The local rock station was sponsoring a pay-for-play special. You pledge some money to go to charity and they will play your song for you.
Well someone requested Iron Butterfly’s Inna Godda Da Vida (sp?) in its entirety and I figured this has to be one of the longest recorded drum solos.
Then I got to thinking that it isn’t the longest.
I would think that the solo from 100,000 Years from the Kiss Alive! album has got to be the longest though it has been literally, decades since I last heard it.
Is there another one that is longer?
O.K. briefly, as for the best, I still have to give the nod to Ringo’s solo on the Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End medley since unlike the two other songs mentioned, happens to actually be part of a GOOD song.
I’ve heard that John Bonham wailed on the drums for an extremely long time (an hour? probably exaggerated) when he played Moby Dick live.
Also, Chad Sexton from 311 extends the drum solo in Applied Science for a pretty long time when he plays it live. So long, in fact, that the other members of the band usually leave the stage for several minutes.
Oh yea, and as for the best…I guess I would probably say this one. If any of you have ever seen 311 live you know what I’m talking about. The last time I saw them they rolled 3 big floor drums out on stage and the rest of the band played along with him for quite awhile. But then, is that really a “solo”?
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**Live performances truly showcased his abilities during the numerous improvised jams throughout every concert and of course his famous “Moby Dick” drum solo; reaching a half-hour in length at times! **
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It’s going to be pretty hard to conclusively beat that. I’ve seen Chad Sexton play for quite a long time but 30 minutes is an incredibly long time to be out there banging away on the drums by yourself. I’m assuming solo performers whose main attraction is that they play the drums don’t count.
I have a Phish bootleg that has a drum duo between Jon Fishman and Carter Beauford (sp?) from The Dave Matthews Band. Not the longest I’ve ever heard, but definately the best.
Also ‘drums’ When Mickey and Bill from the Grateful Dead would do their solos lasted pretty long sometimes.
peace,
JB
You haven’t misremembered. It’s on both “Live at the Fillmore” and “Wheels of Fire”. These versions of “Toad” are a bit over 16 minutes, most of which is Baker’s drum solo - it may be shorter than some of the other examples, but I might be prepared to suggest that it’s better, and in the running for “best”. A shorter version was recorded on an earlier album.
Don’t know how long it runs (and my turntable is on the fritz, or I’d time it and see) but Carl Palmer’s solo from Karn Evil 9 on Welcome Back My Friends to the Show that Neer Ends, Ladies and Gentlemen, Emerson Lake and Palmer is a pretty long one (and interesting to listen to, as Carl recreates the sound of a train pulling out of a station).
My favorite is Gene Krupa’s driving beat in the Benny Goodman classic “Sing, Sing, Sing (with a swing)”. Especially the rendition on Live at Carnegie Hall. For those of you who have never heard it, it is worth the price of the CD just for that tune.
Expect the worst, that way you’re never disappointed.
How about Neil Peart’s “The Rhythm Method” off of more than one Rush concert album? A admit it’s not THE best and it’s not THE longest (a little under 10 minutes, I think)…but it’s a damn good drum solo.
Well, I might end up flamed or mocked for some sort of all-time most pointless post, but here goes.
There is a brilliant world-beating quartet called ‘Flook’ whom many would describe as playing ‘folk music’. Actually, their skill and ability transcends any easy categorisation, so even if the term ‘folk music’ normally has you reaching for the instant ejector seat, you’d love ‘Flook’. Anyway, one of the four (John Joe Kelly) plays the single-skin drum called a bodhran. During most ‘Flook’ shows he eventually gets 5-10 minutes to himself to play a bodhran solo. So, that’s one man, with one flat single-skin drum and one leather ‘beater’ with which to play it. Not much you could with that, huh? That’s what I would have said, but this guy is simply stunning. His skill simply leaves one stupefied with disbelief, and his solo turn is as musical, as thrilling, as exciting, as enchanting and as sensitive as any music I’ve ever heard in my 40-odd years of listening to rock, pop, classical, swing, jazz, cabaret and film music.
So he gets my vote. Of course, most of you will have never heard of ‘Flook’ and will never get the chance to experience what I’m on about, hence the pointlessness, but he still gets my vote.
Neil Peart also did a long drum solo on Rush’s first live album (that dates me eh?) entitled “All the World’s a Stage” but for the life of me I cannot remember the song. Excellent solo. That was back when Rush was hungry!
Towards the end of the era of Cream, they released a 3-album set of solo work from each of the band members. It was terribly difficult to find, but I managed to locate the 3rd album, which is basically a full 2 sides of drum solos by Ginger Baker. I think if I ever wanted to torture someone, I’d lock them in a room and play this album in a loop for days on end.
WIPEOUT? Hell, I could do the drum solo on wipeout (and did, back when I was the drummer for my highschool’s jazz band). It’s basically nothing but straight 16th notes with wandering accents (although most of them fall on the beat), and the occasional shift to one of the toms. No big deal for most drummers.
