Web Exclusive Interview
Britney Spears' Chris Bailey

Originally published on the Modern Drummr website

Story and photos by Sayre Berman

 

Chris marched with Concord in the mid to late 1980's playing bass and snare drums. 
His younger brother Jason was also a member playing baritone. 
Chris now lives with his wife and young baby in Los Angeles, USA.

 

Chris Bailey was born in Sheffield, England, on January 5, 1974, and has been surrounded by music his whole life. His dad played guitar and his mom sang, and early on Chris discovered he had an uncanny talent for the drums. At age eight he was already playing in his family's gospel church band.

About four years ago Chris made his way to the U.S. It took a while for him to get his career started, but he eventually landed on his feet as a working drummer. MD was able to catch up with Chris just before soundcheck at the third stop of the Britney tour, the American Airlines Arena in Miami.

MD: What initially sparked your interest in music?
Chris: I just had a natural knack for rhythm; there wasn't a lot to think about or be taught. I could just play, and I enjoyed beats and rhythms and music. Music is something that was always at church. I played at a black gospel church...I've been surrounded by music my whole life.

MD: Who have been the biggest influences on your drumming career?
Chris: There are too many to mention, but I'll start with the main ones: Dennis Chambers, who's become a friend of mine. Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Steve Jordan, Michael Bland... A lot of today's drummers who are doing the huge gigs-Aaron Spears, who played for Usher, Gorden Campbell with Jessica Simpson, Teddy Campbell from American Idol, Gerald Heyward with Chris Brown. They're all friends of mine and inspirations to me as well. Another favorite is Chris Johnson with Frankie Beverly. It's all about the music for Chris. I like him as much for what he doesn't play-there's no flash, it's just about the music. I just love to hear great players. Some drummers don't like to give it up, but I'm not like that. If another guy does stuff I can't do, I ask him, "Can you show me what you just did?" We all have to learn from someone.

MD: How did you meet Dennis?
Chris: He was doing drum clinics in England, and I was a fan. He started to recognize me. One night a friend of mine who was organizing one of his clinics introduced me to him, and we got to talking. I kept seeing him, so he gave me his email address and we stayed in touch and became friends. He's a great guy with lots of advice and tips and even recommendations. He couldn't do a session once with bassist Bunny Brunel, and he recommended me. I went there and did my thing, and they called me back a couple more times, so I've been blessed to do a lot of cool stuff and meet some great people along the way.

There have been a couple of industry people over the years in the U.K. that I am extremely grateful to, including George Frederick, who gave me my first drum deal and believed in me when many other people didn't. George introduced me to Tina Clarke at Zildjian, and she gave me my first cymbal deal. Also, there's Marco at Vic Firth. When I first got to the U.S. and didn't have too much going on, Marco would send me sticks and just help me out when I really needed it. To this day he has stayed loyal, and that counts for an awful lot.

MD: When you were developing your musical skills, did you play along to records and CDs?
Chris: That's how I used to practice. To me the most important things are making the music feel good and having a good sense of timing. Those elements are essential. Chops and all that stuff are secondary to me; it has its place, but only a few gigs that I've done have called for it. My timing developed by playing along to records. As a result, I'm now known for being solid and making the music feel good.

What you don't want is the artist to turn around and say to you, "What are you doing?" while she's singing a verse. I don't want anyone watching me nervously thinking, Okay, what's he going to do now? It's about being mature, playing the music, and making it feel good, and only doing the technical stuff if you're asked to. To be honest, the guys who get paid the most - unless they're doing fusion or that type of work - the chops are really unnecessary. A lot of the youngsters miss that, so they sit home. You must adapt to what the music requires, especially if you consider yourself a session player. Whatever the music requires is what you become...that's it.

MD: How did you go about building a reputation for yourself - through auditions, session work, word of mouth?
Chris: My first gig in London was with a girl named Michelle Gayle, who was a big television star. I was called in because the music director, Brian Henry, was having trouble with the drummer, and I was recommended. So I went in and he was impressed, so as he kept getting calls for projects he would call me. As a result I got to play with some acts that were huge in Britain at the time - Mark Morrison, Eternal, Rosie Gaines, Coolio.... After that I worked with Simon Ellis, who, incidentally, is the music director on the Britney gig. He's from the U.K., and he called me for a project called Jamelia, which was pretty big at the time. I also did a couple of tours with Simon with a band called S Club 7. Simon and I have developed a great working relationship; he likes the way I play, and I know the way he thinks. So when he got this gig he called me.

