Greatest Rock Drummers

Some good responses, but a whole lotta nonsense, too. I'm a drummer who has played rock, blues and jazz with some of the greats in each field, as well as being a published music critic and owning 60,000+ titles in my music library. Harrumph. Blues and jazz are not opposites, as one (who is probably not a drummer) mentioned. First, jazz evolved from blues. And if you can't play a blues, you really can't play jazz. Many of the greatest blues drummers (i.e. Fred Below, Francis Clay) started out as jazz drummers. As far as greatest rock drummers, yes, Ginger, Moon and Bonham qualify. Earl Palmer no question (though he was more R&B, nonetheless a brilliant player). But the list must include Charlie Watts, Mick Avory, Ringo, Jim Gordon, Clive Bunker, Buddy Miles, Jon Hiseman, Ian Paice, Mitch Mitchell, Pip Pyle, Michael Shrieve, Bruford, Scott Asheton, Robert Wyatt, Boz, Michael Giles -- and others, though Neil Peart doesn't make it. Someone mentioned Cobham as the best jazz drummer. No. Not even in the top 50. For jazz, that's Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Jo Jones, Ed Blackwell, Billy Higgins, Joe Chambers, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Cyrille, Sunny Murray, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Frank Butler, Pete LaRoca -- and Rich, Krupa are in there somewhere, as is Bellson.

I love this guy. Distinctive style. Rock steady and plays with such force but totally relaxed and lightening quick. This video shows he is extremely talented. Extremely precise playing. Everything is very clean.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VeduwZtiTPk

Bobby Graham! RIP (1940-2009).

This powerhouse drummer provided the backbeat to those amazing early Kinks hits - You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, I Gotta Move. Such authority, and such minimal fills - no stupid show off crap.

John Bonham's part in "Rock and Roll" is a direct cop of Earl Palmer's in Little Richard's "Keep-A-Knockin'"

Wow, that is a keen observation. But IMO, its probably a homage to that intro and Earl Palmer. After all, the song is called "Rock and Roll."

einmensch, your comment really puts this subject into perspective. And right on with your list of great jazz drummers.

Funny how these lists of great rock drummers always turns into a list of jazz drummers. But that is the natural progression in music, drummers like Simon Philips and Bill Bruford have released jazz albums. (Just to name a few).

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Steve Gadd; he can do it all.

Carl Palmer was so far ahead of his time but then again so was ELP!!!