You know Helene, I think he’s one of the most educated drummers ever! The complete opposite approach to Ringo! Yet each had something different to offer! OK, OK, so in Jeff’s case a TON of things to offer!😉👍👌❤️
My favorite one... Even when i love Carl Palmer, Neil peart, alan white and Phil Collins... Jeffrey Porcaro was an all around drummer, versatil and with a vastly pedegree recording with several artist... From Cher to PINK FLOYD, from Christopher cross to dire STRAITS... Passing trough steely dan And of course with TOTO
@@w.geoffreyspaulding6588 "mother" track of the wall album (i Guess the basic track) Remember, some tracks were recorded in los angeles, and along with John Robinson, Jeff was frequently required.. this one Is a weird fact... As well as being part.of clapton's "forever Man", Michael Jackson's "thriller"... Diré STRAITS ' "on every street" and so on
@@fenderstratocastertelecast8479 ok…..so when they recorded in LA, Jeff would play on the tracks for the album and Nick Mason would tour? No, that can’t be true….Nick played in !London sessions and and Jeff on LA sessions? Or did it happen on just a few tracks? Sorry…mind blown… Didn’t know about Dire Straits either. I mean that’s like telling me that he played on some Zep or Queen or Deep Purple tracks.
Ringo is my favorite because he always served the song, it wasn't about him, and every choice was classic perfection. He knew how to blend the dynamics featuring the singers, serving them perfectly, never over powering or showing off. And yes, that unique left hand on the right hand drum kit gave him a unique sound not unlike Sinatra, just a little laid back, one of a kind. Taught himself by his genius ear, that's why he's so great.
Totally agree with you. Two other drummers who have been almost invisible side men as percussionists, yet understated like Ringo, similar too in style, if I may say both prodigy, never get a mention though are, Stan Lynch (from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and Phil Selway (Radiohead). Subtle.
@@eparock If you think playing Ringo songs like Ringo is easy, then you’ve never listened or tried to play it. If you did play it, you probably played it wrong
My fav old school drummers 1. John Bonham 2. Ian Paice 3. Neil Peart 4. Ginger Baker 5. Keith Moon A mention to Cozy Powell, Carl Palmer, Bill Ward, Steve Gadd
As basic as Ringo is, he has impeccable taste. He always came up with something unique. Take the simple intro for Come Together, everybody in the world recognizes that the moment they hear it. As for Bonham, the first time I heard LZ as a teen I wondered who the drummer was, just massive. Keith Moon was nuts! So many great drummers, Mick Tucker of Sweet was a great self taught drummer.
Thanks for mentioning Mick Tucker. He never gets the accolades he deserves. Most people haven't seen him play during the Sweet's hard rock period. He was awesome! Many musicians have said he was one of the best drummers to come iut of England. His performance on the live at Musikladen videos is phenomenal!
Thanks for including Nick Mason! I remember thinking he wasn't that good, but watching Live At Pompeii I was convinced he was one of the best. Not always aggressive like Bill Ward (whose a legend as well) but for a band as unique as a sound as Pink Floyd, he was perfect
I agree. Nick Mason was your typical "silent" drummer. He wasn't the superstar in the band but Mason kept Syd Barrett-era PF, Roger Waters-era PF and the David Gilmour-era PF in line and in time. No real Pink Floyd fan will have Nick Mason off a list of Best Drummers Of All Time.
I never thought Keith Moon was particularly good. He was a mess, but he did sound great doing it. I had a friend who once said that if you wanted a drummer who knew exactly what he was doing at any given time and sounded great doing it, you would choose Charlie Watts. If you wanted someone who knew absolutely nothing about what he was doing, but sounded great doing it, you would choose Keith Moon.
Ringo doesn't have the chops of a lot of those other drummers and I think that's why he's better than most of those other drummers. He was never busy and overbearing. Very few drummers with great chops can control it.
@@Dwendele a couple of years ago Ringo and Robbie Robertson and a whole bunch of other people did worldwide version of the weight. Check it out on RU-vid. He's not dazzling great great there but he is still wonderful good good after all these years.
