Best/favourite rock drummers of the 90's

NegativeSleep · 10:43 AM

A complement to the 'favorite drum fills!' thread, Iguess. This list is by no means all-inclusive - merely my picks of drummers in the past decade who have both demonstrated considerable skill and whom I enjoy listening to.

- Matt Cameron - can play some crazy weird time signatures and has a talent for making the most syncopated beats sound amazingly catchy. Some people aren't too fond of his brooding, pounding drumming style, but I personally think it fits Soundgarden's sound perfectly, and his chops can be pretty nimble and crazy if he wants them to be (case in point: "Jesus Christ Pose").

- Jimmy Chamberlin - probably my favourite overall, he's one of the more versatile drummers in rock, possibly because he has to keep up with Billy Corgan's catalogue, which is all over the place. A solid background in jazz probably comes in handy too. Jimmy manages to find the perfect beat for every song, and doesn't bother showing off his amazing technical ability when a simple yet appropriate rhythm will do. He also manages to pull off some of the craziest and most creative fills on record. His tendency to improvise when playing live always manage to make the songs sound fresh, although at times his ability to stay in time leaves something to be desired.

- Danny Carey - personally I think this guy is a robot, but nobody really believes me. Technically, this guy is perfect, and can play some of the craziest shit I've ever heard (give "Third Eye" a listen if you doubt me). What he boasts in raw skill, however, he can lack in the style department, and he tends to go a little over the top sometimes and is a little too flashy, which can get tedious at times. Nonetheless, his experimentation with Eastern and tribal rhythms really gave Tool a percussive, and highly absorbing sound on their last album. Odd time signatures are this guy's business.

- Carter Beauford - I don't listen to a lot of Dave Matthews Band, so I haven't heard a lot of this guy's stuff. What I have heard, however, completely blows me away. Much like Chamberlin, this guy strikes the perfect balance between style and technical ability, and his back catalogue is bigger than Dave Matthew's ego. A lot of Carter's work goes overlooked since he's not exorbitantly flashy (or maybe he is - again, I haven't heard enough to be sure), but he has some of the best chops out there.

- Neil Peart - I'm not really sure if Peart should count, since in retrospect, Rush were in their prime back in the 70's and 80's, but with the release of their latest album I thought I'd give him honourable mention, since he's so great. Well, what can I say? Modern Drummer readers voted him Best Rock Drummer for 4 years straight from '83-86, and rightfully so. He's nothing short of amazing, and it's hard to believe that some of his stuff was played by a human being with two arms and two legs. You can like Rush or you can have the urge to light Geddy on fire, but I doubt you can deny Peart's talent.

Meg White - heh, just kidding.

Anywho, this is all merely my opinion (which is relatively uninformed, since the only time I every played a drum set was once in grade 8 music room, after which I got kicked out for sucking so much). Feel free to critique and/or add.

and .... go!

NegativeSleep · 06-06-2003, 10:45 AM

crap, that was long.

But I suppose it offsets my many months of silence.

Dfresko · 06-06-2003, 11:45 AM

Cameron - Awesome.

Chamberlin - Makes me cringe half the time. The man refuses to just play beats.

Peart - a one note joke that was the centerpiece of a horrific band.

This is not to say that Chamberlin is bad, because he obviously isn't. His playing on SD and MCIS is pretty rad, esp. Jellybelly, Rock, and TtEoR, but on the Zwan album, he is awful.

Pearl Jam had a really good string of drummers - Jack Irons and Dave A were both fantastic, though polar opposites in terms of style.

And the guy from The Flaming Lips... he's all bass drum. Its nothing short of great.

Jesse Miller · 06-06-2003, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dfresko

And the guy from The Flaming Lips... he's all bass drum. Its nothing short of great.

STEVEN DROZD THE THE FUCKING MAN!!!!

