Best Drum Performances
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Forum Name: Top 10s and lists
Forum Description: List all your favourites here
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=42853
Printed Date: May 06 2025 at 00:49
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Topic: Best Drum Performances
Posted By: sheeves
Subject: Best Drum Performances
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 17:58
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There are many great drum performances out there. Which is your favorite? It can be live or studio, whichever is best.
Although Phil Collins is my man, I have to go with 21st Century Schizoid Man on The Great Deceiver: Live. By Bill Bruford. So good. |
Replies:
Posted By: cynthiasmallet
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 19:04
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Los Endos from Seconds Out, The paradiddle roll at the start accompanied by that awesome synth is froobing incredible ------------- Would you like to watch TV, or get between the sheets, or contemplate the silent freeway, would you like something to eat? |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 19:39
| Anything on Death's 'Symbolic' |
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 19:42
| Anything from Can's Ege Bamyasi. |
Posted By: Shakespeare
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 19:44
| Anything coming from my basement when I drum. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 19:49
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easy; Terry Bozzio's performance on 'Carrying No Cross' |
Posted By: Lota
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 21:21
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Cinema Show on 1976 TOTT Tour with Billy Bruford. ------------- And In The End, The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 21:23
Pretty much anything Danny Carey or Brann Dailor play. -------------  |
Posted By: electricsilence
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 21:47
| Andy Ward on Song Within a Song, or Elvin Jones in Pursuance. |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 23:09
Im not familiar with Brann Dailor, in which band is he? ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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TheProgtologist wrote:Posted By: heyitsthatguy
Date Posted: October 22 2007 at 23:13
he plays drums for Mastodon. He's a beast. I'd like to add most Hella performances...Zach Hill is unreal ------------- 
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Posted By: FruMp
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 03:28
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Steve Flynn of Atheist.
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Posted By: indiscipline200
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 03:47
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I gotta go with Gavin Harrison on Anesthetize from Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet. Hearing him on the CD was one thing.....watching him and the band play it live was.........wwwwooooowwww........(in Seattle at the Showbox). |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 08:55
| The instrumental section of 'Firth of Fifth' on Seconds Out always blows my mind, as does Neil Pearts performance on 'Freewill' live and studio. |
Posted By: JayDee
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 08:58
Add Tomas Haake and that will be a hell yeah!
 As for a non prog drummer, Jeff Porcaro will always be remembered.  ------------- 
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Posted By: Visitor13
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 09:08
| Adam Deitch on John Scofield's Uberjam . |
Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 15:30
I agree, one of the best players around at the moment.
Martin Lopez (Opeth) is another guy who's really impressed me over the last few years too. Pity he's no longer with them.
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Posted By: FunnyWays
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 18:09
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The drum duet with Chester Tompson and Phil Collins has to be mentioned. I've only seen it on the Wembly DVD and when they played like at Twikinum this year, both slightly different but great. Also have to say Mike Portnoy all the way through his live concerts is astounding but as a singular piece has to the the duet. ------------- 
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Posted By: sircosick
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 21:10
Prog drum performances? How do you spot that??? Coming for a non-prog band (Cream), anyway Ginger Baker's "Toad" should always be mentioned in drum-oriented threads  As for the rigurous prog stuff, I'd say anything by Barriemore Barlow: excellent drumster, grotesquely overlooked. ------------- The best you can is good enough... |
Posted By: jimmy_row
Date Posted: October 23 2007 at 23:10
Achilles Last Stand and When the Levee Breaks....from the greatest ROCK drummer to ever live. The skins have never been played the same.
