Best drummers?

[ProAc_Fan]

Being a loyal flag waving Canuck theres really only 1 choice for the greatest percussionist

Neil Peart




Mike

[geespot]

ProAc-

I agree with you 100%. On the 4th we had this discussion out on the lake. But let us not forget -

Buddy Rich

Everybody agreed, at least those who know music, heavy metal drummers were a dime-a-dozen. They only there to pound with there sticks, not very technical

g

[ProAc_Fan]

Hey Gee if you use Kazaa type in Rush for your search criteria and theres an 8 minute drum solo from Neil Peart that is simply amazing. I went to the same high school that Neil did. Teachers told me he just sat there drumming on his desk all day. I guess he had the last laugh!!:smsex:




Mike

[Helix]

Neil Peart and Buddy Rich.....both GREAT drummers. Lots of other really good ones, too. As to who's the greatest......my vote goes to Ginger Baker.


Helix

[grumpy]

Tho I was never a huge Fan of Zep Music I have to give respect to JOHN BONHAM and of course Mr. Keith Moon. Both were fantastic drummers that knew how to put on some awesome shows. Of course another that is due enormous respect in my book is Mitch Mitchell. He may not have been the best but I think he did a hell of a job keeping up with the best !

Dave

[Drybasement]

Clive Bunker - Tull '68 to '72
Barriemore Barlow - Tull '72-79

So many great drummers. Keith Moon, John Bonham.......list goes on.

And I agree with Neil Peart.

[Robh3606]

Ginger Baker, Carl Palmer, Keith Moon, Buddy Rich, Bill Bruford, Phil Collins Cozy Powel

To name a few:)

Rob2

[ckelly]

Here are a couple more

Mickey Hart - Check out "Planet Drum" and you'll see why ;)

the drummer in that played with Santana in woodstock


Chris

[THOR]

Tommy Lee, I saw motley fuckin crue back during the tour when he had the drum set that spun upside down while he did his drum solo and it was amazing.

Tho not much of a Rush fan all my friends into music and my one friend who is a drummer all say that Neil Pert guy is the best, so he's gotta be pretty good for so many people to pick him first.

[steamshooter]

The first name that popped into my head was Buddy Rich. He was a great drummer, but his personality left a LOT to be desired. I saw him back in my "high" school band days. He put on a show at a competition we were in. He would use "codes" with his sticks and brushes to tell the rest of his band what song was next. He got a little clusmsy and dropped his sticks several times. Kids being kids we laughed. He cussed us out, then we booed him back. Great drummer, nice big band sound, sorry personality.:thumbsdn:
I guess Gene Krupa would be next on my list.
Brad

[Wardsweb]

Check out this link for the 100 most influential drummers of all time:
http://www.anisman.com/steve/sadrmlst.htm

[ProAc_Fan]

Heres a current photo of Neil with his Drum Workshop kit which while large is nothing compared to his kits from the 70's and 80's.

Mike

[bully]

Billy Cobham?

[bully]

what a great group of drummers on the list you found, Wardsweb!
I'll admit I don't 'know' the group Rush, beyond having heard the name. I've certainly heard them on the FM?

pete

[Shadow]

Hey Folks

Before I was a picker I was a drummer. I thought Gene Krupa was great also Louie Bellson from Rock Island, In just across the river from my home town.

Joe Morello- from the Dave Brubeck quartet.

Al Jackson from Booker T & the MG's


Many More but I will let you guys list them.

~Shadow~

[Pat S.]

Regarding Jazz drummers, Buddy Rich was certainly good but I would much rather listen to Elvin Jones, Max Roach and Art Blakey.
Did anyone mention Tony Williams? At age 17 he was playing with Miles!

Rock:
Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
Charlie Watts
Levon Helm (The Band)

Not fancy players, but always right on!

Oh yeah, Stewart Copeland!

[bully]

Alphonse Mouzon?

[angela]

Pete, I was coming to this post to add Billy Cobham! Kewl! I saw him once (back in the late 70's) where I sat right behind and above the stage where I could watch that hulk of a madman have at it!
angela:D

[Toasted Almond]

Saw Cobham eat Alphonse Mouzon at Phil. Hall, N.Y.C. about 1973. It was the big "drum off". It wasn't billed as that, but they were the two hottest guys around at the time, and informed persons were there for the duel. No contest. Mouzon was in good form, but about half-way through his set he started to come apart. Started a roll on the mounted toms and carried it over to the floor toms, and promptly let his momentum keep turning his body, and he basically fell off his throne. Add to that a stand mounted crash that rocked back into his lap a few moments later, lack of a roadies to come out and right it. He spent the better part of the remainder of the song with the cymbal rocking back into his set. Cobham (with the Crosswinds band), absorbed all that negative karma, positively charged it, and when he came out with his band, the controversy was at an end. Incredible demonstration by someone who was obviously ambidextrous. No crossing hands for that boy.

