We are tired of the lists of the best guitarists that are already compiled almost every month. You might think that there are no other musicians besides them. Eat! Drummers! And they also deserve their own list. So you have to fill the gaps yourself and fight injustice.
The list was compiled not so much by skill and contribution, but by ferocity. For a real drummer must inspire. He should look, or better yet, appear, as a multi-armed Shiva, inspiring fear and awe. That’s why some names ended up at the end of the list - they are more famous, maybe even more talented, but they don’t have real fierceness. The list reflects exclusively the personal preferences and shallow knowledge of the author.
15. Ringo Starr(Ringo Starr). When John Lennon was asked if he thought Ringo was the best drummer in the world, he answered with his characteristic tact, “He’s not even the best drummer in the Beatles.” However, Ringo’s contribution to the group’s work cannot be denied, and his work in ‘Come Together’ is very decisive.
14. Stephen Adler(Steven Adler) from Guns n' Roses. For five years in the group, he made a strong mark with fierce fractions, especially on the album ‘Appetite For Destruction’. Slash's friend since he was 12 years old, the two of them founded the first gang together. He was expelled from the group in disgrace in 1990 for drug use. He received many, many recent Chinese warnings, but his patience ran out when the group was forced to re-record the song Civil War 60 times. Adler sued his comrades for more than two lemons and went into all serious troubles, in which he has been for 20 years.
13. Tico Torres(Tico Torres) - constant drummer Bon Jovi. Even in his youth he was quite strong, but over the years he became terribly mature. Pounds with all his stupid strength. Sometimes he even sings, for example, Born to Be My Baby. Before Bon, Jovey worked with Chuck Berry, Cher and Alice Cooper. He was married to Eva Herzogovina for two years. Drummers are almost more likely than guitarists, by the way, to fan various actresses and models.
12. Phil Collins(Phil Collins) - His edgy, futuristic style helped make Genesis what they became, and his work on 1981's 'Face Value' made him a superstar. His cruelty is not external - it is internal. True and noble English madness. After Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975, Phil was forced to start singing; they even had to hire Bill Bruford to help him, who rapped during live concerts, but at all studio albums Collins himself was still behind the set.
11. Roger Taylor(Roger Taylor) from Queen- remained normal, having worked next to Freddie for many years. He was the author of many hits, including " Radio Ga Ga", "A Kind of Magic", "The Invisible Man" And " These Are the Days of Our Lives". A wonderful showman. Charismatic, photogenic. Plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboards.
10. Eric Singer(Eric Singer) began his career with Lita Ford, continued with the Black Covens. After the death of Eric Carr in '91, he moved to KISS. After five turbulent years with them, spent five quiet years touring with Brian May. And in 2001, when Criss again fell out with Stanley and Simmonosm, Eric returned to KISS. In his free time from his main job, he tours with Alice Cooper, with whom he came to Moscow a couple of years ago, where I saw him. I speak with authority - Eric is fierce.
I thought about putting him on the list or Cozzie Powell. I settled on Eric, because if I hadn’t included any of the numerous KISS drummers (all of them very worthy), comrade idollisimo My whole brain would be taken out. And at least I saw this in person.
9. Chris Slade(Chris Slade) worked with Tom Jonos and Uriah Heep. From 1972 to 1978 he was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band. In the early 80s he played with Paul Rodgers, Jimmy Page and David Gilmour. But he became best known after 1989, when he joined AC/DC. It is his bald skull that glints joyfully in the best live performance ever recorded, Live at Donington. After four years and one album, Razors Edge, the Young brothers asked him to leave, they say. gossips, precisely because the charismatic Chris drew too much attention to himself.
8. Ian Pace(Ian Paice) from Deep Purple. As a child, he played the violin, but at the age of 15 he turned to drums. Was right. He is the only one of the group's founders who still plays in it. At the same time, when the Deep Purples scattered in different directions, Ian managed to knock for three years in Whitesnake and two years with Gary Moore. Like all other members of the group, he has the status of a lifelong “Father”.
7. Nicko McBrain(Nicko McBrain) from Iron Maiden. Considered a living legend (deservedly). He stood at the origins of the heavy metal sound. At live performances, he is sometimes simply invisible behind the veil created by the drumsticks flying in the air. It’s not for nothing that some colleagues call him “the octopus.”
