Frank Zappa said Vinnie Colaiuta was the best poly-rythmn percussionist he ever worked with. High praise indeed!

In return have some Vinnie playing my fav 5/4 pattern!

Have some Terry Bozzio.

You’re right that the term ‘eighth note triplet’ makes no notational sense! Vic Firth puts it better than I -

They are called eighth note triplets because they use the values of eighth notes. Normally, in 4/4 time, three eighths would have the value of one and a half counts. Now, because of the “false” notation, these three eighths have the value of a single count or a single quarter. It’s as if the number “3″ above the triplet tells you: “We all know that three eighths don’t equal a quarter, but let’s make believe that they do.”

In terms of Walking on the Moon, you’re right. Copeland employs the old polyrhythm usually 4 on 6 in various cool guises.

From memory most of the hi-hat licks on Walking on the Moon are polyrythmic trade-offs between the shuffle feel of the song, straight-ahead 4s, 3 over 4, and 5 over 4, and a few variations.

Copeland’s hi-hat is just insane, he’s been brought in as a session musician on so many occasions just to record cool hi-hat stuff.

Nice to find some other drummers around here.

Is this the one you’re referring to su? King of Suede

That must be it, Adam. Following Davey’s link up there I came across Thin Lizzy and the Sex Pistols doing christmas carols together on Kenny Everett, and the instant Beegee skit; what a classic. Never mind Phil Lynott and Sid Vicious, I miss Kenny.

I’d happily forgive a thousand musical sins for the hi-hat part on Walking on the Moon.

I’ll teach you if you like

Copeland really made that band for me; always pushing the beat or dragging it out.

Too true. Though a drummer myself, I can’t really consider him an influence as such – his style is just so alien to me. Fluid and staccato at the same time, dynamics akimbo, typical for me of the whole Police sound. Simple pop songs for the most part, with complex, surprising arrangements played perfectly. Granted they stayed on a well-rehearsed course most of the time, but when they let go things could get, as you say, very near chaos.

Mother from Synchronicity is a case in point. I heard a live version that could have been Syd-era Floyd crossed with The Clash. Seriously odd.