Best Drummer of all times!

What about Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson)???? 

Sacred 22 wrote: Buddy Rich, and Neil Peart would agree as well.

Neil Pearft isb by far not as fantastic as many people seem to believe; there are many drummers around who are just as good as he. I have no idea where some people get the idea of him being an überdrummer from.
ASctually it is very interesting tha<t according to polls only Bruford is being considered to be his equal; at least those two lead any drum polls by miles. I really have no idea why. I am not trying to belittle their skills, but there are so many drummers out there who are on the same level as they that the huge margin they usually win these polls by is totally unjustified. I have a bit of an understanding in the case of Bruford since he has played with so many bands - Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, UK, Earthworks, Bruford (I consider "Bruford" to be a band; their albums were published under that name and not under the name "Bill Bruford"; also the line-up was very constant on these albums, so they are not really solo albums),  so  he is quite ubiquitious (though other excellent drummers played in several bands as well. Just look at Jon Hiseman, who played in Colosseum 1 and 2, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble (an all star band, in which many of the finest European jazz-rock musicians played, all of which had a band of their own).he currently plays in the band of his wife Barbara Thompson, Paraphernalia.  And Hiseman is every bit as good as Peart or Bruford, for example. So why is he not .
And  there are a lot of drummers in the archive who come from a jazz background, and jazz really is where the fine art of drumming lies. Examples are Tony Williams, Mani Neumeier or Christian Vander (yes, Vander is a jazz drummer).. Or drummers like Christian Burchard of Embryo, who studied the tala tarangini (the Inndian art of drumming) for years and is also an excellent jazzer. But somehow these drumnmers never getg many votes in polls when Peart or Bruford are in it too, and some never even make it into polls (Burchard for example - Jean and I seem to be the only one who know him). I really have no idea why that is.

BaldFriede wrote: Sacred 22 wrote: Buddy Rich, and Neil Peart would agree as well. Neil Pearft isb by far not as fantastic as many people seem to believe; there are many drummers around who are just as good as he. I have no idea where some people get the idea of him being an überdrummer from.ASctually it is very interesting tha<t according to polls only Bruford is being considered to be his equal; at least those two lead any drum polls by miles. I really have no idea why. I am not trying to belittle their skills, but there are so many drummers out there who are on the same level as they that the huge margin they usually win these polls by is totally unjustified. I have a bit of an understanding in the case of Bruford since he has played with so many bands - Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, UK, Earthworks, Bruford (I consider "Bruford" to be a band; their albums were published under that name and not under the name "Bill Bruford"; also the line-up was very constant on these albums, so they are not really solo albums),  so  he is quite ubiquitious (though other excellent drummers played in several bands as well. Just look at Jon Hiseman, who played in Colosseum 1 and 2, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble (an all star band, in which many of the finest European jazz-rock musicians played, all of which had a band of their own).he currently plays in the band of his wife Barbara Thompson, Paraphernalia.  And Hiseman is every bit as good as Peart or Bruford, for example. So why is he not .And  there are a lot of drummers in the archive who come from a jazz background, and jazz really is where the fine art of drumming lies. Examples are Tony Williams, Mani Neumeier or Christian Vander (yes, Vander is a jazz drummer).. Or drummers like Christian Burchard of Embryo, who studied the tala tarangini (the Inndian art of drumming) for years and is also an excellent jazzer. But somehow these drumnmers never getg many votes in polls when Peart or Bruford are in it too, and some never even make it into polls (Burchard for example - Jean and I seem to be the only one who know him). I really have no idea why that is.

Probably because Peart and Bruford are better known, and the music they make more accessable. Many of the drummers you've mentioned may not be known, especially to younger prog fans. That's not intended to be patronising to them, btw..

I grew up thinking Neil Peart was about as good as rock drummers get. These days I could reel off a list of technically better and more versatile drummers, but it takes time to find these drummers, as you discover more bands and artists over time. Also, as ones taste diversifies with age - well, mine did - you start to appreciate things in music, that maybe you overlooked when younger.

harmonium.ro wrote: ^ the answer is quite simple, the people vote the best drummer who plays on the music they love. Peart and Bruford will always win polls because they played in hugely popular bands. And that's quite understandable.

Sorry, but I personally don't think it is understandable at all. Putting aside the question whether it makes sense at all to ask for "best drummer of all times", the queston definitely is not "dummer of your favourite band" AAnswering along your lines is fanboyism at its worst.
There are at least two dozen excellent  prog drummers (more like fifty or hundred). Getting fed back the same names again and again is a bit boring. I try to bring fresh blood into discussions like that by mentioning musicians that don't get any attentioin at all, but sometimes I fell I am speaking against a wall. I do have my favurite musicians, of course, but I definitely appreciate the skills of other musicians too.


Edited by BaldFriede - April 14 2010 at 11:36

just logged in to vote and give some love to Neil.

Neil is something more than a drummer. He's a philosopher actually. And his lyrics have been helpful to me in many situations.

So another one for Neil, hope he catches up with Bill

Lars with no votes? Could it be because of his "attitude" or that he just can't keep up anymore? Probably both !

The Proff

BaldFriede wrote: Sacred 22 wrote: Buddy Rich, and Neil Peart would agree as well. Neil Pearft isb by far not as fantastic as many people seem to believe; there are many drummers around who are just as good as he. I have no idea where some people get the idea of him being an überdrummer from. ASctually it is very interesting tha<t according to polls only Bruford is being considered to be his equal; at least those two lead any drum polls by miles. I really have no idea why. I am not trying to belittle their skills, but there are so many drummers out there who are on the same level as they that the huge margin they usually win these polls by is totally unjustified. I have a bit of an understanding in the case of Bruford since he has played with so many bands - Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, UK, Earthworks, Bruford (I consider "Bruford" to be a band; their albums were published under that name and not under the name "Bill Bruford"; also the line-up was very constant on these albums, so they are not really solo albums),  so  he is quite ubiquitious (though other excellent drummers played in several bands as well. Just look at Jon Hiseman, who played in Colosseum 1 and 2, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble (an all star band, in which many of the finest European jazz-rock musicians played, all of which had a band of their own).he currently plays in the band of his wife Barbara Thompson, Paraphernalia.  And Hiseman is every bit as good as Peart or Bruford, for example. So why is he not . And  there are a lot of drummers in the archive who come from a jazz background, and jazz really is where the fine art of drumming lies. Examples are Tony Williams, Mani Neumeier or Christian Vander (yes, Vander is a jazz drummer).. Or drummers like Christian Burchard of Embryo, who studied the tala tarangini (the Inndian art of drumming) for years and is also an excellent jazzer. But somehow these drumnmers never getg many votes in polls when Peart or Bruford are in it too, and some never even make it into polls (Burchard for example - Jean and I seem to be the only one who know him). I really have no idea why that is.

I also said Bill Bruford, however Jaki Liebezeit of Can was not on the list and I think he deserves a mention as well.

If we are drawing from drummers who are represented on Prog Archives then I would like to offer Joey Baron, who is features on many recordings by John Zorn, most notably the bands Naked City and Masada.  Listen to any of the live Masada discs can get ready for a punch to the gut.