MuchMoreMusic Power Hour Top 10 Drummers

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The show is basically the classic rock hour now. These were the poll results for "top 10 drumming demons of all time". The choices of illustrative videos were bizarre at times - surely Ulrich's and Bonham's skills are not best displayed by "Enter Sandman" and "Rock N Roll"? And the use of 90s videos for Iron Maiden and Slayer is a little weird anyway.

1 Lars Ulrich (Metallica - "Enter Sandman")
2 Jon Bonham (Led Zeppelin - "Rock N Roll")
3 Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden - "Be Quick Or Be Dead")
4 Dave Lombardo (Slayer - "War Ensemble")
5 Tommy Lee (Motley Crue - "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)")
6 Alex Van Halen (Van Halen - "So This Is Love")
7 Neil Peart (Rush - "Tom Sawyer")
8 Rick Allen (Def Leppard - "Pour Some Sugar On Me")
9 Dave Grohl (Nirvana - "You Know You're Right")
10 Keith Moon (The Who - "My Generation")

sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 12 January 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Any list that puts Tommy Lee above Keith Moon and Lars frickin' Ulrich above Jon Bonham is obviously TOTALLY INCORRECT.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Sunday, 12 January 2003 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

2, 4 and 9 definitely.

Michael Bourke, Sunday, 12 January 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Being is it was a classic rock list, they should've at least included Ian Paice and Ginger Baker! How does Rick Allen always get votes in these things?

dleone (dleone), Sunday, 12 January 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

no rikki rocket?

jel -- (jel), Sunday, 12 January 2003 16:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Joey Kramer of Aerosmith should be on there -- pretty funky for a white boy (there's a reason Run-DMC did "Walk This Way"). And Steven Adler of G'n'R -- they lost a lot of kick between "Appetite" and the "Illusion" albums, and the substitution of Matt Sorum for Adler was the biggest reason for that. (Related trivia: Matt Sorum once hit on my wife in a Nashville bar. He thought she'd be impressed he played drums for Guns 'n' Roses. She wasn't.)

Jesse Fox, Sunday, 12 January 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't Lester Bangs suggest that Little Mickey Waller should have had the Nobel Prize for Physics for his drumming on Stay With Me?

Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 12 January 2003 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Hehehehe...isn't it ironic that the best rock drummer is the man who was famous throughout the 80s for not being able to hold a tempo if his life depended on it?

Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 12 January 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Kenny Jones gets no respect. He's like perfectly between Keith Moon and Ringo.

George Hurley and Kenny Aranoff need to be on the list too. But who ever came up with this list obviously has a bias for virtuosity over actual style. I bet they'd name Les Claypool as the best bass player.

Dave Beckhouse (Dave Beckhouse), Sunday, 12 January 2003 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Puffy. Baldwin.

Lynskey (Lynskey), Monday, 13 January 2003 15:52 (twenty-two years ago)

mmm. Keith Moon - 5:15. The drummer becomes the leader of the group.
George Hurley - Take your pick.
Ginger Baker - Do What You Like.

.. I hate top 10 lists... This list is particularly gearhead.

dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 13 January 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Ulrich at number one is fucking joke. Where is Menza?

Roger Fascist (Roger Fascist), Monday, 13 January 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I think its in our consitution that Peart always be rated the best drummah evah

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 13 January 2003 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

The thing is the list isn't gearhead or virtuosity-centric. No one who privileges technique would rate Rick Allen over Keith Moon or Tommy Lee over Neil Peart.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 13 January 2003 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...
i've played drums from the age of 4 years old to the present, i have influences from all different types of music genres, neil peart is in a class by himself, and all others follow, this list isn't even worth a reply, but i just had to put my 2 cents in, email me if you'd like

, Sunday, 9 March 2003 23:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Um . . . black people do drum, don't they?

Burr, Monday, 10 March 2003 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Tommy Lee Tommy Lee Tommy Lee Tommy Lee TOMMY LEE! Brah.

dave q, Monday, 10 March 2003 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...
yo were's Dave Wekl and Buddy Rich? and any 1 woh puts in dave ghrol does not no what theyre talkin about dave doesn't even belong in the top 10. and any 1 who puts Alex Van Halen below Tommy lee must not no theyre drummers.

