Best Drummer Ever

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Drago

Legendary Member
cosy powell ?

Great drummer, crap driver.
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Interesting that.
I used to enjoy them, particularly Mike Smith.
Apparently Clarke was a good drummer but didn't actually drum on records till 1966 as has was too busy directing things.
Also (according to what I just read) he was ruthless eg none of the "members**" had any say, or any contracts as he literally controlled everything........ **members were session only.
I still enjoyed them^_^
 

MntnMan62

Über Member
Location
Northern NJ
Responding to the OP's post, I will say I like Jim Gordon. After all he did play on some great Zappa tunes on the Grand Wazoo and the title track on Apostrophe. But the best ever? Nah. This thread is up my alley because I'm a drummer and have been for 45 years. I've listened to lots and lots of drummers over those years. To try and identify one single person as The Best is a huge undertaking. And it's arguably impossible. But, for the sake of this thread I'll put in my two cents and say that to me the best ever is Vinnie Colaiuta. Why? Because he can quite literally play anything. He's firmly implanted in the jazz realm. He mastered rock and roll right out of the gates with Zappa. He's on country albums. Pop albums. Pretty much every genre. Even metal with Megadeath. The guy is quite literally an animal. But where he excels is with smaller groups in smaller venues. That was in full view on the video Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scotts. I love that video. Are there other drummer's who individual performances I like better than some of Colaiuta's? Sure. I absolutely love Narada Michael Walden's playing on the entire Mahavishnu Orchestra's Visions of the Emeral Beyond. Some of the most astounding drumming I've ever heard right there. But to be considered the best you have to play everything. That's Vinnie.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoQHnzHrqgE
 
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houblon

Senior Member
Responding to the OP's post, I will say I like Jim Gordon. After all he did play on some great Zappa tunes on the Grand Wazoo and the title track on Apostrophe. But the best ever? Nah. This thread is up my alley because I'm a drummer and have been for 45 years. I've listened to lots and lots of drummers over those years. To try and identify one single person as The Best is a huge undertaking. And it's arguably impossible. But, for the sake of this thread I'll put in my two cents and say that to me the best ever is Vinnie Colaiuta. Why? Because he can quite literally play anything. He's firmly implanted in the jazz realm. He mastered rock and roll right out of the gates with Zappa. He's on country albums. Pop albums. Pretty much every genre. Even metal with Megadeath. The guy is quite literally an animal. But where he excels is with smaller groups in smaller venues. That was in full view on the video Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scotts. I love that video. Are there other drummer's who individual performances I like better than some of Colaiuta's? Sure. I absolutely love Narada Michael Walden's playing on the entire Mahavishnu Orchestra's Visions of the Emeral Beyond. Some of the most astounding drumming I've ever heard right there. But to be considered the best you have to play everything. That's Vinnie.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoQHnzHrqgE

He did recruit some astonishing drummers. Add to your list Chester Thompson , Ainsley Dunbar, Chad Wackermann, Terry Bozzio...
 

graham56

Guru
Bill Ward or John Bonham
 

MntnMan62

Über Member
Location
Northern NJ
He did recruit some astonishing drummers. Add to your list Chester Thompson , Ainsley Dunbar, Chad Wackermann, Terry Bozzio...

Oh. No need to add them. They've been there for decades. I actually think Ainsley is one of the most underrated rock drummers. The stuff he did with Zappa was bad ass. Slick and grooving and classic rock and roll. I've been watching some videos of Ainsley lately with Zappa and now see where Bozzio got his style cues. Most of the videos of Ainsley are of him shirtless. Seeing those videos and then seeing Bozzio in Baby Snakes wearing a pair of black underpants, wrist bands and boots now makes sense. And when you talk about Chester, he has had long stints with Zappa, Genesis and Weather Report. That is a very difficult resume to replicate. Some great drummers there. And there are many more.
 

houblon

Senior Member
Oh. No need to add them. They've been there for decades. I actually think Ainsley is one of the most underrated rock drummers. The stuff he did with Zappa was bad ass. Slick and grooving and classic rock and roll. I've been watching some videos of Ainsley lately with Zappa and now see where Bozzio got his style cues. Most of the videos of Ainsley are of him shirtless. Seeing those videos and then seeing Bozzio in Baby Snakes wearing a pair of black underpants, wrist bands and boots now makes sense. And when you talk about Chester, he has had long stints with Zappa, Genesis and Weather Report. That is a very difficult resume to replicate. Some great drummers there. And there are many more.
And, of course, the Indian of the Group ^_^
 
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