Best/Most important Progressive Drummer

I think it is a cross between Bruford and Peart... I went with Peart, but it wasn't easy.

Bruford wins again....   All hail the all time champion of drummer polls!

Terry Bozzio - awesome drummer. A virtuoso with feel. I saw him with Uncle Frank in 1974 on the Bongo Fury tour. Just amazing. His work on Black Page set a benchmark for tightness.

Bill Bruford - always gets my vote. His influence is huge - the snare drum sound, his use of different sounds, his imagination and variety, his crispness and use of space. His influence in working with odd time signatures, before some of these other fellas got out of short pants, makes him akin to rock's Joe Morello. His work on Starless was a marvel - he did everything!

Clive Bunker - a really solid play with a a nice 'organic' feel. He won't win any contests but who cares - I don't think we can sneeze at his replacement, the wonderful Barriemore Barlow, either.

Danny Carey - a monster player, awesome to watch this giant of a man manage to combine brutality, technique and precision. Some nice ideas too. Always rates.

Billy Cobham - I love Billy, although he's prog-jazz, not prog rock. I though he tended to overplay at times on his solo records, with his trademark flowing fill down the toms being a bit of a cliche, but it was influential. His spirit, precision and technique with Mahavishnu were mind-blowing - his high point IMO. His replacement, Michael Waldon was a class above too.

Phil Collins - his famous fill in Something in the Air made its mark on many a drummer (including moi). His work with Brand X was top drawer stuff. I loved his clever sneakiness with Brian Eno (eg. Another Green World album) too.

Virgil Donati - um gosh, I'm Australian and I don't know his work. I expect that if he's on this list he must be pretty awesome.

Carl Palmer - his influence was the classical influence (good) and to inspire drummers to fit as many notes as possible into a song (bad). I think he overdid it with some of ELP's simpler stuff which meant a looser, less clean feel than would have been ideal, but I loved him when ELP was in full flight.

Neil Peart - sort of like a prog version of a session player, always providing a solid, technically correct beat. Rush has too many AOR tendencies (like later UK and Asia) for my liking but the guy sure knows his way around 120 drums and 150 cymbals. I like his structured and musical approach to his solo too. A much better soloist than, say, Bill B, but less imaginative in the context of the songs.

Mike Portnoy - consummate technique but his playing and Dream Theatre's music doesn't touch me. You've gotta hand it to him, though, for taking Michael Giles's groundbreaking ultra-tight drumming in Schizoid Man (and Uncle Franks scary ensemble playing) to another level.

Other... Pierre Moerlen - his peerless fluid feel, his ideas and musicality are so brilliant. Try Cat in Clark's Shoes or Chandra on the Shamal album or Expresso on Gazeuse!. His passing really saddened me :(

Vinnie Collaiuta - the ultimate technique. Not even Billy Cobham or Dave Weckl are as freakish, but seeing the three of them, along with young Portnoy, Palmer and (old) Phil would make one helluva circus act - acrobats on drums!

Pierre van der Linden (Focus) - scary player with a wealth of ideas. His replacement, Collin Allen, wasn't spectacular but his work on Hamburger Concerto is a joy to hear.

Prairie Prince (The Tubes) - very hot and tight drummer before the band sadly descended into bland AOR and pop to pay the bills.

Roger Wilcox (Utopia) - a bit of a rock thumper in the mould of Queen's impressive Roger Taylor, but his playing on Steve Hillage's L, especially Lunar Musick Suite, was fantastic. Loved his giant drum sound with Todd Rundgren's production.

Bruford ,Dennis Chambers

For me, Virgal Donati, as I'm looking at this from a modern perspective. Ridiculously good chops.
Portnoy and Carey are equal 2nd for me.

^^But no one voted for Virgil Donati >_>

Edited by Treasure - June 20 2008 at 15:33

had to Vote Other as  Pierre Moerlen  not on the list

Important or more innovating? Bruford

Best? Bozzio, he can also imitate the Devil and that's some extra bonus, right?

I voted "other" with Ginger Baker in mind.  He didn't play in what would now be termed a progressive band (though Cream, in particular, were described as progressive at the time) but his style was certainly progressive and inspired other rock (as opposed to Jazz) drummers to treat the instrument as a lead instrument rather than as a time keeper.