The 411 Music Top Five 03.30.10: Top 5 Drummers

Posted by Ben Czajkowski on 03.30.2010

From Lars Ulrich of Metallica, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Dave Grohl of Nirvana to Joey Jordison of Slipknot, Neil Peart of Rush and Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, the 411Music Staff rank their Top 5 Favorite drummers! See which drummers made the list and why!

Adam Hill

Drummers don't generally appear much in The Music 5&1 (Travis Barker nearly made it and he had to beat up a paparazzi to get that close) but for me, they are the heart of any good rock band. My list consists of drummers I respect, drummers who amaze me with what they can do and drummers who quite frankly, I wanted to be.

5. Rick Allen of Def Leppard.

I don't really care if this gets me some flak. I don't care if there is now a lot of technology involved to help him out. Dude has got one freakin' arm and drums for a rock band that has sold over 65m records worldwide. That's got to count for something.

 

4. Matt Tong of Bloc Party.

I was talking with a friend of mine about this week's Top 5 and he suggested Matt Tong. ‘Rubbish' I said. ‘The drummer from Bloc Party? You're taking the piss' ‘Go listen to Silent Alarm' he said. I did. He was right. Apparently such was the level of brilliance he attained during Silent Alarm that they actually turned the level up so it would be more prominent. I've always had a ‘like what I hear but not actively seek more' relationship with Bloc Party but having properly listened, especially to Tong, I now want to hear more and see them live. Not bad for a drummer to illicit that kind of response.

 

3. Dominic Howard of Muse.

In last week's column on Bassists, Chris made a really good point about Muse when including Chris Wolstenholme. For all the focus on Mat Bellamy and his obvious bat-shit crazy genius, Muse just wouldn't work without a great rhythm section. It was Absolution that really made me pay attention to Howard and his drumming and "Hysteria" in particular that I loved. For me, as great as that tune is, it was the frenetic, pounding drum beat that made it a really fantastic track.

2. Lars Ulrich of Metallica.

Over the years Ulrich has shown versatility and adaptability seldom seen in a drummer. As the music of Metallica evolved he evolved with it, moving from the high paced, intense beats that brought him to the dance to a more sedate and simplistic style. That he was able to do this is testament to his ability as one of the truly greatest rock drummers of all time. Plus the fact that, quite frankly, without him pounding away on the skins, Metallica may not have become the greatest metal band of all time.

 

1. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

Bonham is quite simply the greatest drummer of all time. When I was younger I had aspirations of becoming a rock drummer (problem was, I sucked) and it was Bonham I wanted to be. In my formative years the only drummer I really knew of was Phil Collins, then a friend put "Bonzo's Montreux" on a mix-tape for me and it wasn't so much that Bonham was in a different league to Collins, he was playing an entirely different sport. I first heard "Bonzo's Montreux" nearly 15 years after it was recorded and it still sounded fresh, new and exciting. Bonham died early and at his death he was the best drummer of all time, he still is and it frightens me to think how much better he could have become had he lived longer.

 

Michael James

5. Travis Barker (The Aquabats, Blink-182, The Transplants).

This slot doesn't go to Barker for his work with Blink or The Aquabats…. sure his drumming with those groups was pretty solid, but it never exactly made me leap from my seat.  Instead, Barker gets this nod for his inspired hip-hop work.  He has "remixed" a whole host of hip-hop tracks with excellent results, adding manic drumwork to tracks by Soulja Boy, Drake and countless others.  I'm looking forward to his solo album which will find him drumming behind a whole host of rappers and rock frontmen.

 

4. ?uestlove (The Roots).

The Roots don't have much competition for the mantle of hip-hop's best band, but ?uestlove can hold his own with the best drummers of any genre.  Not only has he provided the rhythm track for countless Roots jams, but he is also a top hired gun for rappers looking to incorporate live instrumentation and neo-soul crooners alike.  He gets extra points for producing Al Green's stellar Lay It Down album and for powering Jay-Z's Unplugged performance.