Toasted Almond

Almost forgot. Buddy was the greatest. League of his own. My personal all-time favorite would be Aynsley Dunbar. Zappa (not exactly a slouch when it came to employing top notch help) used to introduce him to people as "My two new drummers".

[Thatch_Ear]

I went to see the Who in 74, Keith Moon barfed all over his drums and they had to cancell the show. Then of course I forgot the rain date.
I have to add Lenny White to the list if he isn't already on it. Romantic Warrior has been travelling with me for over 25 years now. I was a big fan of Tony William's and his Lifetime band back in the early fusion days. I guess his first LP came out around 74/75.
Thatch

[Toasted Almond]

GREAT drummer, and crazy as a loon LONG before it became fashionable to be a rock crazy. A true original.

Lenny White is on my list too. Totally ambidextrous like Cobham. If it's on the left side, hit it with the left hand. If it's on the right side, hit it with the right hand. Perfection. Perfect center of gravity/balance, no wasted energy or motion.

Toasted Almond

[Jack Keck]

I certainly have no quarrel with any of the above, especially any of the jazz drummers and Keith Moon, but how come nobody has mentioned DRUMBO?

I've never heard anyone play like he did with the Captain.

[Toasted Almond]

Ed Marimba would give him a run for the money. Clear Spot band, 1972 or so, Town Hall, N.Y.C. What a show! Did all of "Clear Spot" and "Alice in Blunderland"as well. You're a good man to bring up such men.

Toasted Almond

"I'm gonna GROW FINS and take up with a MERMAID!"

The Beef

[Jack Keck]

Originally posted by Toasted Almond
Ed Marimba would give him a run for the money. Clear Spot band, 1972 or so, Town Hall, N.Y.C. What a show! Did all of "Clear Spot" and "Alice in Blunderland"as well. You're a good man to bring up such men.

Toasted Almond

"I'm gonna GROW FINS and take up with a MERMAID!"

The Beef

Thank you, Toasted. Ever wonder why Ed Mirimba called himself Arthur Tripp when he played with Zappa and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra??:D

[Toasted Almond]

Because his real name was Arthur Dyre Tripp? Cause he was on an "artistic trip?" I don't know. I just know on my desk at work, I have a picture of him playing the drums with very ornate panties around his head, and great tufts of his hair coming out of the leg holes. Monocle of course. Some guys just know how to dress. MONSTER on the drums. Drumbo was excellent, but on the pieces he recorded with the band, the drums sound like pillows more than drums.

I did get interested once, and looked up his name in the New York area musicians union book. The only name that was even close was a guy named Art Trapier or Trappier.

Toasted Almond

[moondog]

I've been a drummer since 1964 & like many different drummers for many different reasons. Here's some of my favorites. Many of which have been greatly overlooked in my opinion...

Keith Moon (The Who)
Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix)
Gene Krupa
Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
Charlie Watts (The Stones)
Jerry Edmonton (Steppenwolf)
Richie Hayward (Little Feat)
Bill Bruford (King Crimson/Yes)
Alan White (Yes)
Manu Katche (Sting)
Bobby Caldwell (Captain Beyond/Johnny Winter)
Butch Trucks & Jaimoe (Allman Brothers Band)
Mickey Hart & Bill Kreutzmann (Grateful Dead)
Tommy Aldridge (Black Oak Arkansas/Ozzy)
Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa)
Aynsley Dunbar (Frank Zappa/Many Others)
Jim Gordon (Frank Zappa/Eric Clapton/George Harrison/Many Others)

[ckelly]

I remember an amazing drum solo played in Woodstock in Santana's "Soul Sacrifice".

he was very young then, and COMPLETELY STONED, but he played one of my favourite drum solos.

Chris

[moondog]

Hey Chris - How the hell are ya?

That was Michael Shrieve. He was only 16 then. How could I forget him! Another of my main influences. Last I heard he was doing soundtrack music for movies & also put out a new solo record last year with a couple other guys. I'd love to hear it.

mOOn

[ckelly]

Moon

Whazup?

