Greatest Rock Drummers

@audiozen


Bonham learned his bass drum punctuation and triplet style from listening to Carmen Appice of Vanila Fudge. He managed to emulate essential aspects of what Carmen did with two feet on the double bass drum with just one foot and a single kick drum. Plenty of folks since then have developed these skills but at the time it was unusual to see such an accomplished rock drummer (jazz drummers were far better than rock drummers back then and today it is the heavy metal drummers with insane foot skills)

You were very very lucky to catch them so early on... you saw history in the making ...but the year would have been 1968 not 1969. I believe Carmen was very supportive of Bonham and helped get Led Zeppelin as one of the opening acts, touring together. After the tour (done with rented gear), Bonham’s own Ludwig endorsement and kit was obtained with Carmen’s assistance. He initially had a double bass drum kit identical to Carmen but Page said it was just too much and that he “couldn’t hear himself think”. 

I will not attempt to persuade anyone that a specific drummer is the best.   I will say that Terry Bozzio is worth hearing.   I first heard of him with the group, “Missing Persons”.  Later, he was playing with Frank Zappa.

It was when two great guitar slingers, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jeff Beck, came to town that I realized how good he is.   In my opinion, Bozzio’s solo with Jeff Beck stole the show.   He released a CD in 1998, “Drawing Circles”, which is his drumming only.

Carmen Appice is a killer drummer. My very first concert I went to was at the original Electric Factory in Philadelphia in the spring of 1968. Vanilla Fudge and Blood Sweat and Tears back to back.

One outstanding drummer that rarely gets mentioned, and it really ticks me off, is Corky Laing from the band Mountain. I saw him play in the early 70's at the West, Bruce and Laing concert in Seattle. Jack Bruce and Leslie West that night really kicked ass on their guitars.