 you da man Bonzo! ------------- Signature Writers Guild on strike |
Posted By: Teh_Slippermenz
Date Posted: October 26 2007 at 21:19
| I'd have to say Alan White on Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil [sp?]) by Yes. |
Posted By: H9dyo8varium
Date Posted: October 27 2007 at 10:19
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Mike protnoy opening performance on 6:00 (Dream Theater) and all part of 'All Of the above' (Transatlantic)
------------- Beyond The Endless Sacrifice |
Posted By: SoundsofSeasons
Date Posted: October 27 2007 at 18:48
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I don't know if i could pick out just one performance from one drummer I liked above all others, because there are so many factors that go into a great drum performance. However, i will say that Mike Portney has gone a notch up in my book now that I just bought the fantastic concept album Sola Scriptura by Neal Morse. Normally I get aggrivated by all the double bass that Portney dishes out, but in this recent album he plays only a little of that double bass. Mostly, though, he plays very laid back and its VERY refreshing. He even goes on to do some fantastic latin grooves towards the middle of Track 2: The Conflict. It actually impressed me a lot because I was beginning to think double bass and speed was ALL Portney could do. Considering I have heard Images & Words, Scenes Part 2, and Awake, and thats basically all I heard. Just leave it to up to Neal Morse to bring out the best musicianship in people. Way to go the both of you! ------------- 1 Chronicles 13:7-9 Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. |
Posted By: cynthiasmallet
Date Posted: October 27 2007 at 18:51
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Another great drumming performance is Neil Peart on 2112, most notably the fills during "The Temples of Syrinx" ------------- Would you like to watch TV, or get between the sheets, or contemplate the silent freeway, would you like something to eat? |
Posted By: SoundsofSeasons
Date Posted: October 27 2007 at 18:58
Really? I mean, Neil is great on basically every album, but I actually thought he was rather generic and too 'Led Zeppelin' in 2112. He actually plays MUCH more creatively in Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres, by then he really shines and shows why he's known as 'The Proffessor'. ------------- 1 Chronicles 13:7-9 Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: October 28 2007 at 06:27
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Danny Carey any Tool album, Michael Giles the first 2 KC albums, Bill Brufford any album or song he ever played on. ------------- 
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Posted By: deafmoon
Date Posted: October 28 2007 at 08:16
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Alan White on Soundchaser. Michael Giles on 21st Schizoid Man. Paul Cook on The Darkest Hour. Phil Collins on Down and Out. Bill Bruford on In The Dead of Night. Neil Peart on The Camera Eye. Barrie Barlow on Songs from The Wood. Terry Bozzio on The Only Thing She Needs. John Bonham on For Your Life. Tony Williams on What You Do To Me. ------------- Deafmoon |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: October 30 2007 at 20:18
| I second or third any song made with Brian Dailor behind the set...hes a shredder, for the drums. |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: November 02 2007 at 02:21
| You know, I don't usually notice drummers, so when I do, I figure they must be doing something special. He may not be the best of the drummers that I've ever heard, but the last drummer that I really noticed was Mike Hough for his performance on the first Flash album. |
Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: November 02 2007 at 11:58
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Umm the hairy dude in the cadburys advert ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: November 02 2007 at 23:06
This is true. In fact, after Toad (Wheels of Fire) all other extended drum solos have seemed superfluous.
Phil Collins' drumming on Supper's Ready was exceptional (and on Selling England by the Pound).
Nick Mason on Saucerful of Secrets.
Keith Moon on Quadrophenia, particularly on "The Rock" (even though he was apparently falling apart at the time).
The drumming on everything done by Colosseum was perfection thanks to Jon Hiseman.
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: November 03 2007 at 11:43
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This is the best drum performance that I've seen from a PA forum member: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZunukPwepk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZunukPwepk Kudos to our own member_profile.asp?PF=7064 - Uroboros !  ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!" 
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: November 03 2007 at 11:56
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^ Check out the guy's recommendation! But this one could be even better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quYd3YEX1ho - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quYd3YEX1ho ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!"
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Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: November 03 2007 at 18:09
Ooo yes how culd i forget Keith Moon my fav drumer of em all, everything he played on up untill the last who album "Who are you" he was on was amazing. No doubt one of the best and most innovative drumes ever.  -------------
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Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: November 03 2007 at 18:12
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Besides the obvious Bonham and Moon, no love here for Carl Palmer? |
Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: November 03 2007 at 18:20
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^ Bonham does the SAME FILL OVER AND OVER.
Moon is great though.
Ticks and leeches
21st century schizoid man
Anesthetize
SKULLGRID
a couple others I cant think of. ------------- 
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Posted By: ten years after
Date Posted: November 04 2007 at 07:43
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Keith Moon seemed to be having a perpetual and very violent argument with his drum kit. His time keeping worked absolutely perfectly as an average between beats.
I'm torn between him and Ginger Baker as the Jimi Hendrix of the drums but Baker gets the vote in the end because he could do it the proper way too when he wanted.
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Posted By: ZowieZiggy
Date Posted: November 04 2007 at 10:08
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As far as drum solo is concerned, it is rather easy. Bonham on any live performance of "Moby dick" of course.
In terms of prog drummer, the awesome Bruford's play on "Schizoid" (again live).
I have recently seen Portnoy in concert. Even if "DT" is far from being a fave of mine, his work is EXTRAORDINARY. I have never seen a drummer being such a leader and performer. And believe me, in the last thirty five years I have seen an awful lot of concerts (Paice and Palmer being in the top ten of course).
I have only seen Moon on video / DVD. One of the top five probably. ------------- ZowieZiggy |
Posted By: Shakespeare
Date Posted: November 04 2007 at 10:10
The Jimi Hendrix of drumming is Buddy Rich. I'm not saying he's the best, I'm just saying he revolutionized the instrument. |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: November 04 2007 at 21:37
I'll agree to that. I was fortunate enough to see Buddy three times in my life. The man was a monster on the skins.
