Best Rock Drummer(s)

[Tanager]

Okay, since the guitar thread seems to have run its course (for the nth time), let's rathole ad nauseum on the subject of rock drummers. A few of my faves:

Stewart Copeland - if you don't believe me, listen to the outro on "Voices Inside My Head" from Zenyatta Mondatta.

Bill Bruford - I'm reasonably sure I won't need to justify considering him.

Michael Shrieve (Santana)

Steve Gadd - did some outstanding work with Steely Dan

Tiki Fulwood - listen to the album Maggot Brain from Funkadelic before objecting.

I'll be up front - I am not a Neil Peart fan.

Discuss/criticize/comment.

[Noj]

I'll add:

John Bonham

"Herb" Alexander

really?
there's a debate about this?
i mean, keith moon is all there is to say.
really, a debate about who could be as good or
better than keith moon, well, I'll be damned.

[Tanager]

I'm not sure Keith makes my top five. He certainly doesn't win my top spot.

those great Who albums, riding around in cars,
smoking dope and listening to keith pound the fuck
out of his kit, those were the daze.

it wasn't until I heard dave grohl in the early 90's
that i even cared for another rock drummer.....

[John B]

another vote for Herb, plus:

Rey Washam
Todd Trainer
Brendan Canty
Mac McNeilly

[stonemonkts]

Beat me to it.

As soon as I saw the thread title I thought Keith Moon.

He was great, and then they recorded Quadrophenia which put him in the pantheon.

Every time I went to a The Who concert my focus was mainly on Keith.
At one point in his career, he wore knee and elbow pads, and a jock strap (LOL) I assumed because he sweat so much and wanted to stay cool during the show. What a nut!

[Chris D]

Charlie Watts
Jim Keltner
Jim Gordon (pre-mom whacking)
Hal Blaine
Pete Thomas of the Attractions
Terry Williams of Rockpile
Moonie
Copeland
Bonzo
Mitch Mitchell

[Jim Dye]

[Brian Olewnick]

That's gotta be Carl Palmer, right Jim?

;-)

[Tanager]

Okay, I'll give Moon some props - I guess I am being knee-jerk wrt. the holy pantheon of Bonzo/Moon/Ginger Baker, et al. I like 'em all, but none are really in my "faves" list.

If I had to pick a fave, it would probably be Copeland.

[stonemonkts]

Originally posted by Tanager
Bill Bruford - I'm reasonably sure I won't need to justify considering him.

It was a rare rock/pop concert where the drummer was the center of attention. Bruford's working band after he left Yes was totally centered around him. He put on quite a show.

Bruford would be my choice after Moon (although I will admit Bruford probably had superior chops, Moon's playing did more for me at the time).

[Jim Dye]

Exactly, Brian!

Actually, I do have a question for you. I recall reading a thread on the old board where you mention Jeff Stein. I read that there is going to be a DVD of The Kids Are Alright coming out this year. I was wondering if he has anything to do with the DVD release?

Thanks!

[Brian Olewnick]

Yikes, flashback to high school! I have no idea. haven't been in contact with Jeff in several dog's ages. I know the Who were very unhappy with him post-release but I don't know where the rights to the film reside.

[Gentle Giant]

The gods:
Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, et al)
John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
Steve Gadd (sessions)

Serious faves:
Keith Moon (Who)
Neil Peart (Rush)
Michael Shrieve (Santana)
Clive Bunker, Barriemore Barlow (Jethro Tull)
Michael Giles (King Crimson)
Bernard Purdie (sessions, Steely Dan)
Jeff Porcaro (sessions, Steely Dan)
Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy)
Simon Phillips (sessions, Who)

Talented but bore me:
Carl Palmer (ELP)
Terry Bozzio (Zappa, UK)
Alan White (Yes)
Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzman (Grateful Dead)
Phil Collins (Genesis)

[Tanager]

I totally forgot Simon Phillips. Go out and find a copy of 801 Live, which is usually cataloged under Phil Manzanera's name. It's a simply outstanding record, and Simon Phillips' drumming is incredible. Very much worth looking for.

Neil Peart

Chad Wackerman(could a drummer have a better name?)

All time favorite - Carter Beauford. This guy is simply incredible. Problem is he plays for the Dave Matthews band whose records have become increasingly bland and boring, and his talent greatly wasted. But his performance on one of their earlier live album called Live At Red Rocks is NOT to be missed, and I feel it blows away any other performance from a rock drummer that I've ever heard. If any of you that have broadband care to put this claim to the test find the tune 'Seek Up' from that live album and check it out.

[Chris D]

801 Live indeed. If the Who had inducted Phillips when Moon died, they might have regained a little vitality.
Kenny Jones was totally wrong for them.

Originally posted by Chris D
[B
Kenny Jones was totally wrong for them. [/B]

i'll second that, even though Moon was such a hard act to follow.
certainly there were more 'talented' drummers, but he was really central to the sound of the Who, and after his death, they just weren't as powerful. How many rock groups can you say that about? Take away their drummer and they're no longer great?

