Top 6 Greatest Drummers

[frank]

To me, the drummer's the most important member of a rock band.

Those of you who've played in bands will know, regardless of the other member's abilities - if the drummer sucks, the band sucks.

Here's my Top 6 of all time -

6. Harvey Mason - Played with everyone from Carole King to Earth Wind and Fire. His work on George Benson's 'Weekend In LA' and Herbie Hancock's 'Head Hunters' albums set the standard for modern funk and R&B.

5. John 'JR' Robinson - Another session ace who's played with just about everyone. Tune in to any FM hits station and that's probably JR on the drums.
Have a listen to Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' and 'Thriller' to hear his finest moments.
A master of groove.

4. Vinnie Colaiuta - Regarded as one of the most technically brilliant drummers of all time.
Played some outlandish stuff with Frank Zappa in the late 70s before being fired for trying to get a pay increase.
Check out Zappa's 'Joe's Garage' and Sting's 'Ten Summoner's Tales'

3. Stevie Wonder - Obviously better known as a pianist and vocalist, but also an incredible drummer.
Stevie wrote, produced and played all the instruments on most of his 70s albums such as 'Innervisions' and 'Music Of My Mind'
Genius.

2. Clyde Stubblefield - The original 'Funky Drummer'. Clyde played on all James Brown's hits in the 60s.
The drum break he plays in the song 'Funky Drummer' is the most sampled Hip Hop/Rap groove ever.
A master of time and feel.

1. John Bonham - The most amazing musician I've ever heard or seen.
An incredibly powerful, intense drummer who instinctively knew precisely what every song required.
Led Zeppelin wisely called it a day when John died in 1980.
Bonham changed rock drumming forever.

 

[ThrashViking]

virgil donati (planet x)
simon philips (toto)
john longstreth (origin, last skinless)
john (cephalic carnage)
kenneth schalk (candiria)
chris pennie (dillinger escape plan)
davide piovesan (ephel duath)
So thats seven, get stuffed

the first 2 are both worldclass and you can't really say one is better then the other (you can put bozzio also in this catogorie)

john longstreth and john (not the same dude) playes brutal death metal but with a speed i never heard before, i think they are even faster then flo from cryptosy. And they both got a style not like most death metal drummers i heard. Lot of jazzy things and still brutal. John from cephalic carnage said in a interview that he also recorded a cd with the guitarist and bassist from mr bungle. It's not out yet but it will soon if everything works out right.

kenneth schalk is just a jazz drummer in a 'hardcore' band. The groove that he gives in a song is really great. You can't keep your head still with him after the drum kit.

chris from DEP is also amazing alot of speedy time changes.

davide piovesan is a 48 jazz drummer that playes in ephel duath since there latest cd. I have read a few reviews that called there cd the cynic of this decade because of all the jazzy sounds. They got also a prog bass player so the basis is jazz but the guitarist and vocal parts are really noisy so it's not your typical band.

 

[millersnose]

1. John bonham

2. Bill Ward

3. Ian Paice

4. Roger taylor

5. Nick Mason

6. Don henly (the best singing i have heard while playing drums)

 

[Sportsjock]

Virgil Donati for mine.

Phil Collins is no slouch either - even if commercial.

 

[ozbash]

phil collins- fantastic.
nick mason

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Bonham. He was a deadset beast.

 

[Rexxy]

Don Henley is also a wonderful songwriter. Girls of Summer and End of the Innocence are classics.

For drummers who sing,I rate Levon Helm from The Band.

 

[salivor]

John Bonham is far and away the best there has been and probably ever will be.

 

[Red Bear]

Dave Lombardo - Slayer/Phantomas

My favourites are Byron Mckinnon from Pennywise(awesome drummer) Smelly from NoFX and Gordy From Frenzal.

 

[Once Dead]

Well i'd throw Ted Kirkpatrick of Tourniquet fame in there....most of you won't know who he is but some guys like ThrashViking might......an interesting fact is that Ted Kirkpatrick tried out for Slayer and was close to joining them....Ted is like Roger Taylor of Queen - a percussionist, not merely a drummer

By the way Thrash! I remember you telling me about Flo from Cryptopsy or something! And there's no mention! I'm disappointed!

 

[Twizzle]

John Bonham was one of the best, no arguments there.

He was famous for playing drum solos (Moby Dick) with his hands rather than his drum sticks.

I've seem Zeppelin live and he can hold an audience with his solos, while some drummers get very boring.

Having said that, Ginger Baker was technically a better drummer.

He played in Cream, with Eric Calpton, Blind Faith and later Ginger Bakers Air Force.

He predominantly played in the 60s and played many drum solos.

His drum solos are why I rate him above Bonham.

But there styles are very different, which makes it hard to compare. Baker was more versatile and Bonham was more rock orientated. Baker was much better on the footpedal, he had 2 bass drums, where as Bonham could not get near Baker on the foot pedal.

Another drummer that stands out for me is Slipknots drummer. Very very good on the double kick. Best I've ever heard on the double lick.

 

[frank]

Baker was much better on the footpedal, he had 2 bass drums, where as Bonham could not get near Baker on the foot pedal.

I don't agree with that at all.

Have a listen to the bass drum work in 'Good Times, Bad Times'. What you're hearing is one foot playing one bass drum.
What Bonham could do with a single pedal, most drummers couldn't do with two.

Jimi Hendrix once said to John "Boy, you got a right foot like a rabbit"

 

[Twizzle]

I can play Good Times Bad Times, and used to play it live many times, but I could not quit play the double bass drums like Baker did, althought I played most of his solos.

 

[Machiavelli]

TISM's drum machine is pretty good.

 

[Twizzle]

drum machines should be made illegal

blasphemy

 

[ThrashViking]

By the way Thrash! I remember you telling me about Flo from Cryptopsy or something! And there's no mention! I'm disappointed!

Theres a brief mention of him.
I prefer the ones I listed but Flo is outstanding

 

[CanadianSteve]

Ringo.

 

[Twizzle]

a drum machine would have been better than Ringo

 

[frank]

a drum machine would have been better than Ringo

Surely you jest.

I found it very hard to leave him out of my top 6.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

John Bonham....by far and away the most influential drummer of all time.

Tommy Lee...what ever you may think of him he's still a brillant drummer, anyone who can bang out 20+ piece drum sets at his speed has to be an amazing talent.

Alex Van Halen.....See Tommy Lee

There my 3 so far.