6. Charlie Watts(Charlie Watts) from The Rolling Stones- is somewhat lost against the background of his VIA colleagues, who are all too colorful characters, but for example, Keith Richards admitted that there were moments when the group stayed together only thanks to Charlie. And although outwardly Charlie looks quite peaceful, and in his work he generally gravitates toward jazz, the following story goes about his disposition. One day, a drunk Jaeger called Charlie's hotel room in the middle of the night and asked, "Where's my drummer now?" Charlie washed, shaved, put on a suit and tie, polished his shoes, went down to Jaeger's room and punched him in the face right from the doorway. “Don’t ever call me YOUR drummer again. It’s you, your mother, MY singer!”
5. Lars Ulrich(Lars Ulrich) from Metallica. At the age of 17, he moved from his native Denmark to Los Angeles to become a tennis player. There he met James Hetfield, played tennis and helped found one of the biggest metal bands in history. He entered all the annals as a true maniac and innovator.
4. Bill Ward(Bill Ward) from Black Sabbath. A fan of fast rhythm, which, combined with Tony's guitar riffs, created his characteristic sound. One of the founding fathers of everything. I always played under both Ozzy and Dio. In 1998 he suffered a heart attack, but immediately returned from the hospital for installation. Fierce beyond measure. The main musical proletarian.
3. Rick Allen(Rick Allen) from Def Leppard. This is generally a unique case. Lost at the age of 21 left hand in a car accident. Since then she has been knocking alone. And he knocks so hard that he knocks out most of his two-armed colleagues.
2. Tommy Lee(Tommy Lee) from Motley Crue. No one can blame this for the lack of true ferocity. And for all his escapades, tattoos, drinking, many hundreds of fucked fans, sex videos with Pamella, some people forget how good a musician he is. It's a rare case when the drummer completely dominates the band, almost overshadowing the frontman. Moreover, having somehow left the group, he created the rap metal band Methods of Mayhem, which, unfortunately, recorded only one album, but from my point of view, the quality is head and shoulders above any album of the original Motleys.
1. John Bonham(John Bonham) from Led Zeppelin. Everything that can be said has been said about him. Just the next time you listen to Airships, pay special attention to the drums. A very, very large part of the songs move forward because of his rhythm, and Jimmy just puts patterns around it. I was thinking about who to put first, him or Tommy. But John has one huge advantage over Tommy in terms of ferocity. Tommy is still alive.
The best drummer in the world. Who is he?
“My light, mirror, tell me! Tell me the whole truth:
Who in the world is faster, more technical and smoother than everyone else?”
Yes, yes, yes, dear friends, the question of the best drummer is about the same story as the question of who is from the tandem ( We are not looking for political reasons) “chicken-egg” was born earlier. It is clear that almost everyone has already made their choice and will defend their sweet drummer to the bitter end. No, this is not a post of imposing a certain name on you and singing rainbow praises to one single drummer. This is a post of reflection and logical conclusions, after reading which everyone will answer the question raised for themselves. Of course, diluting my amateurish attempts with my powerful knowledge of the world of drums and drummers...
So, let's start with the fact that I will only select and analyze drummers playing in heavy bands, preferably popular ones ( the specifics of the resource after all). So... no need to shout in my ear: “Joe! Zhoye! Joe is the fastest, the best! Joey, I love you!” Patience, it will come to him too.
Now let’s decide what we will evaluate. What ideas? Of course, technique, speed, complexity of the games - you say. There is no dispute, this is important, but as for me, the most important factor that determines any musician is Thought. It is she who turns the drum part from a regular beat (electronic or “live”) to support and indicate the tempo of the song into an integral and original part of the composition. And in most cases, the work of drummers comes down to doubling the guitar. The drummer works only on technique, not on Thought. So, in addition to the “technical” characteristics, I will evaluate that very Thought, as well as the contribution of this or that drummer to his style of music and the influence on him... and on me, of course.