Jack Franklin, Friday, 11 April 2003 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The choice of songs on this list is rather appalling as well...I mean, I'm not anything near a fan of Lars Ulrich, but I mean COME ON, if you're gonna rate a drum performance of his as #1 DON'T MAKE IT 'BOOM CACK BOOM CACK' "Enter Sandman"!!! I HAVE PLAYED THAT SAME DRUM BEAT WITH ONE HAND!!!

nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 11 April 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha, they just did the top 10 frontmen tonight. (I'm staying home because I'm writing papers, er.) IIRC

10 Paul Stanley (Kiss - "Lick It Up")
9 Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin - "Communication Breakdown")
8 David Lee Roth ( Van Halen - "You Really Got Me")
7 Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden - "Aces High")
6 Vince Neil (Motley Crue - "Wild Side")
5 Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi - "You Give Love a Bad Name")
4 Axl Rose (Guns 'n' Roses -"Paradise City")
3 James Hetfield (Metallica - "For Whom the Bell Tolls")
2 Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath - "Paranoid")
1 Steve Tyler (Aerosmith - "Dude Looks Like a Lady")

sundar subramanian (sundar), Saturday, 12 April 2003 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

How anybody could have a list of the best drummers and not include Carter Beauford is beyond me.

Evan (Evan), Saturday, 12 April 2003 05:36 (twenty-two years ago)

How anybody could have a list of the best drummers and not include Nickalicious is beyond me. I mean come on, the kid can play enter sandman with ONE HAND!! Why has he not been pulled for action by Def Leppard? Life is cruel.

Dave M. (rotten03), Saturday, 12 April 2003 06:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Bruce Dickinson is about as 'metal' as his brother, the one in the Catherine Wheel

dave q, Saturday, 12 April 2003 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

"Aces High" is the best non-Zeppelin/Sabbath song on that list. It's weird that they'd choose a non-makeup-era Kiss video to demonstrate Paul Stanley's frontman abilities. If I'm gonna try to like G'n'R, they could at least try not to make their songs go on for so long after they feel like they should stop.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Saturday, 12 April 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...
I agree about Lars. Dave Grohl should go up to about 4 and where's Blink 182's Travis Barker?

David P., Thursday, 3 July 2003 07:51 (twenty-two years ago)

where is my name on the list i should be at number 1 because i am the best in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from PJ

philip james buchan, Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

go pj!

jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...
The top 10 best drummers list should be as follows:

1.Keith Moon
2.Keith Moon
3.Keith Moon
4.Keith Moon
5.Keith Moon
6.Keith Moon
7.Ginger Baker
8.Keith Moon
9.Keith Moon
10.Keith Moon

What do you reckon?

Electric Landlady, Sunday, 14 September 2003 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Lars is #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roger Avila, Sunday, 21 September 2003 04:54 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...
watch Led Zep Moby Dick live, nuff said! Jon Bonham no.1!

cameron weir, Sunday, 12 October 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

how come david silviera (KoRn) did'nt get a mention for best drummer
That just sux ass im even getting his custom dave silviera DSK drumstix

Scott Smith, Monday, 20 October 2003 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...
Anyone who puts Lars as number one on any list at all is abliviously not a drummer, or musician for that matter. John Bonham was definately good, but he doesn't deserve second place.
This question is for any real musician out there. Have you ever heard of Billy Cobham? Buddy Rich? Gene Krupa? Dave Wekl? Will Calhoun? You know the people that have changed the way people play the drums forever!
Niel Peart belongs on the list, but not for Tom Sawyer. Sure his four bar solo full of thirty second note triplets and cymbal hits in the middle of thirty second note fills is amazing, but listen to the other songs. No i'm not talking about his solo in YYZ, because he plays the same agogo bell ditty every frickin' time!
Please e-mail me with any suggestions or arguments, of whatever.

Is Rick Allen on the list just because paople feel sorry for him?

Ben Cowan, Thursday, 13 November 2003 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you ever heard of Billy Cobham? Buddy Rich? Gene Krupa? Dave Wekl? Will Calhoun?

Yeah (well, except for Mr. Calhoun), but this was a classic rock list.

oops (Oops), Thursday, 13 November 2003 05:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Seems more metal than classic rock to me. I mean, no Jeff Porcaro or Phil Collins clearly suggests this list is for the metal guys.

