The Best Drummers

[andy smiffy]

I think its about time we had a thread sharing everyones knowledge and opinions of all the best drummers.

Could prove interesting and influential to all the drummers and aspiring drummers out there.

I'm gonna start with my favourite who i think is the best in the buisness:

Niel Peart (From Rush)

Technically this guy is awesome, his fills gives the shivers and even at his old age he's still going strong. He also writes a lot of Rush's material.

So what do you guys think?:)

[kylito11]

I'm with you man, Neil is IMO the best drummer alive, and the only one who gets remotely close is Mike Portnoy from dream theater. The fact that Peart writes ALL of rush's lyrics, apart from a couple of songs, combined with his god-like abilities behind that beast of a kit, makes him what he is: Nothing less than legend

[BrokenNose]

Steve Gadd is definitely one of them. He might not be able to fly around the kit like a monster, but his grooves are second to none. He's got power behind his playing that just make your hips shake. He's just got soo much oomph and mojo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRGfkK8bjOo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln6b_nBM-V8 (Other masters are also in this one)

Jojo Mayer might just be the cleanest player out there. Everything he does, every little blop scratch ladeedoo he does is nothing short of perfectly clean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvUbl0fWqzU&feature=fvst

Buddy Rich, in my honest opinion, was the greatest known drummer. There were probably who were better than him that drummed underground, but for someone who drummers around the world know, he's at the top. I don't say this lightly either; there are the "best" drummers today, and then there's Buddy Rich.

[Squizz]

Danny Carey from Tool

[Razzy]

My favorite is Aaron Gillespie from underOATH, followed by Chris Adler from Lamb of God.

[Mr. Boston]

Stanton Moore from Galactic. The funkiest white man who has ever lived.

[Hitman!]

Buddy Rich is the best of all time, he has it all; groove, speed, creativity... give him a snare and he's gonna play a fully original solo for as long as you want without repeating himself. Neil Peart is a guy I have the highest respect for, he's very technical and original, but he needs a drum set bigger than my house to achieve it. Yaknowhattamsayin'?

A drummer that deserve more recognition is Manu Katché. Just watch him live with Sting on The Hounds Of Winter (live in Italy) and you should hear what I'm talking about. Once again, a very original drummer, you can recognize him just by his playing and his sense of groove.

[andy smiffy]

Whoa buddy is insane, i think ive found a new favourite drummer!:eek:

Cheers hitman!

Keep em coming folks!

[hobosox]

Bonzo....


and Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad) from Satyricon, 1349 and Gorgoroth. he's considered by many to be the best drummer in the black metal scene, and black metal demands some talented drumming..

[genereaux]

I'm gonna start with my favourite who i think is the best in the buisness:

Niel Peart (From Rush)

Technically this guy is awesome, his fills gives the shivers and even at his old age he's still going strong.

I saw Neil a few years ago (hell, I guess more than a few, it was pre-R30) and he appeared to losing some of his edge. Maybe just an 'off night', I guess. I've seen video of him SINCE then and he seems a little more on top of it.


Bobby Chouinard (RIP) from Billy Squires old band has always been a bit underrated outside of drummer world.

I think I'm gonna keep an ear on this guy; Luke Bullen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A76VU-uLxE&feature=related
I saw this song on Austin City Limits (not the clip I linked) and his cross arm stuff under the chorus just blew me away. I can see why she'd marry him.

I've always loved Taylor Hawkins (even back when he was in Alanis' band). I really dig it when a player can make you forget they're not playing a 'real' kit. He's doing a LOT with very little here (skip to 3:25 when he actually starts playing):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqL-YNyxFd0

And I think Tre Cool is just that. He's like a machine gun, but never fall off the beat.


And, at the risk of sounding self-centric, I think MY drummer is AMAZING.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chUCT6DKMnw
PLEASE feel free to skip to the magic (2:42 to 3:13), this is not our cleanest rendition of this song.


sean

[genereaux]

Whoa buddy is insane, i think ive found a new favourite drummer!:eek:

Cheers hitman!

Keep em coming folks!

