Best Rock Drummers

I saw a show on TV a few months back that makes a convincing case for Ginger Baker. He certainly was one of the most offensive people I ever saw being interviewed.

What a nut case!

They mention that maybe he kept switching projects because he needed to keep moving creatively or maybe that his mental state did not allow him to stay in one group too long and his creative juices flowed more when he switched.

Dweller,
Aynsley Dunbar would surely be in my top ten. He is very inventive, and technically beyond reproach. Listen to him on Frank Zappa's great "The Grand Wazoo" and be wowed.

Nicko McBrain of Maiden and of course Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater. . . both outstanding drummers.

Here's Charlie Watts' opinion. (Rolling Stones drummer, for those who don't know)

"Yeah. I would say learn to read music and listen to other people other than John Bonham. Now you’ve got totally the wrong impression about what I just said – I can see it in your face. [Leans forward and speaks carefully.] John Bonham is the best at being John Bonham and doing what he does. Or did – unfortunately, he’s dead. He was the best. There wasn’t anyone better than John like that, and thank goodness we’ve got some records so that you can hear it. But there are a lot of other people.

Ginger Baker was a much better drummer than John Bonham, if you really want to know about drumming. Ginger Baker is the best drummer to emigrate out of England. Really, Ginger is. And the guy who Ginger idolized – whatever the word was – we all did – was a guy called Phil Seaman. And Ginger learned everything off Phil. But Ginger can read, you know. Ginger’s not a foal. He can read music, he has wonderful chops, he has rudiments down. Having said all that, I don’t. So I would say to anyone – not only my offspring, but anyone – that’s what you should do, really. Otherwise, you’re locked into doing what I do. Which is fine. It worked for me."
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Philo,

I saw the Ginger Baker documentary, too, and it's clear that there's just something wrong with the guy. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I actually laughed when Ginger hit the interviewer with his cane at the end. They'd just spent several months together and seemed to have bonded (a bit), when Baker hauls off and whacks him. The poor guy just stands there bleeding and staring. It was awful and really not funny, but it was also just too bizarre for words.

OTOH, while Ginger Baker may be a pretty ugly human being, he can sure play the drums.

BTW, another name for this thread is Anton Fier of The Feelies and, later, The Golden Palominos. He was always providing interest and unexpected rhythmic flourishes for both of those bands.