Drum Solos on Studio Albums...

Personally I find nothing marrs a great studio cut more than a couple of minutes of mindless unaccompanied bashing, and after jazz, prog must be the worst offender for this sort of thing. Live, of course, it's another matter, but on studio albums? Blerk!

Your opinions, please...

Edited by Trouserpress

I like clever drum fills on studio albums but have to agree with you that they are kind of out of place in the studio environment. The only one I can think of that actually works is Carmine Appice`s solo on Jan Akkerman`s Tabernakel. solo album.

Some are interesting until after many listenings. I voted no if they are under two minutes. Most are tedious if longer( the exception being the drum solo on Iron Butterfly's studio version of In A Gadda Da Vida!) 

Edited by Possessed

There are some very impressive solos. Check out Bill Bruford's "The Drum Also Waltzes" (originally a Max Roach comp) from one of the Moraz/Bruford albums. It's very classy and controlled.

Dare I mention ELP's 'Tank' without copping a load of abuse?

Reed Lover wrote: Rob The Plant wrote: Anyone ever heard of Moby Friggen Dick? Sounds like a German porn star!

Being a drummer is a very important matter to discuss. I agree that sometimes there is an overdose of percussion hits, and in the end, it makes the listener to press the "skip" dial, however, ther's a lot of great "mini" solos in records, only to feature a change, a bridge or a space, i wonder if you ever heard full-percussion albums?... i think not, so many people think that drumming is just as easy a grabbing a tenis racket (and that is another point of discussion) anyway, drumming is a very important part of music, and a good solo is a thing to remember, and of course a bad solo is just a waste of time. You have to be very careful with the records you hear and buy, beacuse in jazz and in fusion, soloing is an integral part of the main musical piece.

Rob The Plant wrote: Moby Dick anyone? Anyone ever heard of Moby Friggen Dick?

As a drummer, I can say that the STUDIO version is nothing spectacular (not dissing Bohnam at all, one of my fav's), but LIVE, that song is amazing. 

And I voted yes. The drums can solo, as long as it helps the song. (Sound Chaser, anyone?)

Allan holdsorth's IOU album has a NECESSARY drum solo by gary husband!

Was really into drum solos at one point ... particularly ...

Ginger Baker in Cream's studio version of Toad
Ron Bushy in Iron Butterfly's studio version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
John Bonham in Led Zeppelin's studio version of Moby Dick

I prefer these studio versions to the much lengthier live versions ... but most of my favourite drum moments aren't from solos per se ... Ian Paice, BJ Wilson, Neil Peart, Phil Collins and Bill Bruford are awesome drummers whose regular playing I prefer to the odd solo moments I've heard (although I can only recall Paice and Peart solos right now)

I notice though that I have a big problem with the changes in the sounds of drums from the late 70s onwards ... and I've hardly liked any drumming since ...