Best Rock Drummers

Ginger Baker ripped off, almost note for note, his famed drum solo "Toad" from of Art Blakey to the point where I'm embarrassed for him every time I listen to the song. I know many British artists did this and garnered incredible reputations for biting off blues and jazz riffs, but Baker straight-up stole his most defining recorded musical moment from an artist who did it better than he did.

I don't remember the song, but I remember vividly listening to an obscure jazz program on the radio, and as I was nodding off, I heard a Blakey solo that sounded EXACTLY like "Toad" except it was faster with much more power and precision.

Aside from the couple of years he played with Cream and Blind Faith, his influence in rock is vastly overrated.

Neil Peart-yes, but there would be no Peart without Carl Palmer and Keith Moon.

Bonham I give credit for laying it down HARD-he put the "Led" in Led Zeppelin.

The above-mentioned and Stewart Copeland round out my list.

Great piece about Keith Moon by James Wood in the 11/29 issue of The New Yorker. Wood is a prominent literary critic at Harvard.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/11/29/101129fa_fact_wood

Nice call on Heidorn, Notec. I remember when he used to damp the cymbal with his foot, playing for Uncle Tupelo. And a regular and very friendly guy. John

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Although everyone tends to focus on fills and athletic solos the reality is that the main job of a drummer is to groove. It is much harder to achieve a groove instantly and consistently than it sounds - few can do it as well as the guy above.

Here is another great drummer but he often relies on a click track Dennis

Anyway these are both examples of groove masters and that is really, IMHO, what a drummer is paid for and hat defines a great drummer - and NOT the antics you see in drum solo.

Most of my "A" list has aready been cited here, but three guys who've had my attention of late because they're on records that have recently been in heavy rotation in my home/car and haven't yet been mentioned:

(Two are at the "edges" of rock, but I think they qualify.)

Winston Grennan of Kid Creole. He is often credited (along with Carlton Barrett) for developing the one drop rythm that - essentially - defines reggae. His playing is great, but it's sometimes lost in the mix because the band also features a percussionist and a vibrophonist making it a bit hard to quickly identify who is contributing what from that fantastic rythm section.

Taku Hirano of Fleetwood Mac/Lindsey Buckingham. He's the guy pounding that Japanese War Drum during Tusk. He couples interesting ideas, power and a machine-like precision that brings Bruford to mind. Again, he sometimes gets (literally) lost behind Mick Fleetwood (has he been mentioned yet?) because his kit is set up off-stage at Mac concerts.

Jean Yves Tola of 16 Horsepower. Just an eccentric player and his drumming really defines the band's sound.

Marty