Top 50 Rock Drummers - Classic Rock

  • Im very flattered to even be mentioned with the company here.
    Just goes to show what happens when you stuff the ballot box! I dont like "greatest" or "best" lists very much. Mostly they are a popularity contest, and music isn't about competition.
    That said, here was my list:

    john bonham
    keith moon
    mitch mitchell
    ringo starr
    charlie watts
    Ian paice
    hal blaine
    earl palmer
    ginger baker
    benni benjiman

  • once again another kickass thread from wolfysmith :claphands its great to me to see people all over the world liking and knowing about the same musicians i like

  • bill i have seen your opinoin first hand ringo was the one that had my older brother running down the street for his drums

  • Hal Blaine was one of those guys who played on more records than you could possibly imagine....name a hit record from the Sixties and chances are he was behind the kit. And the Motown greats like Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin,Uriel Jones and Earl Palmer...guys who you never recognized on the street but whose talent was displayed on a staggering resume of classics...

    I would like to take this opportunity to plug the DVD "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" a stunning documentary of words and music that chronicles the studio musicians form the Motown label collectively known as the Funk Brothers. The concert performances with the Funk Brothers backing the likes of Chaka Khan, Joan Osborne, Gerald Levert, Bootsy Collins Ben Harper, Meshelle Nedegeocello and Montell Jordan on a stunning set of Motown classics. It took many years for their story to be told....but it was worth the wait!!

    Yours In The Funk
    Bill "Capt. Midnite" Redford

    :ghcp:

    http://www.facebook.com/bill.redford

    "Cause if you fake the FUNK..your nose got to grow!" Bootsy Collins

  • Chris- of course I knew who the guy was- it was a joke! (Hence the smilies!)

    I grew up listening to Buddy Rich. He was one of my Dad's favourites. I remember seeing an interview with him on Parkinson in the '70's. Someone was telling the story of how they went to a show to see him and the curtains stayed closed as the drum solo began. It was amazing, the best thing they'd ever heard. Then the curtain opened and Buddy........had a broken arm! What a guy! There truly can be no other- although I have a bit of a soft spot for Louis Belson!

  • Capt. ,your always insightful thoughts i certainly do always enjoy.
    If anyone out there can name me one Beatlles record that doesnt feel great, im all ears.
    That's the true test of a great band drummer.
    Right on with Hal and Benny...Earl Palmer was down in New Orleans inventing the rock and roll drum beat as we know it today. Thats him on all those Fats Domino and Little Richard records.

  • I was in London at the weekend, and went to Campden to do a bit of retail therapy before going home on Sunday. So, I'm in this shoe store and there's some music on. It was really awful. There was a song called something like "Don't be afraid of the naked man"! Anyway, a foreign couple go to the desk and ask the guy- "Who's this?" "Keith Moon" he replies. Well, I had to ask, did he buy that album because he liked Keith Moon, or did he buy it because he likes drummers? He said he bought it because he likes drummers! So then, the next question- who are his favourites? I was bowled over when he said Brian Tichy and Terry Bozzio! I tell you, I could've stayed in there all day! Lol! Got some great shoes for £15 too! :lol:

  • Sue: I went to "Milk and Cookies" to view Buddy Rich
    and Animal, but all I was able to get was a black box
    with that "4-color thing" in the upper left hand corner :huh:

    Soulmover: Great job of stuffing the ballot box.
    I hope that CS appreciates your effort :)
    The worst Beatle record? "Love Me Do." Third rate lyrics,
    nursery rhyme sing-song melody, and this must have been
    recorded in the time span after Pete Best was thrown out,
    and before Ringo was added to the mix. The drumming sounds
    like "a drummer" never showed up, so they gave one drumstick
    to somebody's mother, and said "just keep a steady (metronome) beat."