 

3. Nick Cannon.

Seriously, have you seen Drumline!  Dude can really slang them sticks.  And yes, I just made that phrase up since I'm primarily a hip-hop fan trying to write about drummers.  But seriously (or not), at one point Cannon (or his Cannon-esque stunt double) kneels down while drumming without missing a beat.  Plus he got the girl (in the movie and in real life).  How many drummers can say that?  Not even a graduation ceremony can hold Nicky down….

 

2. Rick Allen (Def Leppard).

Now I can't say whether Rick Allen is any better than your average rock drummer.  But even if he's just middle of the road, that still makes him twice as good a drummer as most anyone else—because dude only has one arm.  Its straight mathematics- equal drumming x 1/2 the normal allotment of arms= twice the drummer.  Can't argue with math, folks.  All jokes aside, it's pretty inspiring that Allen has persevered in the face of adversity and continued to kick ass.

 

1. Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Them Crooked Vultures, Probot). 

I'm sure I won't be the only one to put Grohl near the top of his list and it's definitely not the most inspired, left field choice.  But ignoring his frontman skills with The Foo Fighters, Grohl is a beast on the kit.  He's like Animal from The Muppets back there.  I honestly have no idea how technically sound he is.  He just never looks happier, and his passion and energy is both infectious and provides a booming bottom end for his bandmates to build on.

 

Ben Czajkowski

I'm breaking my own rules of not having much in terms of justifications for my picks. However, this week, I had my people chosen; I'm just buried under a mountain of Real Life. Kinda like the Astrocrag from GUTS: you make it up one path and a giant green boulder or glitter gets shot in your face. It's really not as pretty as it sounds. Anyway, here's my list:

5. Joey Jordison of Slipknot and others.

I've gained a lot of respect for him over the last 10 years. I've watched some absolutely sick videos of him playing. One of my best friends is a drummer, and he made me watch some of Jordison's stuff, and I was blown away by it. Plus, he's one of two of the 100 members of Slipknot whose name I can actively remember.

 

4. Danny Carey of Tool.

Going with a solid rock lineup here, so I have to include an awesome prog-rock drummer.

 

3. Josh Freese.

How can none of my compadres have mentioned the greatest session drummer of all time? He's played on some of the best music made from A Perfect Circle, Devo, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, Guns N Roses. If I were starting a supergroup, Freese would be the first man on my list to play the drums.

 

2. David Grohl.

Grohl is a monster behind the kit. He plays with such a verbosity that I don't think I've ever done anything nearly as intensive as him in my entire life. He's a bundle of energy that just explodes on the skins. Check out Queen of the Stone Age's "No One Knows" video or anything live with him playing for Them Crooked Vultures. It's insanely sick.

 

1. Tomas Haake of Meshuggah.

This mother fucker can fly. Haake has the best technical abilities of any drummer I have ever seen or heard before in my life. His heavy use of polyrhythms is second to none. Haake also writes the majority of Meshuggah lyrics and also contributes spoken vocals on several songs, so he is clearly a multifaceted weapon, as well. Plus, I think he owns a world record somewhere for fastest drum playing or something. Don't have time to look it up. Feel free to correct me, please.

 

Aaron Titan

Aaron Titan here, master of the Music 3R's. Check out my most recent edition of the R's here. With that, here are my top 5 favorite drummers.

5. Neil Peart of Rush.

I got the chance to see Rush in 2008 and Neil Peart was a true showman. His drumming is crisp and energetic and at his age, that's pretty awesome. Drummers aren't always a standout in bands, and when you stand out in the same band as GEDDY FUCKIN' LEE, you're special. If you get the chance to see Rush live, it's worth it, if only for the 10-minute jazz-infused Neil Peart drum solo.

4. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots.