I am a drummer. Your list was cool, I didn’t realize Pocaro played on so many projects. Thank you for that. I would have to say that Neil Peart and Danny Carey should be in there somewhere. Here’s why. Neil wrote almost all the lyrics for Rush, his timing and ability to change time is legendary, he was humble enough to learn to play a style “traditional grip” he wasn’t that comfortable with even after he was considered the worlds best. Freddie Gruber taught him about traditional grip and about the dance the sticks do when they aren’t making contact with the drums, lastly every drummer I’ve ever known tries to play Tom Sawyer and it’s rare that anyone plays it exactly the way Neil played it. Even Neil said it was a challenge to play it correctly. Never mind trying to play La Via Stangioto. Danny Carey is another enigma. His arrangements and geometrical playing is unbelievable, as well as his dynamics’s. Stewart Copeland is another often overlooked fav of mine, but I’ve rambled enough. Thank you, just found your channel and subscribed immediately. Great content.
Anybody that doesn't include Neil in any list of the top 2 drummers never mind 5 doesn't have a clue about drummers but this guy only listens to the Beatles and Zeppellin so his expertise on music is pretty narrow.
Your comment on why Zep, Beatles and The Who are where they are - every member totally important to the band - is so insightful. I have never thought about it like this until now. Thanx man. Great channel, bro. Peace from South Africa.
As a drum teacher, I have to say this was a solid list. Drumming is not about technical skills, it's about the groove. Ringo absolutely belongs on this list. Another greatly overlooked drummer is Levon Helm. I could also add Charlie Watts,Stewart Copeland, Ian Paice,Max Weinberg and Mick Fleetwood. Plus session greats like Steve Gadd and Jim Keltner.
**CromLaughs,** - Thanks for mentioning Jerry Edmonton. Larry Byrom stated in an interview, "The deep pocket rhythm section that Steppenwolf had was amazing.....they were just there and I could just fit in any guitar part I needed to do."
Hey new subscriber here. Interesting top 5 drummers you present. Your no 1 is also my number 1 too but I differ on the remaining 4. 1. John Bonham 2. Neil Peart 3. Ian Paice 4. Mike Portnoy 5. Carmine Appice Enjoying your channel and the videos. Keep ‘em coming 👍
There are so many great drummers throughout rock history that never get mentioned when considering the greats. A great drummer is not only defined by what they play, but also for what they don't play. Ringo and Charlie Watts are just two examples that play what is needed and nothing more. But there are others that deserve to be counted among the best. Anysley Dunbar and Alan White are two other drummers that often get overlooked, but their contributions to the music they helped create stand the test of time. Same with Carl Palmer and Cozy Powell.
Neil Peart!! Any top drummer list should have him on it. Just for the fact that he also wrote those songs. Listen to an isolated drum track of Tom Sawyer!!
Stumbled on this channel and watched a few episodes and now I'm hooked! Yes, Jeff Porcaro is the ultimate master of groove. If you haven't heard his work with Les Dudek you're missing out. Oh, and I subscribed!
As a Canadian, leaving Neil Peart off this list is sacrilegious. That he wrote every lyric on his band’s discography vaults him to stellar status. Don’t get me wrong, Bonham is probably my close number two in my not even close greatest band of all time list. But I implore you to check out Joe Morello’s drum solo from back in the day and then watch Bonzo do “Moby Dick”. Neil Peart didn’t have to copy anybody. He’s the original.👊🏾👌🏾✊🏽
I'm also surprised Peart is not on the list. Though I'm not sure the fact he wrote most of Rush's lyrics counts when it comes to judging his drumming. And "every lyric" is a slight exaggeration, though yes, he did write the vast majority. But not meaning to diss Peart, of course he is great.
Outstanding #3 pick in Nick Mason! As a drummer myself he is my favorite.... and he fit so perfectly into the amazing Pink Floyd sound... which you characterized exactly in how all members of that legendary band meshed musically.
I find it incredible that only 1 or 2 times in the whole Get Back documentary does anyone ever actually need to talk with Ringo about the drum sound for a song they're working on.
Thank you for including the frequently overlooked Jeff Porcaro. Just listen to Boz Scaggs track "Georgia" off his Silk Degrees album and Jeff's drumming is just jaw dropping. RIP, Jeff. 🙏🙏🙏
Michael, have you seen the vid of Ringo jamming with Joe Walsh, Lee Sklar, Waddy Wachtel and Russ Kunkel in the studio? Came out a couple of months back. It’s mesmerizing to watch the two drummers in total sync. And his drumming is so FLUID …..actually graceful with allot of swing. Lee said his pocket was really deep, a bassists dream.
