Time keepers or creative drummers

AC/DC, Rolling stones, etc..... seem to have Time Keeping drummers. I know they dont use click track but the drumming seems so simple and it feels like they are there just for the time keeping, which seems boring to me.
Can you suggest any other drummers (or albums) other than Keith Moon, Ian Paice (Old purple albums) who plays more than just time keeping or who go out of the way and being creative every now and then?
 
Time keeping is an important and integral part of drumming. Phil Rudd, Charlie Watts, Ringo Starr are good time keepers.
During an interview to Nicko McBrain ~ Iron Maiden, he stated that his favourite drummers are: Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, Ian Paice, Neil Peart.
Other time keepers and creative drummers as well, are:
Bill Ward.
Carmine Appice.
Cindy Blackman.
Ginger Baker.
John Tempesta.
Vinnie Appice.
John Densmore.
Nicko McBrain.
Roger Taylor.
Tommy Aldridge.
Phil Maturano.
 
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Your description of this type of drumming, as boring, seems to be contradictory to your signature!!!

And the drummer can only be as creative as the music.
 
You do have a strange way of looking at music & drumming, Mr. Moon.

Would you really prefer that Nicko McBrain play Honky Tonk Women over Charlie Watts?

By creative drummers if you mean guys who can do drumming gymnastics and have chops coming out of their ears, look up the drummerworld list of drummers/videos/sound samples.
 
The Keith Moon,

The time keeping on the Rolling Stones and AC DC records are pretty creative in thier own respect. Keeping in mind that the phrasing of these simple rhythms are not likely to be duplicated without some work. Staying in the pocket is usually the hardest thing for many young drummers. That being said, there is alot that can be learned from these recordings.

If your looking for creativity, I would point you in the direction of Gavin Harrison or Vinnie Coulaiuta, Tony Williams and Jo Jo Mayer come to mind as well. But really. Are you going to actually try to comp these guys, or just steal an idea or two. If you're a novice drummer and are looking for ways to keep your playing fresh the PAS 40 is a wonderful resource.
 
The Keith Moon,

The time keeping on the Rolling Stones and AC DC records are pretty creative in thier own respect. Keeping in mind that the phrasing of these simple rhythms are not likely to be duplicated without some work. .

honestly I find it very easy to play along the stones/AC/dc records and find it hard to copy Nicko McBrain or Keith Moon.
 
You do have a strange way of looking at music & drumming, Mr. Moon.

Would you really prefer that Nicko McBrain play Honky Tonk Women over Charlie Watts?

By creative drummers if you mean guys who can do drumming gymnastics and have chops coming out of their ears, look up the drummerworld list of drummers/videos/sound samples.

In my honest opinion, Time keeping can be done by a machine or a phantom drummer. Its all about how creative you can get around with that time keeping , go out or in of that time keeping line every now and then, frequently, and come back to that time keeping, along with the vocals and Bass and guitar. Steady snare beats is all I could hear in 95% of the rock songs. How came no one comes up with some kind of a double steady snare beats or some kind of steady snare and tom tom beats or such??
I am just thinking out of the box. I know most of the drum teachers may get furious but honestly this is just a thought from a guy who gets bored with the same old steady snare beats. I think Keith moon was one of the folks who came out of that rut.

Jojo Mayer and folks like him in the drummerworld videos are playing solos!
I want to hear some one who plays like they are playing solos , along with the MUSIC!
If you listen to the first Five songs in "Piece of Mind- Iron Maiden" you know what I am talkng about. Nicko doesnt seem to sit still!!

(You folks may dis agree, this is how I think, "If my drumming can be duplicated by a drum machine, I dont think I have a future in drumming", they can fire me and buy a drum machine!.-- I am talking about Hard Rock, Hard Rock is not all about guitars licks but with frequent drum chops as well )
 
AC/DC, Rolling stones, etc..... seem to have Time Keeping drummers. I know they dont use click track but the drumming seems so simple and it feels like they are there just for the time keeping, which seems boring to me.
Can you suggest any other drummers (or albums) other than Keith Moon, Ian Paice (Old purple albums) who plays more than just time keeping or who go out of the way and being creative every now and then?
I know plenty of drummers with lots of chops who get fired from gigs because of their attitude towards "simple boring drummers". I always play for the song and no matter how simple it seems, i drive that damn song with nothing but true passion and attitude. It maybe boring to you , but no ones ever accused me of looking bored when i'm pounding four on the floor. Give me a triangle or a tamborine and i'll work that damn thing.
 
The thing you don't mention about "just keeping time" is making the time "feel" good and groove, an important nuance. I hear you though. The stages I went through with blues were similar, at first I thought it was "boring". I just didn't "get it" After many unsuccessful attempts at making it "not boring" I realized that the steady pulse was the only thing that really moves this music along, and then I embraced it. There is plenty of room to get creative with a "boring" beat, by using dynamics, build ups, great changes from intros/verses/choruses/bridges/leads/tags/hooks etc. Restraint can be very teasing. It's not what you play so much as how you play it. Playing lead drums doesn't work most of the time. (Keith Moon excepted). But don't listen to us, follow your natural instincts, and do what you think is best, there's room for all.
 
