The Best of the Best - songs for my son's iPod?

davethomas2350

Junior Member
Forgive me if this has come up before, but I'm trying to get a collection together for my son's iPod. He's 11 and just started playing last year. Of course he wants to jump right into a set, but I need him to understand all the 'basics' first. But, I want him to hear the 'best' at their 'best'. So, let's have some fun and help me make a playlist at the same time.

First, best drummers, if we could make a list of the top ten or twenty, then, the song or songs that best exemplifies what's best about that drummer....should be fun and thanks in advance for your help...

Dave
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Put some Maiden on there. And some Who, Led Zeppelin, Rainbow etc.

Then fill the rest up with Pantera, Slayer and Motorhead. =P
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Hello,

I will say the most inspiring drummers, due to all of them are the best and not limited to:
1. Ian Paice, The Mule.
2. John Bonham, Moby Dick.
3. Ginger Baker, Toad.
4. Carmine Appice.
5. John Tempesta.
6. William (Bill) Thomas Ward, War Pigs, Iron Man, Children of the Grave.
7. John Densmore, The End.

Best Regards,
 
Re: The Best of the Best

There is no better compilation than the drummerworld list of drummers ( divided by categories, playing eras, styles etc. )

with sound samples & videos. Its all here.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Have YYZ by Rush on there too, it's a fun song to listen to.

I would have tons more of songs, I just can't think of them right now. Sorry. I will post when ever I do have another idea.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Neil Peart ~ Oberture/Temples, Xanadu, Cinderella man / Rush.
Scott Rockenfield ~ The Warning / Queensryche.
Keith Moon ~ Who are you / The Who.
Ivan de Prume ~ La Sexorcisto / White Zombie.
Cindy Blackman ~ Lenny Kravitz
Phil Rudd ~ AC/DC.
 
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Re: The Best of the Best

There is no better compilation than the drummerworld list of drummers ( divided by categories, playing eras, styles etc. )

with sound samples & videos. Its all here.

and it's all free.

I would say to start with
Buddy Rich West Side Story Medley or Channel One Suite.
Gene Krupa Sing, Sing Sing or Drum Boogie.
Cozy Cole Topsy 1 and 2
Max Roach The Drum Also Waltzes, The Scene is Clean
Joe Morello Take Five
anybody with the last name Jones
Some good early Beatles with a Mersey Beat. He'll need that beat if he plays in school.
It Won't Be Long, Yeah!!
Steve Gadd 50 Ways to leave Your Lover or Aja
John Bonham Rock n Roll
Bill Cobham Stratus or Quadrant IV
Keith Moon Bargain
David Garibaldi Soul Vaccination
guys like Tre Cool of Green Day, Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Linkin Park he may like check out Dave Grohl, throw in some Clyde Stubblefield with James Brown "Funky Drummer," Earl Palmer with Little Richard (censor's please) Keep on Knockin' Earth Wind and Fire, Tony Williams Agitation, Charlie Parker's Groovin High, w/Gillespie Salt Peanuts, A Night in Tunisia with Art Blakey and the JM
 
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Re: The Best of the Best

Put some Maiden on there. And some Who, Led Zeppelin, Rainbow etc.

Then fill the rest up with Pantera, Slayer and Motorhead. =P

He asked for a list of good drummers, not for a list of your favourite bands...I love all these bands, every single one of them, but that's by no means a good list for a starting drummer to get his basics from.


People already mentioned a lot of great classic rock solos, but I suggest that in addition to that you put some of those magic grooves in there, for him to understand that it isn't just about showing off with a 20 minute solo, but also about laying it in that pocket. Get him anything with Steve Jordan for instance, like something off the John Mayer Trio album. That's the essence of the groove right there.
Try to put a diverse list together, as many genres as possible.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

These guys aren't necessarily the "best", but their playing is always tasteful and always fits the song musically; plus, it wouldn't be too hard for a beginner to follow. AND it's contemporary, so your son might be able to get into it a little more easily than some older tunes:

Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood sex Sugar Magick
Dominic Howard of Muse: Absolution
Sib Hashian of Boston: Boston
Carter Beauford of Dave Matthews Band: Busted Stuff
Dave Grohl of Queens of the Stone Age: Songs for the Deaf

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, but the playing on these albums really brought me back to "basics" and now I approach writing songs in an entirely new way.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Put "Continuum" by John Mayer on there. Steve Jordan's grooves are, for the most part simple, but his playing is insanely tight and his feel is incredible. Get into his head that "just because it's simple doesn't mean it's stupid"...plus, it will help him identify what a 'pocket' sounds like and how to hold down a groove, in time...after all, at the root, that is a drummers job. I've noticed too many drummers nowadays just ripping off Portnoy et. al. and playing a lot of crappy double bass licks and sloppy quads...the world needs more groove.

Also anything by AC/DC (Phil Rudd), Led Zeppelin (John Bonham), and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Chad Smith)...all great, knowledgeable pocket players that don't rely on complex licks and busy fills.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

I would also put down these guys...

The Police- "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne"- Stewart Copeland
Primus- "Tommy the Cat" and "To Defy the Laws of Tradition"- Tim Alexander
 
Re: The Best of the Best

Oh, Danny Carey's playing on Schism is a good example of how simple drums can drive a song and compliment the bass line.
 
Re: The Best of the Best

I would also put down these guys...

The Police- "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne"- Stewart Copeland
Primus- "Tommy the Cat" and "To Defy the Laws of Tradition"- Tim Alexander

I was going to add Walling on the Moon. If you add a Police tune, that would be the one.
 
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