Best rock and roll drummer of all time

[BrassBlower]

Didn't one of the Hanson brothers play drums?

Don't know, but I think their dad played bass.

[oleorezinator]

Hal Blaine may well be the most prolific drummer in rock and roll history. He's certainly played on more hit records than any drummer in the rock era, including 40 #1 singles and 150 that made the Top Ten. Eight of the records he played on won Grammys for Record of the Year. Blaine, who was born Harold Simon Belsky in 1929, became a professional drummer in 1948 and joined teen idol Tommy Sands' band in the late Fifties. He was the most in-demand session drummer in Los Angeles during the Sixties and early Seventies, and a list of musicians he played with reads like a who's who of popular music.

In 1961, Blaine drummed on "Can't Help Falling in Love With You," one of Elvis Presley's most memorable sides, and he would play on Presley's film soundtracks throughout the Sixties. However, Blaine's best-known affiliation is with producer Phil Spector, where he served as the percussive backbone of the "Wrecking Crew" the nickname that younger studio hands on the L.A. scene bestowed on themselves after the rock-hating old-timers complained they were "wrecking the business." He was a key component of Spector's "Wall of Sound" production, which yielded such classic rock and roll hits as "Be My Baby," by the Ronettes, and "Da Doo Ron Ron," by the Crystals.

Blaine also established a fruitful relationship with Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson, for whom he served as the first-call session drummer. Blaine appeared on innumerable Beach Boys hits, ranging from "Surfer Girl" to "Good Vibrations." He also drummed on countless recordings by the cream of West Coast pop musicians, including Jan and Dean, the Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, Johnny Rivers, the Association, Sonny and Cher, the Grass Roots, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys. On the more "adult" side of the pop ledger, Blaine played drums on recordings by Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. By Blaine's own estimate, he performed on 35,000 recorded tracks over in a quarter century's worth of work. He published his memoirs, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, in 1990. In March of 2000 Hal Blaine was inducted into the 'Rock and Roll' Hall of Fame..........from his website. i would also mention bernard "pretty" purdy who recorded with almost as many acts as blaine did. purdy also played on beatle sessions and was handsomely paid to keep quiet about it. rock on kids! o

[FJohnSharp]

Well, Jumpin' Jeehosephat! Looky here... http://www.misterpoll.com/417312393.html

Someone has already run a poll called "Best Drummer of All Time!!!!" . 802 participants voted. Click on current results at top of page. Here's at peek of the top picks:

Neil Peart (18%) --that would be 144 votes
John Bonham (16%) --that would be 128 votes
Lars Ulrich (9%)
Keith Moon (8%) --sorry Dudes
Buddy Rich (7%)
Mike Portenoy (5%)
Dave Lombardo (%)
Peter Sandavol (3%)
Phil Collins (1%)
Charlie Benante (1%)
Tommy Lee (1%)
Vinnie Paul (1%)
Alex Van Halen (1%)
Carl Palmer (1%)
Raymond Herrera (1%)
Ginger Baker (1%)
Nick Menza (1%)
Gene Krupa (1%)

And here's a good forum for "Best Drummer"
http://www.radiomute.com/musicthread1555.html

Just goes to show how polls aren't really truth. None of the drummers on that list could touch Buddy. If Buddy had played heavy metal, he'd have handed Lars his lunch. If he'd played Canadian power trio rock, he's have given Neil someone to try to be as good as. I love Neil. He's great. Buddy was special.

Lars has no business being ahead of half the guys on that list. And for my money, Bonzo was the best. He just knew how to make it musical.

And don't knock Ringo. He did what was required. If Neil Peart had been a Beatle, I doubt Lennon and McCartney would have let him play much differently.

And yeah, I'm a drummer too.

Know who's good that you don't realize? Stewart Copeland, who played with the Police. He doesn't do a lot of speed stuff, but he very creative.

