# Best Drum solo... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748 "2004-04-19T01:28:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![remisser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@remisser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/remisser)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/1 "2004-04-19T01:28:24Z")
I haven’t heard any real great drum solos in songs – can anyone suggest a track with the best drum solo? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/2 "2004-04-19T01:34:00Z")
Iron Butterfly, “Inn gadda da vida” Of course, “The descent to Neibelheim” from Das Rheingold ain’t bad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/3 "2004-04-19T01:49:36Z")
There’s too many to pick the best, but Bonzo’s _Moby Dick_ effort is a classic. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/4 "2004-04-19T01:51:51Z")
This would be better suited to **Cafe Society**. I’ll move it on over for you, Veb ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/5 "2004-04-19T01:58:40Z")
Charlie Adams has a damned good one on Yanni Live at the Acropolis. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/6 "2004-04-19T02:00:54Z")
[Gene Krupa](http://www.angelfire.com/mac/keepitlive/drummers/krupa.htm) Krupa was one of the first to play drums as a solo instrument and was with Benny Goodman when they played Carnegie Hall in 1938, and allegedly blew the audience away. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/7 "2004-04-19T02:08:33Z")
Usually can’t go wrong with most Rush instrumentals. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/8 "2004-04-19T02:40:58Z")
Dave Brubeck Quartet, “Castillian Drums” (on the Carnegie Hall Live album), with Joe Morello playing an extended solo that has never been equalled on a four-piece kit. ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/9 "2004-04-19T02:50:01Z")
The King Crimson song “Red” (from the album of the same name, 1974), a young Bill Bruford rocking hard! (any drummer that uses a piece of sheet metal for a cymbal is ok in my book!, it’s that flat crash sound). Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/10 "2004-04-19T04:48:34Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > [Gene Krupa](http://www.angelfire.com/mac/keepitlive/drummers/krupa.htm) > > Krupa was one of the first to play drums as a solo instrument and was with Benny Goodman when they played Carnegie Hall in 1938, and allegedly blew the audience away. True. The concert was reissued on CD. Simple by today’s standards, but still exquisite. _Toad_ from _Fresh Cream_ is damned good. I like the live version also, but I love excess. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/11 "2004-04-19T06:08:04Z")
I’ll second Neil Peart (of Rush). More specifically, O’ Basterista. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/12 "2004-04-19T06:12:34Z")
The best drum solo is probably the one that isn’t played. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/13 "2004-04-19T07:05:39Z")
I whole-heartedly second _In A Gadda Da Vida_ (my favorite), _Moby Dick_, and _Toad_. I’d add _I’m a Man_, Chicago, Carl Palmer (ELP) solos, Michael Shreive (Santana) live solo at Woodstock. _Frankenstein_, Edgar Winter Group (not long enough though, but great complementary drumming throughout) It’s a shame though I can’t think of any solos by John Densmore or Stewart Copeland. They are both very intuitive drummers. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/14 "2004-04-19T13:19:31Z")
Buddy Rich doing West Side Story’s _Somewhere_. Fucking breathtaking. And he was pretty damn old when that was recorded. Every collection should have a copy of this. His speed and creativity are legend, but this is the greatest thing he’s ever done. The whole piece has so much energy you practically get lifted out of your seat! ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/15 "2004-04-19T13:30:30Z")
This doesn’t quite meet the criteria since it’s a drum duet. Genesis put out a video after the Mama album. At the end of \* In the Cage + the medley \* Phil Collins & Chester Thomson do a drum duet that is just awesome. It would have been a pretty good solo, but the coordination between the two plus the way they transistion to the next song (Turn it on Again) make it really good. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/16 "2004-04-19T13:35:52Z")
Anything by Neil Peart. 🙂 And I’d like to add the ever changing live solo performed by **Mike Portnoy** of **Dream Theater**. Does it even have a name? I’ve seen them live about half a dozen times, and the solo is always there, but kind of “evolves”. Much like Peart’s, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/17 "2004-04-19T14:03:18Z")
Ringo Starr. _Abbey Road_. “Carry that Weight.” 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/18 "2004-04-19T18:01:57Z")
**Bonzo’s Montreaux** from _Coda_ simply rocks my world. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/19 "2004-04-19T18:14:12Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > Usually can’t go wrong with most Rush instrumentals. Yep … “The Rhythm Method” deserves special mention. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748/20 "2004-04-19T18:46:34Z")
Fans of less traditional (or perhaps more traditional) drums might enjoy the intro and drum break from Paul Simon’s _The Obvious Child_, which features a big fat pile of African drums led by one really good drummer. The “call and response” in the bridge (and its transition back into the song) is great. Also, [b Fleetwood Mac\*\* featured **The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band** during their recording of _Don’t Stop_ on the album “The Dance,” and the breakdown at the end with the drum line is quite nice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-drum-solo/240748.md?page=2)