10. Kurt Dahle (The New Pornographers)
Okay, I know what you're all thinking: "The Who Pornographers"? Well, The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1999, and a lot of their appeal, I think, comes from the drummer, who just adds a whole new level of energy to the group. Listen to the drum solo at the beginning of this song pull you in. Without Kurt Dahle, The Pornographers might have just been an okay indie group. But I think Dahle's drumming exceeds them past that level.
9. Joey Kramer (Aerosmith)
Aerosmith are seriously one of my favourite bands of all time, and part of that notoriety (if you choose to call it that, which I do) can be attributed to their wonderful drummer, Joey Kramer. He does what a drummer needs to do: he keeps a steady rhythm throughout the song, then when it's time, he unleashes a drum solo. Good on ya, Joey. Good on ya.
8. Tre Cool (Green Day)
Another one of my favourite bands of all time, go figure. I can't think of anyone who could back up Billie Joe better than Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool. They keep the rhythm in the background like no others, but they really do deserve to be showcased in the foreground more often. Especially Tre, who hides his blistering drum techniques in the midst of the chorus and verses in each Green Day song. And who can forget the pounding intro to "Longview"? Masturbation may lose its fun, but Green Day and Tre Cool's drumming won't.
7. Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention)
Joe's Garage was an album initially released to slightly mixed reviews, but has since been hailed as a masterpiece. Part of that masterpiece was Vinnie Colaiuta, whose work on this album cemented him as one of the greatest drummers ever in the business. Modern Drummer magazine named him "the most technically advanced drummer ever", and his variety and rhythm throughout this song and many others reinforce that opinion.
6. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)
There is no disputing Mike Portnoy's placement on this list after watching the video, except you may think he's too low. Well, despite his obvious talent, it's easy to see where his influence came from (more on him later) and I gotta go with who did it first and best. But that's not knocking Portnoy in any way. His drum solos are kickass, and he meshes with the band really well. He's an excellent drummer, but there's just five I like more.
5. Carl Palmer (ELP)
What can I even say, people? Just let the solo speak for itself.
4. Stewart Copeland (The Police)
The Police were one of the creepiest and cleverest rock bands of their time. And always there to guide them through creepy teacher/student relationships or creepy stalking or RAAAAAWWWWWWXAAAAAANE was Stewart Copeland, the faithful drummer of the group. He could do awesome solos, he could do creepy lead-ins, he could do tight rhythm, he could do it all.
3. Keith Moon (The Who)
YEEEEEEAAAAAH! While The Who is just an all-around excellent band, it's Keith Moon's drumming that will be singled out for this list. Whether he's playing small songs like "Happy Jack" or big grandiose productions like "Won't Get Fooled Again", Moon always gave it his all. In some Who songs, it's the drumming that really makes it click, because Keith would never settle the fuck down, and he always sounded awesome as a result. And of course, we have to bring up his hard rockin' lifestyle, which sometimes overshadows his drumming, which I think is a damn shame, because he was a fantastic drummer. Thirty-five-odd years after his passing, people still say it's true. One of those people is me.
2. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
If it's been a long time since you've rock and rolled, go listen to some John Bonham and Led Zeppelin to get you back into the mood. This guy is consistently hailed as one of the best drummers of all time, and it's easy to see (or rather, hear) why just by listening to a Zeppelin song. The energy. The rhythm. The solos. The lead-ins. Led Zeppelin was an awesome band all around, but they really lost a great when they lost Bonham.
1. Neil Peart (Rush)
What, were you expecting the drummer from Nickelback? Yeah, Neil Peart's an obvious #1 choice for this list, but he damn well should be: he is, in my opinion, the greatest drummer in rock n' roll. Not only does he have fantastic rhythm skills, fast playing, and great fills and solos, but he also writes the lyrics for Rush. So the next time you're scratching your head over "Tom Sawyer", blame Peart. But don't blame him. Love him. Love him as the greatest, or at least most obviously great, drummer of all time.
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