# Drums at the forefront of a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361 "2011-05-26T21:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/21 "2011-05-27T11:15:20Z")
The Mountain Goats [New Monster Avenue](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhg6gjcw3OQ). More surprising because of Darnielle’s spare use of percussion at all. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/22 "2011-05-27T11:40:28Z")
The Association - [Requiem for the Masses](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTUJbn_eKA) ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/23 "2011-05-27T12:09:45Z")
I guess it depends on what genres you like. Of course, as previously mentioned, there’s the classic greats Neil Peart(Rush), Stewart Copeland (Police) , Alex Van Halen, Keith Moon(Who), John Bohnam (Led Zep), or Nicko MacBrain (Iron Maiden) If you’re looking for “newer” high energy drummers, maybe Joey Jordison, Travis Barker, Shannon Larkin, or The “Rev” James Sullivan. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/24 "2011-05-27T12:39:32Z")
[This](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1436468/a/Flyin%27+Traps.htm) is a great compilation album of songs featuring drummers from a number of big and little alternative bands in the '90s. Or > [@](#): > > Masterminded by Redd Kross’ Brian Reitzell, Flyin’ Traps is a celebration of rock drumming similar in spirit to the solo records of Hal Blaine or Sandy Nelson. Moving the drums and percussion to the front of the mix, the record not only spotlights the often-overlooked importance of drummers, but also allows players like Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron, the Jesus Lizard’s Mac McNeilly and the Screaming Trees’ Barrett Martin to step out from behind their kits to reveal their other musical talents. The results are often excellent, ranging from surf (the Fastbacks’ Mike Musburger’s “Noodles”) to worldbeat (Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins’ “Monkey to Brazil”) to evocatively gorgeous soundcapes (the Flaming Lips’ Steven Drzod’s “Headphone Theme From Seeming Infinity”). My favorite track is the last one in that paragraph – “Headphones Theme from Seemingly Infinity”. Danny Carey from Tool is another phenomenal drummer. I don’t have speakers at work here to find a particularly good example, but any song off of the Tool album _Lateralus_ would show you how his drumming is the backbone and peripheral skeleton of their music. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/25 "2011-05-27T12:50:47Z")
Gus’s song [“Summerday”](javascript:amz\_js\_PopWin(‘/gp/recsradio/radio/B00000I8KR/ref=pd\_krex\_dp\_001\_002?ie=UTF8&track=002&disc=001’,winName,winArgs);void(0)😉 has a really great drummer throughout the whole song who changes it up while maintaining a constant theme. (I know, it’s a relatively obscure song, but worth hunting down). There’s also the aussie band [Big Pig](http://www.amazon.com/Bonk-Big-Pig/dp/B000007TX2/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpt_1)who comprised mostly of percussionists. They had a minor hit in the US with “Breakaway” which was in _Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure._ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/26 "2011-05-27T12:51:39Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > There’s the old Adam and the Ants stuff (the band, not solo), if you can get past the craziness (which I loved as a teen) the double drum set and Marco’s guitar is pretty great music. I still love the craziness! Their early stuff (before Ant Rap, which was atrocious) is fantastic. [The most drummy of all their songs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtxuPqjSJDc) or is it [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT27A6Sa10k)? Double drumkit FTW. ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/27 "2011-05-27T13:07:00Z")
[“The Drumming Song”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAYbVkSVKZY) - Florence and the Machine [“Suck”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wvLwq-_GwM) - Pigface [“Jesus Christ Pose”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14r7y6rM6zA) - Soundgarden [“Percussion Gun”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PP1grQf3tY) - White Rabbits [“Killer In the Home”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfoVcWKO-mA) - Adam and the Ants [“My Hero”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWRaAF6_WY) - Foo Fighters [“Scentless Apprentice”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEhIu4vtSIQ) - Nirvana [“Power and the Passion”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pKPNnk-JhE) - Midnight Oil [“When the Levee Breaks”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrjRKB586s) - Led Zeppelin And of course: [“In the Air Tonight”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=manxPVTLth8) - Phil Collins ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/28 "2011-05-27T13:25:37Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I think that the Who’s [“The Kids are alright”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF99m4wGgqw) is classic example of a drum driven song. Moon basically is the lead instrumentalist on this (of course, what makes many Who songs so great is the permanent battle between Townshend, Entwhistle and Moon for the lead, but in this case Keith clearly wins). In addition, I suggest “The Real Me”. Again though that is a bun-fight between drums and bass (and one of the greatest intros ever!) ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/29 "2011-05-27T13:31:10Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > There’s the old Adam and the Ants stuff (the band, not solo), if you can get past the craziness (which I loved as a teen) the double drum set and Marco’s guitar is pretty great music. The Ants part reformed, without Adam, as Bow Wow Wow and kept the drums at the front. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/30 "2011-05-27T13:31:40Z")
