First Influential Drummer?

Louie Bellson. First person I saw use a double bass set. I thought that was really cool and different. Then all the great progressive rock drummers of the 70's.
 
OK, this may be corny, but name first drummer that made you think "wow" (or whatever..) drums are cool..

This really dates me, but Phil Ehart of Kansas. I always thuoght my fellow 8th grade students were nuts to think Neil Peart was a better drummer simply because he appeared to drum 'faster'...

Actually, I am a born again fan of Ehart. Still with Kansas. Still pretty awesome at what he does.

Comments, quips, quibbles? Thanks and have a good day :)
Guilty as charged here...

Peart got me into drumming. I used to think of it as just a "backround" for the music. Then came the tom sawyer drum solo. Got a drum set the next day.
 
Sean Reinert (Cynic) way back when I was still playing guitar in high school.

and then more recently was Danny Carey, that sparked the interest in actually learning to play the drums.

Sean Reinert was one of my main influences to start drumming as well.
 
Mitch mitchell.

Then , of course, John Bomham made me think drums could roar and pummel the world.

But as early as I remember it was "manic Depression," and around the same time started listening to Cream and Zepplein, when was 9, and that pretty much sealed the deal.
 
Don Henley
Mick Fleetwood
Frank Beard
Vinnie Paul
Igor Cavalera
 
I remember the DAY I was inspired to play the drums.

Live After Death - Portland, OR - I was 12 or 13 I think (kids grew up slower back then)

Anyhow, Nicko McBrain pounding out those 10 minute solos was incredible, and very inspiring to me.

Next up would probably be Peter Criss - I was listening to Kiss albums when I was like 10. All of my neighbors thought I was a devil worshipper - I was an absolute Kiss fanboi.

So kids - when your neighbors, friends, parents think your demonically posessed because you listen to slipknot, tell them that Kiss is more hardcore, there are more devil worshippers according to the baptist church that listened to kiss records then slipknot by far...

Lets not even get started on twisted sister :) :)
 
All though the 60's I was aware of the drummers. From Ringo to Bonzo, Paice to Don Brewer. In the late 60's when I started playing in bands, the drums would often be left in my garage for rehearsals and I went out and practiced playing them. But it was just trying to play whatever was on the song. Hacking though Sunshine of Your Love or whatever.

The first person that really made me stand up and go WTF is he doing? was Dave Garribaldi when I heard TOP. Which led me to Gaylord Birch of Cold Blood. Jabo and Clyde were in the recesses of my mind from growing up hearing the JBs, but Dave jumped out at me and I started trying to learn finger control and all the complex off beat things he did. Squib Cakes and every other Chester Thompson instrumental. What is Hip and the rest. The middle of the organ solo in Squib Cakes when it's just Chester and Dave playing off each other (that's Chester kicking bass, Rocco lays out) still kills me to this day.
 
All those 80's metal drummers influenced me a lot, guys like Scott Rockenfield, Alex Van Halen, Tommy Lee (who had the ATTITUDE and he was banging is drum like hell), Charlie Benante, Lars Ulrich, Dave Lombardo (i had never heard fast feet like that before), Tommy Aldridge, Nicko McBrain, Ingo Schwichtenberg (Helloween), Scott Travis (Racer X) etc

And then i discovered Rush and Neil Peart. As a Canadian, Rush WAS, and still is, the big thing. The first time i heard La Villa Strangiato and YYZ that was it for me. I wanted to be Neil Peart.

Then i discovered "older" drummers like Krupa, Bonham, Moon and Rich, and now i'm all into Jojo Mayer. There's a lot of good drummers out there, in fact all drummers are inspiration to me, no matter who they are or what they play. I just love music and a good drum beat :)
 
Being a product of the 90s, i later was influenced, immensley, by Danney Carrey and lars Ulrich, dave lombardo, Pete Sandoval.

Matt cameron is a very good drummer as well.
 
There's a lot of good drummers out there, in fact all drummers are inspiration to me, no matter who they are or what they play. I just love music and a good drum beat :)[/QUOTE]

I agree. And Im a kruppa fanatic. Dont forget about Roach. Also you should look into kruppa versuis rich drum battles. or roach versus rich
 
Sad to say, but when I first started out on drums, I was a little mulleted metalhead child of the 80's. The first two drummers I knew anything about were Alex Van Halen and Rick Allen of Def Leppard (and then he lost his arm). Add in a little Peter Criss (courtesy of the next-door neighbor's kid).

After a quick detour into Kreutzmann and Hart in the Grateful Dead, a friend of a friend introduced me to Rush and Neil Peart. Roughly the same time I caught a clip of Louie Bellson performing on the Tonight Show. Then I saw the Who's live performance of "Tommy" in New York and was simultaneously introduced to Simon Phillips and Keith Moon. Somewhere along the way Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa snuck into my awareness. Then when grunge hit, and I moved to Seattle, it became Dave Grohl, Sean Kinney, Matt Cameron, and ilk. And it's still moving and growing. Two drummers I have become infinitely more aware of, and interested in, since joining DW are Bermuda and Gavin Harrison. So it continues...
 
+....:

Carmine Appice.
John Tempesta.
Cozy Powell.
Roger Taylor.
 
In the short time I've been here at DW, I've spent more time on YouTube, and been introduced to more great drummers than in the previous 42 years combined.

So many names, and bands, I've never heard of. It's awesome.
 
Tommy Lee
John 'Bonzo' Bonham
Chris Adler
Andols Herrick
Vinnie Paul
Shannon Larkin
 
Tons of guys,most early on Buddy Rich,Louis Bellson,Gene Krupa,Ed Shaunessy,Joe Morello,Ringo,Carmine Appice,John Barbatta,Dino Danelli(I actually wanted to change my name to Dino)Clive Bunker,Mitch Michell,Ginger Baker,John Bonham(first time I heard "the triplet"I had to listen to it over and over)Michael Shreive,George Granthem,Richie Hayward,Gadd,Cobham,Lenny White,Carl Palmer,Michael Walden,Jojo Mayer,Steve Jordan,Carter Bueford,.John Jr.Robinson,Levon Helm,Don Brewer,John Siomos....Just to name a few.

Steve B
 
Stewart Copeland was the absolute first!!

Saw a video of him playing @ Hollywood Park when I was young and couldn't believe what I was seeing...him hitting those octobons sealed the deal for me to pick up sticks.

Ofcourse time/more exposure to drums has really changed my opinions but still gotta give him his due...
 
I listened to Louis Bellson and I'm in my 20's. Can't tell I've been playing brass since I was a kid hey..
 
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