[oleorezinator]

http://www.bernardpurdie.com/profile.htm check out the discography! and this:http://www.bernardpurdie.com/top100.htm

[Wombat]

i'm sorry, but that poll... c'mon, "Best Drummer of All Time"? Alex Van Halen and Tommy Lee but no Billy Cobham or Max Roach?

Elvin Jones for that matter. Don't seem to see African or Indian drumming well represented either, not to mention the countless drummers since the Stone Age who never got to record. These 'all time' tags are hilarious aren't they? It's amazing how good we've got in the last few years.

[Lorenzo]

Buddy Rich probably is considered the greatest drummer, by most pro drummers, to ever touch the sticks, but he was mainly jazz. Check out this link and listen to some of his samples...esp the one from the tonight show.

That Def Leppard drummer, having only one arm, has to be the coolest drummer...ever.

[Albanian]

Regarding "less is more drummers": Phil Rudd of AC/DC!! Just getting the thing moving, no extras... Check out "You shook me all night long" I don´t think he could have taken one beat less whitout the whole tune falling apart.

In jazz I think Peter Erskine is way ahed when it comes to playing just enough. And delicat!! Check out "Sweet soul" with "Bass Desires"

(Jepp. Been a drummer for 25 years.)

[ErikT]

I've heard of Animal, Phil Collins, Ringo and John Joe Kelly. I didn't even know that most drummers have names.

[Flyingcursor]

I'd have to list Buddy up there for jazz but I'm a fan of Cobham too. Didn't Cobham play with the Mahavishnu Orchestra at one time?

In the jazz field the best drummer/percussionist I have ever seen live was the guy who played with Weather Report.

Who played with "Yes"? I liked his style almost as much as the Led Zepplin dude.
(not much on names).

I've heard some pretty good solo stuff by Ringo. In fact, I was surprised when I found out who it was on the CD.

I'm going to have to put the drummer of "The Sex Pistols" up there too, if for nothing else than his ability to maintain a steady beat at lightning speed.

[rh]

I'd have to list Buddy up there for jazz but I'm a fan of Cobham too. Didn't Cobham play with the Mahavishnu Orchestra at one time?

yeah, he was the first MO drummer.

In the jazz field the best drummer/percussionist I have ever seen live was the guy who played with Weather Report.

that could have been a number of different guys...

Who played with "Yes"? I liked his style almost as much as the Led Zepplin dude.

bill bruford on most of the earlier albums, alan white after that.

[Flyingcursor]

The Weather report drummer was Omar Hakim.

Bruford is the Yes drummer I thought of.

[chas]

As usual, I'm a little late chiming in. The thing about Keith Moon is, he played the drums as a melody instrument. When I bought the CD of "Tommy," after not having listened to it for probably 15 years, I was absolutely captivated with Moon's drumming and what a prominent part it played in the music. Nobody else did that, which is why I'd consider him the best.

Anybody see "The kids are alright?" I seem to remember Moon skeet-shooting records. It was priceless, mostly because it was so characteristic.

One I haven't seen mentioned, whom I'd certainly consider among the best, is John Densmore of the Doors. Unobtrusive, but he held their music together through many different style transitions and the utterly chaotic form their music sometimes took.

[susnfx]

Speaking of rock drummers, just saw this on the CNN website:

"Spencer Dryden, drummer for the Jefferson Airplane in the rock band's glory years, including the breakthrough 1967 album "Surrealistic Pillow" and the Woodstock festival, has died of cancer. He was 66."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... index.html

Susan

[amar]

I've heard of Animal, Phil Collins, Ringo and John Joe Kelly. I didn't even know that most drummers have names.

same here, animal, phil, ringo, and john. know no others.

[PhilO]

Just remembered a drummer named Frosty who played with Lee Michaels, probably early 70s. I don't really remember how good he was but he was a showman - played everything in sight in the room during elongated solos - came out into the audience - people had to cover their heads...

Philo