Ted Kirkpatrick Fugue in D Minor rough cut

Well folks, I've reached the half century mark - today is my 50th Birthday (although I still feel around 30) - so I thought I would celebrate with all of you by offering a track from my very nearly completed new solo release IN THE SHADOW OF THE MASTERS. I hadn't intended on putting up any more tunes from it, as it will be going to mastering and manufacturing very soon, but you only turn 50 once, right? Plus let this be an apology from me for pushing the release date back a little...

This is FUGUE IN D MINOR - BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was written around 1705 and is the epitomy of HEAVY! To say this piece is brilliant is a gross understatement. The complexity, the melodies, the huge chords, the quiet parts, and the ultra-loud blast-you-out-of-your-pew parts are all awesome. The drumming was very challenging, as the mid-tempo groove ebbs and flows almost imperceptibly and there are numerous precise timing issues and lots of time to play different beats and fills. I have always tried to treat the drums as a musical instrument and not just "rhythm", and I hope I did a good job for all of you and Mr. Bach.

The track is mixed, but not yet mastered so downloading is not available - the finished mastered tune will sound about 1,000 times cleaner, fuller, bigger kicks, louder...better! So - the track may only be up a short time.

One of my dreams when I get to heaven is to be able to go back in time and attend concerts played or conducted by the composers themselves... but for now - sit back and picture yourself sitting in a church in Weimar, Germany 300 years ago with none other than the master Bach himself seated at the organ playing this.

Looking forward to releasing the entire album - lots of hyper crazy drumming on it. Now... where's all my birthday presents? Haha... http://tourniquet.bandcamp.com/

Ted Kirkpatrick's "Overature of the Marriage of Figaro"

You can hear a cut from Ted's upcoming album "In the Shadow of the Master's

Tourniquet @ Bandcamp

Ted Kirkpatrick's Solo Album

Ted's new solo album "IN THE SHADOW OF THE MASTERS" - a highly technical 
drumming project dedicated to the great composers of classical music -
is nearing completion. Look for pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach,
Chopin, Rossini and others... these guys wrote some crazy brilliant
stuff!! Late May release...

Ted Kirkpatrick & Tourniquet News

I have three exciting things to tell you about. I have just completed recording my first solo album called ODE TO A ROADKILL. The title track refers to the sad reality of the millions of animals who die each year on our roadways. 7 songs, over 40 minutes of brand new music. I have been a fan of slow “stoner” music for many years, and this album definitely fits that category, with my own influence to it, of course. I’m really pleased with the way it turned out and look forward to having you all hear it as it is super, super heavy. All "vocals" are done utilizing majestic, creepy, haunting, unaltered animal calls. Cool album art designed by Jared Meyer – aka Lucid Hysteria. The album will be available as a 6 panel Digipak CD and an online download. Looking at a release date of March 10, 2010 – right around the corner. http://tourniquet.bandcamp.com/



At the same time, I have been working on a different solo project also very soon to be released called IN THE SHADOW OF THE MASTERS. It is a very technical drumming album featuring drums played over classical music. I’ve done a few things on past Tourniquet albums, but I think this is beyond anything so far just in length of the pieces. IN THE SHADOW OF THE MASTERS will feature music by Mozart, Chopin, Rossini, Beethoven and more. Release date: March 30, 2010. 



Finally, we will be recording a brand new epic TOURNIQUET album in July or August, 2010. We are excited to announce that we will be working with legendary English producer NEIL KERNON. Neil has either produced, recorded, mixed, or engineered a staggering amount of cool music from classic metal (Queensryche, Dokken, Judas Priest, Autograph) to death metal (Nile, Cannibal Corpse) to progressive music (Nevermore, Magma) to hair metal (Britny Fox) to Christian bands like Petra, to classic bands like Kansas, to platinum selling albums like Hall and Oates “Private Eyes”. We plan to release it as soon as it’s finished in fall of this year.