McNamara posted on Facebook that she was attending the John Prine Appreciation Show at the Sportsmen’s Tavern on  Amherst Street to which the rhythmically impaired, punctuation challenged drummer responded: “pick me up??!!” Luckily for McNamara she was already at the venue providing her with a valid excuse not to pick him up. 

McNamara explained that though “Bad Ronald” is a good guy, he’s a bit tedious. She said every time she sees him he introduces her to all kinds of other local musicians and goes on and on like she’s supposed to be impressed that he knows the bass player in the best KISS cover band in Buffalo. She also said, “He has this thing about saying he’s not a drummer, but rather “he plays drums.” When he tells you this, and he does tell you—all the time—he laughs at it like it’s Chapelle bit or something. I scratch my head and wonder WTF is so funny?”

McNamara also noted that he critiques other drummers “people who play drums,” and gets all serious about the execution of their fills or the use of the kick drum. He becomes really downcast when they make bad choices, like using sticks when a part clearly calls for brushes. This always leads to the “time signature” conversation. He’ll go off on the 17/16 signature Bill Bruford uses on King Crimson’s “Discipline,” or the 5/4 signature of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five,” which was mind blowing in 1959 because the prevailing trend was the 3/4 or 4/4. “The time signature convo makes my eyes glaze over and I go heavy on the Jamison shots,” she said. 

McNamara didn’t want to think about the possibility of “Bad Ronald” having amorous feelings for her. She was just glad she didn’t have to pick him up for the Prine show, which, according to her, “was really great.” She added, “Like I said “Bad Ronald” is a good guy and if we were stuck on a desert island it’s not like I would pretend to be gay or something.” Then she paused and became pensive for a moment and said, “Maybe, going all Greta Garbo, or Meredith Baxter Birney would be the right play.” 

McNamara noted that in the future she is going to be much more judicious in posting her location when she is out on the town. 

The post Woman Narrowly Escapes Night Out With Local Drummer “Bad Ronald” appeared first on buffalomud.com.

Buffalo NY—On August 19, 2019 Buffalo Mud published an article about the movement to demote local Western New York drummer, “Bad Ronald,” to “Just Ronald.” The movement began when “Just Ronald” attacked The Cure’s epically sad and beautiful record, Disintegration, with a lame, button pushing social media post—God awful Cure song from a god awful Cure record . . . just saying. Lol. The post was so transparently fake both Roger Stone and Alex Jones rolled their eyes in disbelief. It also led locals to examine other posts by the diminutive hairless drummer, which eventually resulted in the ground swell to strip “Just Ronald” of the “Bad Ronald,” moniker. 

Movement To Demote Local Drummer “Bad Ronald” To “Just Ronald” Growing

As the movement snowballed “Just Ronald,” vowed to respond and to vigorously defend his “Bad Ronald,” name. But in the intervening two plus months there has been no response and just a bunch more lame-ass posts that scream “Just Ronald”—Bills were out-coached . . . Almost!! and Kinda happy for the Jets!! Btw Yankees still suck!! Just saying . . .

There have been other posts where he tried to say the Beatles were overrated while giving a not subtle nod to Elvis Costello, which is akin to saying Jesus wasn’t all that, but that apostle, Simon—now, he had game.(“Just Ronald,” is unaware his thinly-veiled Elvis Costello reference is actually to a song written by the great Nick Lowe). He is also pictured with two-thirds of the greying French Connection from the Sabres glory years, which is a feat every sixth-grade boy in Buffalo aspired to in 1976.    

The one cool thing that seemed to have happened to “Just Ronald” in the last couple of months and gives him a shred of credibility is having his photo snapped with The Fleshtones lead singer, Peter Zaremba.  But, when asked to comment about the pic Zaremba said, “How the fuck do I know. This little kid wants a picture and all I can think is when did we start doing all ages shows?”

Here are some other voices from Western New Yorkers speaking out about the “Just Ronald” demotion:

Kevin McNamara (Legendary bartender)- “Yeah, I’ve seen him play a number of times in a number of different combos and he always does ‘Sweet Caroline.’ What says ‘Just Ronald’ more than fucking ‘Sweet Caroline’?” 

Greg Sterlace (Legendary WNY artist)- “I named him and the band ‘Bad Ronald.’ All I can say is through the years I’ve had some good ideas and some bad ideas. This was one of the bad ideas.”

Josh Allen (Bills QB)- “Aw, leave the kid alone. He ain’t no Bieber, but he’s all right.”

Tim Watts (Lifelong friend)- “Goddamnit ‘Just Ronald,’ where’s that fifty you’ve owed me for like ten years?”

Evidence that the “Just Ronald,” movement is advancing toward its inevitable conclusion is coming  at gigs from people who tell the elfin drummer that he sort of looks like this guy who owed Tim Watts fifty-bucks and used to go by the name, “Bad Ronald.”  

The post Lack Of Response Further Proof “Just Ronald” Demotion Warranted appeared first on buffalomud.com.