Before the legendary Roots crew "sold out" to be Jimmy Fallon's house band on NBC, they were such a powerhouse of funky, jazzy, soulful hip-hop. I mean, they still are, but being a traditional band isn't their primary focus anymore. Thompson - along with the group's MC Black Thought - took the art of performing live hip-hop to a new level. He's got ill timing and sounds far, far better than any keyboard/computer-produced hip-hop track you can find. He's also a sought after band director. I know he's assembled, rehearsed, and prepared other artists' live bands, such as Jay-Z's. Check him out at work in Dave Chappelle's Block Party movie. He solidified his spot on my list with his drum solo during The Roots' cover of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" when I saw them live in 2008 on a college tour before Rising Down came out. Just a classically rehearsed and seasoned jazz drummer doing great live hip-hop.

3. Vinnie Paul Abbott of Pantera/Damageplan/Hellyeah.

He was a huge reason why Pantera is one of the best and heaviest bands of all time. You see a lot of thrash style drummers out there just beating the shit out of the bass drum with a double-pedal. Vinnie Paul made the rest of the kit sound equally heavy. He was also a huge part of Pantera's unique, acclaimed power groove alongside his late brother, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. Pantera's classic, "Becoming," made me fall in love with Vinnie Paul's drumming.

2. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

I'm a huge fan of Bonham's drumming! There's a reason Led Zeppelin didn't go on after he passed away - it just wouldn't have been the same. The guy's timing and rhythms were so unique and unconventional. A good example of what I'm talking about is on "Kashmir." He makes such a simple beat sound so heavy. "Moby Dick" is also friggin' amazing!

1. Dave Lombardo of Slayer.

The most fun I've ever had watching a drummer live was when I saw Slayer back in 2006. They were playing "South of Heaven" or "War Ensemble" and the video screen panned to an overhead view of Lombardo and his drum heads. Watching how fucking fast and intensely he was playing without a break in rhythm or speed was truly amazing. His makes Slayer sound so fucking heavy and evil, it's insane! I once read that Dave doesn't even warm up before live shows, while most thrash drummers have long, arduous warm-up routines!

 

Lenny Vowels

Out of all of the instrumentalist positions, this was the hardest to judge. I believe a lot of it has to do with the fact that drumming at its roots is just so much more intense in jazz than it is in rock, which means there's a lot more to choose from. On top of that, there are just so many good to great drummers out there that the simple matter of opinion is guaranteed to raise an ire or two just for not mentioning a certain name (or names). Either way, here's what I came up with.

Honorable mentions:

John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Scott Travis (Judas Priest), Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Them Crooked Vultures), Black Richardson (Between the Buried and Me), Gene Krupa

5. Keith Moon (The Who).

Known as much for his drumming ability as his off-stage antics, Keith was a pure innovator and perfect blend of everything rock and punk that has been incorporated into music up to as recently as the past decade. His hits were always all over the place, yet they seemed to make perfect sense within the context of any Who song. It's as if every fill he played was improvised, whether it was recorded or played live. However, for me, to this day, it remains a mystery to me as to whether his legacy is cemented in his ability or the fact that he left this world choosing to live the rock n'roll lifestyle. Either way, it's impossible to forget a guy who's passed out mid-setlist AND set up explosives in his bass drum for a show-ending extravaganza

 

4. Michael Portnoy (Dream Theater).

Whether it's his amazing rotating kit with three bass drums or his amazing technical ability, Michael Portnoy has done nothing short of establishing himself as a legend, at the age of 42 no less. Some believe he's only as good as the band he supports, but if that's the case for Portnoy, it's saying a whole lot. Dream Theater is continuously hailed by many as the most technically proficient band in the world right now, and Mike's a huge reason for the distinction. Any band should consider themselves privleged to consider him as an influence for the 20+ years he's been playing professionally. Just ask Avenged Sevenfold.

 

3.  Neil Peart (Rush).

His ability: untouched. His kit: unprecendented. His humility: downright unnecessary. Neil is known the world over for the unbelievable playing ability that he brings to the stage and the studio. He's been one of the best drummers that anyone has ever seen or heard since the mid-1970s and he never once looked back from what he's accomplished, even after the tragedies he's been through. What's always more amazing to me is that he would probably say that anyone on this list, even my honorable mentions, is a better drummer than he is. I've never understood that kind of humility coming from one of the best, but somehow I can't help but respect it either.