I'm fine! preparing for my (one way) trip to Sydney.

How's everything in the land of the frozen cow?

I thought that guy was a one hit wonder (mainly because I thought he wouldn't have survived woodstock).

Chris

[Thatch_Ear]

Who was the percussionist for the early Santana albums. I saw this guy do a solo performance with an opening act (Nevell Bros) for I believe Steely Dan. He could do things with a tamborine that a Harlem Globe Trotter can with a basket ball! Ran around and played everything possible with the drummer keeping time for him. It was a really great physical as well as musical performance. I really only remember a statement that he had played with Carlos in the early days. Thor, are you old enough to hear about this?

[Toasted Almond]

The little guy that looked like Tattoo? Jose Chepito Arias or something like that. I think the early band had two percussionists and a drummer. Shrieve being the drummer.

Toasted Almond

[George R]

Wow! Where have I been? I just discovered this thread and what an amazing list created by it.

I've played drums since 1965 when my dad took me to a seminar in Minneapolis. It was given by Gene Krupa. Incredible drummer.

I'd like to add these two to the list...

Steve Varone-Average White Band. (Also saw him with Clapton/Knoppfler)

Carmen Apice-Vanilla Fudge/Tower of Power

Saw Cobham in 1975 with Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters. He was playing a 3 piece (looked to be Sonar) set and made it sound like ten..

Oh, I didn't see Ed Shaunessy (NBC Oechestra) listed either. He was one of the very first to use double bass drums.

Damn, I love this topic:yippy:

George

1977 tri-mounted tom Ludwigs/21"antique (approx 80 yrs) Avedis Zildjian Ride/14" mismatched Zildjian Hi-Hats (approx same age as ride)/18"Medium Zildjian Fast Crash/16" thin mini-cup Zildjian Crash/10" thin Zildian Splash. Ghost bass pedal. Ludwig/Gibraltor hardware

[cyclops]

Hey guys I didn't seem to notice Jon Heisman being mentioned. One of the tastiest and articulate drummers of his generation. First came to notice with John Mayall, later went on to form Colloseum a band ultimately ruined by Chris Farlowes screaming vocal style.

[datsunmike]

While not a great drummer, Dino Danelli of the Young Rascals was one of the flashiest drummers in the mid 60s rock business, bouncing and twirling his sticks all around :) He did put on quite an entertaining show and the rest of the Rascals were pretty good too. I wonder why they haven't reformed and toured as they wrote a lot of great songs and had a lot of hits, at least here in the NYC area.

I also remember when Buddy Rich and his Orchestra used to play at a club on Broadway, in the mid to later 60s, and as you walked down the street you could here him bangin on his drums. Unfortunately I was too young to go in but I did hang around and catch glimpses of him every so often.

I always thought Keith Moon was the best RnR drummer, well if not the best, no one was better.

BTW, John Bonham was a great drummer but a real asshole in person. I toured with the Zep in 75 and 77 and he was generally in a foul mood - I was told to stay away from him which I did. I still remember the fight he and Peter Grant had in an elevator in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hilton and totally destroyed the elevator. Two huge guys going at it and both drunk.

[shelby1420]

BONHAM, end of discussion.

[Wornears]

Earl Palmer for basically being the back-beat for the start of R'n'R and on call as a top session drummer in New Orleans and Los Angeles, simulatenously, in his time.

If he were just the drummer for Little Richard's seminal recordings, that would be enough. But see here for his credits:

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Earl_Palmer.html

Art Blakey in jazz.

Gene Krupa for his showmanship and those great B&W film-ets he's featured in.

Sly Dunbar for reggae.

[Urizen]

Gotta love Peart and Bonham! :thmbsp:

My favorite drummer is Mike Portnoy (http://www.mikeportnoy.com/) .

One of the hardest working drummers in the world, IMHO.:guitar:

[bully]

Bill Brinkman.

[Duffinator]

BONHAM, end of discussion.I second.

Another favorite of mine is D.J. Bonebrake from X.

[ProAc owner]

If RUSH had a the huge following stateside that it enjoys in Canada then Neil Peart would be on every drummers list IMHO.

ProAc Owner

[mike hatt]

i honestly could not believe it took till the third page to mention mike portnoy..amazingly overlooked, though i suppose its mainly do to the style of music he plays not being widely listened too by the members here. For those of you who don't know he is the drummer for dream theater a progressive metal band. I like his style, and i like the vids on drumming he put out.

