# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/41 "2010-03-05T15:27:15Z")
> [@Wordman](#): > > - Watts and Wyman without mentioning Keef is just incomplete; especially because their whole formula is about creating the full “sentence” of a riff where each player fills in their word at the right time. I thought of that, but since the rhythm section is generally considered to be bass and drums, I didn’t. Also, Keith gets plenty of attention, while Wyman gets criminally little, so I took it upon myself to right a wrong. > [@Wordman](#): > > A rhythm section is whatever engine makes the music move forward… The whole band had better make the music move forward, or you haven’t got much of a band. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/42 "2010-03-05T15:56:11Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I assume this is some kind of esoteric joke as _The Black Keys_ have no bass player, being only guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. More like: I was just trying to think of bands who can crank out groovy grooves that make me shake my ass, which makes driving difficult at times. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/43 "2010-03-05T17:52:06Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > A rhythm section is whatever engine makes the music move forward… Hence the difference between “best rock rhythm sections” and “best rock drummers and bass players.” Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s names often come up on lists of great bassists/drummers respectively, but it’s no surprise to me that they haven’t been mentioned in this thread, I guess because Paul’s more melodic than rhythmic as a bass player, and because you don’t really think of them working together as a “section.” ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/44 "2010-03-05T18:20:21Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > The whole band had better make the music move forward, or you haven’t got much of a band. Welcome to the world of being in a band 😉 What you are saying is actually not correct - by that I mean that there are three flavors of player: - Rhythm players - Lead players who sit on top of the music - Yngwie-type lead players, and many/most vocalists fit into this category. Some bass players and drummers actually play this way - when you get somebody who plays lead bass (and isn’t John Entwhistle) or a drum who lives for the fill… - Lead players who work within the groove - folks like Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eddie Van Halen are known for their “flow” - i.e., their ability to move back and forth between chords and lead work while still holding down the groove. This is hard. ETA: **Auction Barn Messiah** (great username, btw) - Larry Graham is a god. Definitely on the Mt. Rushmore of bassists and **NoCoolUserName**? You hold up U2 as a great rhythm section with a lousy vocalist when I would argue that their weakest point by far is their rhythm section, but YMMV… ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/45 "2010-03-05T21:54:05Z")
Jack Casady & Spencer Dryden followed by, in no particular order: John Entwhistle & Keith Moon Charlie Watts & anybody Paul & Ringo Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, & Jaimoe ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/46 "2010-03-05T22:06:23Z")
> [@Auction\_Barn\_Messiah](#): > > Moon & Entwistle as best drums & bass duo? I can understand that one. But the Who’s _rhythm section_ was Pete Townshend … 90% of the time, at least. That is exactly correct. I almost said the same thing. Also, another vote for Bruford & Levin. . ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/47 "2010-03-05T22:14:41Z")
What? No love for Dave Hartman and Mary Huff? I agree with the folk who have distinguished between best instrumentalists as opposed to best "rhythm section. I’m a bassist, and have been a HUGE fan of Rush, the Who, Queen, and more. Fantastic drummers and bassists to be sure. But in my mind, the strongest "rhythm sections are the ones where drums and bass work together as an unstoppable force, driving the music. Billy Blough and Jeff Simon behind George Thorogood. The revolving cast in the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Those are the types of rhythm sections that make my heart stop. Unfortunately, guys who are just incredibly tight and solid tend not to end up as household names… ---
**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 5, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/48 "2010-03-05T23:29:36Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Dude - oy. We have an annual strat planning meeting coming up next week and all materials had to go out this week. I am just coming up for air. ☹ I wanna work where you do! I could talk about Stratocaster planning all MONTH and not get bored! Is it too late to get on the Les Paul sub-committee? ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/49 "2010-03-05T23:43:51Z")
César Bustamante (bass) / Jorge Durand - Arturo Creamer (drums) for Frágil (Peru) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zAc3LK__4dA/hqdefault.jpg "Fràgil - Oda al Tulipan") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAc3LK__4dA) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/50 "2010-03-06T11:50:46Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I wanna work where you do! I could talk about Stratocaster planning all MONTH and not get bored! > > Is it too late to get on the Les Paul sub-committee? Wouldn’t it be great if we could discussing “Strat” planning instead that pesky company strategy? I’d be all over it. But you, my snowboarding friend, have no idea how much you’d want to join the meeting - its retreat being held in Vail, Colorado… 😉 ---
**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 6, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/51 "2010-03-06T20:38:58Z")
To the pain! If I was being paid to be in Vail there is no way I wouldn’t hit the slopes. I’d do the bare minimum necessary for the job and then be out practicing my stuarts and shit. 😃 OTOH, I’ll prolly be kayaking on the Colorado while your in Vail… and it’s already warm here… mmmmmm sunshine. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096/52 "2010-03-07T04:54:53Z")
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, so here are a few outliers that came to mind… Frantz/Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) Buckler/Foxton (The Jam) Chambers/Farndon (Pretenders) Morton/Steele (The [English] Beat) Taylor/Taylor (Duran Duran) Thompson/Taylor (Power Station) Thompson/Edwards (Chic, but did tons of session work on more “rock” oriented acts) Calhoun/Skillings, then Calhoun/Wimbish (Living Colour) Hirst/Gifford, then Hirst/Hillman (Midnight Oil) Berry/Mills (R.E.M.) Chambers/Moulding (early XTC) I had to think hard about this one, as I had a hard time figuring out if it was the band that I liked or the rhythm section proper… but I am at peace with it. Headon/Simonon (The Clash) (I see on preview that **Bo** already nominated The Clash… phew!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-rhythm-sections/531096.md?page=2)