But let’s immediately take a purely “technical” cross-section of drummers, even great bands. Technology is still important. So, we have to discard the drummers of such great bands as: Queen, Ac/DC, IronMaiden, RollingStones, Nirvana, Scorpions, Aerosmith, Manowar , UriahHeep, RHCP, Rammstein(the list can be continued for a long time), and other monsters of the world rock scene. Simply due to the relative simplicity of most drum parts. That's how it is. Sorry…
First of all, let's look at the man whose band is the greatest in the history of heavy music, and who has had the greatest influence on me and millions of drummers around the world. This is, of course, Lars Ulrich from Metallica. “But Zhoye is cooler!” Okay, enough of this screaming. Patience, my friends... Lars is great, no matter how you look at it. His contribution to the songwriting on Metallica's landmark albums cannot be overstated. Yes, he is not the most technical and in the last…twenty years he can mess up pretty badly at concerts, even despite the parts being clearly simplified compared to the album versions. Its technical potential developed along a kind of parabola ( who doesn't know what it is - urgently "Wikipedia") . Starting from his album “Kill ‘em all”, and the rest of the band members too, the artistry reached its peak in 1988, when Metallica’s most technically complex album “…And justice for all” was released. And then it smoothly went down, crashing through the plinth on the album “Death Magnetic”, which I personally cannot listen to without gagging. There is a strong feeling that Lars, during the recording of the album, appointed a pimply tenth grader to play in his place, while he went into deep thought about who else to start a lucrative legal battle with. But be that as it may, Ulrich will still remain my idol, I took too much from him. And it’s not just me - just imagine for a second how many bands in the world the drummers play in Lars’ style! And no matter what you say, he has his own style. And I still believe that when it really comes down to it, Ulrich will be able to play a full concert flawlessly. Remember, at least the “live” album “S&M”... Yes, yes, he also played solos:
Now let's talk about who could safely be called the best, if there weren't so many tough and complex styles and trends in the modern world. This is, of course, Ian Pace from Deep Purple. He is technical and fast, his games have become world classics. Let's be honest, Pace is a genius. Listening to Deep Purple songs, you clearly understand that everything is in its place, where necessary he plays simply, without bringing his “I” to the fore, and where necessary there can be a gorgeous fill, which, again, does not stand out in any way. big picture. All of his transitions, both simple and complex, are played not for the sake of the transition itself, but precisely in the context of a specific song. I think the drummers will understand me. And to the person who calls Pace the best drummer, I won’t even object, I’ll just shake his hand.
If you love old school, then one last name will obviously not be enough for you. Well, okay, especially for you I’ll name another great drummer of yesteryear. This is definitely John Bonham from Led Zeppelin…
But, fortunately, “everything flows, everything changes”... Changes in music are akin to changes in game types sports ( We have the Olympics going on after all). In both cases, the speed, purity of play and the general level of skill of players and musicians have increased significantly. But if in sports it is somehow possible to identify the best football player, hockey player or volleyball player, then it is difficult to determine the best drummer. If only because of the huge stylistic diversity of modern music. First of all, our drummer hero must kick ass in a certain style. So, we look at the masters of their craft and choose, choose, choose...
“Joe! Well, of course it’s him!”
Okay, okay! Let's talk about who has repeatedly headed various tops according to various respected magazines. Joey Jordison. Vocal and instrumental ensemble Slipknot. Crazy guy and definitely a great drummer. Everything about him is beautiful: soul, body, arms, and legs. He was one of those who broke my stereotypes of “smooth” music. I'll never forget how my jaw nearly dropped when I first heard the rhythmic changes in "The Blister Exists." Subsequently, I used similar tricks more than once in my games. Joey is cool, gorgeous, fast....( think for yourself). But... That same Thought... How many times have you caught it while listening to Slipknot? How many times have you wondered if this is not an ordinary “gouge”, even if it is extremely technical? In my humble opinion, the fingers of one hand are enough to count the moments where Joey did something like that, bringing something completely unexpected to the song. Is Joey the best? This is unlikely... The number of beats per second, even six-digit, is not the number one selection criterion.
Let's move on, and since we're talking about the drummer of a nu-metal band, let's look at others like him. And to do this, let’s make the circle a little wider, including the drummers of “insert something”-core groups. There will be a lot of great drummers in this circle. This and Hector "Lech" De Santiago with all replacements ( As Blood Runs Black), And Alex Lopez (Suicide Silence), And Justin Foley (Killswitch Engage), And Michael Thomas (Bullet for My Valentine), And Chad Davis (Himsa) and many others. In bands of similar styles, especially in the West, there simply are no weak drummers. It’s difficult to single out someone, but it’s still possible.
