Russell Buddy Helm

Separating the brain from the body sounds gruesome, but maybe we have to do that once in a while. Just letting the body be the boss for a change can be healing, innovative and stimulating. When the groove is right- laid back and nurturing, the critical mind relaxes. It can be controlled by rhythm. It is rhythmically programmable. As the groove settles in and takes hold of the whole organism, the “I”- the real person, emerges. Separating from the distractions of the critical mind, we witness the critical mind slowing down with the groove, revealing fear-based assumptions that limit our capacity to enjoy our lives. The critical mind makes decisions without our permission. It is well intentioned but overwrought by rhythmic pollution in our environment. It is trying to parse out the tempos of the modern world using a Neanderthal processor. No wonder we feel stress. Slowing the tempo helps. It sends a soothing message to the over heated critical mind which slows down with the groove. We see the “man behind the curtain” dictating our anxiety. It is well intentioned, but it can’t fix itself. Conventional therapy doesn’t give us a model for going through the stress of trauma. The Groove is a model for moving beyond our history. The groove slows down the processor that is running way too fast. It is simple when you know the method. That’s why commercials have soundtracks. But the critical mind will not stay dormant trying to regain control. Just keep the groove laid back. By revisiting the oasis where the groove has taken us, we manifest our safe space in a cosmos of our own design.

Live Tim Buckley in New York, 1973. Devil Eyes; Tim and I shared an intense vocal and drum solo. The precursor for the trance grooves we do now, only at much slower tempos now…I was much younger then….

Hal Blaine, drummer for the wrecking crew, more hits than any other drummer. Rocking til 90 years old. Thanks for the Grooves, Hal.