Mike Portnoy is often mentioned on those "MOST OVERRATED" topics. He has a fame coming from DT, for his "easily understandable, mimicable progressive grooves and fills" among young drummers.
MP's forum has always been the hottest among drummers' personal website, why is he underrated?
For phil selway, I really have something to say.
I used to be a fanatic for radiohead. But i found that phil is just lucky to get his bread and butter for playing for Radiohead. His skills really does not match his position:
Reasons:
1.Listen to his songs just like "creep" or something, he plays the hihat sooo "stiff" that even sounds like a drum program, rather than a real human drummer playing... obviously that's what a studio newbie doing when being nervous and afraid to make mistakes.
2. on one of their 2 disk live album, i already forgot name. before a song, he plays a stick click 1-2-3-4 to set a tempo. Very easy to tell he started too fast and just slowed down at 3-4. Poor feel for tempo.
3.same albume, the live version "just" ..... holly sh!t that was a mess... poor control
4. have u ever listen to their studio version "just"? pretty cool song, i love it.
however, phil once in an interview said "just" was a song that brings him to the "top" in recording.... compared to other songs, yes, "just" is a bit more complicated. but everyone believes for ANY studio/session drummers that can be a true piece of cake. But in this track u can also feel that phil has less confident to play it with more "moving dynamics". Just another programmed machine, very nervous to "catch up" the song not to screw it up.
Why phil stays unnoticed? Becos he know as a drummer of his level, that he is already lucky enough to tour on a world level, sell millions of records.