And before the selection begins, we will digress a little. Related video:
Let's first try to pay attention to the complexity of the drum parts. Immediately the idea to highlight Matt Nichols from Bring Me The Horizon. However, to my great regret, what we hear on the recordings is very different from what he performs at concerts. And sometimes Matt sins by unnecessary accumulation of his own “I” in the form of attempts to hit different drums as many times as possible.
The “mathematicians” party is even more difficult. Jason Bowers (PsyOpus), Thomas Haake (Meshuggah), Billy Rymer (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and, of course, my favorites Protest the Hero and their drummer Mike Leradi. This is where it is truly complex, and sometimes simply incomprehensible. Complex structures, an abundance of polyrhythms, non-standard harmonies, shifting accents, non-standard time signatures - this is no joke, dear friends.
Of course, every moment in their songs is licked to the bone, and it is difficult to assess the role of the drummer in composing the songs. And for some reason, the work of such groups seems to me to be a “naked king”, since technology just for the sake of technology does not quite correspond to the concept of “music”.
We put the drummers of “death/black” bands in the same row. After all, in this way we will move from blind technicality and complexity to speed. You don't have to look far for examples. We all know them very well already, don’t we? Nicholas Barker (Dimmu Borgir), Fotis Benardo (Septic Flash) and inimitable George Kollias (Nile). Let's not stretch this list ( since it will, as a rule, have the same type of drummers) for 100500 pages, ok? But you can’t just take it easy and not note the extremely interesting and technical Martina Skarupku from Cradle of Filth. Without any further questions, this person can be considered one of the “best”, because, despite the speed and complexity of the parts (which he plays perfectly evenly at concerts), Martin manages to fill any voids in these same parts with fleeting playing on numerous cymbals: in a split second we We manage to hear inclusions of crashes, splash, tea, and ride. One minus is that on recordings it still “softens” Cradle of Filth’s music a little; in some places the energy and power are lost.
Well, now about who, in my opinion, is the king or even the emperor of this very energy and power. Number one both in technique and complexity, and in speed... “And the Oscar goes to”... Of course, « "Inferno"- the main driving force of Polish atheists Behemoth! Blast beats tearing apart time and space, fiery and swift, like a descent into hell, transitions and playing speed a hundred times faster than the speed of light - this is all about “Inferno”. By the way, in the world his name is not so harsh, - Zbigniew Robert Prominski. What a cutie, isn't he? For me, he is the best in the criteria we are considering. Simply the best.
Perhaps speed for you is not blast beats, but a fast, even rhythm. Do you prefer punk rock? There are many punk bands, but personally I will choose Exploited, two cleverly used kick drums in punk rock are cool. Unfortunately, it is difficult to single out just one of the seven drummers who were in the group for its long history but the game Willie Buchan quite suits me. Another punk character definitely worth checking out is Travis Barker (Blink-182). For many he is an idol, but for me, he too often “pulls the blanket over himself.” And again, many of his transitions and fills are taken out of the context of the songs. Like: “Look how I can!” This is one of the main mistakes of many drummers. Okay, we’ve persuaded you, let’s watch the video with him:
So, let's summarize the analysis of the technology. Let’s forget about the existence of “Inferno” for a few minutes and turn to biology. This science tells us that the “common drummer” species has two arms, two legs and one wooden head, like sticks, which, unfortunately, rarely manages to knock on the drums. So, some people prefer to give priority in developing technique to their hands, and others to their legs. Yes, of course, such monsters as Jordison or “Inferno” successfully combine both, but there are people who emphasize the game “on top”, and there are their opposites, who emphasize the game on the barrels. And in order not to create a multi-book, let's immediately announce those who have no equal in the selected components. And the winner in the “hands” category... Dave Lombardo(ex. Slayer)! You can listen to his fills and transitions endlessly. This man seems to have been born with a volume in his hands.
Now the nomination “legs”... There is no competition here Raymond Herrera(ex. Fear Factory). Any doubts? Then listen to “Slave Labor,” the title track from the “Archetype” album. Raymond himself admitted that this was his most difficult game, and for several sleepless nights he pondered how to play it correctly. In general, Raymond is a quite sociable person and is happy to give advice to anyone who wants to master two barrels. You just need to overcome your laziness a little and Google it.
