Greatest Rock Drummers
IMO to answer your question falaconquest, no he is not. There are just to many techniques/styles in drumming for one single drummer to be considered better than all the others. And now for something completely different; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaTmgcKeiC0 |
There is sizzle and there is steak...one mention of Steve Gadd, but no mentions of Bernard Purdie who can include Jeff Beck, Steely Dan, The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc on his resume. Spent a wonderful evening at Shanghai Jazz in NJ sitting 20 feet away from Mssr Purdie and it was one night I'll not soon forget. Honorable mention to Steve Jordan, whom we saw a month or so ago with John Mayer. Not a lead drummer like Moonie or Mitch Mitchell, but, like Ferrone, a highly nuanced percussion machine that can turn the beat inside out and back again if need be and still remain musical. |
These 'best of' lists are tough and very subjective, which is why they attract so much attention on forums such as A'gon. So many of you have terrific suggestions. Best rock drummer doesn't mean much as rock music doesn't require a lot of drumming talent since there's not much need to play odd time signatures or complete 4-limb independence. I appreciate drummers that have melodic fills that you remember like a great guitar riff. IMO, Mitch Mitchell had the most melodic and memorable fills I've heard and very difficult to replicate. Just listen to the catchy fills in the song, 'Wait til tomorrow', or the explosive back & forth exchanges with Jimi Hendrix on songs like 'Fire' and 'Manic Depression'. Then there's the unbelievable solo style work near the end of 'If 6 was 9'. Clearly Mitch's roots were jazz and not rock, which is likely the reason his pairing with Hendrix worked so well as Mitchell introduced an upbeat swing style approach that kept the music flowing. IMO, drummers like Bonham or Baker would have failed miserably trying to keep up with Hendrix. Just listen to the quality of songs when Buddy Miles was paired with Hendrix. Like Baker & Bonham, Miles was a great groove master, but lacked melodic feeling. What I'll never understand is that Mitchell was a terrible soloist. He never had a theme to his solos, they just kind of meandered, which is completely opposite to his drumming style with Hendrix. Another honorable mention is Ringo. He has to be considered as one of the all time best contributors to the band he was in. Admittedly he lacks technical chops, but think of all the simple yet innovative & memorable drum rhythms he laid down on many Beatles songs. Brilliant. |
Jon Hiseman can play anything from jazz to rock with breathtaking power and drive second to none, just listen the Colosseum albums and specially COLOSSEUM LIVE, 1971. His driving force as a band leader is something else. Phil Collins plays just anything with great sense for nuances and rhythm, he´s technically brilliant as well, just listen to his work on early GENESIS albums. He is just sublime. Carl Palmer is technically brilliant and very fast, he´s also very powerful and creative and never sloppy or dull. He´s still going strong, actually he is even better than in the early 70´s, as seen on many YT videos and some of those are just incredible. For example see this: https://youtu.be/VGz1yLeyS2M And yes, Mitch Mitchell with Hendrix is magic, especially on "Ladyland" William Bruford is the best of modern jazz/fusion drummers Furio Chirico of Arti + Mestieri is another jazz virtuoso with huge power And yes, Steve Gadd is brilliant indeed. |
I agree with those who seem to associate one drummer within one band, but that doesn’t showcase that drummer’s talent outside their particular band. Having said this I think Jim Keltner should be considered as one of this generations unsung greats. This thread has me putting on "Band of Gypsys"/Buddy Miles........as cycles2 posted. |
Among the old guys, Charlie Watts deserves more attention. The Stones secret ingredient was Charlie's rock-solid snare. And one of the coolest dudes ever. Among current drummers, one of the most interesting and imaginative is Bryan Devendorf with The National. Often sounds like he's playing one song while the band is playing another. Gives life to, and propels, the music, like a good drummer should. |