You know Helene, Ringo has always married up with other drummers live! Totally perfect team player! And people wonder why the Beatles were such a force of nature! 🌪
I saw the joe walsh jam on funk#49 with Ringo and man i was blown away, he and Russ chopping in sync, and joe jamming, every body must stop what they are doing immediatly and dig this video, unreal!!!! And Ringo looks 30 years younger than all of them. Maybe because he has been a vegetarian for years?!!!
@@p.a.jacobs5514 well………Lee’s been a vegetarian for many years too, so don’t think that’s it. Lee is incredibly healthy for his age, but no one can say he looks youthful! 😅
@@MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine yeah, I think maybe it’s because they are the only real competition for each other. It seems like Bonzo is regarded more highly than Moon now but I get feeling it was different when people actually saw The Who live?
Yes indeed! I'm glad to read more comments about that obvious oversight and he sits at #1 as far as I'm concerned. After him, you can list whoever you like.
Love the list have enjoyed listening to everyone you mentioned. Wanted to show some love for Ron Bushy! I absolutely love his solo on In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida! His drumming was essential to the Iron Butterfly sound and he doesn’t get much credit!
Hard to argue with this list, esp with the respective catalogs represented. Without question, Ringo deserves a spot, especially for anyone who truly understands song construction and rhythmically supporting a band. Bonham will always be rock’s greatest drummer. Aside from being the powerhouse he was, he was so lucky to be in a band with Jimmy Page, who had a keen understanding of how to properly capture his sound in the studio. Honorable mentions must go to Neil Peart for his stunning technical proficiency and to Stewart Copeland for his frenetic polyrhythmic style (and for being so much fun to watch live). Another great (and well-argued) list. Looking forward to your Dark Side video. 🌈 🌚 🐷
Both Pert & Copeland are very high in my opinion, and so is Mick Fleetwood! Another drummer like Ringo taht gets less luv than the poor man deserves! Watch out for part 2, Bruce!😉👍👌✌️
I didn't see Steve Gadd, and Phil Rudd, and Jim Keltner, and Charlie Watts, on this list. but I guess you would have to expand your list to include them. something else about Sir Richard Starkey. AKA Ringo Starr. is he still at it at 82 years young. and a very underrated drummer. who plays the same size drum kit as Ringo Starr. is Don Powell of SLADE. he had to have a special strengthened kit built. after he broke the original kit on the extended version of "Run Run Away". no one wales on the drums like he does.
My Top.... 1. Bonzo 2. Moon 3. Mitch Mitchel 4. Pecaro 5. Starr 6. Stewart Copeland 7. Neil Pert 8. Bruce Gary (Knack) 9. Bun E Carlos 10. Terry Bozzio 11. Cozy Powell 12. Clem Burke 13. Mel Taylor (Ventures) 14....etc...
John Bonham wasn't a "drummer." John Bonham was a hurricane....an avalanche....a tornado......an earthquake.....thunder......a supernova.....a force of nature. When he hit the drums, it sounded different than any other drummer, before or since. And not just because he hit hard.....John Bonham could swing, and he could play light, and he was a composer. I especially like that he often played with Jimmy, and led or followed Jimmy, as opposed to only following the great JPJ. Interesting list! Neil Peart would be on my top five, especially given his role as songwriter/lyricist. TY Michael!
Michael……What do you think of Michael Lee? Whenever I watched him play in clips of Page and Plant….and with solo Plant, he just seemed phenomenal. And he always seemed to have a grin on his face! And did a fine job indeed on the Zep tracks.
I don't have any musical training so I'm not qualified to judge actual skill. But as far as what drummers make sounds I enjoy, I have to put Stuart Copeland (Police) and Danny Carey (Tool) on my list of favorite drummers. And of course Neal Peart, Rush. Who is in just about everyone's top 5 except Michael's!
This is my third video of yours that I've seen. Love your knowledge of Zep. That's what made me a subscriber. Have many other videos to watch of yours. Keep em' comin'.
Great list. I'd say there should be a two way tie for fifth between Ringo and Charlie Watts, two seminal drummers. For me I'd go Moon at 1 and Bonham at 2 but that's a close contest right there. For me every drummer you named is a "compositional drummer". I like that fact that you made that point. Chops are one thing but the public remembers riffs.
