Extended mix drum cover of The Groove Line, by Heatwave!
Share your love for Heatwave. What's your favorite Heatwave song? How did you hear about them? I've been playing drums to this song at school dances since it came out in 1978. I was only 14 years old, but I was already heavy into disco, rock and jazz fusion - among other types of music! How time flies! Keep the conversation going and leave a comment and subscribe! Heatwave fans rejoice!!!
"THE GROOVE LINE" LYRICS
Pack your grip, takin' you on a trip
Ain't no seats, all we got's dancin' feet
Leave your worries behind
'Cause rain shine, don't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight
Ooh Ooh
Ooh Ooh
Catch this train know you'll be glad you came
Hit the track party hard there and back
Leave your worries behind
'Cause rain shine don't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight
Ooh Ooh
Ooh Ooh
Check out the wheels a turnin'
You know we won't stop
We got this boiler burnin'
We're keepin' it hot
So grab your friends, get the train comin' thru
Climb on board, where you leave's up to you
Leave your worries behind
'Cause rain shine don't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight
Ooh ooh
Ooh ooh
Ooh ooh
Ooh ooh
Leave your worries behind
'Cause rain shine don't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight
Ooh Ooh
Ooh Ooh
Check out the wheels a turnin'
You know we won't stop
We got this boiler burnin'
We're keepin' it hot
So grab your friends
Get the train comin' through
Climb on board
Where you lead is up to you
Leave your worries behind
'Cause rain shine won't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight
Ooh Ooh
We can ride
Rain shine don't mind
We're ridin' on the groove line tonight (repeat and fade).
SONG/VIDEO NOTES
This extended mix features keyboard whiz Rod Temperton on an expanded instrumental section. Harmoniously, you can hear Eric John's beautiful rhythm guitar chords in this section. Music to the ears.
Technically, “The Groove Line” is classified as a disco song. However, its sophisticated R&B funk sound sets it apart from most of the ubiquitous, redundant disco music of the late 70s. Instead of a dreamy jazzy intro like "Boogie Nights", Rod Temperton's genius chord progression is utterly apparent as the song begins with a synth intro that pulsates on the eighths, like a freight train in motion chugging along. I love the intro - so much so that I extended that pulsating synth then added four crash cymbal rolls before moving to the sizzling hi-hats. I also added an 808 sine wave roll-off on the first 3 kick drum hits that sounds great with subwoofers. Turn it up and wake the neighbors!
At the time, synthesizers were new and really evolving - being integrated more and more into popular music with complex arrangements using multiple keyboards. The beauty of Rod’s synth melodies and the spirited complementary vocal harmonies of the Wilder brothers was unmatched. Keith sang with an aggressively masculine edge, while Johnnie had a feather-light smooth touch. He just looks so happy when he sings! Johnnie's falsetto reigns throughout the song, handling tricky chord changes during the chorus with ease.
The drummer, Ernest "Bilbo" Berger, an underrated Jazz/Blues drummer from Czechoslovakia, is one that I list as one of my most influential funk drummers of the 70s. Here he executes a sixteenth note/semi-quaver pattern on the hi-hat that keeps the song grooving. On the chorus he switches to a swing-ish 'double-tap' quarter note close/open hi-hat pattern, that I play with my left hand (open, not crossed). His 1977 Ludwig Vistalite concert toms, perfectly tuned to the notes of the song, were bright and punchy. Barry Blue did a superb job of recording the drum track and mixing them prominently up front in the mix. I tried my best to do justice and match that tom and overall sound in this video.
TOM TUNINGS
Concert Toms
6" - 262Hz/C4
8" - 196Hz/G3
10" - 165Hz/E3
12" - 131Hz/C2
13" - 124Hz/B2
14" - 98Hz/G2
15" - 83Hz/E2
16" - 66Hz/C1
Floor Toms
16" - 66Hz/C1
18" - 62Hz/B1
Kick Drum
22" - internal muffling touching reso head
Single Release: January 1978. B-side: "Happiness Togetherness"
Format: 7" single (4:11), 12" Extended Mix (7:28)
Writer: Rod Temperton
Album: Central Heating
Label: GTO Records
Producer: Barry Blue
Certification: RIAA Platinum
Among Top 50 biggest hits of 1978 / Peaked at #7 on Billboard Hot 100
LINKS
Studio Sound Panels
AUDIMUTE Sound Absorption Sheets
Link - [ Ссылка ]
Sunglasses
GATORZ Magnum, model# MAGPOL01
Polished 7075 Billet Aircraft Aluminum Frame/Grey Lens
