Best/Most important Progressive Drummer

 

Well, tis so! Most important? Ha! Dude was like the Hendrix of drummers; he inspired Carl Palmer. Best? Totally. His drumming could be rythmic, lyrical, or lend itself to the sound effects.

 

The only guy on that list that can touch him...that I've heard anyways...is Bruford. And Bruford is, of course, scarily good. But Keith was the best.

 

WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE PEOPLE ALWAYS COMPARED ME TO KEITH MOON.  NO AGRUMENT FROM ME. HE WAS AWESOME

 

Practice makes perfect!  To relate to your point, back about 20 years or so, I wanted to make my career in music as a drummer. After my normal day job, I'd go and practice 2-3 hours, studying out of various drum instruction books (Hats off to Roy Burns for teaching me syncopation!). Indeed, many took notice after about 6 months on the dramatic iimprovement of my playing. I wonder where I'd be if I didn't wimp out and get a "real life".

 

 

Perhaps - but I'll gladly wager that Peart has influenced far more drummers from all over the globe than Pierre Moerlen has (whom, by the way, I've never heard of either).  That's not a knock on Morelen's talent, just the fact that Peart's work is more well-known worldwide.  The poll asked most "important/best" which I feel are two distinct categories.

 

I'd say it comes down to exposure. The one better known is mostlikely better known because of the music they have benn part of creating. In addition, one should refer to publications like Modern Drummer and Drummer Magazine. Drummers who are mentioned more often will get invested by active drummers and potentially be influenced more by the more acclaimed.

 

For these reasons, and not abilities, I see Peart as being a leader. However, I suspect Bruford or even Collins probably have bigger impact to European drummers than either of the afore mentioned.

 

 

....and people always complain that Americans think they are the center of the world...

 

Fortunately, Europe does not constitute the entire world either.

 

 

I understand you have great respect for Moerlen and that is perfectly fine.  However you cannot compare his impact to that of Neil Peart or even Bruford. 

 

Whether or not you like Rush, whether or not you think Peart is competent outside of "the Rush gig" (as some have posted here) - his impact and importance are undeniable in the realm of progressive rock drumming.   There are probably more Europeans who have never heard of Moerlen than Europeans who have never heard of Neil Peart. 

 

And since Moerlen is unfortunately deceased, it is unlikely his popularity and influence will ever be much more than it is today.

 

Peart is not American....he is a French Canadian. 

 

I understand your point regarding personal interpretation of 'most important'.  I was not thinking subjectively when I named Peart.  I was thinking objectively and leaving my personal opinions aside.   What I have observed, what I have read, and what I have seen with my own eyes is the level of impact Peart has had on others (especially drummers I have worked with throughout my 20+ years of recording and performing live). 

 

I personally prefer Bruford's drumming style above all others.  However, being subjective I recognize that Neil Peart's name and influence surpasses Bruford's. 

 

Peart as 'most important' is not my personal opinion, but rather what I have observed in others.