# Which Drummer?



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Which of these late 60s drummers do you like the best. For those who are a bit of distance from turning grey, I've listed the group they were best known for. Oddly, they're all Brits.


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

John Bonham! I love all the drummers you mentioned but...I think JB was the only one could play a straight beat. LOL, I could not imagine playing with Keith Moon. But he certainly was born to play with The Who.


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## a Pack of Wolves (Sep 5, 2007)

Keef was fun to watch and it translated in his playing 
-the manic energy and high spirit

the whole Zep camp seemed to be too into themselves for my taste


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Mitch Mitchell would be my pick. But only by a hair. Ginger would be a very close second. Followed by JB. Although from the same era, (if it was my poll) I would have put Ainsley Dunbar(John Mayall and a lot of other high profile groups), Clive Bunker(Jethro Tull) and Micky Waller(Jeff Beck Group) in there before JB. Keith Moon, although highly recognizable and creative, would be far down the list for me. 

Cheers
Pete


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## devil6 (Feb 24, 2006)

I voted Mitch Mitchell, playing with Hendrix he was shamefully overlooked in regards to his creativity and technical skill.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2007)

John Bonham. I also agree with the write in's.
I'd like to add Bill Ward (Sabbath)to that list.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

As a drummer myself, I would have to vote for Bonham. But all those guys could lay it down. I would also agree that Bill Ward could hang with all those guys. Check out some early Sabbath video (there's a Live in Paris one that comes to mind) and see Bill hammer it out.

As for Ringo, now I don't know if this is true, but apparently when asked if he thought Ringo was one of the best rock drummers around, Paul McCartney answered, "He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles".

True or not, it's a pretty funny quote. Rumour has it that McCartney would sneak into the studio after hours and re-record a lot of the drum parts. Probably an urban myth though. I do think Ringo was a competent drummer and played in a style that was appropriate to the music (which is, after all, job one for the drummer). He also likely provided a good counter-balance to the Lennon/McCartney power struggle that was ubiquitous during the height of their careers.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Paul said:


> What? Ringo isn't on the list? Seriously, Ringo is one of my favourite pop/rock drummers. He played more musically than just about anyone.


Absolutely !!!!!!!!
My 11 yr old is playing drums for the past two years and is a Beatles fanatic. I have been learning all the Beatles catalogue to teach him the drum parts. Ringo is a true musician. He orchestred all his parts from day one in that band. Every song has a different part for the intro, verse, chorus, bridge. And all the while playing with an abandon that made all those early Beatles tracks very exciting. When John Lennon gave his last interview in the fall of 1980 in Playboy magazine, he was asked "if you could go back and redo any of the Beatles songs and tracks, would you?". Lennon answered " Oh yeah, all of em'. Except Ringo's parts. They were perfect". 
I always liked Ringo's playing, but now that I've actually had to learn his stuff, I'm in awe of his intuitive musicianship.

cheers
Pete


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Paul said:


> <snip>
> I have a standard question when drummers knock Ringo. I ask them what they would have done different to make the song better. I have yet to get an intelligent answer.


You're trying to get an intelligent answer from a drummer? :smile:

There really is no good answer for that question, so my answer is "nothing". Ringo played the parts his way and played them well. You can't add to or take away from what's already been done.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Regarding The Beatles, lots of bands have members who switch hit, including my own humble little combo. I don't see an issue, especially if it serves the music, but it sure is historically and musically interesting to hear of these things. 

In the poll, I chose John Bonham, but it was a tough choice. I'm a no excuses Zeppelin freak. There were so many great trailblazing drummers in the '60s and '70s. Many of those drummers were more inventive, stylistic, brilliant, and original than the more recognized frontmen. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

I chose John Bonham. He was the groove. He is also the one who doesn't fit with the other three in that he kept things simple. Mitchell, Baker and Moon were all busy drummers. Keith Moon would be my second choice because he could get away with murder.