Well, now I would like to turn to a genre where technique and speed alone will not be enough. A genre whose music shines with different colors of the rainbow, like a luxurious diamond. The genre is complex, but deep and calling for comprehension. This is "Progressive -*". This genre, still obscure to many, includes complex compositional structures, bizarre time signatures and intriguing techniques for playing musical instruments. Isn’t it true that this very Thought is needed here? Here, of course, ahead of the rest Dream Theater with inimitable Mike Portnoy (yes, yes, I am aware that he is no longer in the group). For many, he is the best drummer. I'm willing to bet... After all, he again often focuses on bare technique, and in the desire to make everything as complicated as possible, Dream Theater often ruins many nice moments in the bud. That’s why I personally can’t listen to them for a long time. In a similar way you can Brenna Dailor from Mastodon cite... No, from everything that has “progressive” in the name, I expect melody and interesting, but readable moves. And, perhaps, I will single out the most interesting group for myself and, accordingly, the drummer/s. This is Opeth; and in this group there were several drummers. Then (focusing on released albums) we note Martin Lopez and the current drummer Martin Axenroth. Opeth is the same band where Thought is present in the drum parts. This is worth learning...
Well, in the end, of course, we will remember the fundamental requirement for all drummers - smooth playing. Let me give you a few examples of those who always played perfectly evenly. Stop! This does not mean that the above people play unevenly, I just decided to dilute the text with new, so to speak, blood and color the text with more melodic genres. Namely, different styles of metal. So, here I think I'll mention all three drummers Helloween: Ingo Schwichtenberg, Uli Kusha And Dani Löble.
Also, of course, this is an unfading handsome Finn from NightwishJukka Nevalainen, well, ours ( I'll add a touch of patriotism) Maxim Udalov (Aria).
Well, of course, the note of patriotism will not stop sounding here, dear friends. We also have someone to be proud of. This is, firstly, Daniil Svetlov from the collapsed Amatory. It was Daniel who played main role in a break in my pattern of even play. I will never forget how, back in 2004, I listened to the album “Inevitability” again and again, trying to understand: how does he do it, and most importantly, how did he come up with it??? Unfortunately, Daniil has now faded into the shadows, but our second drum star is in the light - Grigory "Gregor" Karpov (##### ). What does this guy do at concerts? His games have everything - the same Thought, and non-standard moves, and “goofy”, but only where necessary. For me, “Gregor” is number one among Russian drummers, and I listen to it a lot ( work on the site is obligatory) domestic groups. Now, if “Sharps” left the domestic consumption market... Personalities like “Gregor” should be known not only in our country.
Well, it’s time to finish, sorry if I bored anyone, but I tried to answer the question as fully as possible. And I repeat once again that I did not consider single drummers or those playing in groups that are stylistically different from the radio format Metalnation.ru. For example, jazz drummers, who in some cases can give a head start to famous “heavy” drummers.
And remember that love often arises just like that, and is not a consequence of some arguments and conclusions. For some reason you liked that particular drummer, and, as if you fell in love with him, you consider him the best. I listened Limp Bizkit, grabbed his head because of how well he could perform on the drums - and that’s all, John Otto- your idol. Listened to the warlike drums, as if sounding not from speakers, but straight from the dark, ominous Brazilian jungle - and you are a fan Igorka Cavaliers and his former gang Sepultura. Such things, dear friends. You can’t tell your heart...
And finally, before heated debates and tearing of T-shirts on the chest, I suggest letting your brain cool down and watching the iconic calming video about the label’s anniversary Roadrunner Records. Let's be nostalgic and enjoy the familiar faces of the real gurus of heavy music, dear friends.
Well, did you recognize everyone?
“Why this video, it’s not just drummers?” - you ask. And the video is just about professionalism, mutual understanding and mastery of playing the instrument. And also about the unity of all parts in music and Thought, which allows us to compose masterpieces. It is this, multiplied by technique, speed and purity of play, that makes any musician, and, in particular, a drummer Great. So who is he, the greatest and best drummer, exactly for you?
Increasingly, the fair half of humanity is trying themselves in male activities, and female drummers are no exception. At the beginning of the 20th century, women who tried to make money by playing musical instruments were looked down upon. Times are changing: girls now play jazz and metal, but drums are still an exception, as the uninitiated believe that playing them requires male strength. But this is not so - watch and be surprised.
Here we presented the most famous drummers who have found their own playing style, which even men imitate. The list goes on: every year new drummers take to the stage.