A bass drum, a snare, a crash, and maybe a huge tom... that's about it. Recorded with one mic, and then distort the track. Steven is so fucking awesome it's not funny. For those who odn't believe, listen to the drum solo in "March of The Rotten Vegetables" or any live version of "Moth in the Incubater." Legend has it that they had to duct tape headphones to his head when doing drum tracks...

He's not as technicly proficiant as the aformentioned drummers, but he's an all-around better musician. Did you know he now plays 90% of the instruments on the albums, as well as writes like 75% of the music? Beat that shit...

Nimrod's Son · 06-06-2003, 01:12 PM

1 - Cameron.
2 - Carey.
3 - Abbruzzese.

NegativeSleep · 06-06-2003, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
3 - Abbruzzese.

Man, his studio kit is so big that you could make a wrench go into orbit around it.

James is Cool · 06-06-2003, 01:36 PM

I <3 the drumming of the following individuals:

Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse)
William Kuehn (Rainer Maria)
William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate)
Jimmy Chamberlin

Jesse Miller · 06-06-2003, 02:02 PM

You guys are all dorks....

Dave Grohl - No really. Why do the Foo Fighters suck now? Because of Taylor Hawkins, that fucking prick. FUCK YOU!!!! "Hi, my name is Dave Grohl. I'm one of the best drumemrs of the 90s, but I'm gonna let *some other guy* drum for my band instead of me! What great idea!!!"

Tim "Herb" Alexander - The original drummer for Primus... Wait, wasn't that Jay Lane? OK, Herb was the drumemr on Suck On This through Punchbowl. Large ammounts of awesome. And they replaced him with another great drummer, Brian "Brain" Mantia, who now plays in Gun & Roses (tee hee hee).

Tre Cool - Yep. He's fat now, though. Maybe he'll drive a Rolls Royce into a pool and then die.

Joey Waronker - Becktabulous?

Darren Jessee - From Ben Folds Five. Per my other thread, I just picked up the first record and then went back and listened to Amen and Messner, and wow! That guy was good!

NegativeSleep · 06-06-2003, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesse Miller

Tim "Herb" Alexander - The original drummer for Primus... Wait, wasn't that Jay Lane? OK, Herb was the drumemr on Suck On This through Punchbowl. Large ammounts of awesome. And they replaced him with another great drummer, Brian "Brain" Mantia, who now plays in Gun & Roses (tee hee hee).

great addition.

Lie · 06-06-2003, 02:29 PM

Jimmy Chamberlain, Dave Grohl, and Sara Lund immediately come to mind. Just in terms of creativity.

Lie · 06-06-2003, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesse Miller
Darren Jessee - From Ben Folds Five. Per my other thread, I just picked up the first record and then went back and listened to Amen and Messner, and wow! That guy was good!

He was good, but (understandably) when he tried to sing and play at the same time, it could be painful.

He's also a damn good songwriter. Responsible for two of the very best songs in their catalogue, in my opinion.

James is Cool · 06-06-2003, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lie

He's also a damn good songwriter. Responsible for two of the very best songs in their catalogue, in my opinion.

What did he write besides "Magic"?

Lie · 06-06-2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James is Cool

What did he write besides "Magic"?

He wrote "Song For The Dumped."

Jesse Miller · 06-06-2003, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lie

He wrote "Song For The Dumped."

I'm assuming Jessee wrote the words and Folds wrote the music... He also co-wrote Bick, Kate, and Where's Summer B?

Lie · 06-06-2003, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jesse Miller
I'm assuming Jessee wrote the words and Folds wrote the music... He also co-wrote Bick, Kate, and Where's Summer B?

I have no reliable sources but I'm fairly certain, from various things I've heard, that it was his song to begin with. I'm assuming they're both credited because Ben adapted it to piano and made some minor changes or some shit like that.

mono · 06-07-2003, 07:14 AM

Danny Heifetz.
Steve Gadd.
Jimmy Chamberlin (only the SP years).
?uestlove (I know he's not really a "rock" drummer, but he's more rock'n'roll that most of these indie drummers).

