Funky Drummers, Cheap Guitars & Sting

<p>What do George Michael, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and the Powerpuff Girls have in common?</p><p>The answer, as you'll learn on this episode, is a funk drumming legend named Clyde Stubblefield. We'll also talk about flipped drum beats, Sting's taste for syncopation, the differences between cheap and expensive musical instruments, how to tell a bridge from a prechorus, the power of a four-note motif, the unexpected places you can find songwriting inspiration, and Muse's subtle hat-tip to a George Michael classic.</p><p><strong>FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:</strong></p><ul><li>“Darling” by Real Estate from <i>In Mind</i>, 2017</li><li>"Ghost Story" by Sting from <i>Brand New Day</i>, 1999</li><li>“You Really Got Me” by <i>The Kinks</i>, 1964</li><li>“Walking on Broken Glass” and "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox from <i>Diva</i>, 1992</li><li><i>Skins</i> theme by Segal, 2007</li><li>“Kiss” by Prince from <i>Parade</i>, 1986</li><li>"Beneath the Snow" by Kirk Hamilton from... well, it's never been published</li><li>"Dig Down" by Muse from <i>Simulation Theory</i>, 2017</li><li>“Freedom ’90” by George Michael, 1990</li><li>“Royals” by Lorde from <i>Pure Heroine</i>, 2013</li><li>“Funky Drummer” by James Brown feat. Clyde Stubblefield, 1970</li><li>“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, 1989</li><li>“Save Me” by Nicki Minaj, 2010</li><li>“Shirtsleeves” by Ed Sheeran, 2014</li><li>The <i>Powerpuff Girls</i> theme, by James L. Venable, 1998</li><li>A <a href="https://www.whosampled.com/James-Brown/Funky-Drummer/sampled/">complete list of songs</a> that sample Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break on “Funky Drummer”</li><li>Ben Sisario’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/arts/music/clyde-stubblefield-a-drummer-aims-for-royalties.html">2011 <i>NYT</i> feature</a> on Stubblefield</li></ul><p><strong>OUTRO SOLOIST: Mel Carroll</strong></p><p>Mel Carroll is a saxophonist and music teacher based in Portland, OR, where she plays with bands like like Special Purpose and the all-women 90s cover band Sideboob. Her main music project is