Greatest Drummer

[SoxFan]

[mitchum]

1. Elvin Jones

[MilesColtrane]

48. +1

They other guys are merely drummers.

Elvin was an elemental force.

[carlyhippy]

2. Where is Journey's Steve Smith, Ringo Starr and Dennis Wilson?

Carly

[Sebastian Doyle]

33. Dennis Wilson?

He didn't even play on the records.

[carlyhippy]

36. now now, he played on a couple of them haha

Yes, he didn't play on most of them, but when the BB's are mentioned, it is usually Dennis who is the most recognized and associated with the group. He also had a couple of good solo albums, unrecognized, unfortunately.

[Oeditpus Rex]

35. Re Journey, I think Aynsley Dunbar was better than Smith

But that may be because I think Journey in the Dunbar era was far, far, far better than later Journey.

[jobycom]

3. Ian Paice was better than at least a couple of those.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeGs7gFHCQ4

[Oeditpus Rex]

34. Word

Paice was schooled as a jazz drummer. That may explain a few things.

He's the best rock drummer of all, for my money. :headbang:

[hellbound-liberal]

57. I really like Ian Paice too, but I think Cozy Powell deserves some props in this thread too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyN8XnFEMVM

[Mike 03]

4. Wow, this is such an excellent question that I'm not going to vote on it,

because I'm not in any position to select.

My gut response was first Gene Krupa and then Stewart Copeland.

Is there also a drummer named Jim Ketner who worked with Elvis Costello in the late 80s?

I'm no expert on drummers.

This is a great topic and I will be reading the comments of others. I didn't vote. But I'm fascinated by this very interesting topic.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. no Carl Palmer? no Charlie Watts?

not that they are great ...... just well known, perhaps.

[Steely_Dan]

6. Neil Peart...without question.

Of course, there is Ron Bushy for us older folks.

-P

[jobycom]

7. I voted Peart, and I'm a noted Rush hater.

[gmoney]

13. Peart ruined more potential drummers than anyone...

so many guys (and only guys, I'd wager) saw that giant overcompensation of a drum kit and felt THEY couldn't play drums without having nineteen rototoms, two bass drums and four gongs -- and having to play everyone one of them simultaneously -- that they never bothered to learn to keep the fucking beat and a consistent tempo! I played with one of these guys, and it was just horrifying.

Give me Pete Thomas, longtime Elvis Costello drummer... very basic kit, but wonderful the things he could do with it. For instance...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykgYNeQesmU

Helps to have a kickass bass player doing a great riff...

Or try this on for size...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOayR5ri2xM

[jobycom]

17. Faulkner ruined a lot of novelists, doesn't mean he could write. nt

[ghostsofgiants]

8. Buddy Rich gets my vote.

And Neil Peart doesn't have the style or heart that guys like Rich and Krupa had, his drumming sounds like it's being done by a robot.

[LeftyMom]

9. Whichever one gets my pizza here on time.

:shrug:

[NightWatcher]

11. you are correct Sir

[3.14158675309]

21. zOMG You are on an effin' roll tonite!

:rofl:

[jmowreader]

10. None of the above...

1. Josh Freese, too many bands to count: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daugq4c55h8

2. John Dolmayan, System of a Down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OvoJC2tQrE

3. Nicko McBrain, Iron Maiden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vP2hFFV57E

4. Michael Portnoy, Dream Theater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HVhQc7foXQ

5. Max Roach, jazz cat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y8Il-yRz_A&feature=related (watch Max's hi-hat in this clip; he's maintaining the beat with his left FOOT.)

6. Roger Taylor, Queen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI

[Danger Mouse]

20. Exactly, sir, exactly.

This poll is sadly lacking.

