but he did tell me:
"Look, I don't give a rat's ass what you do with your time, but if I think you're wasting my time - along with your time, I'm going to tell you not to come back, okay?"
I spent a brief two and a half years with Bob - and mind you, I came very late to that party. It seems brief, like mere seconds now, because today I learned that Bob passed away this morning. The impact he had on me was tremendous. I guess you wouldn't know that now, but it was - still is, and I need to say it. Not only was he a great teacher, he was also the sweetest man with the biggest heart. He used to say that he loved every one of his students - and he did. Bob didn't care what you did with what he gave you, as long as you put the work in. He suffered no fools, tolerated no bullshit - if he didn't think you were putting in the effort, he'd tell you not to come back.
Why would I drive all the way up to Parma from Akron to see Bob, if I hadn't done the work? This was Bob McKee! Bob had seen it all behind the drums on more bandstands than I could count. He was like a kind uncle or grandfather, so happy and in his element to share his wealth of knowledge. I remember talking to him about an audition I blew and the guy who had the gig not being terribly friendly....
Bob: "Chris, don't let that stuff get to you - those kinds of guys can be like that sometimes - let me tell you something: that guy was very humble down here in my basement when he came to me, very humble - don't waste your time worrying about what guys like him think about you."
Not everyone is cut out to be a full time musician. I certainly wasn't, despite my love for music and the drums. Accepting that doesn't mean I don't still love both. I went to Bob McKee seeking help, knowledge...and petrified that I was a jive m'r fk'r who hoped to God I didn't get found out. Every time I went up to him for a lesson, I worried that would be the time he'd tell me not to come back. Thankfully, Bob never did - but another thing Bob never did, was call students and ask where they'd been or if they were coming back. He didn't need to - he was never lacking for students who were hungry for knowledge, never. You wanted to go back to Bob, you put in the work and you went back. If you didn't, well...you didn't.
When I was studying with Bob, I went to a drum clinic that Greg Bissonette did at the drum shop I ended up working for a few years later. I'll never forget the feeling of pride I had when Greg, before he even picked up a stick, talked about the importance of finding a great teacher and said:
"We have a great teacher here with us tonight - please give a round of applause for the great Bob McKee!"
If I could rewind anything and do things a bit differently, I'd have sought Bob out much sooner...and I most definitely would have gone back to see him at least one of the fifty or so times I thought about it or told him I would when I saw him - because I always walked away from my time with Bob in awe of what he knew, what he shared and how he was so willing to do that with me - and I know anyone and everyone who walked out of that basement from a lesson with Bob McKee knows exactly what I'm talking about. Bob McKee, your passing is a huge loss to the world of drumming. Huge. There are still so many things I wanted to ask you, needed to ask you. Mostly I'm sad that I never told you to your face exactly how much my time with you meant to me - it was everything to me back then, Bob...everything. I'm sitting here typing this and I still can't fucking believe that you never told me not to come back - I never stopped being scared shitless that you would do just that...and then who could I go to? You know you're missed already - I know you do, but somewhere up there, there is a band...and that band is swinging like a playground at recess, because of you.
I love you, Bob McKee and I will never forget my time with you. You always told me that you loved every one of your students, and Lord knows you had many who did you much more proud than I ever did, but you have got to know that every one of your students loved you, Bob McKee. Rest In Peace - and thank you.