I know plenty of drummers with lots of chops who get fired from gigs because of their attitude towards "simple boring drummers". I always play for the song and no matter how simple it seems, i drive that damn song with nothing but true passion and attitude. It maybe boring to you , but no ones ever accused me of looking bored when i'm pounding four on the floor. Give me a triangle or a tamborine and i'll work that damn thing.

Drummers are at the bottom of the musicians' pecking order. If everyone above says to play simply and have no chops or fills, then if you want to have a job, that's how you'll play.

If you look at the few drummers who have had their own bands, they call the shots and play the drums in a very flashy fashion, which is what I prefer as well. I have never cared much for drummers who play very simply. If I drummer is free to play with a lot of flash, it says something not only about their technical abilities, but also about their status as a musician in the group.
 
In my honest opinion, Time keeping can be done by a machine or a phantom drummer.... this is just a thought from a guy who gets bored with the same old steady snare beats.

...I want to hear some one who plays like they are playing solos , along with the MUSIC!



I understand what you are saying, even though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

By the way, drum machines can also create a lot of chops 'artificially'. Not a problem for drum machines... Is that something you might enjoy?

I think what you are saying is you want to hear a drummer play more notes than just a straight- up 4/4 rock beat? But what is a straight up 4/4 rock beat? Bonham, Paice, Watts, Densmore? Lars? Baker? That's a whole world within itself, right there.

Doesn't the music, song, tune dictate what EVERYBODY plays? The space each musician takes? Not just the drummer..

What about the chops that you feel but don't hear? The best kind of chops,imo...

What about those musical moments when the chop was there for the taking but the drummer chose not to play it, or just play part of it? The beauty and power of suggestion?... do you really want to hear 32nd note triplets flying all over the kit, again & again & again?

That is AS boring to me as a straight 4/4.

You are letting the tail wag the dog, my friend. Don't listen to the musician, listen to the music.


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I understand what you are saying, even though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

By the way, drum machines can also create a lot of chops 'artificially'. Not a problem for drum machines... Is that something you might enjoy?

I think what you are saying is you want to hear a drummer play more notes than just a straight- up 4/4 rock beat? But what is a straight up 4/4 rock beat? Bonham, Paice, Watts, Densmore? Lars? Baker? That's a whole world within itself, right there.

Doesn't the music, song, tune dictate what EVERYBODY plays? The space each musician takes? Not just the drummer..

What about the chops that you feel but don't hear? The best kind of chops,imo...

What about those musical moments when the chop was there for the taking but the drummer chose not to play it, or just play part of it? The beauty and power of suggestion?... do you really want to hear 32nd note triplets flying all over the kit, again & again & again?

That is AS boring to me as a straight 4/4.

You are letting the tail wag the dog, my friend. Don't listen to the musician, listen to the music.


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You are absolutely right my friend.
 
Drummers are at the bottom of the musicians' pecking order. If everyone above says to play simply and have no chops or fills, then if you want to have a job, that's how you'll play.

If you look at the few drummers who have had their own bands, they call the shots and play the drums in a very flashy fashion, which is what I prefer as well. I have never cared much for drummers who play very simply. If I drummer is free to play with a lot of flash, it says something not only about their technical abilities, but also about their status musician in the group.
So what you're saying is ,if i play simple then i have no real status as a musician. Hmmm? can you teach me some blast beats to play along with my Tom Petty records.
 
Here are some drummers that come to mind who complex or dense rhythms as parts to their songs and (to me) make them feel like they belong there:
Danny Carey of Tool
Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree
Bill Bruford of King Crimson
Thomas Pridgen with The Mars Volta (yeah, it's a chops-fest, but so's what the rest of the band is playing...)
Mike Portnoy (again, it fits 'cause it's all chops all around)
Carter Beauford with Dave Mathews Band

That's pretty much all rock stuff, but if technical/complex/busy drumming is your thing, maybe you should check out some fusion for guys like Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl or Tony Williams... All great players who can play just about anything, including "steady boring snare beats". Or you could go and listen to some jazz music, while the drumming isn't (hopefully) a chops fest outside a solo context, you'll probably have a hard time finding too many "steady snare beats" unless it's Art Blakey :)

Or how about you listen to some Indian Tabla music, crazy technical complex beats, and not a snare to be heard ;-P
 
But, for some reasone-The only drummer I can't stand is Rikki Rocket.

For some reason.. I really don't know..I thinks it's his feel...


That's funny, I actually think Rikki does a good job at what he does. But then again, the only drummer I can't stand is Keith Moon!
 
Listen to some songs by Nirvana, their drummer kept time, but also let creativity show in some of his fills/grooves and such. :)
 
at least I feel I have two folks who kind of agree with me and give encouragement, Thanks DeathmetalConga and Larryace.

I just want to be hated by drum teachers (Its not a sin) and regular drummers, thats all..... I mean Keith Moon made it though.

(Almost all drummers except Keith Moon seems the same to me)
 
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