[jmowreader]

54. What's even more sadly lacking...

is any real knowledge about Neil Peart. There's no doubt the guy's a very good drummer...but if you watch him in action really closely, you'll see he's basically playing a six-piece (snare, three toms and two bass drums) with six or seven different cymbals on every song. He's got a hundred drums and the every cymbal Sabian ever made up there, but that's largely because all his songs require a different six-piece kit. Not real impressive.

At the other extreme is Terry Bozzio, who I did NOT list because he's the Nigel Tufnel of the drum set. "My solos are my trademark."

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

12. Tony Allen

other than that, Animal

[Left Is Write]

14. This thread has forced me to buy Sing Sing Sing from iTunes.

:P

[carlyhippy]

15. that song on Rock Band is incredibly hard to play on drums for me

it has the strangest beat......

[BulletproofLandshark]

16. The legendary Buddy Rich/Ed Shaughnessy drum battle on Carson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNhnioNNIPI

[Captain Hilts]

25. Dupe. Read the next one. nt

[Captain Hilts]

26. Yes, Shaughnessy was really versatile.

When Rich was ill in the hospital, Carson and MacMahon visited him and did an incredibly vulgar version of Karnak the Magnificent.

[DS1]

18. How about this

Find all the "Greatest Drummer" polls and tally up a real winner.

Then wonder why there's so many "Greatest Drummer" polls and so many jokes about drummers

:)

[Steely_Dan]

29. I've Scanned...

through some of those drummer polls and I bet if you added them up, Neil Peart would come out on top. It just seems like his name is near or at the top of each list.

Of course, I'm partial to the street drummer in the movie "Taxi Driver."

-P

[DS1]

41. Then Neil Peart it is!

I don't have much in the argument, but my favorite drummer is Danny Carey from Tool, because he can work scales into other scales ( I think that's the term of beats) and you won't hear it unless you're looking for it.

Check our Lateralus, and here he is with Dave Lombardo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngS7GjHRUsU

[Steely_Dan]

45. Agreed on Carey...nt

[Danger Mouse]

19. This poll is invalid because it neglects to mention the godly Mike Portnoy.

:thumbsdown:

[Twillig]

27. This lounge is 40 years in the past musically.

I await the next poll featuring the old 3 finger guitarists from way back when.

June 23 is fast approaching.

[no name no slogan]

22. Q: What's the difference between a moose and the Buddy Rich Orchestra?

A: On a moose, the horns are in front, and the asshole's in back. In the Buddy Rich orchestra, the horns are in back, ...

[Mudoria]

23. Brian Downey... Thin Lizzy

[Captain Hilts]

24. I voted for Gene Krupa, but it might be Buddy Rich. nt

[MrSlayer]

28. Of the classic drummers, Bonham has no peer.

But there are a thousand guys that own him now. Dave Lombardo, Gene Hoglan, Joey Jordison, Paul Bostaph, Perry Strickland, Tom Hunting, Ventor, etc. Any Thrash or Death Metal drummer runs circles around the older guys.

[Steely_Dan]

30. Bonham was over-rated...

Sorry...just MHO.

-P

[MrSlayer]

32. Nah, not overrated, his time was impeccable and he hit like a sledgehammer.

Keith Moon is overrated, Bonham is rated correctly. It would have been great if they had let him add the second bass drum like he wanted. Page felt he was busy enough as it was.

[Steely_Dan]

44. Well....

Bonham was a great drummer. I don't deny that. I suppose it is a matter of what style you like. I also think that having to work behind Page and Plant (and Jones for that matter) made it harder for Bonzo. Me thinks.