    Captain: I saw that documentary on PBS. I'm ashamed to say,
    that during Motown's greatest era, I took those studio musicians
    for granted. But when you realize the variety that they were
    capable of, presenting the best setting for such a diverse list
    of artists, you're forced to admit that "The Funk Brothers" was
    an incredibly talented band. Better late than never, but it's
    still a shame that they weren't publicly recognized back then :(

    PS.......Has anybody ever gone to a Drum Corps show?
    Get to a competition early, and watch the percussion line as
    they practice. The Crossmen; the Cadets; the Boston Crusaders;
    the Madison Scouts; the Cavaliers; Santa Clara Vanguard.........
    ...................it'll make your brains fall out.

    axmuremoticon.gif

  • Wow! You boys and girls certainly know your drummers - I need educating ... and to pay more attention when I go to gigs!!!! :cool1:

    I can honestly say that Neil Peart has to be up there with God (period) :bow: :bow: :bow::bow: Ian Paice (from PAL days) :bow: :bow: Dave Grohl :bow: :bow: Rob Bourdon :bow: and Lars Ulrich :bow: I'd love to say I know who many of the others listed are, but I don't.

    And Thomas (Br) just simply blew me away at a gig about 18 months ago ... and thereafter, when I decided to pay more attention to him and not to Glenn :bow: :bow:

    'You thought that you could take me for granted, but I couldn't take it no more. Better run if you see me coming ... '

  • Alot of good drummers mentioned here, I am just happy to see Mitch Mitchell mentioned a number of times, it has always seemed like Jimi got all the attention. And of course I dearly miss Cozy :(

  • Alot of good drummers mentioned here, I am just happy to see Mitch Mitchell mentioned a number of times, it has always seemed like Jimi got all the attention.

    my sentiments exactly. Im goin to see the last show of Patti Smiths Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall next month, the show is called 'Songs of Experience', and its assorted musicians playing Jimi Hendrix songs, and music that inspired him. Im really looking forward to it, altho they havent mentioned any drummers playing the show yet, I wonder who will play? Here is my list (in no particular order):

    Hugo Burnham
    Dave Grohl
    Taylor Hawkins
    Mitch Mitchell
    Topper Headon
    Chad Smith
    Jon Theodore
    Stephen Morris
    Roger Taylor
    Joey Kramer

    There are probably some I have forgotten, but those are the ones I can think of right now.

    :bouncer2: :bouncer: :bouncer2: :bouncer:

  • Nice to see my post has generated so much comment.

    Based on who ive seen live in the flesh, live on dvd/video, live cd, i would say :

    Ian Paice
    Neal Peart
    Carl Palmer

    All three have produced the goods over so many years and ive been lucky to have grown up with them.

    Cozy Powell

    Gone, but not forgotten. check out MSG at the Budokan & his solo albums

    Brian Downey

    Lucky enough to see Thin Lizzy with Phil Lynott when Brian was just amazing

    Bobby Rondinelli

    Back in Rainbow he was phenominal. A real nice guy as well.
    I got to chat to him on the Soulmover tour.

    There are obviously loads of others but these guys really stuck in my mind.

    Hopefully we will get to see Chad over here with Glenn and i will be able to add him on:) .

    :ghcp: "It's in my blood"

  • :drummer:

    Sue, my apologies for the "lesson" on Buddy Rich - but I actually have a related question (all, help please) - do you remember which drummer actually played the parts of Animal? I think it was Ian Hague.

    I once asked Chris Farlowe who the drummer on his "Headlines" 1960s single was (spectacular drumming!), and he said, the same guy who played Animal's parts on the Muppets Show (and his name), but I don't remember who it was!?

    Help highly appreciated - Thanks!

    Cheers,
    Christian


    MEDUSA

        

  • Hi Christian

    Your query inspired a bit of an investigative spark in me and a Google search brought up the name of Ronnie Verrall from the following link:
    Hope it's what you are after
    Cheers
    Ben

    :cheers:

    Cheers,
    Ben !!

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