Crosby, Stills, & Nash [Ohio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xos7-vEWsxg). The lyrics even talk of drumming. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/31 "2011-05-27T13:40:02Z")
Mind you I do have tickets to see [Iannis Xenakis Pleiades](http://www.cityrecitalhall.com/events/id/1043/Iannis-Xenakis-Pleiades/) - all 4 movements. Part of one can be seen [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OqTYkLWCLA). ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/32 "2011-05-27T15:04:06Z")
> [@Dietrich\_K](#): > > And of course: > > [“In the Air Tonight”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=manxPVTLth8) - Phil Collins Or even better “I Don’t Care Anymore” ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/33 "2011-05-27T15:12:38Z")
“[Take Five](http://boards.straightdope.com/wiki/Take_Five)” and “[Blue Rondo à la Turk](http://boards.straightdope.com/wiki/Blue_Rondo_%C3%A0_la_Turk)” also Unsquare Dance. Joe Morello with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Just great drumming. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/34 "2011-05-27T15:13:26Z")
From playing drums on Rock Band, I like: [Dead Weather - Hang you from the Heavens](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYWdRpM6Tp8) [Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fekz7QEhWCM) [The Who - Young Man Blues](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJCXpFy0E5s) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/35 "2011-05-27T15:18:42Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > There’s also the aussie band [Big Pig](http://www.amazon.com/Bonk-Big-Pig/dp/B000007TX2/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpt_1)who comprised mostly of percussionists. They had a minor hit in the US with “Breakaway” which was in _Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure._ I found the video on Youtube and was going to add it to the list, because it has some footage of a big corps of drummers…but the song itself isn’t all that drummy… How about we cut to the chase and go with [Drumming](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USRGNr17Jm4)by minimalist composer Steve Reich? I got your drums-at-the-forefront, polyrhythmic percussion right here. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/36 "2011-05-27T15:37:01Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I found the video on Youtube and was going to add it to the list, because it has some footage of a big corps of drummers…but the song itself isn’t all that drummy… That song probably isn’t their best example, try Nation. (I’m not entirely sure if the link works). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/37 "2011-05-27T15:53:55Z")
[Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum.](http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Drum-Mickey-Hart/dp/B0000009O6) ETA: > [@](#): > > “It had long been a dream of mine to bring together great drummers from around the world to make a recording based entirely on percussion,” says Hart. " In 1991, that dream became reality." For the companion recording to his second book, Mickey Hart drew upon the stellar musical friendships he had made over several decades to make real his dream of a percussion masterwork, blending the talents and native instruments of percussion giants from five traditions into a celebratory classic. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/38 "2011-05-27T16:47:46Z")
If you are OK with art-rock, Bill Bruford contributed a lot of interesting percussion to the King Crimson albums he was on, particularly _Larks’ Tongues in Aspic_, on which he was joined by mad percussionist Jamie Muir. In the jazz realm, Max Roach led a group called _M’Boom_ consisting entirely of percussionists. I think there are a number of Beatles songs on which Ringo’s drumming is an important part of the overall sound; “A Day in the Life” comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/39 "2011-05-27T16:54:21Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I think there are a number of Beatles songs on which Ringo’s drumming is an important part of the overall sound; “A Day in the Life” comes to mind. [The End](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_8F6gflxQ) is another good one. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361/40 "2011-05-27T17:30:37Z")
I find the drums in [Misfit Love by QOTSA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYw0KhwXdAY) pretty sweet. These guys are touring with Pearl Jam this year along with Mudhoney. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drums-at-the-forefront-of-a-song/583361.md?page=3)