 

2. Danny Carey (Tool).

I will outright admit my bias here. I know I've stated on here in the past that Tool is my favorite band. But whereas Maynard is the zest that carries the band and Adam and Justin are the tremendous side dish, Danny is the flavor that brings it all together. He may not have the largest drum kit, on this list, but he's fantastic when it comes to the "less is more" philosophy. No matter how many times I listen to some of the heavier tracks on Undertow or Aenima, I can never help but wonder "How is he hitting ALL of that?!" My opinion didn't change when I finally got to see them live in '07 either (on my birthday no less). He never misses a step, and for my money, he just can't be beat when it comes to rock drumming ability.

 

1. Buddy Rich.

The rock buck stops here. Buddy Rich is someone that has me, at times, convinced that he isn't human. His ability on the drum kit goes beyond unprecedented. It's simply unparalleled. When viewed, his technique is admirable in itself, but when he's heard, you can't help but be blown away. It's because of this man that jazz drumming is on another plane of existence from rock. His legacy may not be remembered by many, which is a shame, but his ability and presence should never be overlooked. The man truly was a marvel.

 

David Hayter

Now I have to explain that I've had a hectic evening, Reading Festival tickets went on sale and I've spent the best part of four hours scrambling to get my Arcade Fire tickets so I'm afraid this will be short and to the point.

5. Lars Ulrich (1981-Present with Metallica).

Oh yes its internet darling Lars Ulrich, now before you start rebelling uncontrollably, ask yourself this; have you ever seen a man more elegantly turn from his drum kit, looks alluring into camera and slowly spray water onto said monitor while continuing to rain molten thunder on a festival field? Neigh you say, neigh indeed!

 

4. Keith Moon (1964-1978 with The Who).

A great drummer who was sadly taken from us before his time. Yet again I'm going to keep it brief. Why is Keith Moon great? Because he gave Sixties pop its visceral edge and changed the world before Jimmy Page and Robert Plant had even had a practice room booked. Listen to "Substitute" or "I Can't Explain" there is no way pop songs that sweet should have such rip roaring and uncontainable energy. He was a true game changer, he gave pop its power.

 

3. Danny Carey (1990-Present with Tool).

I'm a huge Tool fan, I love their grooves, their glorious rhythm section and Maynard's heart breaking vocals (check out "Prison Sex") but I've resisted unleashing them upon a top five...until now. Danny Carey is a tremendous drummer, he has all the tricks in his locker but what makes him great, is the way he cultivates a groove, and allows a track to build and grow organically. Whether it be a hypnotic beat or a brutal grind. And of course, you can expect time changes galore and those glorious counter rhythmic tribal beats.

 

2. John Bonham (1968-1980 with Led Zeppelin).

This won't take long. Is John Bonham the most technical drummer of all time? No, but he wasn't half bad. Was he the best member of his band individually? That's arguable, but really this doesn't matter one jot. John Bonham is one of if not the greatest drummers of all time for one simple reason; Generation after generation of young drummers want to grow up to be John Bonham, he is a true inspiration and when his hand grasped wooden stick and his foot met pedal he brought the thunder like no other.

 

1. Neil Peart (1973-Present with Rush & Buddy Rich Band).

So who's the most uncool band in history? If you said Rush your 100% correct, but dammit that's what makes them so cool. While the vocals and the ridiculous prog flavorings turned many away it's hard to deny the glory of Peart's drum work. It grabbed you by the balls and it rocked hard. While you may have been raising eyebrows out the tales right winger oaks ruling the forest you ears we're being pounded by the immortal rhythm attack of Geddy Lee and Neil Peart. When it comes down to it Neil Peart is the definitive prog drummer and the forefather of Danny Carey and any other time changing virtuoso. Long live the King!