You should look up Gene Krupa as well

[TeleTristan]

You should look up Gene Krupa as well

beat me to it... what no Bonzo yet?... the guy was a monster!
Dennis Chambers
?est Love
Tim Alexander
Matt Cameron
Chad Smith
(remember folks bass players pay way more attention to drummers than most)
Billy Martin
Levon Helms (and he sang too)

[Ttone]

Danny Carey from Tool

You beat me. Not the best but who is? He is definitely one of them.

He sets his drums up in sync with symbols from the book of Thoth lol.

If I was older I would have got to see him play drums in my high school band. Paola High School

[Neur0t0xin]

Bonzo....


and Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad) from Satyricon, 1349 and Gorgoroth. he's considered by many to be the best drummer in the black metal scene, and black metal demands some talented drumming..

Don't forget Jan! Hellhammer is pretty awesome.

[SublimeFan44]

Steve Gadd
Buddy Rich
Ian Paice
Keith Moon
Hal Blaine
Benny Benjamin
Ringo Starr
Zigaboo Modeliste (The Meters)

Some of my favorites. And anyone who wants a great drummers album needs to get Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich's albums Krupa and Rich. Just incredible stuff.

[Prez]

Probably not the best by a long shot, but my favorite drummer has always been Mick Fleetwood. Not exactly sure why, I just love the way he plays drums.

[hobosox]

Probably not the best by a long shot, but my favorite drummer has always been Mick Fleetwood. Not exactly sure why, I just love the way he plays drums.

ditto x10

[Sixstring]

Stewart Copeland is probably my favorite. He's a monster.

[lufc71]

Ian Paice

[ScottRiley]

Chris Pennie, Danny Carey, Bonzo and Peart are my current favourites.

VLswG4TSs

[Grooviness]

John Bonham. To me, he is the end all be all of drumming. The guy is amazing and the more i study him the more amazing he becomes..

[crunk]

Ginger Baker was ny hero!!

[BKent]

I remember watching this guy when I was a kid, not my favorite drummer, but I found this through Genereaux's link. Hell,he plays on the upstroke.

I think Peart stands out to me. Of course Bonzo, Moon, Baker, don't have a fave, really.

Buddy Rich.

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[Strat Kid]

Chad Wackerman, who played with Allan Holdsworth, is a beast.

Terry Bozzio, long time Frank Zappa guy and general bad *** is also awesome.

[MickyM]

Danny Carey, Jimmy Chamberlain. They're my two faves

[saturnine]

Jimmy Chamberlin, Stewart Copeland, Glenn Kotche (To me one of the best around at the moment)

[noskills]

i cant believe no ones mentioned Bran Dailor from Mastodon. That guy is a freak, definitely my favourite drummer

[seamas]

I always though Stewart Copeland was one of the better drummers around.

I also really liked Bill Bruford.


Though they are rather low key, both of the drummers from the Grateful Dead are tremendous.

There are great drummers who just make boring solos, but those guys could solo (well, as a duo) trmendously well.


Another guy not mentioned that should be mentioned is Al Jackson Jr.
He was the drummer for Booker T and the MGs and countless recordings from Stax records.
He wasn't about flash or crazy rudiments. he was called the "human timekeeper", who was sought out by a ton of producers.
It is said that the difference between having him on the record or not was worth about 40 places on the Billboard charts.

Something about his beat made a good song great.

[DeeGeeCees]

Has Terri Bozzio been mentioned yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzt6PwuQABk

I saw him play with Jeff Beck for the Guitarshop tour (SRV opened), and was blown away.

But, then again he has yet to live this down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIcWxFR4uh0

[dmt]

Maybe not "the best" anymore by today's technical standards, but two of my favorites (and two real innovators who really made their respective bands work):

Keith Moon
Mitch Mitchell

Two other favorites of mine would be Ringo and the oft mentioned Neil Peart.

After that, my favorites are more local guys that I meet or see, rather than famous musicians.

[imaginary_hero]

i cant believe no ones mentioned Bran Dailor from Mastodon. That guy is a freak, definitely my favourite drummer

same here