Viola Smith
In the 1930s, hundreds of orchestras, including women's ones, toured America, as in the movie Some Like It Hot. Viola Smith began playing with her sisters and later performed with the most famous women's orchestras in the country. She is now 102 years old and still plays the drums and gives lessons.
Cindy Blackman
Drummer Lenny Kravitz first sat down at the kit at the age of 6 - and away she went. After graduating from school, she entered College of Music Berkeley in New York, but after a couple of semesters she dropped out and played on the street, meeting famous drummers. In 1993, she called Lenny and he asked her to play something over the phone. The next day, Cindy was already preparing for a recording session in Los Angeles. The girl constantly participates in jazz projects, and since 2013 she has been playing in Carlos Santana’s band.
Meg White
Meg plays simply and naively, but that's the whole point of the White Stripes. No wonder this project by Jack White is more popular than others. The girl never thought about becoming a drummer; one day Jack simply asked her to play along with him, and it turned out great.
Sheila I
As a child, Sheila was surrounded by musicians, her father and uncle played with Carlos Santana, another uncle became the founder of The Dragons, and her brothers also played music. The girl grew up in California and loved to spend free time, drinking lemonade and listening to local bands rehearse. During her career, she played with Prince, Ringo Starr, Herbie Hancock and George Duke. Sheila currently tours around the world with her team and performs at festivals.
Terry Line Carrington
At the age of 7, Terry was given a drum kit from his grandfather, who played with Fats Waller and Chu Barry. Just 2 years later she performed for the first time at a jazz festival. After graduating from Berklee College, the girl played with such jazz legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock, and others. Terry now teaches at Berklee and records albums with famous jazz musicians.
Jen Langer
Jen was invited to play in Skillet when she was just 18 years old, and soon won a competition for young drummers in the UK. In the group, the girl also sings along in some compositions.
Mo Tucker
Primitive rhythms without cymbals became a signature feature of the Velvet Underground. Mo says that she didn't specifically study to play in order to maintain this sound; complex breaks and rolls would completely change the group's style. The girl wanted her rhythms to be similar to African music, but the guys couldn’t find ethnic drums in their city, so Mo played an upside-down kick drum using mallets. The girl always helped unload the instruments and stood throughout the performance so that no one would think that she was a weak girl.
Sandy West
The Runaways proved to everyone that girls can play hard rock just as well as men. Cindy received her first installation when she was 9 years old. At 13 she was already playing rock in local clubs, and at 15 she met Joan Jet. The girls wanted to create women's group, and soon they found a second guitarist and bassist. The team's success was enormous, but due to disagreements between the members, the group broke up in 1979.
Meital Cohen
After serving in the army, the girl moved to America to seriously play metal drums. It’s not surprising, Meital was born in Israel, and there boys and girls are drafted into the army. For several years now she has been recording videos where she replays Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest and other famous bands. During this time, a lot of fans of her playing technique and beauty appeared. Meital recently created a group to record her music.
Despite what some people think, female drummers play so musically and technically that many men can only envy. Having seen so many examples, girls are more likely to start playing percussion instruments, and therefore in musical world More and more groups with drummers are appearing. Black Angels, Bikini Kills, Slits, The Go-Gos, Beastie Boys - the list is endless.
Today it is difficult to imagine any of the modern musical genres without drum rhythms. Often it is the drummers who are the leaders and ideological inspirers groups, write poetry and music, and sometimes even manage to sing! We invite you to remember the outstanding heroes of percussion and drum kit, who left their mark on the history of “classic” rock...
Keith Moon (1946-1978)
The Who's drummer was one of the first to bring the drums to the forefront, elevating the instrument's role in the rock band to a new level. Moon's playing style was on the verge of genius and madness - high-speed and highly professional drumming was superimposed on the "explosive" behavior of the drummer on stage.
Moon became one of the most famous musicians of his generation, and was later recognized as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music.
Phil Collins (b. 1951)
At the age of five, Phil's parents gave him a toy drum kit, and this was the start of his dizzying musical career. In 1969, he received his first contract as drummer for the band Flaming Youth, and a year later he responded to an advertisement that read: “The ensemble is looking for a drummer with a good sense of acoustics.”
