Cherisse Osei Simple Minds 2020 Tour Zildjian Cymbal Co
Can’t beat the old-school 1970s ride, hi-hats.
In a 2020 interview, Cherisse Osei, drummer for Simple Minds, detailed her cymbal setup for their tour. She highlighted her preference for vintage 1970s Zildjian A series hi-hats and ride cymbals, noting their balanced sound that complements the band’s music. Additionally, she incorporates modern Zildjian K Dark Crash Medium Thin cymbals and K Custom crashes, appreciating their dark tones and versatility. Osei emphasizes the importance of selecting cymbals that not only suit her personal style but also enhance the band’s overall sound.
The Legacy of K Cymbals and 1970s Zildjian A Series: A Journey Through Sound
The History and Tone of K Cymbals
K Zildjian cymbals trace their origins back to the Ottoman Empire, where the Zildjian family began crafting cymbals in the 17th century. The K series, named after Kerope Zildjian, is renowned for its dark, complex, and warm tonal characteristics. These cymbals are favored for their expressive, nuanced sounds that work well in jazz, orchestral, and fusion settings.
Purpose and Application:
- Designed for rich, dynamic playing, K cymbals are known for their darker wash and responsiveness to subtle stick articulation.
- Often used in jazz due to their warm sustain and intricate overtones.
- Popular in alternative rock and fusion settings where drummers seek a more atmospheric cymbal response.
Notable Players:
- Tony Williams – Known for his aggressive yet fluid jazz fusion playing.
- Elvin Jones – Brought his K cymbals to life in John Coltrane’s legendary recordings.
- Steve Gadd – Utilized the K series for their depth and expressive wash in both jazz and pop sessions.
- Jack DeJohnette – Integrated the complexity of K cymbals into his avant-garde jazz drumming.
The Vintage Sound of 1970s Zildjian A Series Cymbals
The 1970s Zildjian A series cymbals are known for their bright, cutting tones, making them a staple in rock and pop music. These cymbals, manufactured during an era of increased production demand, maintained a well-balanced blend of projection, sustain, and clarity.
Purpose and Application:
- Designed for a crisp, versatile response, making them ideal for rock, pop, and jazz.
- Balanced sustain and projection, cutting through high-energy performances.
- Known for their signature shimmering attack and clear stick definition.
Notable Players:
- John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) – Used the bright, explosive characteristics of 1970s A series to fuel his powerful drumming.
- Steve Smith (Journey) – Employed the A series for their cutting attack and versatility.
- Buddy Rich – Known for his blazing speed and control, he relied on A series cymbals for articulation.
- Cherisse Osei (Simple Minds) – Incorporates vintage 1970s Zildjian A hi-hats and rides into her setup for their clarity and warm projection.
The Legacy of Simple Minds: Music, Performance, and Quirks
Simple Minds formed in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1977, becoming one of the most influential rock bands of the 1980s. Initially rooted in post-punk and new wave, they evolved into a grand, cinematic sound that defined an era of anthemic rock music.
Musical Evolution:
- Early Years (Late 1970s – Early 1980s):
- Albums such as Life in a Day (1979) and Real to Real Cacophony (1979) experimented with new wave and art-rock elements.
- Their sound was characterized by atmospheric synthesizers, driving basslines, and textural guitar work.
- Mainstream Success (1980s):
- New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) (1982) marked a shift to a more polished sound, blending synth-pop and rock.
- Sparkle in the Rain (1984) and Once Upon a Time (1985) established their signature anthemic stadium rock sound.
- “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (1985), featured in The Breakfast Club, became their most famous song, though ironically, they initially resisted recording it.
- Later Years (1990s – Present):
- Continued evolving with albums like Neapolis (1998) and Big Music (2014), integrating electronic and acoustic elements.
- Maintained a dedicated following, consistently touring with high-energy performances.
Performance Style & Quirks:
- Jim Kerr’s signature theatrical movements and dramatic stage presence add a unique visual layer to their performances.
- The band’s sound is often driven by hypnotic guitar textures, soaring synthesizers, and anthemic drum patterns.
- Simple Minds frequently rework older songs live, extending instrumental sections and building tension for climactic releases.
- Their use of layered vocals and immersive production techniques creates an expansive sonic landscape, setting them apart from many contemporaries.
Conclusion
Both the K Zildjian and 1970s A series cymbals have left an indelible mark on drumming history, shaping genres and defining the sound of legendary drummers. Likewise, Simple Minds’ evolution from post-punk obscurity to global stadium-rock giants showcases their ability to innovate while staying true to their core sound. Whether in the jazz club, rock arena, or a synth-driven soundscape, these elements continue to inspire musicians worldwide.
Transcript
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we're Simple Minds what a pleasure to be
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in Boston thank you for coming to see us
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everybody please let me see you have
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Oh
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No
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when your car
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Oh
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everyone
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those schools with tall it's far too
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negative
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everything okay
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to the side
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Oh
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he's on
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Oh
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so I'm here at the Orpheum Theatre today
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and I wanted to show you guys a
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run-through of my cymbals that I'm using
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on the simple minds talk so I'll start
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from the left so first of all we have
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the K dark crash medium theme which is a
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17 inch now I love caves caves are
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always you know like I always have a
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cave like in my setup they're dark and
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lovely and they have really nice you
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know a nice technique that like nice
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tones to them and they just sound great
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they're very versatile you can use it in
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all sorts of music and it works well in
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some of the songs with the simple mind
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songs so for my high hats I have I'm
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using it they're 15 inches and and
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they're from the 70s and I think they're
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an a model so 70s a high hats they just
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sound amazing you know very well
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balanced not too brash not too bright
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it's sort of got the you know sort of
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mid with mids covered really well and
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they just sound great the old cymbals so
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I always you know try and incorporate
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that within my setup that's my hats and
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then the same thing for my ride this is
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a 70s a ride and again it just it you
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know it it just works really well with
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the simple mind sound a lot of that
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stuff was recorded in the 70s and 80s
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and I find this stuff yeah it just works
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I got just suits the music so
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can't beat the old stuff human comm
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sounds great for my crashes I use a
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custom crashes my main two crashes so
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this is a 16 inch and an 18 inch I did
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used to use bigger crash 17 and 19 but I
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found the small ones have a like a
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faster response which I preferred for
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this kind of music it just worked better
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so um they're also great because they
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cut through the mix really well in front
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of house and like engineers really like
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me using these you know when you hear it
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you hear it in the mix look gonna get
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muddied with you know all the other
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frequencies so they're making very very
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good crashes and the very versatile as
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well be using different settings but it
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it works for this one
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so last but not least we have my scissor
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symbol now scissor symbol I will always
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have in my arsenal because you can
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always use it you know like particularly
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imbalance or the slower songs they
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always just sound really great and
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you'll need to hit it like once and it
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just it just it just worked you know it
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sounds great so I'm this is actually an
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a custom and it's 17 inch crash and I
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put holes in it and put rivets in it
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because I did have I did actually have a
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18 sorry a 19 inch sizzle ride that I
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was using but it was a bit too big and
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and because I'm now going to using
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smaller cymbals I wanted this to be
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small as well and I don't think there
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was one that was available at the time
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from Zildjian so I yet got the cymbal
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and put the holes in it and the rivets
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and yeah it liked it you know like it
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sounds brilliant
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it's also good for when you're swirling
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in the song you know doing the swirls it
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works really well as well
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