Who Are The WORST DRUMMERS In Rock History?

-Cindy Blackman
-Sheila E

 

Perhaps you are unaware of Joe English.

 

Georgia Hubley
Sheila E.

And although not 'rock' drummers, my bet is that Evelyn Glennie and Susie Ibarra can hold their own. Ruth Underwood didn't play a drum set per se, but I bet she's an excellent drummer.

 

I usually avoid these "worst" threads. It's so childish. Music is not a contest.

There's only one rule in music. If it sounds good, it is good.

Neither technical excellence nor natural talent in droves can guarantee good sound.

That said....... It is fun to rant.....

When it comes to technical expertise, Keith Moon may be one of the most lacking drummers ever to "make it big" in rock and roll. And yet, his playing is musically brilliant, and perfect for The Who!!! So what does that say?

Nick Mason is on record saying he considers himself the luckiest guy in the world. He never considered himself a very good drummer and never really gave it that much effort. When I listen to his playing in Pink Floyd sometimes I can't stand it, his 2/4 snare hits are off beat! But other times I can listen to the exact same track and it sounds perfect! Where Keith Moon compensated for his lack of technical chops with his incredible raw talent, Mason really had neither exceptional talent or exceptional chops - but he most definitely had a sense for musicality that made his playing always sound great in the context of the band.

I'm a bass player who started playing in high school bands in the early 80s, have played in semi-pro situations, and still plays in oldies bar bands off and on to this day.

I have to say, as far as the influence they had on punks and kids coming up learning drums when I was learning bass, Stewart Copeland and Neil Peart were the two most influential drummers out there. Every punk with a kit wanted to play like them. None could, and they all sounded like complete ess trying (with a very few extremely talented exceptions, at least one of which I had the privilege of playing with). Peart and Copeland ruined a whole generation of drummers through their influence.

I absolutely hate Peart's drumming from the Rush "glory days" of the late 70s and early 80s. Same stupid-fast fill over and over and over and if if wasn't the same fill it always had the same feel and sound. Technically, he was pretty great (and has since those days really studied the drums and become quite an amazing player).

All that aside. The one drummer who I absolutely can't stand is Alex Van Halen. The exact same open hi-hat plodding every damn song. Absolutely zero variety. And that sloppy mess at the beginning of "Hot For Teacher" - please somebody shoot my speakers.

Rant over. Again, music isn't a contest. If it sounds good, it is good. Even if it's not technically good.

P.S. Carter Beauford is today's Neil Peart, ruining/inspiring the next generation. Ostentations overplaying masturbatory mess. I can't stand that guy's playing, though I respect his chops and talent. Damn, just play a damn beat some time!

 

Julian Lennon - see for example "Ya Ya" on John Lennon's "Walls and Bridges"

Worst blues drumming: Leonard Chess: see "Country Boy" by Muddy Waters

 

"Not bad...for a girl." - Prince

 

IMO Collins not rock drummer.He is a monotonous POP
drummer!

 

I don't think English was particularly good drummer, but that band just meshed together in an excellent manner. That was a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" band...

 

Do you take that to mean that Prince thinks girls can't play? I bet he thinks he's pretty good...for a boy.

 

Gina Schock
Debbie Peterson
Karen Carpenter
Atsuko Yamano

 

Oh yeah, he's very overrated, imo.

 

Completely ridiculous statement. Talented or not, if Phil Collins is not a rock drummer what is he? He played on umpteen Genesis albums all the way through the 70's, and those albums were rock records. What's the drum track to Turn It On Again or Dance On A Volcano? Syncopated jazz? This thread is stupid and full of nonsensical statements

 

Tim was thinking of stuff like this, wasn't he? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGk2sIA82g8

And here is what could be considered a hard cold fact today:

 

I dunno, the host of this forum, Steve Hoffman, gave his example. Of course I'm not saying his participation validates every post in the thread, but I'm just glad to see him posting more often lately. I believe we need that here.

 

My drumming is pretty pathetic.

 

Chris Whitten was who I was thinking of... very bland, professional, sterile. Might as well have had a machine. Blair Cunningham was not much better, though.

 

Yeah, Gina is one of my favorites. The secret weapon of that band.

 

Those tight little tom-tom rolls in 'Wait' are not slouch material, especially the way he does it, coming off of the hi-hat.
The guy was possessed of some wrist control when he needed it. also:

Old Brown Shoe
Day Tripper
Ticket To Ride

And I was going to say I've never heard him play a snare drum press roll, but then there's 'Nowhere Man.'
Not like Louis Bellson could play, but alright for a rock n' roll guy.

The ending of 'Long Tall Sally finds him doing a lot of fills around the drumset, but nothing that's a real 'roll' IMO.

 

He also does a press roll at the start of All You Need Is Love...
...right through the Beatles catalogue, not to mention his work on the Doris Troy Apple record or his stunning loping groove on the Stephen Stills track "As I Come Of Age" or his playing on Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, there is something fantastic going on with Ringo. The idea that he wasn't anything but a top flight player is just ridiculous (and painfully ignorant).

 

I think that's the guy in the 'other band' that's playing the French national anthem.

 

Nope...pretty sure Ringo added that as an overdub before the final mix was done. What's your source?

 

I said I think it's someone else.
Because that sounds like a marching band snare drum. If it is Ringo, well, that puts to rest my misperception.

 

Terri Moeller

 

How about Samantha Maloney, who toured with Motley Crue a while back? Jaw-droppingly good. Completely owned Tommy Lee.

BTW, I don't agree that Chris Whitten has no character. I love his straight-ahead 4/4 on "Figure Of Eight", and take his playing on "What I Am" by Edie Brickell. Great bouncy quirkiness.


Dan

 

I saw her play with Hole on their last two, she's a great drummer.... When I wasn't watching Melissa , I was definitely paying attention to her drumming.

She's also played with a lot of other great bands.. And yes, she's better than Tommy Lee!