[quote name='anaxcrosswords' timestamp='1423581286' post='2686590']
Drummer Bill Bruford writes:
"[i]Surprise, attack, understate, or overstate, but whatever you do, avoid the two cardinal sins of being either boring or predictable[/i]."
Seriously? OK, Bill, can I just point out a few things?
In a band you have something called the rhythm section, which comprises drums and bass guitar. These combine to form the backbone of the band’s sound and, as such, they should work together – each should know precisely what the other is going to do, otherwise it can get messy.
You may be thinking, Sir Bruford, that you can combine mahooooosive ego and chosen instrument and that these will produce a God before whom all should kneel in worship. But no – that is the guitarist’s job.
[/quote]
It depends on the style of music, it's not really about ego. In jazz and prog, where he generally resides ( or resided as I think he's retired from live work) this is exactly the approach. It wouldn't work in all contexts but in that world it does, while still meeting the fundamental rhythm section role.