Korean Job Discussion Forums

[twg]

The other thread on the drummer guy got me thinking... Who would you say was the best classic rock drummer?

I'm going with Bonham.

[Demophobe]

Matt Cameron has great style.

[pkang0202]

I'd say Jimmy Chamberlain of The Smashing Pumpkins.

[Kimchi Cowboy]

Who's the best drummer - that's essentially an unanswerable question, but a fun debate. Here's a few thoughts:

John Bonham gets knocked a lot simply because he was so heavy, but he was a lot better than most people give him credit for. Listen to his bass pedal work "Good Times, Bad Times" (1969) - he was doing things at the time with one pedal that nobody else was doing. He even considered going to two bass drums, but John Paul Jones talked him out of it, for the reason just mentioned. Give the album PHysical Graffiti a good listen - he was at his peak. "In My Time of Dying" is one of my fave tunes for his drumming.

Roger Taylor (Queen) gets oeft out of these kinds of discussions, but he was indispensible to the Queen sound. (He also had a great voice, hitting that infamous high B in "Bohemian Rhapsody", as well as providing the raspy vocals in "Im In Love With My Car", among others...) Listen to how he hits the snare and the hats simultaneously - that's the trademark Roger Taylor / Queen Sound.

Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is also underrated. He was a metronomic machine behind Waters' introspective lyrics and Gilmore's searing guitars, but no-one else could have done it any better.

Jon Fishman (Phish) - well, if you've never heard him, more's the pity. The man was on fire. 'nuff said.

Ringo Starr is, quite simply, the luckiest man on the planet. He was, at best, a marginal drummer, and by 1966/67 most of the studio drumming that you hear on the albums was in fact being done by Paul. Everyone (including Ringo) knew it, but the lie was easier to swallow than the truth.

I really dig Stanton Moore (Galactic), but that's kind of pushing the "Rock" drummer envelope...

Manu Katche (does a lot of work for Peter Gabriel) is amazing. Check out the video of Gabriel's "Secret World" tour - which also may be one of the best concert videos out there (but that's another debate.... )

Stewart Copeland (Police) cannot be left out of this discussion. He was an animal. Not many drummers can pull of a 7/4 beat, a la "Mother".

Just for fun, let's throw Bob Siebenberg (Supertramp) into the mix. I know what you're thinking - What the hell did HE do that's so special? Well, he played brilliantly, is what he did. He punctuated Hodgson's / Davies' work so efficiently, so sparsely at times, that he just faded into the background, so well that the casual listener forgot he was even there. But if you really listen closely to him (and Dougie Thompson on bass) you'll quickly see what I mean - without them, it wouldn't have been the same band.

That's enough for now.... more thoughts later... Looking forward to the debate!

[Hopelessly Human]

This band isn't considered classic rock, but jazz-rock fusion. However, any classic rock fan should appreciate their sound. The band: Mahavishnu Orchestra. The drummer: Billy Cobham.

One Word - 1973

[cbclark4]

Moby Dick is the proof:


http://youtube.com/watch?v=L47lv3QTkbo


Keith Moon very close second.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hngmb0pTcMY

[falco]

Heres one from left field....Dennis 'Machine Gun' Thompson of Detroit's MC5. Listen to "Human Being Lawnmower" & "Looking at you" from Backin the USA for absolute proof. Blow away John Bonham, Keith Moon etc any day of the week.

- falco.

[Hopelessly Human]

[Big_Bird]

Kimchi Cowboy: Enjoyed your post. Curious about your opinon of Ian Paice (Deep Purple).

[eamo]

Easy. Keith Moon.

He has the reputation of being drunk, drugged and wild, but, listen closely to the recordings and you can hear a lot of exceptional technique amid the carnage. He could maintain a great rhythm while creating an absolute hurricane of sound.

The other kind of drummer I really like is the jazz drummer. For me, Connie Kay is the best. Listen to Van Morrison's Astralweeks to hear how good Connie Kay is. Syncopation and ability to do rise and fall dynamics. I hate drummers who can't do subtle. Many rock drummers can't. Even famous ones. They have to whack the skins hard all the time. Connie may sound like a female name but he's a he.

[wo buxihuan hanguoren]

Besides metal and jazz drummers, I just don't hear it (da skill).

Am I listening to the wrong beats, or just missing the beats?

Please post a link to a better drummer than this, if you can:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sNWhqyaLOJk

[yushin]

where the f..k is Ginger Baker...after that got to be Graham Nash...your head is wedged butch...

[wo buxihuan hanguoren]

Man, I just posted a link a to what is probably the the most under-rated band on this planet, and you guys are talking about Ringo Starr?

Jesus Christ, watch the bass/drum shenanigans near the end, and tell me that is not skill...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sNWhqyaLOJk

[yushin]

best all time drummer....Gene Krupa....(but not rock)

[as-ian]