The ensemble turned out to be the innovative prog-rock band Genesis. After vocalist Peter Gabriel left in 1975, the band auditioned more than four hundred applicants, but the microphone was given to a talented drummer. Over the next twenty years, the group became one of the most popular in the world. In parallel with Genesis, Collins worked with the jazz instrumental project Brand X, and in the early eighties he began releasing solo albums.
Collins has collaborated with famous musicians like B.B. King, Ozzy Osbourne, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Mike Oldfield, Sting, John Cale, Brian Eno and Ravi Shankar.
John "Bonzo" Bonham (1948-1980)
Over 10 years of playing Led Zeppelin Bonham became one of the greatest and most influential drummers in rock music. In 2005, British magazine Classic Rock ranked him number one on the list best rock-drummers of all times.
John acquired his first drumming skills at the age of five, when he assembled a homemade kit from boxes and coffee cans. He received his first real kit, Premier Percussion, as a gift from his mother at the age of 15.
During Led Zeppelin's first US tour in December 1968, the musician became friends with Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, who recommended him a Ludwig drum kit, which Bonham used for the rest of his career.
The drummer's harsh playing style has largely become a characteristic feature of Led Zeppelin's entire style. Bonham later introduced elements of funk and Latin percussion into his stylistic palette and expanded his drum set to include congas, orchestral timpani and symphonic gongs. According to the Dallas Times Herald, he was the first in history to use a drum synthesizer.
Encyclopedia Britannica called Bonham "the perfect example for all the hard rock drummers who followed in his footsteps."
Ian Paice (b. 1948)
The only member of Deep Purple who was part of all the group's lineups, he is recognized by critics as one of the best drummers in the world.
In his early youth, Pace was more interested in the violin, but at the age of 15 he switched to drums and began accompanying his pianist father playing waltzes and quicksteps. The musician was strongly influenced by jazz players (Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich) - Pace became one of the first drummers who managed to introduce elements of swing and jazz techniques into hard rock.
Bill Ward (b. 1948)
Ward was beloved by the public for his powerful and unconventional jazz style of playing on the classic Black Sabbath albums with Ozzy Osbourne.
“I prefer to use instruments that have complex tonal nuances, always trying to make the sound more melodic and expressive, trying to get 40 sounds out of one drum,” Ward said in a later interview.
Roger Taylor (b. 1949)
The Queen drummer, widely known for his "big" unique sound, is considered one of the most influential drummers of the seventies and eighties. On early albums, Taylor performed songs himself own composition, however, in the future he lost them to Freddie Mercury. On his solo albums, Taylor performed bass, rhythm guitar and keyboard parts on his own.
The musician often collaborated with such performers as Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Robert Plant and Elton John, and in 2005 he was named one of the ten greatest drummers in history classic rock according to Planet Rock Radio.
Bill Bruford (b. 1949)
The famous English musician, known for his fierce, virtuosic, polyrhythmic playing style, was the first drummer of the prog rock group Yes. He later played with King Crimson, UK, Genesis, Pavlov's Dog, Bill Bruford's Earthworks and many others.
Since the eighties, Bruford experimented a lot with electronic drums and percussion, but eventually returned to a conventional acoustic drum kit. In 2009 he stopped active concert activities and studio work.
Mitch Mitchell (1947-2008)
Seventh on Classic Rock's list of the 50 Greatest Drummers in Rock, Mitchell is best known for his extraordinary playing as a member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
The sudden death of Hendrix on September 18, 1970 put an end to the group - the recordings of one of the most talented rock drummers of the sixties were no longer so popular and he began producing young bands.
Nick Mason (b. 1944)
Sole participant Pink Floyd, who took part in the recording of every album since the founding of the group and played at all its concerts. The drummer's authorship includes such compositions as "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party Parts 1–3" (from the experimental album "Ummagumma") and "Speak to Me" (from " The Dark Side of the Moon").
In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Mason recorded two solo albums, on which the light jazz-rock sound replaced the experimental rock of Pink Floyd.
Neil Peart (b. 1952)
At the beginning of his career, the controversial Rush drummer was inspired by the playing of Keith Moon and John Bonham, but over time he decided to modernize and develop his playing style, incorporating elements of swing and jazz.
Most of all, Peart is known in the music world for his virtuosic performance technique and extraordinary endurance. He is also Rush's primary lyricist.
Charlie Watts (b. 1941)
Charlie acquired his first musical instrument at the age of 14 - it was a banjo, which he soon disassembled, converted into a drum and began tapping out his favorite jazz tunes on it.
