19 Aug
Dan the List Guy: Best Rock Drummers
The List Guy is Dan Reed, Music Director for WXPN. Three times a week, Dan gives his spin on Top 10 musical moments in pop culture.
I got so beat up over my list of best bassists that I’m hesitant to do this again but – hey – I’m just another music geek with an opinion, right? Here’s my list, in my order of preference, and let the abuse begin:
1. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
2. Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones)
3. Keith Moon (The Who)
4. Al Jackson (Al Green, Stax Records House Drummer)
5. Sly Dunbar (Bob Marley, Toots & The Maytals)
6. Stewart Copeland (The Police)
7. Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
8. Dave Grohl (Nirvana)
9. Ginger Baker (Cream, Blind Faith, Etc.)
10. Benny Benjamin (Motown Records House Drummer)
When listing Rock drummers you have to have these in your list and then you can debate the rest: Carl Palmer, Neil Pert, Stewart Copeland.
August 20th, 2007 at 10:33 pmCharlie WHAT!! Ringo Starr? Please tell me you’ve heard of BILL BRUFORD!! What about Neil Peart??
August 21st, 2007 at 1:47 amIn no particular order:
1. Carl Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
August 21st, 2007 at 9:21 am2. John Bonham - Led Zeppelin
3. Dave Garibaldi - Tower of Power
4. Ian Paice - Deep Purple
5. Alan White - Yes
6. Dennis Chambers - Parliament/Funkadelic
7. Phil Collins - Genesis
8. Vinny Coliutta - Frank Zappa
9. Stewart Copeland - Police
10. Bill Bruford - Yes/Genesis
don’tcha just love the prog rock drum geeks?
they’ve covered Rush/Yes/Genesis/ELP in 3 posts - surely there’s more?
Arguments for:
August 21st, 2007 at 11:26 amLars Ulrich (Metallica)
Matt Cameron (Soundgarden/Pearl Jam)
Danny Carey (Tool)
Carter Beauford (DMB)
Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
Larry Mullen (U2)
Jimmy Chamberlain from Smashing Pumpkins.
Matt Cameron from Pearl Jam & Soundgarden
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:54 pmGinger Baker’s at the top of my list.
Thank goodness astute and alert listeners have offered up Matt Cameron and Bill Bruford (although please mention King Crimson).
Others for the roster:
Terry Williams (Rockpile, Man, Dire Straits)
August 24th, 2007 at 10:28 amJack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam)
Richie Hayward (Little Feat)
Joey D’Amico (Crack The Sky)
Jim Gordon (Derek & the Dominos, session work)
Stanley Demeski & Dave Weckerman (The Feelies)
Anton Fier (Golden Palominos)
Are we limiting this to rock drummers? How about Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich?
August 24th, 2007 at 10:44 amJim Keltner - and shame on all of us for taking 5 days to add him to the list.
August 24th, 2007 at 10:59 amDan, you had to know leaving out Neil Peart was a mistake (at least in keeping the diehards placated…)!
August 24th, 2007 at 11:10 amKenny Aronoff-saw him with Mellencamp years ago and he blew me away. Imagine my suprise and delight when the Bodeans took the TLA stage in 05 and Aronoff was the drummer.I was chest against the stage and was in awe.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:57 pmLeaving Neil Peart out was a mistake - I don’t need placating, it’s just the simple truth. Glad to see Ian Paice was mentioned - totally underated. Speaking of underated, the top drummer in that category for me is Prairie Prince from The Tubes fame. I’ve always loved the group as a “fun band” not to be taken too seriously - until you listen to Prairie prince on, say the album “Remote Control” for instance - that’s where you get some serious kick-ass drumanship going !!! He is what made the band from a music perspective IMHO!
September 20th, 2007 at 12:27 amYou’ve all mentioned some good drummers. Some of them I still listen to, but some of them I’ve gotten quite bored with over the years. Some other ESSENTIAL drummers you have neglected (besides the ones previously mentioned) & if you’ve not heard of any of them, you really need to sharpen your listening abilities because (not all but) a good deal of those musicians already noted are not even in the same class as some of these guys so here goes:
Billy Cobham - Mahavishnu Orchestra / Jack Bruce / David Sancious
September 22nd, 2007 at 4:47 am1) Aynsley Dunbar (not the same as Sly Dunbar) - Frank Zappa / Jefferson Starship
2) Clive Bunker - Jethro Tull
3) Dennis Davis - David Bowie
4) Mitch Mitchell - Jimi Hendrix
5) Danny Seraphine - Chicago Transit Authority
6) Narada Michael Walden - Mahavishnu Orchestra / Jeff Beck / Allan Holdsworth
7) Terry Bozzio - Frank Zappa / Jeff Beck / Tony Levin
9) Lenny White - Return to Forever
10) Simon Phillips - Pete Townshend / The Who / 801 / Brian eno / Jeff Beck
11) Alphonze Mouzon (one of John Bonham’s idols) - Larry Coryell
12) Tony Williams (ESSENTIAL to any Drummers list!!!) - Lifetime / Miles Davis / Jack Bruce / John Mclaughlin. Most of the best Rock Drummers are JAZZ Drummers but they can play other styles as well. Hell, throw Elvin Jones in there too, just for good measure. Rocks as hard as anyone. Like lightning shattering the sky or an earthquake.
Please don’t over look Pete Thomas of The attractions/ Imposters. Also, please remember underground drummers like Dave Wagenshultz. Really, if you’re from the Philly area, please listen to Kid Dynamite’s 2nd album, “Shorter, Faster, Louder” and try to tell me that guy can’t drum. I’m sure there’s about 20 drummers I can think of from punk/hardcore that I could list but can’t think of, but Dave’s drumming is amazing. I feel so fortunate to be able to watch him play while I was younger.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:55 pmHunt Sales.
October 16th, 2007 at 6:55 pmListen to “Lust for Life.” Arguably the best-known drum riff in modern rock. The song belongs more to Hunt Sales than to Iggy Pop.
How ’bout:
October 17th, 2007 at 6:02 amStephen Perkins
John Molo
Rodney Holmes (!)