Bad drumming

I don't really have a nominee for worst drummer but it's somewhat relevant to mention that my father (a drummer) thought Keith Moon was terrible. This was something that came up when I was a child so I didn't really question it though I disagreed. As I got older, I finally asked him what he hated about Keith Moon's drumming and he responded "Oh, he's just banging around on stuff - there's no skill or technique. He's just smashing stuff like a caveman." I still disagree but I actually got a kick out of his perspective. 

moshkito wrote: PrognosticMind wrote: MOST Metallica .   Heck ... most metal ... why are they using a drummer when they can do that with a metronome from any DAW? Waste of a person and their talent!

Lars Ulrich is a great drummer (just see how he plays throughout the '80's) but obviously behaves like a spoilt brat who is content to rest on his laurels and therefore just plays his parts like a 'day-job' - he was, at the time, revolutionary, but by today's standards, relatively sedate and has a 'business-as-usual' in his attitude. I have to admit that it's Lars' drumming that makes Death Magnetic such a joy for me.........
I know he can be sloppy live, but he will always be a pioneer of that intricate Thrash-Metal drumming/double-kick thing that hundreds have since followed suit............
...............it's always easy to 'pick on the Master' ..............so to speak..........
Just listen to The Judas Kiss or All Nightmare Long and there's no denying that Lars is a superb drummer ........... I don't care what anyone says.............I truly can see where he's coming from.........

Blacksword wrote: CharonKnight wrote: I don't really have a nominee for worst drummer but it's somewhat relevant to mention that my father (a drummer) thought Keith Moon was terrible. This was something that came up when I was a child so I didn't really question it though I disagreed. As I got older, I finally asked him what he hated about Keith Moon's drumming and he responded "Oh, he's just banging around on stuff - there's no skill or technique. He's just smashing stuff like a caveman." I still disagree but I actually got a kick out of his perspective.  Moon could be quite a 'scrappy' drummer. He was more about entertainment than technique, but generally I don't mind that. I still rate thim bcause it worked well within The Who.

I always like Townshend's description of The Who's recording technique, about how they would record the guitar and the bass, then Daltrey would record his vocal and then "Keith would come in and record a drum solo over the top".
This pretty much sums him up for me. Technically all over the place but somehow it works.

I think Carl Palmer's work on Asia's studio albums is basically phoned in. There's nothing to suggest it.

Atavachron wrote: The Dark Elf wrote: Not necessarily bad drumming, but once Barrie Barlow left Tull, the creativity of percussions left with him. Without either Barlow or Clive Bunker, you could pile all the rest of Tull's drummers in a leaky boat and let it sink.

Definitely agree with regard to one of the replacements - Gerry Conway... found his style completely at odds with Tull. Problem is, he then did the same when he replaced the sublime Dave Mattacks in Fairport Convention.

The Dark Elf wrote: Not necessarily bad drumming, but once Barrie Barlow left Tull, the creativity of percussions left with him. Without either Barlow or Clive Bunker, you could pile all the rest of Tull's drummers in a leaky boat and let it sink.

chopper wrote: Blacksword wrote: CharonKnight wrote: I don't really have a nominee for worst drummer but it's somewhat relevant to mention that my father (a drummer) thought Keith Moon was terrible. This was something that came up when I was a child so I didn't really question it though I disagreed. As I got older, I finally asked him what he hated about Keith Moon's drumming and he responded "Oh, he's just banging around on stuff - there's no skill or technique. He's just smashing stuff like a caveman." I still disagree but I actually got a kick out of his perspective.  Moon could be quite a 'scrappy' drummer. He was more about entertainment than technique, but generally I don't mind that. I still rate thim bcause it worked well within The Who. I always like Townshend's description of The Who's recording technique, about how they would record the guitar and the bass, then Daltrey would record his vocal and then "Keith would come in and record a drum solo over the top". This pretty much sums him up for me. Technically all over the place but somehow it works.

he sure as sh*t was unique wasn't he.  Often immitated but never duplicated for he had in spades what makes great musicans ...great. Not f**king technique.. but creativity and the ability to translate it to muisic.

and to quibble with Pete's obviously tongue in cheek comment... he wasn't playing solos over songs.. he often was carrying the melody of the songs not the rhythm as 99.9 of all drummers since the dawn of cavemen have done.  Happy Jack is the oft sited example, but far from singular of his style and approach to drumming.

just in case you read this Keith.. remember.. I have my 2nd night in heaven set aside for a mano e mano binge of booze and drugs with you.. see who wins. Smart oney is on you..since I'll likely still be recovering from the 1st night battle royale with Janis... but I plan on hanging tough and long with you.

Tristan Fry may have an impressive pedigree - timpanist for London Philharmonic &  the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields - but that and perfect timing does not make for a good ROCK drummer.

Regarding Simon King - it lead to his removal from Hawkwind.  A shame really - I loved his motorik drumming on 'Space Ritual' and the live set from Stonehenge in 77 on 'The Weird Tapes' shows he was still on good form.  Something happened by the end of the decade...