Who are the top three drummers you admire and why ?

Gene Krupa because he brought drums to the forefront AND made it look fun

Keith Moon because he was absolutely the best at taking command and working in fills that no one else dared try because they couldn't think outside the box

Ringo because he was more into the song than anyone I can think of AND he never played the same beat in songs. Way creative to say the least. No wonder he and Moon were best friends
 
1) Sonny Emory.......this cat in my opinion is the only drummer who incorporates absolutely perfect posture, beautiful hand/finger technique, blistering speed, total musicality and he's got the best single stroke rolls I've ever seen.

2) Rob "Beatdown" Brown........I just love his YouTube videos. He's a wonderful educator and really brings you back to the good, solid basic stuff. He's a very hard, no nonsense worker and I love his passion and humour. His classes are full of realistic, useable stuff.

3) Pat Torpey........I'm becoming a new fast fan of his. His technical facility behind the kit is quite astonishing. He was a gently spoken gentleman and a solid player. And he had a WICKED head of hair.

He rivals B.J Wilson in regards to how low he sits.
 
Last edited:
I'll list the top three that had the most impact on my drumming.
1. Roger Earl from Foghat. I have been playing drums for approximately 6 years when I started playing along with Foghat records. I don't know what it is may be his sense of groove. I seemed to be able to really connect with Frog Hat's music. For years and years I used to play along with a 90-minute cassette that I made of nothing but Foghat. The songs ranged from their first through the 6th album.
2. Phil Ehart from Kansas. While I was always a big fan of Kansas from their first album on, I didn't start playing any of their music until 1980, with the exception of Carry On Wayward Son. Phil's drumming was not your ordinary grooves. It was different, interesting, and very challenging for me to play along with.
3. Tied for third place is Don Brewer from Grand Funk, Simon kirke from Bad Company, Ian paice from Deep Purple. These guys and several others had a tremendous impact on how I play the drums today. Not saying that Roger Earl is better than any of these other drummers. But Roger had the most influence on me. I seemed to be able to login with what Roger was playing and it felt really good to play along with those old Foghat Tunes
 
1) questlove, he inspired many as the live drummer of a hip hop crew named the roots. He created and reathinked the whole breakbeats selection: a small kit so that it could travel by can or fit in an apartment. He taught some cool gems: mind division, breakable mutes and he is known for his afro pic and being the drummer on Jimmy Fallon. His self modeled drumsticks are awesome too. Hip hop is usually all drum machines, but I respect the roots for having a live band. Questlove, after following him, taught that there is a breakable soulful way to make breakbeats, just make them lazy and juicy with the chops!

2) Travis Barker, started out as a snare player, evolved into an atg. His band is awesome blink 182. On Adams song he puts the touches on the splash cymbal at special times. Hi energied and thin and lanky, he puts everything into his shoes causing his hands to bleed at times. His signature stick, white, is very aesthetically pleasing but for all porpuses it sounds like a baseball bat, too heavy!

3) Brendan steinekert formerly from the used now in rancid. Known to play at breakneck speeds and exert a lot of energy, he maintains his muscles by playing sports in the off season. He is a drug free role model who uses the vater 5b power drumstix. He may not be an atg but he is a contemporary great, meaning great in his era. He definitely has whiplash while he plays!
 
I grew up through the seventies ( and started playing in the late seventies ) so my biggest influences were and still are really :
Al Jackson jr.
Charlie watts
Danny seraphine
 
So many hero's but I'll give it a shot. Number one is clear to me but there are so many others!

1. Howard Curtis - My teacher starting in the summer after 6th grade. He was such an inspiration to me and helped find something I loved...hitting stuff.
2. Bill Stewart - Of the current guys playing jazz, I've probably listened to him more than I should have. I understand his playing...can't do it, but it makes sense.
3. Art Blakey - He was one of the first drummers my teacher turned me on to. His press rolls and most of all his shuffle left a mark on me. If you haven't heard the song Hammerhead on his album Free For All....check it out. It's a clinic on both the shuffle and press roll.
 
Ed Shaughnessy......big fan of Johnny Carson, so Ed was tough to miss.
Grady Tate.....drummer for Jimmy Smith, Jazz Organist, just loved it.
Ringo Starr......Ringo Starr
 
Benthedrummer said:
1) Sonny Emory.......this cat in my opinion is the only drummer who incorporates absolutely perfect posture, beautiful hand/finger technique, blistering speed, total musicality and he's got the best single stroke rolls I've ever seen.

2) Rob "Beatdown" Brown........I just love his YouTube videos. He's a wonderful educator and really brings you back to the good, solid basic stuff. He's a very hard, no nonsense worker and I love his passion and humour. His classes are full of realistic, useable stuff.

3) Pat Torpey........I'm becoming a new fast fan of his. His technical facility behind the kit is quite astonishing. He was a gently spoken gentleman and a solid player. And he had a WICKED head of hair.

He rivals B.J Wilson in regards to how low he sits.
Click to expand...
Beatdown Brown! Best communicator around. Funny and knows just how to demystify for mere mortals like me.
 
If drumming's really all about the music and the song rather than technical skills, and it is for me, it might be Stevie Wonder (although it's hard to divine exactly which songs he actually drummed on*) because he truly used the drums as compositional tools.
Dave Grohl for the same reason (a truly great songwriter in my book)
Stuart Copeland for individuality.
Ringo for self taught unparalled musicality. So many of the greatest songs ever that are unimaginable without his and only his drumming.
And all those drummers whose names are almost unknown but Made. Great. Records.
*I've read that Stevie credited drum parts that he played to Motown house drummers so they would get paid.
 
Last edited:
Hewitt2 said:
Phil Collins
Zigaboo Modeliste
Dennis Chambers

Groove monsters that swing hard. Their creativity raises the quality of the songs they are on.

Honourable mention to the drummers of James Brown
Click to expand...
Zigaboo would be responsible for Cissy Strut? Never forget my drum tutor saying to me when I asked about trying it - " It's very hard - all the way through..." ?
 
3? Oh this is hard.

1. John Bonham. Reason probably not necessary.
2. Jimmy Chamberlin. So effective and unique.
3. Buddy Rich. Who doesn't like Buddy Rich?

Honorable mention Leonard Haze. Former SF bay area drummer for Y&T, incredible right foot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top