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This is the actual original VHS recording of Buddy Rich at the Boston Pops from 1981. It became a famous and iconic event — I believe it was the only time he ever performed there.

There are several versions and copies of this tape floating around online, but this one is the original transfer from VHS. There’s actually one YouTube clip out there posted by someone else, and it’s pretty clear they copied it from a posting I did years ago — midway through, right as Buddy starts showing off his two-handed speed on the snare, the video distorts the way old analog tape does when it’s worn out. That’s the same spot I wore thin on my own copy, since I played that section over and over and didn’t always rewind it properly afterward. A sloppy mistake on my part, but it’s how I know where their copy came from.

I studied with Buddy Rich for three years in the early ’80s. One of the many perks of that experience was getting to follow the band to events — including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson — along with various other shows and concerts.

This particular concert featured Wayne Pedzwater on bass. People don’t always realize this, but he’d also played with Blood, Sweat & Tears. The intro solo below shows him opening the set on bass, bringing Buddy into the music before Buddy launches into his own drum solo.

At first glance, it looks like Rich is following Pedzwater’s lead — which is unusual, because that’s not how Rich typically operated, ever. But what’s really happening is that Rich is playing off a piece Pedzwater wanted to perform: this intro solo was actually a Blood, Sweat & Tears headliner piece, used here as the opening for the whole show. Most people watching have no idea that’s what they’re hearing.

After the concert, Buddy was given the tape of this segment. He never really held onto things like that, so he passed it along to me. I still have a few recordings like this, along with a couple of his drum sets.