Where did you put the drummer Neil Peart from Rush? I ask because more than one musician I've heard on the drummer rankings, actually have the Rush drummer as either 1 over Bonham or number 2. Especially for his work on Tom Sawyer. That's the one they point to. So just curious where he is on your list. Great channel
I was fortunate enough Porcaro live about five times. Absolutely phenomenal. His groove was unforgettable. A great example is his drum part on "Hold The Line". He matches the intensity of Luke's solo and then drops back into his deep pocket when the solo finishes. One of my drumming friends refers to drumming as digging a ditch. You're laying out a path for the musicians to follow. BTW, I've been fortunate enough to see many of the greats. Keith Carlock is the best I've ever seen.
Good list Michael. You know these days when somebody says ringo wasn’t that good or he just got lucky, i dont even engage them anymore.they dont know anything about music. He was a one in a million drummer as far as im concerned. A solid 4th corner of the beatle square
mick tucker fly’s under the radar more than any musician ever😮even failed to make ‘rolling stone’ magazine’s top 100 drummers of all time😵💫criminal in my book☝🏻
Ringo’s drumming had a simple yet powerful excitement about it that seemed very natural. He wasn’t crazy like some of the others, he didn’t need to be. I really liked his sound.
A drummer who doesn't get enough love is the great Gary Mallaber. Those Steve Miller grooves are timeless but they're just the tip of the iceberg. Check his discography.
I have no problem with your list. Have enjoyed listening to all the drummers on your list. However, it’s tough to limit it to 5. Many comments mentioned a lot of other great drummers! I want to mention Ron Bushy of Iron Butterfly. Love that solo in In A Gadda da vida. If I’m waiting around and I start drumming on something, I always seem to be tapping out that beat. Great drummer!
Lists are tough. For me with music, generally speaking, Pink Floyd is at the top, but so much depends on the mood I'm in that moment. For Westerns, it's "Once Upon A Time In The West", and the next 50 are almost interchangeable.
Hey I’m new to the channel and I’m enjoying it. There’s no way to make a list of favorite anything and not disagree. In fact I like your list and like you said it’s YOUR ranking of 5 favorites. My problem is narrowing the list down to 5. I love the ones you have and Bonzo is my favorite as well. For me personally I couldn’t make a list of 5 drummers that didn’t include Ginger Baker, Neil Peart, and Bonzo. There’s several other drummers that I could cycle in or out to make up the other 2. I could list Terry Bozzio from Frank Zappa. I think Charlie Watts is better than some give him credit, Don Henley is a very good drummer and vocalist, and there’s plenty more. My 5 in order: 5- Jeff Pecaro, 4- Terry Bozzio, 3- Neil Peart, 2- Ginger Baker, 1- John Henry Bonham. P.S. the top 3 are really interchangeable! Lol hey keep up the good work I’ll be tuning in!
Both Peart & Ginger are on my Top 10 list, though! We’re not as far of as you may think, Brian! Major respect for Pearl on soooo many levels beyond just his drumming! Major player in Rock!
@@MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine Neil Peart became my hero from the first time I listened to and read the lyrics and commentary on 2112. I was so inspired and mesmerized that I just had to hear more and more and haven’t ever been disappointed. Something about his words, their music touched me. My first concert was Tour of the Hemispheres and It was magical. Over time I found him to be humble, kind, generous, thoughtful, brilliant and yeah just a nice guy. My 37 year old son is named Neil in his honor and ironically he texted me with the posting of Neil’s death. I saw his words ‘sorry mama’ and instantly knew he was gone. So he is my favorite drummer not in comparison to other drummers. To me he was much more than that. He was a good man.
I've always admired how well the drummers of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Who fit so seamlessly with each groups chemistry and how possibly odd they would have sounded if in one of the others.
@@MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine “because the people down the hall know who you are” after Zeppelin being my favorite band!! The Great “Steely Dan” is #2 or #3 for me!!! Rock on!!!!🤘✌️
Ringo is fantastic! The variety of beats he created for the greatest rock composers. Also, Ringo looked like a Beatle. Pete best didn’t share the look! Another point is Ringo had the patience to wait for a new song to be played so he could create a drum part.
