Carl Palmer as a drummer?

Carl Palmer was the FIRST to fuse the modern drum kit with orchestral and synthesized percussion in such a seamless manner as demonstrated on BSS. Although this thread is somewhat interesting, it is also chuck full of some very dubious comparisons. One must take into consideration the innovation that CP brings to the party as well as the level of showmanship that has dazzled countless thousands of concert goers since many weekends ago. CP is a musician who happens to be a drummer. His drumming credentials does rank him among Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich within the context of prog methinks.

i just recently saw the Carl Palmer Band, and i have to say that they are fantastic! and well worth the price of admission (i paid 20 dollars to see them in Springfield, Illinois where the audience was only around 50, but he played there because he loves the venue - normal venues on the tour were 5-10k on average i think)

The entire band is fantastic, Palmer is the showcase, and even pushing late 50's, he is a wonderfully inventive and insanely skilled drumme, which was even more shown, because they performed reworked ELP songs and classical pieces in a Prog-Metal vein, which really showed off all three members skills.

Any lover of prog should go see them and/or buy their live 2006 DVD - Its like ELP with a great shredder instead of Emerson and a bass player easily four times better than Greg Lake, but the entire set is instrumental (well worth it just to see Palmer keep one drumstick atop his ride, still playing it with NO HANDS)

Overall on his playing, i have to say that Bruford might be a bit more technical and creative, but he lacks the strength, speed, endurance, and heart of Palmer

The Wizard wrote: He's talented, unfortunately he was stuck in a band with Kieth Emerson.

Could have been 100 times worse. He could have been stuck in a band with Ian Anderson.

    I dont like carl playing at all

Funny thread. A lot of back-stabbing! Tell me, why does one musician always have to be 'better' than another? E.L.P. are far from my favourite prog band, but whenever I listen to their classic albums, I thoroughly enjoy Palmer's drumming. His playing is truly exciting and amazingly inventive. So never mind the technical deficiencies (if there are any).

As for Bruford, he's my favourite drummer of all time. No other prog musician has given me such (musical!) pleasure for over three decades. To paraphrase Sylvie (by the way: Hi, I love those pics; what a relief to read an outspoken and highly knowledgeable female prog fan!): "Nothing could be more enjoyable than seeing Bill play drums 14 feet away from me", for hours at a stretch. At the same time, I'm aware jazz lovers are so spoiled for choice that most don't even bat an eyelid at the things Bill and Earthworks try to do...
    

Edited by fuxi - December 29 2006 at 11:26

I'd put Palmer in my top 10 drummers of any genre, with the likes of Peart, Moon, Bonham, Bruford, and Rich. He pioneered electronic effects in a kit which was later perfected by Peart. He's a good balance of Peart's ferocity and Bruford's subtlety. His snare work is a bit weak but it doesn't detract from his ability. He's my favorite member of ELP, though Emerson is the most talented.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBav0J_Fs1A

Carl is still fast as you can see on this video taken in september at an Asia show in New Jersey. Enjoy

Ivan, I increasingly appreciate your tenacity and calm under fire. Combat can be ugly but you bring character to it and, as a martial artist, skill and heart in battle is something I always respect. Though I find myself more fond of Palmer as the years pass, that jackass 'producer' was out of line and shamelessly childish. Heck, you did us a favor by locking horns with him .



    
    

Edited by Atavachron - December 30 2006 at 23:28

Yes, in a way Palmer and Moon share a musical spirit that pushed them to physical extremes previously unbreached. Of course Moon was extraordinary...a genuine deity of rock and his manic energy was one of the highlights of the Who, and many drummers are of course still touched by his influence.


    
    

Edited by Atavachron - December 30 2006 at 23:49

...ah now I remember it was the drummer in Blondie that Carl admired!