Greatest drummers

[floydfanatic111]

Greatest living rock drummers

1)Neil Peart

2)Roger Taylor of Queen

3)Phil Collins

4)Nick Mason of Pink Floyd

5)Zak Starkey

6)Scott Travis

7)Steve Smith(ex-Journey)

8)Carl Palmer

9)Bill Bruford

10)Nicko McBrain

11)Ginger Baker

12)Tommy Aldridge

13)Charlie Watts

14)Gil Moore of Triumph

15)Larry Mullen

16)Alan White

17)Dave Grohl

18)Vinny Appice

19)Bill Ward

20)Peter Criss

 

Greatest DECEASED drummers:

1)John Bonham

2)Keith Moon

3)Eric Carr(KISS' best drummer)

4)John Panozzo

5)Cozy Powell

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

GLARING omissions from that list:

 

Danny Carey

Terry Bozzio

Carter Beauford

 

Even though that was a list of rock drummers, no Best Drummers list should be without:

 

Buddy Rich

Steve Gadd

Dave Weckl

Vinnie Coliauta

[kazzman]

Drummers that have influenced my playing style:

 

Casey Grillo

Jukka Nevalainen

Snowy Shaw

Nicko McBrain

Neil Peart

Buddy Rich

Steve Gadd

Danny Carey

Dennis Chambers

Richard Christy

Terry Bozzio

Gene Krupa

Virgil Donati

 

Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is no such thing as the absolute best drummer.

[anagramking]

Long ago I used to work with somebody who was good friends with the late Cozy Powell. He told me that Cozy's pick was Carl Palmer. Cozy pinch hit for Palmer back in the 80s, when ELP reformed and toured briefly. Palmer couldn't get out of contractual obligations to rejoin the band. In any event, Cozy said Palmer's style was the only one he couldn't quite do.

 

As I've said before, Carl Palmer was supposedly the only rock drummer that Buddy Rich liked.

 

I would think that Palmer would rate higher on that living drummers list. But I'm not a drummer, so take it all for what it's worth.

 

 

 

 

[floydfanatic111]

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Dec 3 2005, 08:23 PM)

GLARING omissions from that list: Danny Carey Terry Bozzio Carter Beauford Even though that was a list of rock drummers, no Best Drummers list should be without: Buddy Rich Steve Gadd Dave Weckl Vinnie Coliauta

Carter Beauford is a poor Manu Katche(Peter Gabriel's drummer) IMHO! Also, Steve Gadd is Eric Clapton's drummer now and very good. His work with Clapton and the 1981 Simon/Garfunkel reunion concert was superb.

Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa were superb drummers whom were the reasons why we have the art rock drumming greats. Bonham's influences were more Motown/R&B style.

[Indica]

I always liked watching Tim Alexander from Primus play. I am not sure how he rates as far as top drummers or anything, I am sure theres a lot better. But he sure keeps me rocking everytime I've seen Primus play. There's so many great drummers it's hard to choose. I also always thought Sean Kinney from Alice N Chains played some pretty tasty drums. I doubt either one of these guys are considered the best or anything but they are some of the drummers I enjoy watching play. I figured all the obvious drummers will be listed by everyone else.

[launchpad67a]

QUOTE (floydfanatic111 @ Dec 3 2005, 08:19 PM)

Carter Beauford is a poor Manu Katche(Peter Gabriel's drummer) IMHO!

Shame on you! I love Manu but Carter has much more feel and groove.

Also, I love Floyd as much as anyone but putting Mason on that list is....

[Dreamline]

Cozy Powell was awesome.

 

I was never fortunate enough to see him play live in one of his stadium rock bands - but I did see him on the skins behind Peter Green a few years ago in a smallish venue.

 

Cozy was great - sat behind a relatively small kit, he looked like he was enjoying himself, yet just a little bored, to the point of jokingly picking his nose with one drumstick while tapping out the beat with the other. Just occasionally in a faster song he would let loose with a fill that gave the impression he could have DESTROYED the puny little kit if he'd wanted to.

[R.G]

cozy powell went to my school

 

 

(just thought it was a good place to share my claim to fame!)

 

 

and i'll have to agree that there is no single living or deceased greatest drummer, obviously one can compile a list of the best, but choosing one is far too objective. drumming is an art as well as a science, and therefore the best cannot be measured.

Edited December 4, 2005 by R.G

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Charlie Watts is a hack.

Steve Smith is a jazz drummer now. What about Bill Bruford?

 

Furthermore, what is the point to listing players?

[Drumnut]

QUOTE (kazzman @ Dec 3 2005, 06:39 PM)

Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is no such thing as the absolute best drummer.

If there was a "best drummer" wouldn't everybody try to play like the "best drummer?" Where's the creativity in that?

[Mustard Death]

Phil Collins...?

[floydfanatic111]

QUOTE (Mustard Death @ Dec 4 2005, 11:05 PM)

Phil Collins...?

Listen to his work on the Genesis albums Nursery Cryme, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail and Duke he is amazing although people trash him for being a pop star!

[Tick]

where the hell is mike portnoy,i dont care if you like him or not,hes great! and please, peter criss,i happen to like kiss but cmon,this guy cant play the drums. i think your drinking the kool aid.

[Indica]

My drum machine keeps better time than any of those guys.

[tangy]

Mike Mangini is a very sick drummer as is Vai's new drummer Jeremy Colson.

 

Everyone who has only heard Portnoy play with DT should check out his drumming with Neal Morse or Transatlantic to fully understand what he is about.

