Something I need to get off my chest as a drummer.
I am a drummer and have been one for quite some time. I don't claim to be the best one around, but I am by no means, a bad drummer. In fact I would rate myself as a pretty good drummer. But if you ask any drummer who THEIR favorite drummer is and you're PROBABLY either gonna get John Bonham, OR Neil Pert and for more recent drummers Travis Barker. Which is fine because, YES john Bonham and Neil pert are AWESOME!! BUT there's plenty of other great drummers out there. I would also like to state that Travis Barker is ONLY a decent drummer. He's just really good at marketing himself. He's a better business man than anything, not to say I don't have respect for Barker. Barker has done something with his talent that most drummers cant do by themselves, and that's make a name for himself. Travis Barker wasn't the original drummer for Blink 182, he was just a studio drummer who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Since then with his money, talent, contacts and business savvy he's embarked on countless side band project's, and other business endeavors that include a TV show which have only generated more money, contacts business savvy, and publicity. There's not a lot of studio musicians that can say that, let alone studio drummers. (not to say drummers aren't musicians i was only broadening and then tightening the spectrum. I'm a drummer and drummers ARE musicians, no matter what your guitarist says. =D)
better drummers include
Terry Bozzio (frank Zappa) - terry Bozzio was just a straight good musician, not only could he play crazygonuts drum fills, but he was able to play in the most ridiculous time signatures like 5/4 or 6/8 or even 7/8, as any fan of Frank Zappa knows. He was well versed in the musical aspect of drumming as apposed to the rhythmic aspect, Though he knew enough about BOTH.
then there's Ringo Starr - not the most intricate of drummers ever, BUT he knew how to rock steady, and keep it there. there's a book that is full of notes by the sound techs for the recording of the white album, and hours upon hours of audio of Ringo's drum tracks, and he was NEVER off tempo ONCE. that man was a human metronome, and deserves the respect of drummers everywhere. Ringo Starr HAD to keep it simple, when the Beatles started out, they were playing for hordes of screaming teenage fans. Technology was nowhere near where it is now, so the amps weren't putting out that much volume, the fab four could barely hear themsleves play. If it weren't for Ringo keepin it steady and simple, they wouldnt know where they were in the song. and THAT, ultimately, is the true job of the drummer. not to be flashy, but to set the tempo and rhythm of the song.
Moving on there's the ever important Mitch Mitchell probably one of THE most under-rated drummers in the history of rock and roll, mainly because he was only seen (by the rest of the world) as Jimi Hendrix's drummer. but keep in mind he was Jimi Hendrix drummer. Jimi Hendrix had the most symbiotic relationship Ive ever seen anyone have with their instrument. Jimi didn't play his guitar, he made love to it, and the music it made was the sound of it moaning in ecstasy. Jimi wouldn't have a drummer that didn't have that kind of relationship with his (or her) drum set. Mitch Mitchell never stopped. his hands were ALWAYS moving. his drum style was so eclectic, it was never a steady beat, merely a myriad of incredible fills that were strung together to make a solid beat to a song.
Probably one of the greatest drummers of all time (to me), who was living proof that playing the drums is one part talent, one part skill and practice, and one part ATTITUDE. he didn't even HAVE to play the drums well because he had enough attitude to cover the rest, but he STILL did play well. That man, is Keith Moon of The Who. John Bonham was a crazy drummer, but that's mostly because he drank a lot. Keith Moon was crazy, because they didn't make and market anti-psychotics that much around his time-period. Moon was a true rebel without a cause, and was the backbone of the who. Without Moon, The Who would be known to the world as "The Who?", because he didn't just bring his drumming skills to the table, he brought his attitude and confidence with him too.
Chad Sexton - one of the more tasty drummers Ive ever come across, and the only reason i really listen to 311, because other than chad, and maybe p-nut, they're not THAT good. (at least not anymore) He is an ex drum corps. guy, and it shows in his chops. Hes very rudimentally inclined, and his chops are some of the tightest I've ever seen, and the worst part is he makes it look easy.
Finally I end with Carter Beauford, who is about the same level of tightness as Chad Sexton, but he's a LEFTY. Playing the drums is pretty much a challenge for lefties, solely because as a rule we are taught to use our right hand as our time keeper on the hi-hat/ride, which is not so bad for right handed people, but for lefties it presents a challenge, which is a double edged sword. getting over that initial hump is a hassle, but when you finally get there you have one up on other drummers because you've figured out how to make your non-dominant hand independent. many props to Carter Beauford, but not Dave Matthews Band. hahaha
and THOSE are some of my favorite drummers. there are tons and tons of other great drummers out there. but i just get tired of hearing drummers sing the praises of John Bonham and Neil Pert all the time, because they're the only freaking ones they know.
but I would like to leave you, with a joke:
How many drummers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
four. one to actually do the job, and then three more to brag about how Neil Pert coulda done it better.
