I am a performer at a Pigeon Forge, TN theater. I have never had a problem playing with a drummer until this season. Our old drummer used a click in his ear the entire show, but for some reason our new drummer cannot use a click and stay on it so he chooses not to use one. For the most part his subdivisions are somewhat equal though he generally pushes every song we do and gives it a rushing sensation instead of making a nice laid back pocket. He also has problems with going into a roll and then coming back out of it on the correct beat. Any advice here????? I try to play my best every night, but it gets very aggravating chasing him around. I thought maybe someone may have had a similar experience with this problem and may be able to offer some advice on how to play well in this situation. Any advice is welcome! :|

Fire him. Nothing personal, drummers are used to it.

Or, you could move closer to the Bass player, unless you are the bass player!

And speaking of Drummers:
How do you get a drummer off of your porch?
Pay him 10 bucks for the pizza.

What do you call a drummer with half a brain?
Gifted.

What does a drummer use for contraception?
His personality.

What do you say to a drummer in a three-piece suit?
"Will the defendant please rise?"

"Hey buddy, how late does the band play?"
"Oh, about half a beat behind the drummer."

Hey, did you hear about the drummer who finished high school?
Me neither.

Why do guitarists put drumsticks on the dash of their car?
So they can park in the handicapped spot.

How is a drum solo like a sneeze?
You know it's coming, but there's nothing you can do about it.

What's the first thing a drummer says when he moves to LA?
"Would you like fries with that, sir?

What is the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?
One will mature and make money.

Why do drummers have lots of kids?
They're not too good at the Rhythm Method.

What do you do if you accidentally run over a drummer?
Back up.

What did the drummer say to the band leader?
"Do you want me to play too fast or too slow?"

hi , i believe it has happened to most of us, maybe he just needs to get used to a click and practice a lot, maybe he is too excited to play , etc , etc( btw I'm not a drummer)
my drummer accelerates or slows doun every once in a while when he is nervous or anxious but we have learn to live with him, and he does the rolls and all the embellishments really nice so its not a big problem for us.
if I where you I will let him know, and make him practice more.

Usually bands have a tendency to rely too much on drummers hoping they will keep the pace as suppossed. And the truth, as I have seen, is that drummers have a tendency on their own to interpret parts as they feel it should be played.

In my opinion it is the leader's responsability to hold everyone accountable for their actions, having the ability to summarize in one single format what the band is trying to express. In other words, you need to tell your drummer what you expect from him. No democracy there...

Good luck

practice is the only solution instead change drummer..... 8)

Hi.I am a pro drummer and I say if you can't do the job properly, get someone that can. If you guys can, however, get away with it and it is not impeding the performance, individually and collectively, too much, get him a metronome and tell him to start practicing. Also tell him in the mean time, not to try and play too fancy and rather concentrate on the groove and the song. Less is always more! Tell him to play in his park, if you know what I mean! Give him a probation period and tell him that if he can't deliver by the end of the time, you guys will have to let him go. There's a lot of drummers out there that can do the job. Good Luck!!!