Great musicians who should have been famous except....

Agreed, way too many great examples of influential drummers (really all musicians) who most people have never heard of.  Tony Williams for example.  Talent and success far too often share zero connection.

Awesome. Stuart Copeland and Neil Peart were always the big rock drummers in "the day" for me? So much I missed clearly.

Van Halen 1984?
"And is there a better lead in to ANY rock vinyl than that?"

WHAT?!!  As a 16 year old in1978, I saw VH do one of their first  SoCal arena gigs to promote their debut album. I thought they were possibly one of the bands to carry the R&R  torch that the usual suspects held thru the 60-70s. 

EVH was from another planet, and David Lee was charismatic. When they released the second album.... I was disappointed. Back to my Stones, Zep and Who.

Sorry, reading your post just struck a R&R memory nerve. The 80's were the empty freeway lane to R&R death.

Sorry for the loss. Not saying VH is my go to (haven’t listened to them in years) but was just jolted by the lead in to B 1984.

You didn't give an alternative to the question however. Name a better rock lead in to an album (in this case a B side). Granted I am a drum guy now because of my son but from a pure technical as well as power opening its hard to beat. Love input however.