Favorite drummers vs best drummers are two different things My all time favorite is of course Ringo seeing him on the Ed Sullivan show all those years ago sitting there with that big smile having the time of his life I looked at Mom and told her that I was going to be a drummer she just smiled and said ok Now the best are a different thing for me 5 Cozy Powell 4 Prarie Prince ( tubes) 3 Moonie and a tie for #1 Peart/Bonham Neil is untouchable for technical reasons while John a reason you didn’t mention. His groove was so deep you could fall into it. Just think if you could put the two together wow
Micheal, you can't disagree with people's favorite musicians. There no such thing as best or worst musicians. As primarily a drummer, guitar and bass also also, Ringo has a swing and feel not many have, not to mention his backwards fills. Actually Ringo played a lot of different time signatures but you wouldn't notice. I went on and learned jazz and technical music but I always go back to Ringo..Moon is actually less technical than Ringo but he's a showman who plays 24 fills every verse! Mason is very much on Ringos level of technique and style.
Moon doesn't just play fills....his approach to the drums is much more like an orchestral percussionist, which was exactly the kind of playing Pete's songs needed. Moon's ability to play the right sound at the right time is second to none.
Perfect list. I wonder where you can fit in Barriemore Barlow of Jethro Tull whom John Bonham admired and considered him as one of the greatest English drummers.
Clive Burr would have made my list too but I was thinking metal vs. rock. Whenever I hear anything from the first 3 albums I'm just blown away with how solid he was behind the kit.
Ringo is great. He kicked ass in the beatlemania period, and was absolutely genious during the psychedelic years. He was essential in tracks such as Ticket to ride, Rain, Strawberry fields, Tomorrow never knows, Penny lane, Walrus and Hello goodbye.
Thanks Michael. I would give Ian Paice from Deep Purple an honoury mention. I would love to see your reaction to a young Japanese girl drummer Yoyoka Soma playing Burn. Love your channel mate ❤
No disagreement here. I have grown to appreciate Ringo as a musician the more that I learn about him. He was and still is very solid. Porcaro was a freak of nature. Keep in mind that he (along with other members of Toto) played on Michael Jackson's Thriller album. He was truly one of the best. Mason, Moon, Bonham; you can't go wrong with any of them. Some honorable mentions need to go out to Simon Phillips. He was the man that Toto brought in after Jeff Porcaro passed away. And he carried that torch for over 30 years. And like Porcaro, Simon Phillips has played all over the world and has been on A LOT of albums and recordings. He can play just about any style and any time signature, and he is also a composer and a recording studio master. He's also played for The Who, Jeff Beck, and Pete Townshend; and many others. Todd Sucherman, the current drummer for Styx, is almost an American version of Simon Phillips. A composer, recording master, a great teacher, and very versatile in his playing styles. Ringo is also one of his favorite drummers. Sucherman does things one the drums that I can't even fathom. He knows when to go crazy, yet he knows when to keep it simple. He's truly one of the best. There's a lot of awesome drummers that can go on this list. It is very hard to narrow it down. I agree with Anton Fig (drummer for David Letterman) that there is really no such thing as "the best". We all have our own personal favorites, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some of these guys on this list probably wouldn't have been on mine. But, knowing what I know about these 5 drummers and the legacies that they have, that there is no way that I can disagree with this list. Thank you for this video sir. As a drummer, I appreciate the love and respect. I sometimes feel that the drums and drummers in general for not get the proper love and respect that we deserve. So I greatly appreciate you taking the time to make this video. I enjoy your videos very much. God bless you.
Ringo... yes he was a left handed drummer and he played on a right handed kit BECAUSE his grandma purchased the kit for him. In the same interview which he shared this Ringo also stated that magical just off the count he would play that so many tried to copy was because being left handed it took him those fractions of a second to get his left hand playing the right handed kits again.... There were two songs he couldn't play to John's satisfaction and when recorded Paul played the drum tracks. You can find all this on You Tube watching Ringo interviews... I just have to much time on my hands being retired now. And a drummer.
Just my list of classic rock drummers - this list changes when adding a few players from the 90s - current time 1: Keith Moon 2 : Neil Peart 3: Mitch Mitchell 4: Charlie Watts 5: Ringo Starr Honorable mention to Rick Allen from Def Leppard for obvious reasons. People recognize that he plays with 3 limbs but I also feel that people forget that he does what he does with 3 as well.
Hi, I've been a drummer for 40 years (and F.O.H sound engineer), and my favorite drummers are, in second place, ian paice (deep purple) who is also left-handed. and first of all, my favorite drummer of all time, above any other, is my biggest influence and source of inspiration, he is the legendary Bev Bevan of the ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). Bevan was close friends with Bonham, they are both from Birmingham and started together in old England in the 1960's. For me, in my opinion (as a musician, sound engineer F.O.H. and drummer for 40 years) Bev Bevan is the most complete, creative and original drummer in the history of rock'n'roll, albeit very unfairly, often undervalued. greetings from Spain..