 

Dan Haggerty

Fun fact – When compiling this list I found myself gravitating to the drummers from band's whose bass player I love.  Is it a case of great bands having a solid rhythm sections or the two necessarily combining in effect? 

Honorable Mention:

Simon O'Laoghaire (Primordial), Ginger Baker (Cream), Bill Bruford (Yes), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Phil Collins (Genesis), Vinnie Appice (Dio), Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg (Mayhem), Mikkey Dee (Motorhead)

5. Bill Ward of Black Sabbath.

What I love about Ward is that his style is more percussionist than drummer.  He doesn't keep a beat so much as just batter the song forward.  The anarchist in me loves that.  Just listen to that pattern he does in "Children of the Damned" to see what I mean.  But whether it's him destroying the neighborhood, or delivering a soft touch, he's the polar opposite of someone like Neil Peart in that he works off of feel more than precision.  It's a different kind of drummer with a different kind of sound, and that passion just explodes into your headphones.  Plus, Ward is a secret weapon in that he can pull off singing and has the best solo albums of any drummer I know.  Somewhere in this skin basher is the soul of a poet.

4. Cozy Powell of Every-f'n-one.

Going through all the people the man has played with is a like a roll call of honor.  Way too many to mention here; needless to say this was a session drummer who took his place in so many great bands with so many great names that it's jaw dropping.  And there is a reason for that.  He was veracious in consuming the drums when unleashed but could bring a gentle hand and keep the writers intent when needed.  A man of all seasons and more styles than should be allowed, he at once could be counted on by the bands he played with to be a team player but be the man when needed.  At the end of the day, Cozy Powell was THE man because of it. 

  
3. Keith Moon of The Who.

The madman of the kit himself, Moon was a man on fire whose only passive release seemed to be when he channeled all of that carnal energy into destroying whatever set was placed in front of him.  No less than mastering styles that would influence rock, hard rock, and punk, plus deliver progressive flourishes when needed, Moon is an essential part of the rock histrionics lesson.  But the skill the man had, man oh man.  His fills managed to consume the background while driving the songs forward, all while being precise gunshots at some unseen enemy.  This was a man who worked the extremes and reveled in the contradictions.  This isn't a case of they broke the mold when he was born so there are no others, but more like he broke the mold the first day he played the kit. 

 

2. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

The hardest skin hitter to ever play the kit, Bonham is an essential cornerstone of rock, hard rock, and metal, for all the right reasons.  No one could match his veracity and Page had a hell of a time actually recording him.  They would move him around (including the occasional foray to a hallway or another room) just to try and contain the man.  Then he would drink a fifth and do it again with his bare hands!  But the real story is his classy subtle touch. Yes, Bonham was a monster of force, but he could also deliver those blues and folk melodies as well, so between defining the heavy thump that was rock and roll getting turned inside out he also brought an artist's touch to the classics the band paid tribute to.   He was a giant amongst drummers and the best at unleashing the passion of rock. 

  
1. Neil Peart of Rush.

While it can be argued that Peart doesn't have the soft soul of your more blues and folk oriented drummers there is no doubt of the sheer technical skill and precision he brings to the instrument.  He is known as the Professor for a reason after all.  What is mind blowing is the ease he brings to odd time signatures, change ups, complex patterns, or the ability to turn the whole machine on a dime.  I have said it many times and will do it one more time - Peart could take Lars Ulrich's thrice damned trash cans and own Hammersmith.   The man has won Drummer Magazine's top honors each year he was eligible and many years when he wasn't (fan write in vote) they eventually just gave up and announced he was the man and made him ineligible.  He sill one for several years.  And if the accolades don't sell it, then just listen to him:

 

The Final Word

As always, the last thoughts come from you, the reader. We're merely unpaid monkeys with typewriters and Wikipedia. Here's what you need to do: List your Top Five for this week's topic on the comment section using the following format: 5. Drummer: Why you picked him/her. 4. Drummer: Why you picked him/her. 3. Drummer: Why you picked him/her. 2. Drummer: Why you picked him/her. 1. Drummer: Why you picked him/her.