Great suggestions from all. Interesting to compare styles. Mitch and Jimi are really just jamming. Using typical call and response type comping. Bonham and Jimmy often worked together very carefully to make something really artistic and complementary. (Of course they often did Call and Response too with Plant leading as this is a key aspect of Blues - Black Dog being a great example) Both are amazing drummers. I do think the greatest Rock Drummers work carefully with the other musicians to make the song greater than just a sum of individual talent. Creating a tightly knit piece that locks together. I don’t really enjoy a lot of modern jazz because of the individual jamming (comping). However I do enjoy traditional big band stuff. I believe it is actually harder to carefully craft a simple piece like Queen often did - where everything fits tightly together. Jamming is often a display of great individual talent but it is not planned and carefully constructed where the whole combination is greater than the individual talent... |
Neil Peart. Being a drummer, I see the merit in all of the talent mentioned, except Ringo maybe ;^), but Neil Peart amazes me. If you look at the recorded (or live) body of work he has produced, it doesn’t hinge on an overly specific and narrow stylistic preference or particular skill. Across all of his work and over more than 4 decades, he has consistently been THE greatest rock drummer in my mind. Our family of 5 have gone to many, many Rush concerts, and nobody inspires "air drumming" like Neil. That being said, I’d also like to drop an honorable mention for Terry Bozzio. Love the drums in US Drag. |
Rock drummers: I’ve always liked Michael Shrieve of the band Santana. He could play rock, jazz, blues, anything. Heck but I thought if you were a true musician you can play anything. At least that’s what Grover Washington Jr. said. Here’s a link for Michael Shrieve on youtube. The album is Santana - Cravanserai. Please see link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InlDs3C5Twk And as far my favorite drummer and I think he was the best that ever sat in a trap set is Chick Webb. In 1937 Chick Webb’s band had a battle of the swing bands with Benny Goodman’s band. The drummer for Benny Goodman’s band was Gene Krupa. Chick Webb on the drums, ’cut’ Gene Krupa up so bad that Gene Krupa had to stop and give Chick Webb his props. Please see link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbamDNDoJu0 |
Sorry about getting here late. I come from the Gary Chester philosophy about drumming, which is to play musically foremost and then if you’re given a drum solo... Lately I’ve been listening to Dallas Taylor on the first CS&N recording and it sounds very supportive in a musical sense. I’ve always admired drummers who are also musicians i.e. Paul Motion and why he preferred not to solo. I did catch the Buddy Rich Big Band in the very early 1980’s (also the Mel Lewis) and it was fantastic however when I saw Paul Motion with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow, it was something that was very different from what I was previously familiar with. So if I were to make a list, I’d have to consider the complete band and other musical aspects as a whole, which would then, I believe, present a different set of problems altogether. |
Sorry to join the discussion late, and glad to see Richie Hayward, my all time favorite, receive some mention, along with Steve Gadd, and Jeff Porcaro. Surprised to see zero mention of Rod Morgenstein (Dregs, etc.). Since there's also been discussion of Jazz players, I will also offer Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck, the Take Five solo), Alex Acuna (Weather Report, etc.), also Peter Erskine (also Wearher Report and many others). |
I saw Buddy Rich a few times in the 70’s, Joe Morello, Peter Erskine. As I stated earlier, these lists of Rock drummers invariably turn into a list of Jazz drummers. But the reason could be that many of those who make these lists are interested in musicians who have progressed in their craft, which ultimately is learning to play jazz. When I started playing drums, I only wanted to play rock. After awhile, my instructor led me to jazz and I’m glad he did. There are Rock drummers who are the best for the genre or a band’s style of music; e.g., Ringo. Then there are drummers who are highly skilled who move beyond a single genre. There’s no doubt that Carl Palmer, Neal Peart, Phil Collins, Bill Bruford, Mitch Mitchell have the chops to play jazz, but are in the Rock category. And then there’s Steve Gadd and Jim Keltner who decidedly play it all. The following link was on another thread and is for the Neil Peart fans. This girl is amazing; she makes forget that I don’t like Rush... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C00BpiE52mM |
Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe’s favorite Rock ’n’ Roll drummer is Terry Williams (Rockpile, Carlene Carter, Dire Straits). Tom Ardolino of NRBQ was an unusually creative drummer (recently deceased), but not one whom anyone merely looking for technical chops would appreciate. He had a wicked sense of musical humor, something missing in the playing of a lot drummers, even those mentioned here. When technique is the yardstick by which a drummer is measured, of course those from the Jazz world rise to the top. Rock ’n’ Roll does not necessarily require the same skill set to play really well, and in fact can sabotage the music (see my post mentioning Danny Gatton, a guitarist everyone should give a listen to. Vince gill nicknamed him "The Humbler"). Jim Keltner (Ry Cooder, George Harrison, Bill Frisell, Traveling Wilburys) is one Jazz-trained drummer who really understands how to play in a Rock ’n’ Roll band. Jim said he wished he played more like Roger Hawkins. Few here appear to understand and appreciate why Jim would feel that way. Jim is also a huge fan of the playing of Levon Helm. Keltner and another Jim, Gordon, played together in Mad Dogs & Englishmen (Joe Cocker), the best double-drum team since the two guys in The Funk Brothers (the Motown house band). Gordon’s playing is so, so musical. He’s on Dave Mason’s Alone Together album, and was in Derek & The Dominoes with Clapton, as well as in Traffic with the aforementioned Roger Hawkins. Clapton and Winwood are two guys with great taste (remember that quaint attribute? ;-) in drummers. It was after hearing Levon Helm in The Band that Clapton realized the error of his (and everyone else’s) ways, and disbanded Cream. He went up to The Band’s house in Woodstock (Big Pink), hanging around waiting for them to ask him to join. When he finally realized they didn’t require his services ;-), he joined Delaney & Bonnie’s road band, where he met Jim Gordon. Clapton’s current drummer is Steve Gadd, another Jazz drummer who really understands how to play Rock. Many don’t. There have been numerous very talented drummers who have made terrible music. Carmine Appice (Vaniila, ugh, Fudge, Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck) and Jeff Porcaro (the horrid Toto) spring to mind. Would the music of, say, The Beatles, have been "better" with either of them on the drummers throne? Or rather perhaps not as good? |
Always interesting to hear the opinions of others. In the mid seventies when Derek and the Dominoes was in heavy rotation on the turntables of myself and 2 good friends, we loved that record, but often complained about Jim Gordon's lackluster playing which we all thought took away from the otherwise excellent musicianship on that record. Listening to it now, which I don't do very often, I still feel that another drummer could have made a better contribution to that band. |
The Greatest?? Please explain? As a guitarist, I can listen to Keef and Ronnie meandering and weaving between themselves on Beast of Burden. Is this technically proficient playing? No Is it difficult? No Is it emotionally stirring? Yes (for me, anyway) Steve Vai playing, well, just about anything, I would answer yes to all the above questions. (Mostly) How about Johnny Ramone in comparison to Steve? Was he a blast to listen to? Yup! Comparable chops? Nope Eddie Van Halen vs Malcolm Young? etc.. etc... etc.., and yet the same outcome. Sorry folks, I'm a guitarist, so this is how I gauge the question. Not trying to hijack the thread. Is Mike Portnoy a "Greater" drummer than Ringo? How can this question be answered? I just don't get it! If you are a Beatles fan, and also a Dream Theater fan, would you like to see them switch stools? I don't think so. It would not work, yet we enjoy listening to both approaches/styles, and come away with a pleasurable listening session. Just my 2 cents FWIW BTW, I really like Terry Bozzio's playing :) |
