# Best rock rhythm sections **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096 "2010-03-03T05:59:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/1 "2010-03-03T05:59:22Z")
I recently came across some of my old Rush CDs and was listening to _Fly By Night_ in the car today. It’s been a while since I listened to Rush, especially not the older, harder rock stuff, and I was struck, as I was listening to it, at how exceptional that rhythm section was. Not that I didn’t already know, I had just sort of forgotten how damn good they really were, and why I had revered that band when I was younger. Neil Peart is, in my opinion, the best rock drummer ever, and Geddy Lee is pretty near the top for bass players as well. We’ve had threads for every individual instrument, but what about whole rhythm sections? Has there ever been a better one than Rush’s? What are your favorite drums/bass combos? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/2 "2010-03-03T06:04:38Z")
The Who The Red Hot Chili Peppers Booker T. and the MG’s Led Zeppelin The Band ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/3 "2010-03-03T06:25:36Z")
Cream… GInger and Jack… they may have hated each other…but damn it was good… SLy and Robbie… sweet… honorable mention Sting and Stewart… (driven to tears…) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/4 "2010-03-03T06:29:37Z")
In R&R, there are a bunch of great ones, but frankly I don’t think anyone can touch **Minutemen**. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/5 "2010-03-03T13:47:04Z")
Definitely the Who. Rock’s best drummer teamed with rock’s best bassist. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/6 "2010-03-03T14:13:42Z")
Fleetwood Mac - Mick Fleetwood/John McVie ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/7 "2010-03-03T14:43:12Z")
The Grateful Dead - with or without Mickey Hart, although I prefer with. The Allman Brothers The Funk Brothers (Motown) ---
**Author:** ![Mllz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Mllz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mllz)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/8 "2010-03-03T14:44:32Z")
For my money, the best rhythm section in rock belongs to Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Bruce Thomas on bass, Pete Thomas on drums. The difference in sheer rhythmic power between Costello’s first album (My Aim is True; without them) and what followed (This Years Model and the next several after that) is pretty incredible. They really _made_ his music. Honorable mention: Billy Cox/Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix, Cry of Love. Billy Cox/Buddy Miles was no slouch combo either) Also agree strongly with **Snowboarder Bo’s** pick of the Minutemen and **Sam Stone’s** Booker T and the MGs (can’t really argue with Zep or The Band either). Terrific stuff. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/9 "2010-03-03T14:46:58Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Fleetwood Mac - Mick Fleetwood/John McVie This is the one I came here to post. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/10 "2010-03-03T15:26:36Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > This is the one I came here to post. They’ve got to at least be contenders, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/11 "2010-03-03T15:44:46Z")
Early Echo and the Bunnymen ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/12 "2010-03-03T16:13:48Z")
Led Zeppelin would be my first choice, but I would also nominate **The Smiths** , **The Police** , and **The Stone Roses**. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/13 "2010-03-03T16:46:09Z")
Queen – Roger Taylor on drums, John Deacon on bass. ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/14 "2010-03-03T17:30:04Z")
W/all respect to the other greats mentioned I gotta go w/ Zeppelin. As much as I’m a huge Who fan & loved Moonie & Entwistle, they were both kinda lead instrumentalists, & while arguably the best at them, as a “section” Jones & Bonham I think kept time & seemed to lock in better. Doesn’t really seem fair to include the Funk Brothers, by far the best but a different style of music. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/15 "2010-03-03T17:34:27Z")
Okay, I’ll do the obvious: Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/16 "2010-03-03T17:41:05Z")
Bill Bruford and Chris Squire in the 1969-72 Yes lineups. Then Bruford with John Wetton in the 1972-74 King Crimson. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/17 "2010-03-03T17:41:38Z")
Bill Bruford and Chris Squire. Or Bill Bruford and Tony Levin. Thing is, even though I don’t much like jazz, I know that the msuicianship in the jazz worldtends to be a helluva lot better than in the rock world. Christian Macbride and Antonio Sanchez, from Pat Metheny’s trio, are a MUCH better rhythm section than any I’ve heard in rock. They just aren’t as much fun as, say, Butler and Ward, or Jones and Bonham, or even McCartney and Starr. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/18 "2010-03-03T17:45:27Z")
Pentti Glan and Prakash John were pretty solid backing Lou Reed and Alice Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/19 "2010-03-03T17:47:52Z")
Okay, I waited long enough: AC/DC Parliament/Funkadelic James Brown’s backing band The Clash Clutch Devo Electric Wizard Gang Of Four Helmet (first 3 albums only) Kyuss Mammal Mastodon Slayer The Stooges Stormtroopers of Death Zeke There are a lot of bands with good, even great rhythm sections, but these are all bands that not only keep time, the rhythms practically force your ass to start shaking (or in the case of Slayer & SOD: your head to start banging). They are so tight that a piece of paper couldn’t get wedged into the groove unless the band wanted it there. Not just lockstepped, but almost a fusion of people into a multi-headed monster of meters. Good times! But I still maintain that **Minutemen** had the most challenging rhythms, the most delirious grooves, and the tightest sound ever recorded. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/20 "2010-03-03T18:23:57Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Okay, I waited long enough: > > AC/DC > Parliament/Funkadelic > James Brown’s backing band > The Clash > Clutch > Devo > Electric Wizard > Gang Of Four > Helmet (first 3 albums only) > Kyuss > Mammal > Mastodon > Slayer > The Stooges > Stormtroopers of Death > Zeke > > There are a lot of bands with good, even great rhythm sections, but these are all bands that not only keep time, the rhythms practically force your ass to start shaking (or in the case of Slayer & SOD: your head to start banging). They are so tight that a piece of paper couldn’t get wedged into the groove unless the band wanted it there. Not just lockstepped, but almost a fusion of people into a multi-headed monster of meters. Good times! > > But I still maintain that **Minutemen** had the most challenging rhythms, the most delirious grooves, and the tightest sound ever recorded. I love this list - and am stuck in meetings all day. No time to add :mad: There was[this old thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=447775)on Who vs. Zep where the rhythm sections were explored a bit… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096.md?page=2)