Anyone who has seen Chuck Sabo play live will know that he is master of the groove. But there is far more to the Anglicised American drum dude than that. As Backbeat re-discoved. Best known within drum circles for his long-standing association with pop starlet Natalie Imbruglia and his delicious grooving at various drum events over the years, Chuck Sabo has a reputation in the wider music industry as a top-notch Musical Director, songwriter and producer. As such he is perfectly placed to fill us in on the inner workings of the industry today and the drummers' lot in The Bigger Picture. Text by Yamaha music UK If you're looking for someone who personifies the old adage that "it takes years of hard work to become an overnight success," look no farther than Chuck Sabo. Though his recording credits include an impressive list of heavyweights -- including Natalie Imbruglia, Elton John, Chaka Khan, Cher, Tina Turner, Pet Shop Boys, Billy Preston, Roy Orbison, Terence Trent D'Arby, Seal, Right Said Fred, Shakespear's Sister, Take That, O.M.D., 808 State, Tashan, Belinda Carlisle, Kiki Dee, Etienne Daho and Michel Polnareff -- and his playing has driven more than a dozen Top 10 singles in the U.K., he's kept largely out of the limelight, focusing instead on making connections, building his résumé and, always, playing for the song. On XTC's new album, Wasp Star, he's still playing for the song, but there's no chance you'll miss him. The album is a stripped-down, guitar-oriented return to power pop for the band, and from the first bars of album-opener "Playground" to the "hip-pop" of "We're All Light" to the Middle Eastern influences on "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful," it's obvious that guitarist Andy Partridge and bassist Colin Moulding relied heavily on Sabo's steady and soulful style. Todd Bernhardt for Modern Drummer Magazine