I will say this if you can find one of the other “ Top” drummers who does NOT say RINGO is one of the BEST DRUMMERS IN THE HISTORY OF ROCK I would be surprised….In other words the guys that play the instrument would pick RINGO.
1. Keith Moon always sounded like there was more than one drummer playing. Example - "Bargain" from the "Who's Next" album. Then there's his hard, cymbal-crashing playing while Roger Daltrey was singing ... Only Keith could pull this off. 2. The mighty Ian Paice 0f Deep Purple - I personally believe he was the inspiration for "Animal" on The Muppets. A good example would be Ian's drum solo on "The Mule" from Deep Pruple's "Made In Japan" live album set. Moreover, think of his work on DP's "Burn" album, starting with "You Fool No One". *Note:* How his drum sets ever survived his playing I'll never know; e.g. "Lazy" from ""Made In Japan" where one can hear him just wailing on the high-hat and all else. 3. The fantastic Carl Palmer from ELP - Along with everything he performed on "Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends", check out his drum solo on "Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression" - Awesome. 4. Lenny White from Chick Corea's Return To Forever. Example - Listen to Lenny on "Vulcan Worlds". 5. The equally awesome Don Brewer from Grand Funk Railroad. His intro on "We're An American Band" was just about as revolutionary for drummers as was Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" guitar solo for guitarists ... and everyone else.
I'm just an uneducated slob who never picked up a pair of sticks in my life (at least that weren't mozzarella), but I can't imagine such a list without Neil Peart in the top 3 at least.
Helene here. OK, Michael, now you’ve got to do a top 10…….I mean, we’ve got to talk about Steve Gadd, Neil Peart, Danny Carey, Dave Grohl (I mean, have you SEEN him in Them Crooked Vultures? He’s the natural inheritor of “mad man on the drums “ from Moon and Bonzo…and I loved Michael Lee’s drumming..Phil Collins, Taylor Hawkins, Jukka…..and the first drummer in Pearl Jam, who’s name escapes me at the moment….
@@MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine I know it’s more work for you, but I would love to hear what you think about the other drummers that I and others have mentioned. More like friends chewing the fat than a formal list. Even if they don’t make YOUR list, I’d love to know what you think of the drummers I mentioned. Here’s a link btw, if you haven’t seen Them Crooked Vultures. It just tickles me that JPJ and Grohl are having so much fun playing together. Of course! Bonham was Grohls idol….. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2fze4EGFOHc.html
Well being a drummer myself, you called it. I disagree with Ringo Star being on any drummer list. Left-Handed small guy? That would definitely go to Phil Collins who understood every aspect of music probably more than any other drummer. Actually one of the best early heavy metal drummers, in a groove similar to John Bonham would be a small guy that helped set the bar for rock drummers named Tommy Aldridge. To be honest, I believe, any solid pocket drummer from that era playing for the Beatles, would have been just as successful if not more so than Ringo Star. I really love your 4th pick and couldn't agree more. Jeff Porcaro still has to be one of, if not the best to lay down and lock in the rhythm feel, which is why he was in such high demand. Jeff is definitely one of my favorites. I also agree with your other picks. Their volume of work speak for themselves. Thanks for making this video with a spotlight on drummers!
What about this reasoning: for each drummer you think of, try to imagine if there is another drummer would have fit better in his band, and who this drummer is. For instance I love Ian Paice work for Deep Purple (think 'Made in Japan'...), but Bonzo would have brought more to Deep Purple. And this places Bonham ahead of Paice. Mitch Mitchell was a corner stone of Jimy Hendrix Experience, but Ginger Baker Would have been better and may have forced JH to be even more inventive. etc. you got the idea... And with this reasoning, your top 5 becomes: 1) John Bonham 2) Nick Manson 3) Keith Moon 4) Ginger Baker 5) Charlie Watts (hands down...)
Thank you! Thank you! Thank YOU! Placing Richard "Ringo" Starkey in the top five is SO spot on! When defending Ringo as such a phenomenal drummer, I've always asked the critics, "Did Lennon suffer fools? NO! If Ringo was subpar he never would have lasted in the band." Numerous times both Lennon and McCartney have praised Ringo as the final key. His unwitting, left-hand playing on a right-handed kit was also instrumental. That millisecond hesitation is impossible to repeat! Are there better drummers walking the face of the Earth? Sure, there is. Is there another that could have worked so perfectly with The Beatles? Nope!