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 13 November 2003 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, only Iron Maiden, Slayer and Metallica (although, "Enter Sandman"?) can seriously be classified as metal - the rest is all classic rock/hardrock.

Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 13 November 2003 10:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr. Oops,
it clearly states that these were the poll results for the top ten drumming demons of ALL TIME.

Ben Cowan, Friday, 14 November 2003 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...
Pathetic, Moronic and downright crazy. Lars is the most overrated drummer in history. Here's my list (songs not included)

1.Buddy Rich
2.Dave Wekl
3.Dennis Chambers
4.Neil Peart
5.Louis Bellson
6.Keith Moon
7.Jon Bonham
8.Billy Cobham
9.William Calhoun
10.Steve Darville

Neil Peart, Friday, 19 December 2003 03:47 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...
Foreget all those ROOKIE DRUMMERS, drummer from P.O.D RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a.v pimp, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Dave Grohl, man. Has to be at least #5 in any list!

Yeah, yeah,... and Peter Prescot

Aja (aja), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I was just watching CNN and they had some breaking news. heres the headline.
P.O.D. SUCKS!!!!!!!

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and Keith Moon is #1 on my list

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

NOT ONLY P.O.D DRUMMER WUV BUT " CHAMMO " FROM JTP RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JESUS LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a.v pimpJTP, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatever

Aja (aja), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

LIsten greek,GEEK,whatever your name is, KEITH MOON is not even heard of. OH Yeah listen to one of noahs solos and we'll see who's better.GO AHEAD TRY ME!!!!!or are you CHICKEN!!!!!!!

a.v pimp, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not greek by the way.....just figured i should clear that one up.
and who said you had to be able to play a great solo to be a great drummer?.
If that was the question than i would say Jon Bonham.
And P.O.D. are christian mother fuckers!!!
So Fuck YOU!!!!!!!!!......bitch

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Why Not Just Say OH CREED IS THE BEST BAND OF ALL TIME!!!!!?
pussy

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Who care's if their christian. it's the music besides you think they suck because thier christian or because you don't like the music.At least they go to heaven instead of having to burn in hell for their rest of their lives,like other rock stars.You still have a chance so make a diffrence.

a.v.pimp, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't wanna make a diffrence!!
and their music toss' salad

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

creedsucks

a.vpimp, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

and does listening to P.O.D. Make a diffrence?
what if the day i die i listen to 1 P.O.D. song?
do i get into heaven for that?
huh?
do i?
huh?
is that singer with the dreadlocks gonna open up the pearly gates for me?
I DON'T THINK SO!!!!
(and why is he always poniting up?)

Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

1. Neil Peart
2. Ginger Baker
3. Buddy Rich
4. Billy Cobham
5. That guy from Genesis
6. Peter Criss
7. Steve Shelly
8. Those Japanese guys that wear towels wrapped around their genitals
and have headbands but no shirts or pants when they play their drums.
9. Hello Kitty
10. Little Drummer Boy

get it right, Thursday, 29 January 2004 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

mitch mitchell (hendrix) #1 . amen.
although i like john bnoham a lot..moby dick is shit...drum solos suck..

drummers who are original and integrate with the music are the best!

some other people : fIREHOSE guy, fugazi guy, dave grohl with queens of the stone age is much better than with nirvana...Mclusky drummer!

Mr Monket (apn99), Thursday, 29 January 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I have new respect for singing drummers, except for Phil Collins and Don Henley. So I guess I just have respect for Grant Hart for putting up w/Bob Mould for so long. otherwise:
Bob Nastanovich
Peter Prescott!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The whole Hanley/Scanlon/Wollstonecraft thing that functions as drums even though it's a rhythm section, 80s BB Fall
Meg White (see Grant Hart)

"I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle"

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Thursday, 29 January 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...
holy fuck! ulrich for number one, yea right he would never stand up to drummers like rich, blackwell, bonham, krupa, gadd, wekl, peart or portnoy

chris martin, Tuesday, 2 March 2004 20:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I was recetly asked the biggest influence on my drumming style, and I immediately answered "the drum machine."

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...
yeah man! it only took 18 months but someone finally mentioned portnoy! john theadore from the mars volta deserves a mention too.

stitch, Wednesday, 21 April 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)


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