My new favourite drummer...
Simon Sweetman... is Keith Carlock. And he is a monster. A master of groove - and yes he has "chops" galore too. I first found him surfing YouTube - there are a heap of clips.
Definitely check th
is one and this one too. And then through watching this live clip of him with Steely Dan I realised I had heard him - he is the drummer on the band's last studio album, Everything Must Go. And if you click on this Wikipedia link it points out that he featured on every track - and, as Wiki sagely assesses, Steely Dan tend to go with the best musician for the track. Most of the band's albums feature three drummers, sometimes more.
I like his playing for many reasons - it really speaks to me. And I guess I like the fact that he's an ordinary, average guy (by the looks) and he even has a rather ugly style of playing. He clearly comes from the school that says it doesn't matter what it looks like - it matter what it sounds like.
Picking a favourite drummer is a bit like picking one song that makes your toes curl (as we saw yesterday). But it is nice when a new player comes in to view.
I have been checking Carlock material online for a few months on and off - and last weekend bought a Tal Wilkenfeld CD (Transformation) where it turns out Carlock is the one locking the groove down with Tal. Superb stuff.
We have looked at underrated drummers (people should never write off Charlie Watts, Mick Fleetwood or Ringo Starr; all were innovators and great players). We have looked more recently at masters of the groove but the list of my favourite drummers could fill quite a few lines. I'm going to narrow it down to just mention the players who have been inspirational and constantly rewarding to hear; the names that have meant (and continue to mean) something to me:
Steve Gadd - and I am sure I don't need to give you a reason (I could give you 50).
Jim Keltner - I don't think he has ever made a mistake. Ever. He's the master. Check out this partial list of his playing credits.
Max Roach - Buddy Rich was the first jazz drummer I was ever made aware of. Roach is the best as far as I'm concerned.
Elvin Jones - I say Roach is the best but Jones is definitely the next name I think of.
Levon Helm - I mentioned his new album the other week but obviously it's his work with The Band that stands the true test. And if you need any proof just watch The Last Waltz - but here's one clip to get you started.
Phil Collins - I was listening to Face Value last week. That album is amazing. The writing is deeply personal but it is Phil's playing that is reason enough to buy the record and play it often despite what the world thinks of Collins these days.
Stewart Copeland - we share the same birthday (random) and it was such a treat to get to see this guy playing live last year. He really is one of my all-time favourite players. Dig this.
Sheila E. - like Prince says, "not bad - for a girl". I even bought her solo albums after hearing her rock with Prince on the Sign O' the Times concert film. She's still doing it too - still nailing it. Check this footage.
John Bonham - I will end the list there.
I could go on. And on. (But you knew that already.) And to those names I will add Mr Carlock; conveniently that gives me a Top 10. But if you asked me again tomorrow I would have a heap of new names. Still, I'm happy for that list to hang in the ether, to be caught here in the net.
What I want to know is who your favourite new drummer is? And by that I mean someone you have only just clicked to in the last year (they might have been around forever but you have just heard/seen them) And who is your one favourite drummer of all time? (I look forward to seeing more female names - beyond Sheila E.)
Postscript:
I am already unhappy that I left Vinnie Colaiuta off the list. So I'm adding this clip. And I am resting safe in the knowledge I have mentioned him before in plenty of posts - and will likely do so again. He is absolutely one of my all-time favs.
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I don't know if this counts, but I recently saw that episode of M*A*S*H where Radar plays the drums and he was pretty amazing :)
I was listening to some old Nirvana a few weeks ago and was reminded that Dave Grohl used to be the drummer... fortunately for him, people associate him more often with the Foo Fighters now, which obviously is better, but I had forgotten how talented he is on the skins.
All-time favourite has to be Lars from Metallica, even if he is a bit of a plonker - he's a helluva drummer.
You forgot the obligatory Keith Moon.
My favourite new drummer, Jack WHite. I got The Dead Weather last week and he's behind the drum kit, Meg must have taught him some tricks.
May I add Tool's Danny Carey, Gomez' Olly Peacock and the Dave Matthews Band's Carter Beauford.
Gavin Harrison, the current drummer for Porcupine Tree, is amazing. Very, very good.
Taylor Hawkins, was never a big foo fighters fan but saw them live last year and his playing blew me away!
Saw Carlock do a clinic with the Steely Dan rhythm section when they toured here a couple of years back, amazing drummer & a good ol southern boy to boot. Vinnie Colaiuta playing with Herbie Hancock at the Aotea Centre about the same time was a musical highlight for me.
Fav drummer of all time, Buddy Rich hands down.
Fav new drummer, well not really but Chad Smith playing with Chickenfoot, his hard rock funk drumming at its best (since Mothers Milk IMO)+ Joe Satch producing some of the best guitar playing (& tones) I have heard in a age...shame about the singing, whoa, yeah, baby come on. grrr
Recently discovered Tony Meehan from the Shadows. I'm not much into the Shadows but a musicologist friend of mine has this obscure track recorded as a duo with Jet Harris, very tasty licks indeed.
Top 10 in no particular order. Terri Lyn Carrington, chops galore. Kenny Jones (Small Faces. Check out "If You Think You're Groovy" with PP Arnold). Stan Lynch (Heartbreakers) As per your list Gadd, Keltner, Jones & Copeland. Mitch Mitchell. Al Jackson Jr (Booker T & The MG's) Bobby Elliot (The Hollies)
How about some bassists to go with them? James Jamerson (Funk Bros) Paul Kean (The Bats) Muzz Skillings (Living Colour) Carol Kaye (The Wrecking Crew)
My most recent discovery would be Stanton Moore. He's incredibly versatile, having played on hip-hop records (Galactic's "From the Corner to the Block"), hard rock (Street Sweeper Social Club), metal (Corrosion of Conformity), and he has his own jazz fusion side project (which admittedly I haven't listened to.
All-time favourites would be Jimmy Chamberlin, Keith Moon, Matt Cameron, Dave Grohl, and John Bonham though.
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I have started to really enjoy Dominic Howard from Muse. He is overshadowed a bit by the other 2 players, but i think he is perfect for that band. So he is the "new" drummer i admire. As for my favourite ever, well, i will be cliched, and go for John Bonham. I do believe there is a reason for him becoming the cliched "greatest drummer ever", and its not just the hard rock power, but the subtleties as well. Fool In The Rain, Nobodys Fault But Mine....the list goes on. Ringo and Charlie Watts are a close second, mainly due to the unorthodoxy they bring, and i love the drums on Sympathy For The Devil, Rain, Tommorrow Never Knows, I Go Wild. As a side note, if anyone has listened to the last few Oasis albums, you can certainly hear Ringo's influence on his son Zak Starkey too! Especially on "A Bell Will Ring".