Best drummers?

[Toasted Almond]

Moon the Loon

GREAT drummer, and crazy as a loon LONG before it became fashionable to be a rock crazy. A true original.

Lenny White is on my list too. Totally ambidextrous like Cobham. If it's on the left side, hit it with the left hand. If it's on the right side, hit it with the right hand. Perfection. Perfect center of gravity/balance, no wasted energy or motion.

Toasted Almond

 

[Jack Keck]

I certainly have no quarrel with any of the above, especially any of the jazz drummers and Keith Moon, but how come nobody has mentioned DRUMBO?

I've never heard anyone play like he did with the Captain.

 

[Toasted Almond]

Ed Marimba would give him a run for the money. Clear Spot band, 1972 or so, Town Hall, N.Y.C. What a show! Did all of "Clear Spot" and "Alice in Blunderland"as well. You're a good man to bring up such men.

Toasted Almond

"I'm gonna GROW FINS and take up with a MERMAID!"

The Beef

 

[Jack Keck]

Originally posted by Toasted Almond
Ed Marimba would give him a run for the money. Clear Spot band, 1972 or so, Town Hall, N.Y.C. What a show! Did all of "Clear Spot" and "Alice in Blunderland"as well. You're a good man to bring up such men.

Toasted Almond

"I'm gonna GROW FINS and take up with a MERMAID!"

The Beef

Thank you, Toasted. Ever wonder why Ed Mirimba called himself Arthur Tripp when he played with Zappa and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra??

 

[Toasted Almond]

Because his real name was Arthur Dyre Tripp? Cause he was on an "artistic trip?" I don't know. I just know on my desk at work, I have a picture of him playing the drums with very ornate panties around his head, and great tufts of his hair coming out of the leg holes. Monocle of course. Some guys just know how to dress. MONSTER on the drums. Drumbo was excellent, but on the pieces he recorded with the band, the drums sound like pillows more than drums.

I did get interested once, and looked up his name in the New York area musicians union book. The only name that was even close was a guy named Art Trapier or Trappier.

Toasted Almond

 

[moondog]

I've been a drummer since 1964 & like many different drummers for many different reasons. Here's some of my favorites. Many of which have been greatly overlooked in my opinion...

Keith Moon (The Who)
Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix)
Gene Krupa
Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
Charlie Watts (The Stones)
Jerry Edmonton (Steppenwolf)
Richie Hayward (Little Feat)
Bill Bruford (King Crimson/Yes)
Alan White (Yes)
Manu Katche (Sting)
Bobby Caldwell (Captain Beyond/Johnny Winter)
Butch Trucks & Jaimoe (Allman Brothers Band)
Mickey Hart & Bill Kreutzmann (Grateful Dead)
Tommy Aldridge (Black Oak Arkansas/Ozzy)
Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa)
Aynsley Dunbar (Frank Zappa/Many Others)
Jim Gordon (Frank Zappa/Eric Clapton/George Harrison/Many Others)

 

[ckelly]

I remember an amazing drum solo played in Woodstock in Santana's "Soul Sacrifice".

he was very young then, and COMPLETELY STONED, but he played one of my favourite drum solos.

Chris

 

[moondog]

Hey Chris - How the hell are ya?

That was Michael Shrieve. He was only 16 then. How could I forget him! Another of my main influences. Last I heard he was doing soundtrack music for movies & also put out a new solo record last year with a couple other guys. I'd love to hear it.

mOOn

 

[ckelly]

Moon

Whazup?

I'm fine! preparing for my (one way) trip to Sydney.

How's everything in the land of the frozen cow?

I thought that guy was a one hit wonder (mainly because I thought he wouldn't have survived woodstock).

Chris

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Who was the percussionist for the early Santana albums. I saw this guy do a solo performance with an opening act (Nevell Bros) for I believe Steely Dan. He could do things with a tamborine that a Harlem Globe Trotter can with a basket ball! Ran around and played everything possible with the drummer keeping time for him. It was a really great physical as well as musical performance. I really only remember a statement that he had played with Carlos in the early days. Thor, are you old enough to hear about this?

 

[Toasted Almond]

The little guy that looked like Tattoo? Jose Chepito Arias or something like that. I think the early band had two percussionists and a drummer. Shrieve being the drummer.

Toasted Almond

 

[George R]

Wow! Where have I been? I just discovered this thread and what an amazing list created by it.

I've played drums since 1965 when my dad took me to a seminar in Minneapolis. It was given by Gene Krupa. Incredible drummer.

I'd like to add these two to the list...

Steve Varone-Average White Band. (Also saw him with Clapton/Knoppfler)

Carmen Apice-Vanilla Fudge/Tower of Power

Saw Cobham in 1975 with Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters. He was playing a 3 piece (looked to be Sonar) set and made it sound like ten..

Oh, I didn't see Ed Shaunessy (NBC Oechestra) listed either. He was one of the very first to use double bass drums.

Damn, I love this topic:yippy:

George

1977 tri-mounted tom Ludwigs/21"antique (approx 80 yrs) Avedis Zildjian Ride/14" mismatched Zildjian Hi-Hats (approx same age as ride)/18"Medium Zildjian Fast Crash/16" thin mini-cup Zildjian Crash/10" thin Zildian Splash. Ghost bass pedal. Ludwig/Gibraltor hardware

 

[cyclops]

Hey guys I didn't seem to notice Jon Heisman being mentioned. One of the tastiest and articulate drummers of his generation. First came to notice with John Mayall, later went on to form Colloseum a band ultimately ruined by Chris Farlowes screaming vocal style.

 

[datsunmike]

While not a great drummer, Dino Danelli of the Young Rascals was one of the flashiest drummers in the mid 60s rock business, bouncing and twirling his sticks all around He did put on quite an entertaining show and the rest of the Rascals were pretty good too. I wonder why they haven't reformed and toured as they wrote a lot of great songs and had a lot of hits, at least here in the NYC area.

I also remember when Buddy Rich and his Orchestra used to play at a club on Broadway, in the mid to later 60s, and as you walked down the street you could here him bangin on his drums. Unfortunately I was too young to go in but I did hang around and catch glimpses of him every so often.

I always thought Keith Moon was the best RnR drummer, well if not the best, no one was better.

BTW, John Bonham was a great drummer but a real asshole in person. I toured with the Zep in 75 and 77 and he was generally in a foul mood - I was told to stay away from him which I did. I still remember the fight he and Peter Grant had in an elevator in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hilton and totally destroyed the elevator. Two huge guys going at it and both drunk.

 

[shelby1420]

BONHAM, end of discussion.

 

[Wornears]

Earl Palmer for basically being the back-beat for the start of R'n'R and on call as a top session drummer in New Orleans and Los Angeles, simulatenously, in his time.

If he were just the drummer for Little Richard's seminal recordings, that would be enough. But see here for his credits:

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Earl_Palmer.html

Art Blakey in jazz.

Gene Krupa for his showmanship and those great B&W film-ets he's featured in.

Sly Dunbar for reggae.

 

[Urizen]

Gotta love Peart and Bonham! :thmbsp:

My favorite drummer is Mike Portnoy .

One of the hardest working drummers in the world, IMHO.:guitar:

 

[bully]

Bill Brinkman.

 

[Duffinator]

BONHAM, end of discussion.

I second.

Another favorite of mine is D.J. Bonebrake from X.

 

[ProAc owner]

If RUSH had a the huge following stateside that it enjoys in Canada then Neil Peart would be on every drummers list IMHO.

ProAc Owner