[Gentle Giant]

There are some drummers who are certainly very good but nothing special (IMO), but seem absolutely perfect for their group, such as:

Ringo - Beatles
Mick Avory - Kinks
Buffin - Mott the Hoople
Levon Helm - Band
The original drummers for Squeeze and Joe Jackson (their names slip my mind)

Oh, and add Max Weinberg to the "bores me" list. Springsteen deserves much better, though he's certainly good enough for Conan O'Brien.

[Pete C]

Robert Wyatt.

[Ron Thorne]

Except for Neil Peart, I like Gentle Giant's list (post #15) with special emphasis on Bruford, Gadd and Shrieve.

Often overlooked:

Robbie McIntosh (Brian Auger's Oblivion Express)
Ainsley Dunbar (w/ Auger, and his own band, Retaliation)
Steve Ferrone (AWB, among others)

"Oh, and add Max Weinberg to the 'bores me' list. Springsteen deserves much better, though he's certainly good enough for Conan O'Brien." - Gentle Giant

Ditto! And what an absurd waste of motion and energy he displays every time he plays.

Were you trying to think of Gilson Lavis and Dave Houghton, GG?

[john williams]

Originally posted by Scott Dolan
Neil Peart

Chad Wackerman(could a drummer have a better name?)

Great name but I prefer Vinnie Colaiuta behind Zappa.

[Tanager]

GG, I had a buddy/coworker over after work for beer/listening, and he and I were discussing drummers - he said almost precisely the same thing as you, in this case with respect specifically to Ringo - some drummers might not be "great" technically, but they just fit their groups to a T. I fully agree. Hard to imagine anyone else in that chair.

I put on some Police and grooved to Copeland for a bit. Gonna dig some Bruford later on tonight, and I'm glad to see other folks dig Michael Shrieve as much as I do - for my $$$, he was the single best instrumentalist in Santana, aside from the rest of the percussion section (and that was one hell of a percussion section).

[Tanager]

Okay, so slight change to the thread - how's about naming a few faves, along with one song for each you think showcases them doing something which you think makes them unique/special/worth listening to?

I've said some already, but I'll repeat and fill in:

Copeland - "Voices Inside My Head" from Zenyatta Mondatta
Shrieve - "Jungle Strut" from Santana III
Gadd - "Aja" from Aja
Bruford - "Yours Is No Disgrace" or "Shindleria Praematurus," in both cases the live versions off of Yessongs
Simon Phillips - "Tomorrow Never Knows" off of 801 Live
Tiki Fulwood - "Super Stupid" from Maggot Brain

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Fred Flintstone

Tanager, you creep! You just listed some fabulous drummers and songs to go along with them. And here I am being stupid with Fred Flintstone.

[Tanager]

But hey man, could ol' Fred ever pound the skins...

(There's a cheap sexual joke there, somewhere.)

[Gentle Giant]

Ron, thanks for the names of the Jackson and Squeeze drummers. When New Wave broke out in the US, I was just getting into progressive rock, so I was late in appreciating the genre. The first three Joe Jackson albums are masterful examples of tightness, economy, and passion. His bassist, Graham Maby, in particular, was extraordinary, but I liked the drummer a lot, too.

With Santana (and Stomu Yamashta), Michael Shrieve was sensational. Unfortunately, I've never heard him do anything since that I've enjoyed even a little. His work on Lotus, Welcome, and Borboletta really made Santana's jazzy period swing.

I like the idea of putting pieces with drummers. Here are a few:

Michael Giles - 21st Century Schizoid Man and In the Court of the Crimson King
Bill Bruford - Heart of the Sunrise (Yes) and One More Red Nightmare (Crimso)
Brian Downey - Massacre (live or studio)
Steve Gadd - definitely Aja
Manu Katche - His work on the live Peter Gabriel video (So tour) is wonderful
Neal Peart - La Villa Str**** (whatever it's called) and Tom Sawyer
Barriemore Barlow - Thick As a Brick

"Great name but I prefer Vinnie Colaiuta behind Zappa." - JBW


JBW, I'm right there with you on that one, Vinnie was truly THE greatest drummer Zappa ever had. The reason I didn't go with him was because as far as I knew, that was the only 'rock' gig that Vinnie ever played(and for a woefully short time), I thought everything else he ever did was in jazz. Am I incorrect here? If so, I'd quickly and gladly move Vinnie ahead of Chad. Colaiuta's work on Shut Up And Play Your Guitar is just phenomenal!!!!



"Neal Peart - La Villa Str**** (whatever it's called)" - Gentle Giant


La Villa Strangiato from the album Hemispheres, excellent, excellent piece of music. Good call G.G.

[Tanager]

Originally posted by Scott Dolan
"Neal Peart - La Villa Str**** (whatever it's called)" - Gentle Giant


La Villa Strangiato from the album Hemispheres, excellent, excellent piece of music. Good call G.G.

Hrm - although I'm by no means a Peart fan, I think I would have picked something different - "La Villa Strangiata" is, for me, more of an Alex Lifeson showcase than a Neal Peart one - I'd have chosen something more uptempo, like "Jacob's Ladder" (I'm talking about the fast movement that occupies much of the second half of the song) - what bit of Peart's work I do like is on those sorts of tunes.