Greatest Rock Drummers

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?

John Bonham's part in "Rock and Roll" is a direct cop of Earl Palmer's in Little Richard's "Keep-A-Knockin'"

All great comments. As always, taste is personal. For instance, I love Bonham's snare sound (a 6.5" deep metal Ludwig shell), but hate Chad's (that high-pitched wood piccolo sound).

What constitutes over-playing is a matter of opinion. The tale I have told before bears repeating. Master guitarist Danny Gatton, after a few songs into the first gig with his new drummer, had the following exchange with him:

Danny: "You know that fancy stuff you're playing?"

drummer: "Yeah."

Danny: "Don't."

Bonham's playing absolutely works in Led Zeppelin, the same way Keith Moon's does in The Who. Neither could have played on the Aretha Franklin recordings Jerry Wexler produced in Muscle Shoals, which feature the great Roger Hawkins on drums. And Roger's playing would not be appropriate in Zeppelin or The Who. It worked awfully well in late Traffic, though. Horses for courses.

One more thing: Taste, economy, and lack of over-playing need not restrict a drummer to playing nothing more than keeping time, playing only the 2/4 backbeat and four-on-the-floor bass drum patterns. Do yourself a favor and listen to Levon Helm's playing on the first Band album, and his and Band pianist Richard Manuel's (he's a very creative, really inventive and interesting drummer) playing on the second. And for really wild, off-the-wall playing, Earl Palmer on the many early Rock 'n' Roll recordings he played on---Little Richard, for instance. He swung like mad, and had chops to die for. NOBODY played like Earl!