-P

[Tikki]

31. Bun E. Carlos...and...

Tommy and Marky Ramone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20S_kwNb4rg
Bob Bennett drummer with The Sonics.."Have Love, Will Travel"

Mitch Mitchell

D.J. Bonebrake


Tikki

[abq e streeter]

70. Saw DJ with Exene in Auntie Christ--so many great ones, Mitch Mitchell, absolutely

and Bill Bateman of the Blasters...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

37. Max Roach, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones.

[BurtWorm]

46. I was going to say Max Roach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y8Il-yRz_A

[Starbucks Anarchist]

47. Here's a three-way battle of them:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=dliberg&view=videos&query=roach+jones+blakey

[tishaLA]

50. Perfect. That group has no peers.

[Oeditpus Rex]

38. Unless I overlooked it, how is it that Joe Morello hasn't been mentioned?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0XED9VI2cg

The solo starts at 2:10. Take that time to absorb what a marvelous accompanying drummer he is — which, after all, is the primary purpose of drums.

Then watch and listen to the bass roll at 4:45. That seems impossible to me with a single-kick bass.



But, for just flat-out, blow-you-off-the-freakin'-roof drumming, I'd like to see anything beat this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJsybbSHfx4

[BlueJazz]

63. Was thinking the same thing.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

39. Moon, no contest.

It took Townshend years after his death to say it, but Moon was the star of that band. He was the distilled essence of The Who...the attitude, the "f you" chip on the shoulder that was at its heart.

[XemaSab]

40. Certainly not the klown from Nirvana

:hide:

[DS1]

42. Why hide?

Oh, right ;)

[XemaSab]

43. Some people here actually like that shit

and I don't want to have to explain to them for the brazillionth time that they have shitty taste. x(

[abq e streeter]

49. Krupa overall, but Moon was the king of rock drummers

[Moondog]

64. +1

[intaglio]

51. ... and where is Ginger Baker?

Cream would not have been the same

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rkm8GTkJ4g

[Bennyboy]

52. Stanton Moore, Terry Bozzio,Max Weinberg need some love...

If you have never heard of Stanton Moore that is a big loss for oyu. He is New Orleans finest drummer. Plays with the band Galactic, Garage A Tois, and a ton of others. Considered one of the best contemporary drummers.


And Terry Bozzio? Zappa didn't hire slouches. Neither does Jeff Beck. The man is a MONSTER!

And Mighty Max...At first you see him sitting behind that tiny kit. He plays so simply, you think "I can do that"...but as the show goes along you realize what a great drummer he is. Some of the stuff he does is so nuanced. Take the rolls he does live on "Backstreets", so understated, but incredible. It is simply stunning, his work.

[abq e streeter]

60. Still think Keith Moon was the man, but Bozzio had slipped my mind;he's phenomenal

and as far as Max, as you know, I'm one DUer that doesn't have to be convinced of the greatness of anyone in the E Street Band. Boom Carter too; even Max says that there's a specific thing Carter does on Born to Run that he's tried to replicate but could never do it. P.S. I hear Max's kid is tearing it up filling in for him with Bruce and the boys ( and girls).

[abq e streeter]

68. Too late to edit; Topper Headon( The Clash) is tremendously underrated too

[Vidar]

53. Gene Krupa.

[Bennyboy]

55. Carter Beauford is a freaking MONSTER!

Say what you will about Dave Matthews Band, but this guy is MONEY.

[hellbound-liberal]

56. Yes, he is. I don't care much for the music of DMB but Montford IS amazing!

[mduffy31]

88. Listening to one of his solos right now as I am typing this

[bif]

58. Tony Williams

[Orsino]

59. Keith Moon, perhaps...

...though he has something of an unfair edge, considering the monsters of rock he played with.

[abq e streeter]

61. Keith had an awful lot to do with the fact they WERE the "monsters" that they were

not that the other three were slouches themselves, but Keith was an awfully large part of what made The Who so incredible. I've seen many great bands over the years, sadly, The Who were not one of em...Don't know why, but never got the chance to see em. Oh well, whatcha gonna do...can't see everybody I guess

[Forkboy]

62. I come down on the Buddy Rich side, but I won't argue with the Krupa voters.

Dale Crover from the Melvins and John Wright from Nomeansno are both awesome, too, though clearly a different style from jazz (to say the least).