MD: What other artists have you worked with?
Chris: Well, let's see...Chaka Khan, and more recently Patti LaBelle, Brian McKnight, and vast array of other artists during a huge TV event, the UNCF's Tribute To Patti LaBelle. Other artists in that show included Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, and Fantasia. I also got to do some studio work with Queen Latifah, and I did a gig with Marcus Miller. My wife, Theresa, and I toured with Cirque du Soleil for a year and a bit - and now I'm in this Circus! [laughs]

MD: What other musical genres do you enjoy?
Chris: Funk, gospel, some jazz. I loved listening to the Yellowjackets because Will Kennedy is an amazing drummer. I met him a couple of times, and he's an even nicer guy. He'll do anything that he can do for you. I love Sting; that's my dream gig really, because he is an absolute genius.

MD: Do you have much opportunity to improvise on this tour, or do you stick to the script?
Chris: Simon Ellis said, "Look, take the music and make it your own. Make it musical." I don't go insane because that isn't my style. But it doesn't have to be exactly like the album, because when it's live there's always that added element of excitement - different arrangements to give it that live edge.

MD: What gear are you using on tour?
Chris: Yamaha drums - I have an Oak Custom kit, and I love it. I'm using Zildjian cymbals - I love the A Custom crashes because they're bright but not too hard. And I have a Roland SPD-S sampling pad. I also play along to loops, which are on a click track on [the workstation] Digital Performer. It isn't difficult to play along to clicks; it's just a case of relaxing and not overthinking it.

MD: Which are your favorite songs to play live? Do you find any of them particularly challenging?
Chris: Challenging? No, because I like to do my homework! I normally come in prepared. As for my favorite songs, "Slave 4 U" and "Ooh Ooh Baby" feel good. To be honest, I enjoy playing all of them.

MD: How long did it take for you to learn the material?
Chris: By the time I got into rehearsals I was just playing what I had rehearsed in my mind already. When I take on a project I listen to the music daily - in the car, in the house, while doing the laundry. I'm not necessarily learning the arrangements, but subconsciously all the information is going in all the time. Then I make my notes. Rehearsals were easy because I already knew what I was doing.

We rehearsed for three weeks at Center Staging. Normally you get more time, but that's how it was with this one. To be honest, we really didn't need more time. Then we had production rehearsals at Sony, where they shoot all the movies at Studio 60. Of course, now that the tour's under way, my drum tech, Timothy Ward, is so on top of everything that things are really easy. All I have to do is show up and play.

MD: Can you describe your practice routine?
Chris: Two sticks and my leg. [laughs] Honestly, I just play rudiments and make sure that my hands are in good shape. I'm not one of those drummers to sit at the drumkit and play for nine hours. I play so much during the course of the week, and that really is my practice. When I'm not gigging, I play in a church band every Sunday. We have rehearsals during the week, so all that is my practice. I need musicians to play with.

MD: Do you go through any routines that get you ready for a show?
Chris: I like to listen to music. I know that some people like to get hyped up, listening to rock music or hip-hop or whatever. But I'm the opposite. I like to relax and listen to music that's going to keep me calm. I have to stay focused because I'm the one playing to a click track; the band depends on me for my sense of timing. And I find that if I let my adrenaline levels get too high, I'll speed up. I stay calm and hold the rhythm on every track, all the way through the show.

MD: Other than talent and a great ear, what has been the key to your steady success?
Chris: I know that it's a small world and an even smaller drum industry. Be careful and be selective about what you say and who you say it to. You don't want a "but" attached to your name, as in, "He's a good drummer, but...." All you want is to have people say, "He's cool," period.

MD: Other than landing that dream gig with Sting, what do you hope to accomplish in the future?
Chris: I love the studio. I'd like to play on more albums; that way I can stay close to my wife, Theresa, and my son, Jayden. I want to keep working, providing for my family, and having fun!