I also loved Ringo's drumming. However, Bernard Purdie claims that in 1964 Brian Epstein called him into a New York studio to play over about 15 early Beatles tracks. He said he was paid $10,000 cash. He also says when he was leaving the studio a guitar player was coming in but he won't tell who it was. ????????


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I'm surprised by the results so far. Jon Bonham, who I do think a lot of, is actually my least favourite of the four. I guess I like busy drummers. With Band of Gypsies, I agreed that Buddy Miles kept the groove for what Hendrix was playing then, but I found Miles' playing so pedestrian - as least he could sing. For me it was hard to choose between the other three - but right now it's Ginger Baker. Eight to then years ago it was Mitch Mitchell. I've been listening to Who's Next in the car for the last few days - and I've really been getting off on Moon's drumming. I picked a copy of Presence for $5 so I be giving that a listen to again - but the first time around, Bonzo's drumming didn't stand out as much to me.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Interview with Bernard Purdie

http://www.jimvallance.com/03-projects-folder/purdie-project-folder/pg-purdie.html


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## chaoscypher (Jun 4, 2007)

Definitely John Bonham, simply because of how solid he was. He really just added to the all of Zeppelin's tracks. Think about the intros to "Rock and Roll" and "When the Levee Breaks".

Mitch Mitchell definitely gets points for accenting Jimi's eccentric playing sometimes. Keith Moon sounds a little messy to me sometimes, he's like the Pete Townshend of drums :smile: And Ginger Baker is very skilled but overall a little less of an integral piece of the puzzle in Cream.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

Lester B. Flat said:


> Interview with Bernard Purdie
> 
> http://www.jimvallance.com/03-projects-folder/purdie-project-folder/pg-purdie.html


Part of the summation includes references to overdubs on the American release of the Tony Sheridan/Beatles 1961 recordings including this quote, *"Ain't She Sweet", for example, by the addition of a drum roll after each verse and an extra hi-hat in the bridge section."*

Does anybody have a copy of the US version? Those overdubs are not on the Canadian release.


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

on the beatles's dvd collection, martin states that he got the studio drummer in because he had not yet heard ringo, not because he was dissatisfied with his skills. he also goes on to praise ringo's drumming, and i think he is absolutely one of the greatest drummers of all time. he has a pocket that's a mile wide, and if i could play with any drummer in history he'd be second only after bonham, and that's only because i love bonham's aggressive sound. the other drummers in this poll are all great, don't get me wrong. i just hate when people slag ringo.. i mean.. he played the drums for a little band called "the beatles". what else do you need to hear?

also, this discussion isn't complete without mentioning the bass players that brought these guys up. john paul jones is one of the most musical players of any instrument of any time, ever.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

George_Costanza said:


> Im glad John Bonham is dead, he was terrrrible, as was zeplin


as is your spelling 
But besides that.........you are really happy that he is dead??? Or were you just saying that for effect.
I really hope (for your sake) it's the latter.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Hard pick but I'll take Mitch.....


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

I agree with the fellow Bancroft resident. Mitch was definatly my fav. I don't like Led Zepplin at all to begin with, but I can see why many drummers, including my own lol, like him and find him inspiring. Personally I find he lacks touch and definition on his kit, but thats just my opinion lol


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Drums were my first instrument, even went to Humber College playing drums. If I didn't have a bad neck I would never have stopped playing (that's another story).

I voted for Bonham. Listen to Led Zep live. When Page solos the band sound HUGE and powerful; you have to remind yourself its just bass and drums!

I loved Mich Mitchell on the early Hendrix stuff. In particular his work on Axis is incredible (brushes from a rock drummer?!). But I felt he was all wrong for the later Hendrix stuff and he overplayed live.

Keith Moon is cool and when he is own he was perfect for those songs. Like Mitchell, too all over the place live and even sometimes in the studio.

While I liked Cream, Ginger Baker just never excited me.

You forgot two of the other best rock drummers who I would put at the top with Bonham: Stewart Copeland and Bill Bruford.


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