# Most underrated rock drummers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940 "2009-07-23T00:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/21 "2009-07-23T14:25:37Z")
Dave Mattacks. Drummed for Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, some with Jethro Tull. A very fluid drummer. ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/22 "2009-07-23T15:28:44Z")
**A.J. Pero of Twisted Sister** [http://www.vicfirth.com/artists/aj\_pero.html](http://www.vicfirth.com/artists/aj_pero.html) "Born Anthony Jude Pero in October 1959 in Staten Island NY, A.J. epitomizes the saying “born with the sticks in his hands”. A.J. received his first drum kit at the age of 3 and began taking lessons shortly thereafter. A.J. was invited to perform as a solo artist on the Mike Douglas show at age seven, and he brought the house down! At 10, he played the Jerry Lewis Telethon with two other talented young performers, covering songs from jazz icons Charlie Parker and Dave Brubeck. At age 11, A.J. was asked to join a college jazz band to fill in for a drummer who had broken their leg. A.J. went on a three week tour of Europe with this ensemble, during which he won 3 gold medals at the Paris Jazz Festival for the best performance as a drummer…" Dude also took lessons from Gene Krupa and back in the 80s was known by his peers as the best double bass drummer in rock. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/23 "2009-07-23T16:15:04Z")
Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips. He’s like the bastard love child of John Bonham and Keith Moon, who grew up listening to Neil Peart. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/24 "2009-07-23T16:44:54Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > Dave Mattacks. Drummed for Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, some with Jethro Tull. A very fluid drummer. Another XTC drummer! (Nonsuch, '92) ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/25 "2009-07-23T16:51:35Z")
> [@Mike\_Fun](#): > > Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips. He’s like the bastard love child of John Bonham and Keith Moon, who grew up listening to Neil Peart. You just beat me to this one…for all the deserved plaudits the Lips get, Drozd’s drumming is rarely mentioned. I’ve rarely heard a drummer that filled up a song as well as Drozd, and considering everything else going on in their songs, that’s saying a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/26 "2009-07-23T17:32:53Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I have always been blown away by Stewart Copeland (Police) > > Both his work with The Police and his various solo gigs (Oysterhead) confirm his wealth of talent. > > I also like the fact that he was not afraid to tell Sting to “fuck off you cunt” when it was warrented… I’m a huge Copeland fan but I wouldn’t call him underrated. He’s extremely highly rated! Some others that are overlooked or overshadowed: Michael Shrieve - Santana Neil Smith - Alice Cooper Chad Smith - Red Hot Chilli Peppers Allan White -Yes Mike Bordin - Faith No More Clive Burr and Nicko McBrain - both Iron Maiden drummers. Alex Van Halen Most of all, probably Ron Wilson of The Safaris. Genius! ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/27 "2009-07-23T17:51:41Z")
Jon Theodore. I really only know him from The Mars Volta, and only the first two albums at that, but he is really, really good on those. I’m not usually one to pick out the drums in songs, so to be able to get me to take notice and just ‘wow’ at the drumming, I guess he’s got to be doing some right there. > [@Sparky812](#): > > Mike Bordin - Faith No More It is because of him specifically that I think FNM’s cover of \*War Pigs \*is by far and away the best version of that song. Much love to Ozzy, but I have a hard time even listening to the original anymore, just because I want/expect to hear Bordin’s drumming. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/28 "2009-07-23T18:06:29Z")
**B.J. Wilson** of Procol Harum - Outstanding creativity, taste and swing, and he could rock like hell–check out the cowbell classic “Whisky Train.” He was one of **the** greatest rock drummers, but was barely known to the general public. **Clive Bunker** of Jethro Tull. Tull has always had brilliant drummers, and they’ve always been overshadowed by the guy with the flute, but Clive in particular never got the recognition he deserved. He was the powerhouse behind the first four Tull albums, including _Aqualung_. **Michael Giles** - King Crimson (first two albums only) **Andy McCullough** - Greenslade, King Crimson’s _Lizard_ **John Marshall** - Soft Machine ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940/29 "2009-07-23T18:52:05Z")
**Dallas Taylor** from CSN/CSNY. Fits in so perfectly with everything on those early albums and really moved the songs along. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-underrated-rock-drummers/503940.md?page=1)