I've probably mentioned this before, but I'll repeat it.
The last time I saw Mr. Rich, it was in the company of a professional drummer who idolized Peart, Mr. Rich played with a pretty basic kit. This guy was awed by how much Mr. Rich could produce out of so little. And so was I. Buddy earned the title of "The World's Greatest Drummer."
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Posted By: Shakespeare
Date Posted: November 04 2007 at 21:40
| Lucky! |
Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: November 05 2007 at 04:20
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Pat Mastelotto on Level Five from the Crimson album Power to believe is pretty amazing.
Here's a pretty amazing Drum performance for you, not Prog but listen to Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl and Vinnie Colaiuta play together. ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln6b_nBM-V8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln6b_nBM-V8
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Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: November 09 2007 at 03:10
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1. Chris Maitland (Porcupine Tree) - Buying New Soul 2. Danny Carey (Tool) - 46 & 2 3. Mark Zonder (Fates Warning) - One 4. Billy Cobham - the whole Spectrum ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: November 09 2007 at 13:04
Ah yes, that guy is awesome!!! I´m liking Mastodon mainly because of the drumming!... well, not only but... you know ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: Negru Voda
Date Posted: November 14 2007 at 15:33
| Any song with Christian Vander on drums. |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: November 16 2007 at 00:38
| And Sean Reinhardt. |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: November 16 2007 at 14:31
Chick Corea's, Return to Forever - "Where Have I Known You Before" (Lenny White on drums)
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Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: November 16 2007 at 20:35
| Gene Holgan's drumming performance on Death's 'Symbolic' is one of the best shows of talent recorded. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: November 16 2007 at 20:54
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I just watched Carl Palmer's solo on Asia's Live In Tokyo DVD. Man alive, is that man full of talent!!! Now THAT is a drum solo!! E ------------- 
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Posted By: sean
Date Posted: November 17 2007 at 14:39
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anyone that's ever played for king crimson, but specifically michael giles on 21st century schizoid man danny carey- ticks and leaches carl palmer-tarkus, also the solo in the live version of blue rondo a la turk on the then and now album chris pennie-basically everything he did with the dillinger escape plan everything on behold...the arctopus's skullgrid album bill bruford-everything i've heard by him has greatly impressed me |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: November 17 2007 at 14:55
| Johann Haglren (sp?) and Tomas Haake (sp?) of Pain of Salvation and Meshuggah respectively. Masters of Polyrhythm... |
Posted By: Deus_Nova
Date Posted: November 18 2007 at 00:57
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there's a lot of great drummers and performances... i like a lot performances of Neil Peart MIke Portnoy: Honor Thy Father, The Great Debate, The Test That Stumped Them All Danny Carey: Lateralus, Vicarious, Aenima Tomas Haake: Soul Burn, Sane Gavin Harrison Simon Phillips ------------- 
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Posted By: Teh_Slippermenz
Date Posted: November 23 2007 at 19:33
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Ian Wallace's performance on "Groon" (from the "Earthbound" live album, I think?) by King Crimson. O_O I can't think of any more....if I do, I'll post them... |
Posted By: MusicForSpeedin
Date Posted: November 24 2007 at 10:14
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Yoshida Tatsuya on just about everything he does
Zach Hill with Hella
Brian Chippendale with Black Pus and Lightning Bolt
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Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: November 24 2007 at 14:52
| Terry Bozzio on CAB's live album...incredible. |
Posted By: Kim Ankara
Date Posted: November 25 2007 at 12:24
Forgot about that one, for a while that was the sole reason I'd listen to that song. One More Red Nightmare has some of the greatest drumming I've heard. Carl Palmer in Toccata and Karn Evil 9 (First Impression) always amazes. ------------- "I'm a dinosaur" - Adrian Belew "I am a camera" - Trevor Horn "I am yourself" - Keith Emerson |
Posted By: cynthiasmallet
Date Posted: November 25 2007 at 12:30
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Focus- Hocus Pocus
Not Van Der Linden's finest work by any means, but often overlooked. ------------- Would you like to watch TV, or get between the sheets, or contemplate the silent freeway, would you like something to eat? |
Posted By: Fargue
Date Posted: November 27 2007 at 19:13
| Mike Giles on In the court of the... and quite opposite to him, John Hiseman on Valentine Suite... in the medle Phil Collins (maybe with Brand X)... oh! but so how many unfairly excluded! |
Posted By: Harry Hood
Date Posted: November 27 2007 at 20:11
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Devin Townsend on all of Ziltoid The Omniscient. So much double bass... ------------- 