I agree with your list. I'll never know why people put down Ringo. His parts are perfect for their music. Listen to the way he swings his drum fills. They're deceptively hard to play. And besides all that, think about who he's playing with. Can you imagine Carl Palmer or Peart trying to play with John Lennon and Paul McCartney? They'd be thrown out in minutes. lol Jeff Porcaro - excellent drummer. Perhaps you would have to include Steve Gadd and Bernard Purdie as well. I saw them both and they played great parts on the Steely Dan albums too. I could go on, but anyway, great list, Mike.
Anyone who has doubts about Nick Mason's capabilities needs to put on some good headphones, lie flat on your back in bed with your head on a comfortable pillow, lights out and with no other distractions and listen to Pink Floyd's 1968 album A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS in its entirety. Really listen to , absorb , and isolate the percussion. I think this will remove all doubts. And remember, this was 54 years ago.
I’d have to agree with your choices….but I would put Ringo higher. The reason is simple: it was, probably, Ringo that inspire Porcaro, Mason, and Bingham. Moon is the same generation, roughly. But even Moon might have gotten his groove from Ringo. Good breakdown.
I am left handed. I knew I wanted to be a drummer. No drums for me for years, but all the kits I got to play were set up right handed. Same with guitar. Now I can't imagine playing left handed instruments. It would be like starting over. It does make me wonder if I lead my fills backwards. I am not trained but I can just instinctively play odd time signatures. It's just one more or one less beat in the series. As long as you are ready for it. I suppose I can count measures. I stop counting them once I got the grove. It's hard to play instinctively if you are thinking. Every time I think, I can expect to make a mistake. I have to have a clear mind. I don't think, I listen. Sure my brain is doing whatever it needs to but I am not paying attention.
Ginger Baker, Stewart Copeland and Neil Peart are 3 off the top off my head .....Love Ringo, Bonham, Moon... If you really think about it, the Beatles were the most influential rock band of the 20th Century, thereby making Ringo the most important drummer of his generation.
This is all very subjective of course, it all depends on the rock groups you like. Imagine Ringo Starkey drumming to ELO, or Carl palmer drumming to Fleetwood Mac. It is the luck of the draw to get into the band at the right time of your life. Keith moon in the rolling stones, it's just luck and happenstance that gets the right people in a rock band. If your lucky enough and can get along and work towards a goal and maybe, and I mean a big maybe , have a good group. The creativity last from 1 to 8 years. It's intense and mind blowing. Usually from 20 to 35 years old, the prime of your looks, and your life. If your lucky enough to find an excellent drummer , who wants to take the ride, you're in.
When Jeff Porcaro played on all of the tracks, minus one, on "Katy Lied" by Steely Dan,, He was only 20 at the time! The one track he didn't play on was performed by Hall Blaine, so he was already in pretty good company. Steely Dan were always extremely picky about drummers.
Ringo was a really fine drummer & deserves the chops Michael has given him. If anything, the rest of the band underutilized him. The rest of the list is spot on as well, especially Bonzo's place.
The list is great as who are in in it, but what about Mitch Mitchell & Ginger Baker? b'coz of those great musicians, the bands of the past were the best that ever been and will be. And it is quit evidently true, when most of those bands broke up, couldn't duplicate the same success in their solo acts.
I can't think why anyone would argue that Ringo doesn't belong on this list. No, he didn't play flashy solos, but he always seemed to know intuitively just what a particular song needed. I mean, nobody likes "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," but Ringo's drumming on it is still precise and a perfect fit to the weird music-hall-on-acid feel of it.
I’ve played drums for 35 years. I’m pretty much a Bonzo copy cat. I dig Jethro Tull’s early drummer, Clive Bunker. Love Pink Floyd but I don’t think Mason belongs on the Mt. Rushmore. Only because there are so many to chose from. I’m not a big Moon fan for some of the very reasons you listed. I think we could swap out Mason or Moon for Ian Paice. Agree with Bonzo. He is the Jupiter/Zeus of Percussive History.
Good List, I can agree with them all in any order and Bonham always gets 1 .. Pocaro played with Boz Scaggs for a while also and Boz probably is responsible in part for Toto since they all played in his band .... Jim Gordan the drummer of Derek and The Dominoes was a top drummer .. Listen to his work on George Harrison All Things Must Pass album..