 

I think Nick D'Virgilio from Spocks Beard is one the best progressive drummers out there. He has recorded with Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Kevin Gilbert and Brand X. In addition he also plays in the Mike Keneally Band. If you have never heard of MK do yourself a favor and check him out.

[Necromancer]

I agree that you can never list the best or even come close to ranking them, but I love to discuss it anyway. I'm no drummer, but I've been a rock fan all my life and been to hundreds of concerts. I think i always considered Neil to be the absolute best until a few years ago when I finally saw TOOL. How Danny Carey failed to make your list and yet Peter Criss did, is beyond me. Peter is the WORST of all three KISS drummers. The best playing by Criss is on Unmasked and IF i'm not mistaken, that's because it's ANTON FIG filling in for an overly strung out Pete. There's another guy... ANTON FIG. He may be sold out now playing it easy with the steady check in the CBS orchestra with Paul Schaeffer, but I seen him twice with Frehley's Comet and he's AMAZING. I don't know much of Dream Theater, but supposedly like him or not, the Portney guy is fabulous. I would also have to inclued Scott Rockenfield of Queensryche as another amazing drummer. Now of course this is only my rock fan experience, but I can remember Buddy Rich being on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and he would always blow me away. Tony Thompson for Chic and later The Power Station was also quite brilliant. I seen him and Collins both play in the Led Zeppelin reunion at Live Aid and Tony was great.

 

I am curious though FloydFanatic how you omitted Danny Carey? Are yo not familiar with Tool, or do you not like his work? Just curious. Not worth arguing about, but I'd love to know how any rock fan wouldn't put him at the top or close to top of any theoretical listing of best drummers.

Edited December 8, 2005 by Necromancer

[Mustard Death]

QUOTE (floydfanatic111 @ Dec 7 2005, 03:19 AM)

QUOTE (Mustard Death @ Dec 4 2005, 11:05 PM) Phil Collins...? Listen to his work on the Genesis albums Nursery Cryme, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail and Duke he is amazing although people trash him for being a pop star! I have The Lamb, and I can't hear anything worthy of a "greatest" list coming from the drum kit...

[Tick]

i play drums as well as peter criss and im only a hack.and indy please stop!your drum machine is better than portnoy.thats more rude than any of my football comments.

[Indica]

QUOTE (tick @ Dec 8 2005, 06:09 PM)

i play drums as well as peter criss and im only a hack.and indy please stop!your drum machine is better than portnoy.thats more rude than any of my football comments.

lol

 

I didn't say he was better I said it kept better time. And no, some of your football comments were way worse.

[Jack Aubrey]

QUOTE (floydfanatic111 @ Dec 7 2005, 03:19 AM)

QUOTE (Mustard Death @ Dec 4 2005, 11:05 PM) Phil Collins...? Listen to his work on the Genesis albums Nursery Cryme, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail and Duke he is amazing although people trash him for being a pop star! Yeah, and check out his work with Brand X. You'll find mp3's of a couple of their songs here.   (Edited due to crappy grammar.)

Edited December 8, 2005 by Jack Aubrey

[tangy]

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Dec 8 2005, 06:25 PM)

QUOTE (floydfanatic111 @ Dec 7 2005, 03:19 AM) QUOTE (Mustard Death @ Dec 4 2005, 11:05 PM) Phil Collins...? Listen to his work on the Genesis albums Nursery Cryme, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail and Duke he is amazing although people trash him for being a pop star! Yeah, and check out his work with Brand X. You'll find mp3's of a couple of their songs here.   (Edited due to crappy grammar.) I agree with Phil being a excellent drummer. Thanks for the link, am listening now. I had both Unorthdox Behavior and Morrocan Roll on vinyl but have not heard that music in easily 10 plus years.

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

QUOTE (Necromancer @ Dec 8 2005, 02:54 PM)

Peter is the WORST of all three KISS drummers. The best playing by Criss is on Unmasked and IF i'm not mistaken, that's because it's ANTON FIG filling in for an overly strung out Pete.

Go listen to KISS Alive! That is a great drum record. Peter was a great drummer then, but did deteriorate because of his drug use and carpel tunnel. Eric Singer is a plodding hack comparitively. No energy or personality in his playing.

 

Anton is quite good though.

 

Portnoy is soul-less and looks as bored as the audience watching him. Danny Carey can run rings around him.

[launchpad67a]

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Dec 8 2005, 06:58 PM)

Danny Carey can run rings around him.

Carey's Influences (from his site)

 

Q - Who are your influences?

 

A - In the drumming world I would count Ringo Starr, John Bonham, Bill Bruford, Carl Palmer, Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, Alan White, Barrymore Barlow, Clive Bunker, Lenny White, Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Coliauta, Steve Jansen, Pat Mastalotto, Louis Bellson, Buddy Rich, Omar Hakim, Alex Acuna, Zakir Hussain, Aloke Dutta, Paco Sery, Elvin Jones, Peter Erskin, Steve Gadd, FM Einheit, Chad Wackerman, Martin Atkins, cEvin Cey, Yukihiro Takahashi, Stewart Copeland, Tommy Aldridge, and Dennis Chambers as my major influences.

 

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Yeah I read that. I was surprised that Neil isn't on that list.

 

He also mentions Stewart Copeland, Barrymore Barlow and Clive Bunker, which I don't think anyone else has.

 

I have a buddy who likes Dennis Chambers and Vinnie Colaiuta quite a bit and always says good things about Chad Wackerman and Gary Husband. This guy always talks about the Barrymore Barlow solo on a live Tull album. I saw old footage of them on HD one day with Clive Bunker. Great stuff!

Edited December 9, 2005 by CygnusX-1Bk2