Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Percussion This!


I love rock and roll but I can't play a lick! But I do prefer to become astute on rock history. I love to learn about the origin of bands, how their songs were written, all their crazy 'escapades' and so on and so forth. Often times, among rock fans, there are arguments as to who the best musicians are. So today I'd like to start a debate on rock drummers. Who are the best rock drummers?

Here is my top 5:

1. Keith Moon - The Who (Wild and insane. Just listen to Quadrophenia. There has never been better drumming on any rock album as far as I am concerned.)

2. Neil Peart - Rush (He drums like a calculus equation. Extremely technical.)

3. John Bonham - Led Zeppelin (No one slammed a snare harder than Bonzo.)

4. Lars Ulrich - Metallica (Fast and furious or slow and steady.)

5. Vinnie Paul Abbott- Pantera (Double bass metal madness!)

There are plenty more that I like too so lets discuss. Who are your favorite drummers?

- The Mountain Cat

57 comments:

Doc said...

He may not be in the "master" class but I love Tyler Stewart of BNL. He is great and it also helps that I met him and he searched me out after their concert and gave me one of his custom made drumsticks a TY-phoon.

Click here to Check out Ty-Phoon's

Awesome !!

I am sure other drummers have their own drumsticks but I think that Ty-Phoons are the coolest because I have one.

Leighann said...

Oooh good topic Mt Cat! I think the drummers are VITAL in a good rock band!

I'm going to have to throw a hat in the ring for Rick Allen of Def Leppard.

That man was fantastic! And only had one arm for you non-Def Leppard fans!

Miss Merry Sunshine said...

LOVE your list and have to 100% agree with Lars Ulrich being in the top 5. I totally dig Metallica!! I wonder if Stephen Addler from Guns N' Roses is still alive? He was kicked out and replaced with the drummer from...where??

Anonymous said...

MICKEY DOLENZ MONKEES

The Mountain Cat said...

Honorable mentions:

.Tommy Lee - Mötley Crüe
.Alex Van Halen - Van Halen
.Mike Portnoy - Dream Theater
.Ginger Baker - Cream
.Any of the 23 drummers who have played in Spiñal Tap.

Leighann said...

Joey Kramer - Aerosmith

Anonymous said...

BUTCH TRUCKS Allman Brothers
Carmine Appice Vanilla Fudge

Leighann said...

Charlie Benante - Anthrax

Doc said...

Joey Kramer - Aerosmith

Knew that was coming... he has Steven Tyler tongue accessability.

Anonymous said...

Don Henley
Phil Collins
Ringo Star

SHEILA E

Leighann said...

Steve Adler was replaced by the douchbag known as Matt Sorum.

Leighann said...

Joey Kramer - Aerosmith

Knew that was coming... he has Steven Tyler tongue accessability.


Doc, I'll do whatever it takes! ;)

The Mountain Cat said...

Doc - That Bare Naked Lady is a good choice.

Leighann - Yes Rick Allen is an inspriation to us all!

Miss Merry Sunshine - Steven Adler currently has an L.A. band called Adler's Appetitie (I looked it up on wikipedia). Guns N' Roses replaced him with Matt Sorum who used to play in The Cult but now is the drummer for Velvet Underground (I know that one).

Pat - Please tell your husband that I said Don Brewer of Grand Funk couldn't hold Mickey Dolenz' jock strap. Let me know what his reaction is, ok?

Anonymous said...

how can I forget
DON Brewer still touring with Grand Funk railroad

Leighann said...

For those of you who are a fan of Rock, you should read "Life on Planet Rock" by Lonn Friend. At one time he was the editor of RIP Magazine, remember that?

The Mountain Cat said...

CHARLIE WATTS!!

Anonymous said...

Wait the original drummer
Buddy Miles!

who forgot Tommy Lee??

Anndi said...

Neil Peart ... yup.

John's son Jason inherited some damn good chops from his Dad.

Stewart Copeland deseves some kudos as well. As does Santana's Chester Thompson.

LMAO Spinal Tap drummers!!!

Bwahahahahahaha

The Mountain Cat said...

Anndi and did you notice I used the correct umlaut for Spiñal Tap.
It was hard to find. I had to do a Google search then copy and paste! LOL

Anonymous said...

Carl Palmer ELP
Tito Puente

The Mountain Cat said...

A scene from This is Spiñal Tap:

Marty DiBergi: Now, during the Flower People period, who was your drummer?

David St. Hubbins: Stumpy's replacement, Peter James Bond. He also died in mysterious circumstances. We were playing a, uh...

Nigel Tufnel: ...Festival.

David St. Hubbins: Jazz blues festival. Where was that?

Nigel Tufnel: Blues jazz, really.

Derek Smalls: Blues jazz festival. Misnamed.

Nigel Tufnel: It was in the Isle of, uh...

David St. Hubbins: Isle of Lucy.
The Isle of Lucy jazz and blues festival.

Nigel Tufnel: And, uh, it was tragic, really. He exploded on stage.

Derek Smalls: Just like that.

David St. Hubbins: He just went up.

Nigel Tufnel: He just was like a flash of green light... And that was it. Nothing was left.

David St. Hubbins: Look at his face.

Nigel Tufnel: Well, there was...

David St. Hubbins: It's true, this really did happen.

Nigel Tufnel: It's true. There was a little green globule on his drum seat.

David St. Hubbins: Like a stain, really.

Nigel Tufnel: It was more of a stain than a globule, actually.

