Bonzo is probably my pick!
some others that i love and have seen live:
Matt Abts (Gov’t Mule)
Steve Gorman (Black Crowes)
I would have to vote for 1,3,and 6 from Slipknot. (hope I got the numbers right) Not very technical but still amazing to see live. Very powerful and moving.
I would vote Vinnie Paul of Pantera over Lars Ulrich any day!
Phil Collins deserves a lot of credit for the diversity of his work. He played progressive rock with Genesis, jazz fusion with Brand X, hard rock with Robert Plant, R & B flavored pop as a solo artist… how many drummers could play all those styles so well?
I’ve admired a lot of Bill Bruford’s work with Yes and King Crimson, too.
And when it comes to soloing… well, 99% of the time, I HATE drum solos. Most of the time, when the drummer starts a solo, I go to get a Coke, or to buy a t-shirt, or to use the men’s room. To date, I’ve seen only two drummers who were capable soloists: Neil Peart of Rush (who was pretty good) and Carl Palmer, then of Asia (who was nothing less than phenomenal!).
Well, Mouthbreather and Kyomara stole my thunder. Mack’s list is required reading, and very well done.
I saw Mac playing with P.W. Long a few years ago. I heard he quit Jesus Lizard because of the touring schedule. Damon was a freakin monster. His kit was the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever seen, but he worked it like no other.
There are two huge ommisions to this list, however.
Joey Baron is the Krupa/Rich of our generation. This man should be on the cover of Modern Drummer once a year. He can play in any style, at any speed, effortlessly. His snare work is impecable. Check out his work with John Zorn, particularly Naked City or Masada. He also has some excellent solo albums as well.
Doug Scharin, ex June of 44, now fronting the fusion induced HiM. If you like the power of che, check this guy out. More refined, more control (which isn’t necessarily good all the time…).
Didn’t Don Henley play drums for the Eagles? I’d say for the body of his work he’d have to rate pretty well against all that have been mentioned.
Ginger Baker my favorite. One third of a true power trio in his days with Cream.
Ben Wolford from Jive Turkey.
Whoo-hoo! There, happy Ben? You guys got the publicity you wanted. teeheehee
-Syko
“My cat’s breath smells like cat food.” - Ralph Wiggum
Many of the drummers here are very good, but I’d like to add two more.
John Otto from Limp Bizkit. Now, I am not an LB fan but Otto puts out some of the most amazingly complex beats and rythms on a drum set that I’ve heard. They are, however, fairly repetitive. I’d love to hear him teamed with Tom Morello from Rage and see what they could come up with.
Also, I’d like to bring up Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighter fame. Simply amazing. His fills don’t just mark transitions in the music like 90% of drummers out there, but usually add a lot to what the guitar line is trying to do. One of the few rock drummers around today who actually understands the word “dynamics.” His set on “Everlong” is one of my favorite drum pieces in music.
Of all the drummers I’ve seen, I’d have to say Ginger Baker was the most impressive. You can’t imagine the anticipation you felt as you watched his roadies nail his kit to the stage before Cream took the stage. His solos were just jaw-dropping. Unfortunately this opened the door for every drummer to demand a solo no matter how good they were. Well I suppose it gave the rest of the band a chance to go offstage and get high or something.
Billy Cobham with the Mahavishnu Orchestra had an incredible precision that I’ve seen matched only by a few. As far as precision, I think you could set the atomic clock by Simon Phillips. Terry Bozzio is also someone you have to see live.
Keith Moon and Bonzo were impressive, but often a bit over the top and sometimes sloppy.
Carter Beauford is very enjoyable to watch. I’m glad Stewart Copeland is on tour again. He’s another one you have to see live.
I agree that Jim Keltner needs to be included here and so does Kenny Aronoff.
Now who plays the best cowbell?
Best cowbell? Jimmy Miller. Played some of the most memorable cowbell in rock history. 
Fibonacci, who is Stewart Copeland touring with, and where?
I have not had the pleasure of seeing Don Cab in concert (and now it seems they have broken up…), but some pictures I checked out on the internet show that Damon’s set has pairs of identical tom toms. Can anyone hazard a guess as to the advantages of this? Simple loudness?
Ich Bin’s, what did Damon’s set include when you saw him? And what was the show like, man?
Aynsley Dunbar - he’s played with Mayall, Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Zappa, Ian Hunter, Jefferson Starship, Lou Reed and others who escape me now. Done well by all of 'em, too!
Well done Mack! Particular props to you for mentioning Trilok Gurtu (IMHO the best there is).
I’m surprised Bruford hasn’t been mentioned more.
I must admit, I have nothing to add to your list. Unless we can find a place to put Future Man of the Flecktones, and I’m sure the controversy is obvious.
Here’s where & when:
http://www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall.pl?By=Artist&Content=oysterhead&StartSearch.x=24&StartSearch.y=10
Mitch Mitchell
John Bonham
Stewart Copeland
Bill Bruford
Neil Peart
Mitch Mitchell is amazing and is way too over looked.
hardly any of you are mentioning Jimmy Chamberlin. have you not heard of him?
I know who he is. He is probably the most talented of all the Smashing Pumpkins, and he is a very solid drummer, but he’s not fantastic. JMO, of course.
I know it’s been said, but I have to vote again for Mitchell. Jimi was so smart to get these guys for his band. Now that’s a BAND, in which each member is a truly integral part of adding up to the whole, as opposed to so many bands that have lost lost members without many people noticing.
Also on that topic, the Who, Rush, the Beatles, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some.
I’m sure that Ringo Starr is a very nice man. I’d love to have him over for dinner. But I wouldn’t want him drumming for my rock band.
I recall that Muhammad Ali once said “My dog can play better drums than he (Ringo) can.” So I guess I’m an idiot for thinking that the drumming on Abbey Road was brilliant. I can live with that
If non-rock drummers count, I’d submit Carlinhos Brown and Tito Puente too.
What about that fat guy who played for the guy who did “You Know What I Mean?”
Ringo’s stuff on Plastic Ono Band is nasty and mean. Can’t be beat. If it WAS Ringo.