# Who are rock's great drummers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053 "2003-01-26T16:45:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/21 "2003-01-27T12:09:05Z")
Hawthorne, that arguement between Paice and Bonham goes back a long way, doesn’t it? In the early 70’s, you were either a Deep Purple man or a Zeppelin man and their didn’t seem to be too much middle ground. I tend to feel that Ian gets overlooked primarily because Jimmy Page’s songwriting, overall, seems to have stood the test of time better - accordingly, more people are “familiar” with Bonham’s unique drumming as a result. Interestingly, Paul McCartney had John Bonham play in his band in the 1979 album “Back to the Egg”, but he also had Ian Paice (as well as Dave Gilmour) play in his band in his tour of golden rocker tunes in 1999 or thereabouts. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/22 "2003-01-27T12:11:18Z")
**Rick Allen** at least deserves a mention, for overcoming such a severe handicap. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/23 "2003-01-27T13:00:10Z")
I gotta second/third Dave Grohl. Listen to Smells Like Teen Spirit and tell me that that isn’t some of the greatest drumming ever pur on record. and of course, **Echo** from Echo and the Bunnymen. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/24 "2003-01-27T14:20:14Z")
Stu Copeland and Neil Peart. ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/25 "2003-01-27T15:22:05Z")
Mo Tucker of the Velvet Underground. ---
**Author:** ![DOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a587f6/32.png) [@DOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/26 "2003-01-27T19:34:11Z")
Dale Crover of the Melvins …and of course Neil Peart. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/27 "2003-01-27T19:48:30Z")
Charlie Watts. ---
**Author:** ![lout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@lout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lout)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/28 "2003-01-27T22:28:59Z")
John Stanier, Helmet. (What a sound!) Lars Ulrich the guy from soundgarden had his moments. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/29 "2003-01-27T22:43:24Z")
Another rabid Neil Peart fan here, but don’t forget Carl Palmer. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/30 "2003-01-27T22:46:09Z")
You know, we seldon have these kinds of discussions anymore. Back in the 7o’s and 80’s we’d “who’s the best guitar player” etc. all the time, but these days there’s such a de-emphasis on musicianship it makes me cry. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/31 "2003-01-27T23:00:12Z")
Another vote for Keith Moon and [Hal Blaine](http://www.molehillgroup.com/hal_blaine.htm) . Keith ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/32 "2003-01-28T00:31:10Z")
**Tad Hutchinson** of the Young Fresh Fellows and The Chris and Tad Show… the most amazingly entertaining live drummer I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/33 "2003-01-28T00:42:35Z")
Dave Grohl. Not only was his drumming with Nirvana amazing, but he’s proven he still has it by drumming for Queens of the Stone Age and being just as spectacular. Lars Ulrich isn’t bad, but I think his personal politics have gotten in the way of the music. I’ve always enjoyed Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains, but he may not be quite as good as some of these guys. ---
**Author:** ![lout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@lout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lout)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/34 "2003-01-28T00:57:42Z")
When I lived in Seattle, I saw/heard Young Fresh Fellows dozens of times. Thanks for reminding me. I remember one show that included YFF, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and the feature act, Screaming Trees, down in Pioneer Square. Great music, great memories. Great drumming. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/35 "2003-01-28T01:02:52Z")
No one has yet mentioned Ginger Baker? Unbelievable. Ginger Baker is to rock drumming what Jimi Hendrix is to rock guitar. Honorable mention should also go to Rick Allen of Def Leppard, if only because of what he can do with only one arm. Anyone who believes that modern drummers just blow the oldies away is just incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/36 "2003-01-28T02:06:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brianjedi \* > \*\*I’ve always enjoyed Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains, but he may not be quite as good as some of these guys. \*\* Good call Brian! Sean’s playing at the start of “No Excuses” still, to this day gives me a warm smile. And yes, the post regarding Ginger Baker is very valid. Apparently, there was some real epic emnity at the end of Cream between Ginger and Jack Bruce I understand. There’s an old drummer joke regarding Ginger - namely, what’s he got in common with canteen coffee? Answer - they both suck without cream. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/37 "2003-01-28T02:52:10Z")
[hijack]I believe that at the end of the existence of Cream, Eric, Jack, and Ginger each had their own limo because none of them could stand each other.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/38 "2003-01-28T03:35:52Z")
Has Jeff Porcaro been mentioned yet? He was a studio cat who has played on more of his fair share of rock recordings, and was the drummer for _Toto_. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/39 "2003-01-28T03:47:49Z")
Cubby. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053/40 "2003-01-28T04:01:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe K \* > Has Jeff Porcaro been mentioned yet? He was a studio cat who has played on more of his fair share of rock recordings, and was the drummer for _Toto_. And he died in a bizarre gardening accident. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-rocks-great-drummers/151053.md?page=3)