Name 3 under appreciated pop/rock drummers
bobby elliott, hollies--supposedly all the other 60s brit bands sent their drummers to study him. listen to the classic hollies records--he's one swingin' cat mitch mitchell, jimi hendrix--really wild, with real jazz chops; a perfect match for jimi. hendrix's later stuff with buddy miles was static and lumbering by comparison. mick avory, kinks--sorta the poor man's charlie watts--steady, minimalist un-flashy. i'm always surprised at how good the kinks records sounded--well produced, impeccably arranged, uncluttered |
Graham Lear and Mark Craney both played with Gino Vannelli (different albums). Both went on to play with a litany of great rock and jazz artists. Both wonderful fusion drummers. Check out Lear's work on "Storm at Sunup" and Craney on "Brother to Brother". I believe if Gino did not have the Italian sex symbol persona (and hairy chest), his music would be more appreciated. Great voice, songwriting/arrangements performed with incredible musicians. Aynsley Dunbar was the drummer on some of my favorite Frank Zappa albums, went on to play with an impressive list of rock greats. Always thought his contribution to FZs music was fantastic. |
Ron Wilson from the "Surfari's", whose simple drum exercise became a number two hit in the USA......"Wipeout" was recorded as a "B" side and a throwaway tune and caught on and captured the imagination of everyone who held drumsticks in the 1960's.He died in 1989.Other two? Sandy Nelson would have to be one.Remember there were hits in the 60's centered around the drums before everybody started smoking pot and nobody wanted to hear all that banging.Innocence lost i presume. |
Cozy Powell. Modern Drummer said it best by stating that Cozy never reached Bonham like status because he was never associated with one band like Bonham or Paice. Tommy Aldridge is another drummer associated with multiple bands and a great talent who is probably not given enough credit. I am not sure Alex Van Halen received the credit he deservedmay be overshadowed by Eddie and contemporaries like Peart. On a smaller level there was Frank Briggs from an 80s upstate New York band called 805. I was lucky enough to see them many times and Frank was mesmerizing. He has gone on to record with his own band and perform at clinics. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k67ptMisUM&feature=related and watch his solo from 1986 (amateur quality). The first 4 minutes or so he plays melodically on Simmons drums which were popular at that time. If you do nothing more, check out from about the 6:30 mark and watch his snare drum work and amazing patterns between the snare, bass drum and china cymbals. |
1. The drummer from Jethro Tull. IF you've ever seen the MTV Closet Classic Capsales, and you got the chance to see the video for Aqualung LIVE, Or better yet, Listen to the song Hunting Girl from J.T. TONS of Fusion Jazz, and multi-time changes. 2. Nicko McBrain and Clive Burr from Iron Maiden. 3. Steve Zimmerman and Mark Zonder from Fates Warning. The BEST rated would be: 1. Neil Peart 2. Simon Phillips 3. Mike Portnoy 4. Stewart Copeland 5. Steve Smith 6. Ansley Dunsbar 7. Tommy Aldridge The drummers from Overkill, Black 'N' Blue, Grim Reaper. Can't go wrong there with any of these. |
Jean Yves Tola from 16 Horsepower. Not for technique, per se. But, IMHO, few drummers define the sound of their band the way Tola does. This is a particularly difficult trick in this circumstance, since the band's lead singer, David Eugene Edwards, is such a powerful and distinctive presence. Winston Grennan from Kid Creole. A (THE, if you believe Wikipedia) definitive one-drop player. Wilfredo Reyes Jr and Taku Hirano. Lindsey Buckingham's drummers. Very different styles, but both are great players IMHO. Marty |
Hey Priz - where are you from ????? I am in Syracuse, NY and Frank Briggs was scarey !!!!! I can't tell you the amount of times that I saw 805 but it was allot......wasn't really into their music as I was other bands from that time and area like Duke Jupitar - but Frank was amamzing ....don't know how else to say it. I also just saw Michael Shrieve's name mentioned. He was what ...a whole 18 yars old at Woodstock and that stuff he layed down was also amazing !!!!! |
Can't think of three but tend to agree with Ryriken. I don't think Ringo gets the respect he deserves as drummer in the Beatles. Maybe because he wasn't so much a straight ahead rock drummer but (to my mind) more a percussionist/accompanist. (And "yes", I'm aware that on some tracks, McCartney played drums). |
The vast majority of the people mentioned above were very well-appreciatated in their day - Dino Danelli, Jim Gordon and Jeff Porcaro, in particular, were some of the most highly-regarded players of their time. I will vote for Graham Lear, who I saw with Santana. Incredibly good player. Also - Clive Bunker, who played like a cross between Keith Moon and John Bonham, IMO. Check out Tull's You Tube video on My Sunday Feeling for a good example of his playing. BTW, Ian Anderson's outfit in that video is absolutely the most outrageous/ridiculous thing I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a bit. Tights, knee-high boots and a bathrobe thrown over the whole thing. Yet, it made sense back in '69 or so. |
Pop/Rock drummers are always going to play second fiddle to drummers in the jazz and prog/metal genre's. Those drummers play a more up front role in the sound of the band, where in pop the percussion tends to be more behind the scenes backing the vocalist. Not to minimize what these people do, but they just don't have to play with as much continual creativity or energy as the others. |
Not sure if anybody mentioned the recently passed Richie Hayward who was the Little Feat powerhouse who seemed to have 6 hands and 4 feet...he was one of the reasons Little Feat were considered by many (including me) to be the best live band in its day...and he sang too. He gave up nothing to the best jazz drummers, and killed it live as an insanely funky monster. Feat were astonishing in the 70s Lowell George era (and later not too shabby) and were faves of Zep, the Stones (famously Lowell refused to let Mick jam with 'em at a show...thought he wasn't good enough for Feat) and pretty much any working musician. That music still kills me...Richie is missed. |
Albert Bouchard of BÖC Corky Laing of Mountain & WBL Simon Fox of Be-Bop Deluxe Phil Collins of GENESIS B.J. Wilson of Procol Harum Barriemore Barlow of Jethro Tull Clive Bunker of Jethro Tull Bill Ward of Black Sabbath Steve Smith of Journey Michael Shrieve of Santana Phil Ehart of Kansas Aynsley Dunbar (of Journey) Deen Castronovo of Journey ("young" generation) Under appreciated rock drummers, to be exact. |
- Johnny Barbata, L. A. studio drummer turned Turtle, later in Jefferson Starship. Amazing song parts, and Buddy Rich liked his playing! His name is rarely mentioned, for a reason I don't understand. - Bobby Graham, British studio drummer who is heard on the early Kinks singles. A very dynamic, exciting player. - Nashville studio legend Buddy Harmon, that town's Hal Blaine. Runner-up Harry Stinson, a great musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. Currently playing in Marty Stuart's band The Fabulous Superlatives. |
+ 1 Rob Hirst and Steve Ferrone Dave "Smokey" Smelko of Rastas - you have to listen - this guy is totally unknown but could give David Garibaldi a run for his money. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H_E0uKMnKH8 |