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Posted By: StyLaZyn
Date Posted: November 28 2007 at 12:45
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Gavin Harrison on PT's Hatesong off the Arriving Somewhere DVD. Blows me away everytime. ------------- 
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Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: November 28 2007 at 13:06
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One of my personal favorites:
Univers Zero - Dense! ------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: superprog
Date Posted: November 29 2007 at 10:18
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Jarle Vestepad - Supersilent 7 dvd (the man is a serious improv-tribal-glitch f**k beat powerhouse!!!) John McEntire - Tortoise's Glass Museum (lovely intricate yet urgent stuff) Mastelotto/Bruford - B'Boom off KC's Thrak (deadly duo!!!) Billy Hart - Herbie Hancock's Sextant (super spacefunk groove masta!!!) |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: November 29 2007 at 20:55
Narada Michael Walden - Mahavishnu Orchestra's "Visions of the Emerald Beyond"
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Posted By: Philip
Date Posted: December 05 2007 at 14:03
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Thera are so many wonderful drum performances. I choose Tantra' "Máquina da Felicidade" from their debut "Mistérios e Maravilhas", a milestone in prog made in Portugal. |
Posted By: herring
Date Posted: December 09 2007 at 04:12
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Heart of the sunrise has some crazy rythmes and Larks tongues in aspic pt 1 is as crazy Bill is the man
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Posted By: darkmatter
Date Posted: December 09 2007 at 13:39
Agreed, his performance on that song is exceptional, I love watching him play that on the DVD. |
Posted By: Damjan
Date Posted: December 10 2007 at 19:16
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Anything off Watchtower's Control and Resistance, Rick Colaluca is the man.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/kingofhebrews/?chartstyle=MDK"> 
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Posted By: Jok3r
Date Posted: December 15 2007 at 21:53
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Danny Carey on Lateralus. (Listen to reflection, he keeps that tom rhythm consistant.)
Mike Portnoy on Awake, Train of Thought, Change of Seasons, and Live. (The more i look on PA's forums, I've noticed a trend that DT is frowned on. I for one like them, seen them live 3 times now. But Mike Live is amazing to watch.)
Dan Foord(SikTh) on Death of a Dead Day, the man has some chops!
Bonzo anytime he plays Moby Dick.
Martin Lopez on Damnation and anything he did until he left. Damnation is an amazing CD not only for Martin but for Opeth. He drumming on that is amazing. To go from the Heaviness of Delieverence and Blackwater Park, to this chill mellow Album is great.
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Posted By: nightlamp
Date Posted: December 18 2007 at 15:23
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Well, I can't speak for "best ever", but as a drummer here are some of my favorites: Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) - "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" from Live at Pompeii Phil Collins (Genesis) - anything from Nursery Cryme or Foxtrot Pierre Moerlen (Gong) - anything from You or Fish Rising (Steve Hillage) Ian Paice (Deep Purple) - "Space Truckin'" from Made in Japan Bill Bruford (Yes) - "Heart of the Sunrise" from Fragile Peter Giger (Dzyan) - "Time Machine" from Time Machine Jack DeJohnette (Gateway) - "Back-Woods Song" and "Sorcery I" from Gateway |
Posted By: Nucleus
Date Posted: December 20 2007 at 17:14
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But surely Led Zeppelin's Moby Dick (especially Live of of HTWWW) must take the honors...
In recent years, however, Gavin Harrison is incredible in PT's Anesthesize.
What else...
Alan White in Gates of Delerium (Yes)?
Carl Palmer in Tarkus or Tank (ELP)?
Neil Peart (Rush) in... everything?
Bill Bruford in Heart of the Sunrise (especially live from Yessongs)?
So many great ones.
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Posted By: ES335
Date Posted: December 21 2007 at 14:19
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Counting jazz guys almost seems unfair, but Billy Cobham on the first and second Mahavishnu Orchestra albums is awesome.
And I know y'all will laugh, but Ringo Starr inventing progressive drumming on "A Day in the Life"
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Posted By: Hat of Truth
Date Posted: December 23 2007 at 05:11
| One Of These Days with Nick Mason, just watch the Pompeii-version. |
Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: December 23 2007 at 13:51
| I'm not sure if this is available on any Colosseum live albums but when John Hiseman does his Drum solo there's a part of it that always brings a smile to my face when I've seen him. Basically what he does is a fast single stroke roll on the snare drum and a very slow single stroke roll on his double bass drums. Now that in itself is very simple to play but then he starts speeding up the bass drums and slowing down the snare until they are both at the same speed; he then continues slowing down the snare, speeding up the bass drums until of course it's now a fast bass drum roll and a slow snare roll. To do that as evenly as he does it is not easy. Try it Drummers. |