David St. Hubbins: You know, several, you know, dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported.

Ken said...

Eat a Peach

Anndi said...

Dude.. you know it's an umlaut... I'm impressed!

I think I'll watch that tonight. After I vomit from watching David A make it through another damn week.

Aunt Becky said...

Honestly, I agree with all of your choices.

Knight said...

I love that Spinal Tap scene. Nobody will watch the movie with me anymore because I have the whole thing memorized including the commentary.

Anonymous said...

hey WHAT ABOUT MIC fLEETWOOD

COME ON GUYS KEEP THINKING


BUDDY RICH A PIONEER IN HIS DAY

The Mountain Cat said...

Anndi and Knight,
Go buy the deluxe This is Spiñal Tap DVD. They have an hour worth of deleted scenes! Since the film was mostly improv, they just kept the camera rolling. There is one sequence with the limo driver (Bruno Kirby) smoking pot in his underwear. Also, the band members get their butts waxed. Friggin' hilarious!!

The Mountain Cat said...

On the opposite realm, I think Rikki Rockett from Poison is the WORST drummer of all time.

And a couple of drummer friends of mine think Peter Criss of Kiss is the worst drummer.

Karen said...

Vinnie Colaiuta!!

Doc said...

Anndi... you gots no love for Tyler Stewart???

*sniff*

Leighann said...

Dave Grohl - Nirvana

The Mountain Cat said...

Karen yeah Vinnie Colaiuta has played with everyone from Chaka Khan to Megadeth! How's that for diversity?

Doc said...

Here is a little inside Doc and the Mt. Cat for ya'll... About every two years or so Vin asks me a question about a precussionist that I saw at a mission event in Iowa when I was like 2 years old who was simply amazing. It comes up randomly (and I am surprised he didn't mention it already today) and out of the blue vin will call me or e-mail me and say does your dad remember who that drummer was that you saw? and I will have to remind him that I HAD a tape of that drummer who he wants to know about but we all KNOW what happened to my random box of tapes now don't we....

Oh yeah Vin I really do know the name I am just torturing you and not telling you.

The Mountain Cat said...

Rick Danko. Very underrated. Bob Dylan to The Band.

Doc said...

(that previous rant should read 14 years old not 2 years old - how did that happen?)

The Mountain Cat said...

Doc, 2 years old? Who are you Stewie?

That percussionist's tape was not in that box of tapes. Lets not argue about it now and ruin this comment chain. No...no...Doc...no...I said stop it. Be nice.

Doc said...

If it wasn't in the box then how come I had it before your mom bought the box but didn't have it afterwards ? Huh?

Ok I quit... The drummer was from Central America and his name was Tico Torres.

The Mountain Cat said...

Tico Torres of Bon Jovi?

Doc said...

Hee Hee !!

The Mountain Cat said...

And for all your Keith Moon fans, check out this movie biopic about him. Look who the star is!

Unknown said...

Dead Meadow's Stephen McCarty swings, is HEAVY, and makes it look sooooo easy. He's amazing!

Plus ANY of the MANY Funkadelic drummers from Ramn "Tiki" Fulwood to Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey.

Jay said...

Definitely Mick Fleetwood! He was so messed up all the time, yet he could play!

Phfrankie Bondo said...

Here's the deal: technical proficiency does nothing for me...I need STYLE...which is why if I were not a man I would marry Ringo Starr.....

Miss Merry Sunshine said...

Doc said "in the box."

OH! Domingo from WSP...dude look it up. That old guy rules!!!

The Mountain Cat said...

Matt, Thanks for your comment. I knew you'd bring up Funkadelic. Great band. Just wait until I discuss bass players. Bootsy Collins anyone?

Jay: according to wiapedia, Mick Fleetwood was a momeber of Spiñal Tap too!

Miss Merry Sunshine: Mickey Hart of The Dead is great too.

Unknown said...

Phil Collins and Rick Allen.

Knight said...

Aynsley Dunbar.
I just want him to be included.

Acrimony said...

Although you have it listed as an honorable mention in your comments section, I have to say Mike Portnoy is probably my favorite drummer. The guy can do phenomenal things with a drum kit and he doesn't cheat and use a double bass pedal he actually uses two bass drums.

Anndi said...

Doc, I love every member of the BNLs...

Christine said...

There is no one else that even belongs in the same list as Neil Peart. I have never been a Rush fan but I am a music fan and his percussion skills are amazing. My son and husband are both musicians and they were the ones that got me to check him out. I was and remain floored. Recently in Orlando and age hasn't slowed him down a bit.

Oh and hi. I came via Jay's link.

Christine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lu' said...

Buddy Rich

Sitting In Silence said...

Way hard to pick...but I am going for...

Drum roll please ..LOL..

Mr John Bonham from LZ...

Rock On !!!

Anonymous said...

I don't know.... I just don't have an opinion on this subject. I reckon I'll just eat my peach!
But actually...

The drummer out of Led Lepplin John Bonham
and
Deaf Leppard Rick Allen

Anonymous said...

Aynsley Dunbar.

Knight is correct!

Just look at the man's portfolio. He is a God and Knight is now my choice for child bearing wench of the month.

KaritaG said...

I think I am in the wrong age group for those bands but I am going with Dave Grohl when he was in Nirvana and I think that Taylor Hawkins with Foo Fighters now is pretty damn good too...

KaritaG said...

I think we need a post on guitarists...