Greatest drummer in the history of Rock & Roll

[JIMMY JAZZMAN]

My vote goes to John Bonham, Led Zep's body of work wouldn't be the
same without John.

 

[Cyberi4n]

Then there's Mel Gaynor, with the greatest drum fill in music. <G>

Saw Simple Minds live a couple months back. Their new drummer Cherisse Oesi is simply immense!

 

[pippoman]

well ya might be right - the boys were a big influence on my playing.
i play drums just good enough to know i can't play some of - most of - his stuff.
i always was very fond of Mitch Mitchel as well as ole Ringo and Charlie...

I just found this thread, so I’m late. Mitch Charlie and Ringo would’ve been my top three as well. Our band decided to cover some early Beatles tracks. Our drummer said he never realized Ringo was that good and creative before, and never thought it would be that hard to learn, especially I Feel Fine and Ticket to Ride. That boy was slick!

 

[StuH]

I pick the usual three suspects in no particular order:
Peart
Moon
Bonham

 

[regularslinky]

Ringo - invented modern rock and roll drumming

Keith Moon - there's no John Bonham or Neil Peart (and maybe no Ginger Baker) without Keith Moon

Stewart Copeland - for pure taste and talent he has no equal

 

[Boreas]

In no order:

Any Zappa drummer.
Any Little Feat drummer.
Ringo (great taste)
Watts (less filling)
Bonzo
Moon
Seraphine

 

[Spox]

Roland of Big Black.

 

[Rowdyman]

Mitch Mitchell, Danny Seraphine, Hal Blaine, Al Jackson, Billy Cobham, Buddy Miles,,,

There are too many,, but,, Mitch and don't forget about the guy in Brownout!!

 

[Buckaroo65]

Just watched an Iron Maiden documentary the other day and Niko McBrain was so tight and made it look incredibly easy. Seems like a really cool guy as well…

 

[Rowdyman]

Oh yeah!! What about the guy in the Family Stone ??

 

[WireLine]

Charlie Watts.

 

[brookdalebill]

Oh yeah!! What about the guy in the Family Stone ??

Greg Errico!
Great drummer!

 

[brookdalebill]

Honorable mentions:
Keith Moon
Richie Hayward
Ian Paice
Levon Helm

 

[Rowdyman]

Butch Trucks!

 

[tele pickin']

Hal Blaine and Ronnie Tutt

 

[blueruins]

Like I said Ringo but…

I can’t think of anybody that can hit like Stewart Copeland…dudes deeper in the pocket than Amber Heard

 

[mexicanyella]

I don’t claim “greatest” but I have always felt like listening to Stewart Copeland’s drumming made me want to run around yelling without any pants on.

The example that pops into my head is this one, in which he is playing around the whole way through while keeping up this relentless driving groove. At 4:12 he goes totally Los Bananos with all kinds of cymbal and hi hat syncopation and big fat ghost-noted kick drum hits, but never abandons that drive. It even plays around with tempo at the end.



I think I read somewhere that he nailed this in the first few takes too. Not sure about that.

 

[kLyon]

Cranky, opinionated, (He says in this documentary that Bonham "Couldn't swing a sack of s#!*.") a free spirit AND without a doubt, the most innovative drummer in rock history.

Although he'd probably kick my @$$ for proclaiming so, he was a JAZZ drummer after all.

That is one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen, whatever you think of the subject.
(Meaning, even if you weren't as fascinated by Ginger Baker as I am, you could still appreciate the artistry of the filmmakers.)

 

[kLyon]

There are so many great drummers.
I love Bonham - and all the other great players in this thread.
But I want to throw in my old friend Gary Malaber.
His first big record was Van Morrison's Moondance; since then? If you don't have ten albums in your collection with him on them...)

 

[pippoman]

Hal Blaine and Ronnie Tutt

You know, Hal Blaine was heads and shoulders above most guys. He was a ‘learned’ drummer, but I’m not sure he considered himself to be a rock and roll drummer even though he could pretty much play whatever the studio threw his way. Those session guys had to be on their toes.
Charlie Watts was just a great, solid drummer who played for the band, never trying to shine. Still, somehow he managed to shine anyway.