[LostinVA]

65. You forgot Mick Fleetwood

[LostinVA]

66. What about Sheila E.?

[abq e streeter]

67. Definitely a supremely talented percussionist

[LostinVA]

69. There ahve been some taleneted female drummers

Sheila E., of course, and Karen Carpenter was considered a very talented percussionist, believe it or not.

[abq e streeter]

71. Yes, and a local female drummer,can't remember her last name;it was a long time ago

first name was Cindy I think, a kick ass drummer and she ended up playing with The Cramps for awhile, which was a great band live, much better than their records I thought, even though their records were good too... but one of those bands you had to see to really appreciate.

[MilesColtrane]

79. Cindy Blackman is a real good jazz drummer who's been doing the Lenny Kravitz gig lately.

[LostinVA]

80. Ah thanks -- never heard of her

[abq e streeter]

72. Maybe not the greatest, but great; gotta put in a good word for Randy Castillo

an acquaintance/casual friend, and hell of a nice guy, who died of cancer in 2002. Randy played with Ozzy Osbourne for several years, and while I'm not at all an Ozzy fan, Randy was a great great drummer.

[old mark]

73. Louis Bellson wasn't listed, so I have to vote for one of his imitators,

Ginger Baker. Actually, Ginger is more of a fan of Bellson's, one of the most innovative drummers of the pre-rock era.

mark

[Captain Hilts]

84. Yes! He was very good. Wasn't he married to Pearl Bailey? nt

[GReedDiamond]

74. I voted for Ginger...

...Baker, but I actually think that Buddy Rich was/is the greatest drummer ever.

Followed by, in this order, Bellson and Krupa.

And, oddly enough, even though I didn't vote for him either, I think Keith Moon is the overall "best" ROCK drummer of all time.

On a more contemporary level, Pert, the guy from TOOL, Dave Matthews band drummer, all great fuckin drummers.

Another overlooked great: Simon Phillips.

I would also like to mention the recently departed Dewey Martin, of Buffalo Springfield, because I knew him and he helped me in my aspirations to be a drummer. I still record with the Camco drum kit I bought from him in 1979, which he used with B Springfield.

Also not mentioned (unless I missed it): Charlie Watts and Ringo.

Ringo?! I know, I know - I have a really twisted view of the Beatles:
1) The band was "kinda overrated"
2) Ringo was "highly underrated"
3) George wrote (at least some of) their best songs.

Say what you will about Ringo, but he has an easily recognizable, unique style of playing, even if he is not in the technical league of many others.

BTW, If you're ever in Hollywood, CA, drop into the Professional Drum Shop, it's a cross between a museum and a place to buy drums or get drum "tech support." They have the last drum kit played by Buddy Rich sittin there.

Lastly, by lying on the poll question, I make my case for not believing in polls too much.

[mwooldri]

75. Phil Collins wasn't that bad really IMO. nt

[Condem]

76. Carl Palmer.

[Doc_Technical]

85. Another vote for Carl Palmer.

[TrogL]

89. me too, but he's pretty much retired

He makes his living doing drum workshops.

I'm voting for Neal Peart 'cause he's still on the road.

[happyiowan]

77. Mighty Max Weinberg.

Followed by his son, Jay.

[EndersDame]

78. the drummer from Blondie or The Soviettes

[NoGOPZone]

86. Here's another vote for Blondie's Clem Burke nt

[EndersDame]

87. I just recently got into Blondie

and purchased their live album (alot different then the studio stuff) and was totally blown away.

[southpaw]

81. Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e9cPH6q0Rs

[Iggo]

82. Les Binks.

[LynneSin]

83. I'll always vote for Bonham but nice to see Neil Peart rated way ahead of Keith Moon

Peart is one of the best drummers out there today!

[Lyric]

90. That Def Leppard guy, of course.

I mean come on--the dude has one freaking arm, and yet still rocks it out. He wins the "I could beat you with one arm chopped off" contest by default!

:P