Another very hard/heavy metal drummer is dave novaro of slayer, while fast and loud and obnoxcious, he remains on beat and technically sound through damn near all of slayers songs thats hes in.

[trueview]

Danny Carey is amazing!
check him out ... www.dannycarey.org

[WhiteSE]

I personally appreciate the jazz-rock crossovers a bit more, as long as they excel in both,,I have read an article about that drumming CD where Bruford/Peart/Phillips/ and others cooperated in homage to Buddy Rich, and it was agreed that Neil couldnt do the jazz thing that well....

Also there is a CD they made with other like Dennis Chambers where the sound is as if yoru sitting on the drummers kit instead of listening to it.
My main picks are:

King Crimson's pre Bruford drummer..I always forget his name.
Billy Cobham
Simon Phillips
Bill Bruford
Thomas Lang (Austrian drummer discovered by JOhn Wetton) the most amazing 12' solo I ever heard.
Akira Jimbo..check out his work with bass player Brian Bromberg
Chester Thompson

[theodoric]

Clem Burke (Blondie, Dramarama) still blows me away with his versatility. Listen to "Dreaming" to hear blatant overplaying that completely works within the confines of a three-minute pop song.
Jo Jones (Basie, Jacquet, Holiday, Wilson, Prez, Tatum, Ellington, Hawkins, Eldridge) probably had a bigger influence on Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson than anyone, moving the beat up from the bass drum to the snare and hi-hat.
Max Roach is the prototypical Bop drummer.
Kenny Clarke shifted timekeeping to the ride cymbal.
Roy Haynes always tells a story with his playing.
Keith Moon (The Who) and his polyrhythmic "lead drums" style; moving forward by being backwards.
Ringo Starr (The Beatles) invented the modern stripped-down rock drum style (listen to "Ticket to Ride" to hear some genius drumming).
Neil Peart (Rush) for throwing in all the bells and whistles and making it compelling for seven concept albums.
Stewart Copeland (The Police) for his eloquent and effortless fusion of Latin, Caribbean, and African styles.

[Toasted Almond]

I'm still waiting for all the great drummers mentioned to get together and have a tribute concert and two cd's LIKE THEY DID FOR BUDDY RICH, for somebody OTHER than Buddy Rich. They did it for a reason. He was, and still is, at the top of the heap.

WHAT, is a Peart?

[JoZmo]

I'll add Danny Richmond. Played with Mingus and others.

Saw Mingus back in the 70's at Paul's Mall in Boston.
It was not very crowded that night (I have no idea why) and we were sitting right up front. Basically, it felt like Mingus was putting on a private show just for us and I remember the drummer, although at the time I didn't know it was Danny Richmond, just blew me away.

Also, I'll add Jeff Pocaro (although he's passed). Maybe not the greatest but certainly very versatile and solid. He played on many an album and was one of the top studio drummers in pop music during the 1970s and 1980s.

[kichijai]

I like Copeland, Bonzo, Peart, and Chad Smith.

[modge]

Phil Collins When he played with Genesis ( the first four lps)

[Strangeband]

What a great collection of drummers already cited here. If I am duplicating any, I apologize, but would like to add these names.

The always overlooked Rob Townsend, stalwart member of Family, later with Axis Point, currently with The Blues Band and some incarnation of the Manfreds.

Jim Keltner, sideman to nearly everybody it seems. (Don’t think I saw him mentioned.)

Kenny Aronoff (formerly with John Mellencamp & John Fogerty) and member of a little know power trio called Dust.

Janet Weiss, the drummer for Sleater Kinney.

Jim Gordon (before his mental problems and murder conviction he was all over the place, including stints with Derek and the Dominoes, Joe Cocker, Traffic, and Zappa.)

Ainsley Dunbar, from Jeff Beck to John Mayall.

The late Jim Capaldi of Traffic.

Tre Cool of Green Day (my 11-year old daughter has informed me that Tre is the best drummer in rock)

[ProAc_Fan]

BONHAM, end of discussion.

Okay, step away from the turntable, put down " The Wall" Lp and no one gets hurt. :yes: Bonham better than Peart?? Not on his best day. :nono:


Mike

[Kegger]

Many have mentioned them but 2 of my favorites are: ...... Stewart Copeland of the Police
and Neil Peart of Rush. Not only are they great drummers but I love the sound of there kits!