Hey rock/metalheads, which bands do you think consistently make or made the best use of multiple percussionists?
Jim O’Rourke’s “Therefore I Am” has some pretty great multi-tracked drumming. Hard to hear on a YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yssil4Jhzjw) but worth checking out for your “percussion in stereo” query.
Santana.
In my opinion, Frank Zappa. The use of percussion is incredible - mallets playing melody or accompaniment, sound effects for tone colour, occasional groove support, frequent poly-rhythmic dialogues with the kit drummer. Whether we’re speaking of Ruth Underwood or Ed Mann, there was some fantastic playing going on in the back of those bands…
'Nuther vote for Zappa.
Allman and Doobie Bros. bands
Adam and the Ants. Not a large catalog of albums before Adam went out on his own, but they made some very loud drum-driven tunes.
I’d have to say the Grateful Dead, Zappa, Santana and moe.
The Melvins did one album, A Senile Animal, using two drummers (in fact they subsumed a whole band, Big Business), and the effect is pretty awesome. 'Course, everything the Melvins do is awesome, so no surprise there.
Of course, Zappa.
But I have some other favorites to add to the list:
Butthole Surfers ruled. They just ruled.
Rovo is an oft-unnoticed band started by former Boredoms’ guitarist and his fiddle playing friend.
Course of Empire is a band that I saw live twice, about 10 years apart. They were great both times. They’re another band in the “too bad they never quite caught on” category.
Edgar Winter Group. Frankenstein. Game, Set, Match…
In that vein, Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band.
I agree with most of the above. The standard for two drummers in rock has to be The Allman Brothers. I’m especially partial to Santana for its brilliance in their range of percussion. That sound brought them to almost instant fame.
I’ve been to numerous all-percussion concerts with 50 or more instruments on stage, so I know how many different sounds that percussion can make. It’s always surprised me that so few groups take advantage of that.
Yeah, I know that when you’re starting out each additional member means a smaller fraction of the take. Still should be a larger fraction of larger bands out there.