# Help me rank rock drummers ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460 "2010-03-31T15:44:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/41 "2010-07-11T01:18:46Z")
yeah Mitch Mitchell got totally left off of the list for Tommy Lee? What cracked me the fuck up was when Tommy Lee had to struggle to make the percussion section of the Nebraska band during that godawful reality show he did. Big Stewart Copeland fan as well… Ginger… Stewart… Neil bonzo… But my addition for the guess who you forgot award is… Billy Cobham… Umm anybody hear that original Mahavishnu lineup… Here’s a taste of Billy C right here… [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtSIEkPqVgk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtSIEkPqVgk) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/42 "2010-07-11T01:41:59Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > 1. Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, session man) > > You should be able to tell from this list that I like precision and discipline. Not a drummer ( or a musician at all 😉 ), but my understanding is that famously demanding ( and precise ) Frank Zappa regarded Vinnie Colaiuta as perhaps the best musician he ever worked with in terms of on-the-fly adapatability and as well his ability to sight read and play back any piece, no matter how complex. Zappa: _“A (guitar) soloist choosing to work in this odd style ultimately winds up as a hostage – he can go only as far into the ‘experimental zones’ as his rhythm section will allow him to go. The problem lies in the polyrhythms. The chances of finding a drummer, a bass player and a keyboard player who can conceive of those polyrhythms – let alone identify them fast enough to play a complementary figure on the moment, are not good. (The grand prize goes to Vinnie Colaiuta, the drummer for the band in 1978 and '79.)"_ Also Steve Vai’s little story in Colaiuta’s [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinnie_Colaiuta). ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/43 "2010-07-11T02:18:31Z")
Zombie… I must have brains… thread. Ask far as I am concerned drummers can cross musical genres better than any other musicians. That said, all I can add is Buddy Rich. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/44 "2010-07-11T02:27:16Z")
How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb? None! They have a machine that can do that now! ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/45 "2010-07-11T23:12:17Z")
Well, since we seem to have broken the rules about mentioning other drummers, I need to throw **Phil Collins** into the mix. He is my #1 drummer 6 days out of 7. He has proficiency out the wazzo, and taste and style to match. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/46 "2010-07-12T17:04:55Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > …It’s pretty hard to judge that list, Neil Peart is not a very interesting drummer, certainly not in the manner of Keith Moon… Best comment in the whole thread. I might not stop laughing for days. ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460/47 "2010-07-12T18:03:55Z")
I’m surprised that Steve Smith, once of Journey, hasn’t been mentioned. Here’s another view of rock drummers: [Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Drummers](http://www.listology.com/list/rolling-stone100-greatest-drummers) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-rank-rock-drummers/534460.md?page=2)