Even now he does not resemble a rocker in any way: he dresses modestly, behaves quietly, and is considered an excellent family man. Despite all this, for 50 years Charlie Watts has been one of the key members of The Rolling Stones, all of whose music, according to guitarist Keith Richards, rests on his drums.
Ringo Starr (b. 1940)
Ringo officially joined the lineup The Beatles August 18, 1962. Before that, he played in the beat group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, which at the time was the Beatles' main rival in Liverpool.
Starr sang on one song on each of the group's albums (except "A Hard Day's Night", "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Let It Be") and played drums on almost all of The Beatles' songs. He wrote such songs as "Octopus's Garden", "Don't Pass Me By" and "What Goes On".
In 2012, Celebritynetworth.com named Ringo Starr the richest drummer in the world.
Ginger Baker (b. 1939)
Baker gained wide fame as a member of the “supergroup” Cream - critics enthusiastically noted the brightness, richness and entertainment of his drumming. What gave his style a special charm was the fact that the musician, at the beginning of his career, formed as a jazz drummer.
Baker is considered the first musician to use two bass drums instead of the traditional one of the time. Subsequently, collaborating with the group Hawkwind, he introduced elements of African music into his style.
John Densmore (b. 1944)
The person responsible for the rhythmic basis of almost all compositions The Doors. While keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robbie Krieger and vocalist Jim Morrison were free to improvise, someone had to keep the chaos under control. The clarity and precision of each of his strokes gave particular expressiveness to the musician’s manner.
Guy Evans (b. 1947)
Before joining Van Der Graaf Generator, Evans played in the band The New Economic Model, whose repertoire consisted primarily of American soul music of the sixties. As part of a band famous for its expressive approach to prog-rock performance and endless experiments with sound musical instruments, Evans emerged as one of the most unusual drummers of his generation.
linkAlmost from the very beginning of rock, drums have been active in it. And if the group was not a solo project, then the drummers were often part of the team. Of course, the role of drums is not so noticeable, and front-drummers can be judged as an extremely rare phenomenon.
Today, the criterion for success is the amount of money. The following are the most successful rock drummers in the world, ranked by their net worth.
1. The richest turns out to be Ringo Starr- famous member of The Beatles. His fortune totals $300 million. A very substantial sum for a 72-year-old drummer! Although for a member of such a famous group there is nothing surprising.
2. Next is the drummer of British progressive rockers Genesis Phil Collins with an equally modest amount of $250 million. By the way, Phil was also a vocalist in the band and is now pursuing a solo career.
3. In third place is the drummer of the no less famous group Nirvana Dave Grohl with 225 million. After the collapse of the grunge legend, Dave created the band Foo Fighters, which still exists today and delights listeners with alternative rock.
4. Next comes the drummer from the popular Eagles - Don Henley. Many middle-aged and older people are familiar with the team’s work. It’s not for nothing that the Eagles are considered the third most popular rock band in the United States. Don Henley has amassed $200 million from his work.
5. Metallica are the idols of millions of metalheads from all over the world, and deservedly so. For over 30 years Lars Ulrich beats on the drums in such famous group, so his fortune of 175 million is such a modest result.
6. The Grandfathers of Rock and Roll The Rolling Stones with their drummer Charlie Watts, who earned 160 million, occupy sixth position. Quite a good increase in pension!
7. Founder of the legendary band U2 Larry Mullen did a good job. Sitting behind a drum kit, he not only earned 150 million, but also created such a famous group!
8. All rock fans know Queen's voice. And not only rock, but many people in general. But, unfortunately, Freddie is no longer with us, and the drummer continues the work of Queen Roger Taylor, whose net worth is 105 million.
9. Joey Kramer from Aerosmith collected exactly one hundred million dollars. Not a bad result. It is worth noting that it was he who came up with the name of the glam rockers group.
10. Lasts this list Chad Smith from Red Hot Chilli Peppers with a $90 million bill. In addition, Chad is ranked fifth best rock drummer in the world according to Classic Rock magazine.
Of course, financial situation is not the best criterion. Because of him, many young musicians who simply had not yet managed to make a fortune were unable to enter the list. But the merits of the veterans provided are undeniable. So they deserve their millions, if only because they have been delighting with excellent playing for decades, and will continue to delight, maybe on record, or maybe live.
