Notes From Off Center - Latest Comments in Top 11 Rock Drummers

Re: Top 11 Rock Drummers

Bryan L — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:54:25 -0000

What about Ted Kirkpatrick of Tourniquet? What do you think of him as a metal drummer?

Re: Top 11 Rock Drummers

dtatusko — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:28:34 -0000

For showmen, Peart, Bozzio and Moon are really standard bearers I think. Palmer a bit too.

What I don't have are guys that were rock drummers who are much better now playing jazz. That would have included Steve Smith who I think is the best alive today (watch a solo or two on You Tube tonight I you will see what I mean), Gregg Bissonette who is so different away from his David Lee Roth stint, Kenny Aronoff, Will Calhoun who is again really good with things like brushes but you would never know it listening to "Cult of Personality", Dan Morgenstein where if you watch him now you will see that Winger was just a cash cow, etc.

I'll do a list of metal drummers too since none of them are on this list with the exception of Fish's work with Wicked Wisdom which is just out of the park mind-bendingly good.

Re: Top 11 Rock Drummers

Bryan L — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:23:10 -0000

Great list!
"Danny Carey (Tool - although he is so robotic and “stiff” sounding he tends to bore me)"

Exactly! He is so technical that he is terribly boring to watch.

Would you say that some of your best drummers you have listed are more so because of showmanship than their technical ability?

If you had to split them into those two categories how would you divide them up?

Bryan

Re: Top 11 Rock Drummers

dtatusko — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:18:47 -0000

Sheila E. is incredible but more of a jazz-fusion session player.

Re: Top 11 Rock Drummers

Nick Norelli — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:08:30 -0000

Good call on Danny Seraphine. Chicago is one of my favorite bands. I'd add Sheila E. to the mix, even if she isn't a "rock" drummer per se (although, Run DMC did call themselves the "kings of rock" in the time period when she was coming into her own. I don't think the lines were as clearly drawn back then).