Percussion wizard Joe Porter has made quite a name for himself on his YouTube channel, leaving viewers dazzled by his percussive interpretations of some of the most popular songs ever using marvelous instruments, some of which are rarely ever seen in mainstream music ensembles.
His latest video, though, really bangs a gong if you know what I mean. In just about two minutes, Porter runs through classics from Metallica, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, and Red Hot Chili Peppers in a way that will totally blow your mind! Mind you, when we say he “runs through the classics,” we mean it, because he plays them consecutively. No loops, no overdubs. It’s really quite the sight to see!
So many elements of this performance are completely remarkable. Porter introduces a series of simply fascinating percussion instruments, leaving the viewer totally tickled by the tune recognition. The riff to "Enter Sandman," were it not so iconic, would sound like an intro to a Ghost track when played on a hammer dulcimer. The steel pan rendition of "Sweet Child O' Mine" is reminiscent of sweet tropical rain. But Porter’s hardly breaking a sweat as he steps up to the slap-o-phone to play the introduction to "Thunderstruck." All would-be producers: sample this, set it to 140 bpm, and thank me later.
The award-winning Porter is a globally recognized performer. He’s penned multiple books reflecting on his “six mallet” technique. Naturally, we don’t want the guitarists to feel slighted or inferior in any way by this totally amazing percussion jamboree. But what is so often said is also very true: sometimes greatness must recognize greatness, and I think “great” would be a bit of an understatement here.
But fear not, oh mighty Lords of the Ax, our love is still strong, as we could simply not rock without you.