Keith Carlock (Wayne Krantz) played with Steely Dan as did Peter Erskin, so both played Rock music. I think worth mentioning is David Kemper who I saw with the Jerry Garcia Band and he is as rock solid as they come. If I had a musically charged group, I would want David Kemper as my drummer. Additionally, I see that nobody has yet mentioned the superb technician Pierre Moerlen who played for Gong. I’m more of a Pierre Moerlen fan than other technicians i.e. Carl Palmer, Neil Peart,... |
Yes, yes, yes---David Kemper is fantastic!! He's on T Bone Burnett's Truth Decay album, and has played with Dylan as well. He creates a deep, deep pocket and groove. Another great drummer from Tulsa Oklahoma (Jim Keltner is as well), btw, a town that has also given us quite a few great guitarists (J.J. Cale, Bill Pitcock IV of The Dwight Twilley Band) and pianists (Leon Russell, Elton John's hero). |
The most interesting and fun I’ve seen, has to be the Rhythm Devils (Billy Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart) with the Grateful Dead. The last time was in Santa Clara for the Fare Thee Well tour, both nights. And the more they incorporated electronics the better. I could watch those two play for hours on end. |
Einmensch i have also played drums for over 55 years and from your list, I would only pick Mitch mitchell and Jon bohnam for very good drummers. If you want the very best, I would say Mike Portnoy. He has won dozens of best drummer awards, been inducted in the hall of fame at an early age (maybe the youngest). This guy is so technical. His kid Max is also pretty good. Ginger Baker was pretty good too but pretty basic. I do agree that jazz drummers are usually very good. Blues drummers and pop music drummers are there to keep a beat and that’s about it. Charlie and Ringo, not good technically, but keep a beat for their kind of music. Mickey Dolenz was a better drummer than Charlie and Ringo and Mickey didn’t know how to play in the beginning. |
goofyfoot, Keltner may sometimes appear merely "solid" (as in The Traveling Wilburys), but is much more than that. Ry Cooder arranges his recordings around Jim’s availability, and will not record without him. Listen to his work with Ry and Bill Frisell; very creative and unique playing. Mickey Dolenz a better drummer than Ringo and Charlie? Wow. "Each to his own, said the lady as she kissed the cow", as my mama used to say. It appears that many here appraise the abilities of drummers the way athletes are ;-). |
bdp24, I do know that Jim Keltner is a very musical drummer, he's just not someone that I know about extensively. Primarily his works with Steely Dan and John Lennon are recognizable. I've spent most of my time and energy invested in jazz and classical, mostly classical, so while I do know about certain drummers, my knowledge is not so far reaching within the rock and pop realms. Additionally, I gave up playing drums and percussion in the early 1990's. But, if I were to choose a drummer to have seen live and in the person, it would have been Philly Joe Jones and preferably with Clifford Brown. However, the Miles Davis Quartet would be a near to equal second. |
Michael Shrieve 1969 upstate NY. I was about 25 feet away from them when they did Soul Sacrifice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_pDjX65vHo Also Barry ‘Frosty’ Smith with Lee Michaels circa 1970. |
I was reminded of what I so dislike about Bonham---his playing was so "literal", so un-poetic. It didn’t have any elegance, any grace. Almost rude! His bass drum triplets (one of the tricks he is known for) were played just to show he could do it, not to serve any higher purpose; they didn’t have anything to do with what anyone else was playing or singing, or to the song itself@bdp24 , I'm a huge Bonham fan, and IMO, his style was perfect for LZ, but here is a side project of his featuring literal, heavy drumming, with unnecessary bass drum triplets. Very disappointing... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJZ9llTB-vg Also, John Bonham died 37 years ago, Sept. 25, 1980. See the rankings of the BEST ROCK DRUMMERS... http://loudwire.com/led-zeppelin-john-bonham-dies-anniversary/ |
Simon King of early Hawkwind. OK, he's not the most technical drummer in the world, but he could keep a great Neu-like motorik beat going while the rest of the band were flying their Silver Machines on some other planet. I heard he gave up music and worked in local government for a long time - what a shame. |
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