Aynsley Dunbar

Ardent15

Junior Member
Didn't find a thread devoted to him. One of the most overlooked rock drummers ever IMO. He was ridiculously good on those early Journey albums, with Zappa, and with his own band, the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, among many other great musical works that he's been a part of. He auditioned for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and it came down to him and Mitch Mitchell, but Hendrix couldn't decide who to pick, so he flipped a coin: needless to say, we all know who got that gig!

Any other Aynsley fans here?
 
I love his drumming with Whitesnake. He played songs such as Still Of The Night, Children Of The Night, Here I Go Again...

Cheers,
 
A friend bought me Journeys first album (i think) with Aynsley. He kept telling me about him for months lol.

He is awesome, I really enjoyed the tracks he did.
 
Big fan here as well, I don't think he's overlooked at all. He's definitely got his place in drumming history and is well respected. He currently plays with a bunch of ex-members of bands, something like the Classic Rock Allstars.

Bermuda
 
[QUOTE
Any other Aynsley fans here?[/QUOTE]

Enjoy listening to him.
Did he also record with Bowie on an album of cover versions?
Liked his flying solos.......
 
Aynsley Dunbar, taught this to Bill Ward:

Aynsley Dunbar, years and years and years ago, years ago, man—this is when Aynsley was playing with Zappa, years ago—he watched me, and I had this technique of playing up here like this, when I was a kid. I'm 22, 23 years-old and I like to play up high, and he suggested to me one time—I can always remember this; I don't think Aynsley would remember this, but I know I do—and he said, "Why don't you lower your cymbals and play from the shoulder a little bit more?" And today, I have lower cymbals and I play from my shoulder just like Aynsley taught me (laughter).

Very useful and interesting.
 
I'm another longtime Aynsley Dunbar fan. I've seen him live a few times, the first in 1978 when Journey was the opening act for ELO at Anaheim Stadium ( I was the only one of my friends at that time attending to see the "opening " band).

Great drummer and an inspiration to me when I was a young man. I'd love to see him play in person again.
 
I used to listen to Zappa's, Just Another Band From L.A. in college, over and over. Dunbar"s drumming on that album stands right out. Amazing stuff. I have it on CD and now on ipod ... still listen to it once or twice a year. Highly recommended. Joey
 
I saw Ansley play with Jefferson Airplane back in the early 80's. He played a 20 minute drum solo, which I loved. Too bad a large portion of the crowd thought this as a good time for a bathroom break.
 
I saw Ansley play with Jefferson Airplane back in the early 80's. He played a 20 minute drum solo, which I loved. Too bad a large portion of the crowd thought this as a good time for a bathroom break.

What a disappointing crowd, for Aynsley.
 
He does a wonderful job on Journey first album, and on "Infinity"

I also have the three Jefferson Starship albums he played on.

He's certainly had a long career playing with so many different artists. If you listen to any classic rock radio station, he's bound to be played a few times a day with one band or another.
 
First time I saw him was in 73 when he was playing for Flo and Eddie. He was awesome. Anyone gets a chance to listen to "Feel older now" they're in for a treat considering that was 72 or 73. He plays on top of the beat like no one else. Steve Smith has discussed how difficult it was for him to learn Aynsley's playing style, especially the slow ballads like Lights. Last I heard he was touring last year with Eric Burdon.
 
I love Dunbar's drumming, very versatile blues, rock, jazz with great time, feel and his career is huge, played with the greats = Mayal, Zappa, Bowie, Reed to name just a few and some of his near misses are even bigger, meaning he was in line for such drumming slots as The Beatles (he's from Liverpool), The Experience and Zepplin. The Experience was a flip of a coin but Chas Chandler has expressed some regrets over the outcome. He was also the most in demand highest paid session player through much of the 70's. He is my favorite Zappa drummer next being the combo Thomson-Humphreys-Underwood but Anysley is a power house and held so much on his own and he's cool too, plays with style, power, grace with great solid beats and inventive signature fills. Am I a fan, yes and is he over looked? I think he is a professional that keeps a low profile and works hard and is in the hearts of many. He has been the motor behind so much music we have all heard through the air waves and if one of those near misses had paid off then he would be perhaps a household name. We should all be so lucky to have his ability and career but there is only one Anysley Dunbar.
 
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