Ann Ominous · 06-07-2003, 07:20 AM

Animal

http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~louiseh/animal.jpg

Azael · 06-07-2003, 07:22 AM

Orri of Sigur Rós - He's prolly not the most spectacular drummer in the world, but he is very very emotional when playing. His drumming at the end of the Pop Song (track 8 of ( ) ) is amazingly powerful, and hearing it live is awsome. Also interesting to note (for me, at least) is that when i saw them this year in Austin, he was up on the front of the stage to the right, instead of being shoved down the back like most drummers i've seen.

TheYellowDart · 06-09-2003, 09:08 PM

Mike Portnoy from Dream theater is amazing-the double bass sounds great and plays unbelievable chops and fills. Terry Bozzio is just as good-if i tried to play anything from these two even with a double bass pedal id have an aneurysm. Check out the size of Mike's kit-
http://www.sabian.com/page.php?subse...artistsId=6974

AuroraStar · 06-11-2003, 09:24 AM

I like Josh Freese.

and I looooove Neil Peart.

Shattered · 06-11-2003, 11:43 AM

Travis Baker

Yeah. I know. Shut up.

Johnny_Swallow · 06-11-2003, 01:40 PM

BARKER. Travis Barker.

Nimrod's Son · 06-11-2003, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Azael
Orri of Sigur Rós - He's prolly not the most spectacular drummer in the world, but he is very very emotional when playing. His drumming at the end of the Pop Song (track 8 of ( ) ) is amazingly powerful, and hearing it live is awsome. Also interesting to note (for me, at least) is that when i saw them this year in Austin, he was up on the front of the stage to the right, instead of being shoved down the back like most drummers i've seen.

The post said "rock" drummers, not muzak drummers.

06-06-2003, 10:43 AM	#1
NegativeSleep Ownz Location: Level 8-2 Posts: 837	Best/favourite rock drummers of the 90's A complement to the 'favorite drum fills!' thread, Iguess. This list is by no means all-inclusive - merely my picks of drummers in the past decade who have both demonstrated considerable skill and whom I enjoy listening to. - Matt Cameron - can play some crazy weird time signatures and has a talent for making the most syncopated beats sound amazingly catchy. Some people aren't too fond of his brooding, pounding drumming style, but I personally think it fits Soundgarden's sound perfectly, and his chops can be pretty nimble and crazy if he wants them to be (case in point: "Jesus Christ Pose"). - Jimmy Chamberlin - probably my favourite overall, he's one of the more versatile drummers in rock, possibly because he has to keep up with Billy Corgan's catalogue, which is all over the place. A solid background in jazz probably comes in handy too. Jimmy manages to find the perfect beat for every song, and doesn't bother showing off his amazing technical ability when a simple yet appropriate rhythm will do. He also manages to pull off some of the craziest and most creative fills on record. His tendency to improvise when playing live always manage to make the songs sound fresh, although at times his ability to stay in time leaves something to be desired. - Danny Carey - personally I think this guy is a robot, but nobody really believes me. Technically, this guy is perfect, and can play some of the craziest shit I've ever heard (give "Third Eye" a listen if you doubt me). What he boasts in raw skill, however, he can lack in the style department, and he tends to go a little over the top sometimes and is a little too flashy, which can get tedious at times. Nonetheless, his experimentation with Eastern and tribal rhythms really gave Tool a percussive, and highly absorbing sound on their last album. Odd time signatures are this guy's business. - Carter Beauford - I don't listen to a lot of Dave Matthews Band, so I haven't heard a lot of this guy's stuff. What I have heard, however, completely blows me away. Much like Chamberlin, this guy strikes the perfect balance between style and technical ability, and his back catalogue is bigger than Dave Matthew's ego. A lot of Carter's work goes overlooked since he's not exorbitantly flashy (or maybe he is - again, I haven't heard enough to be sure), but he has some of the best chops out there. - Neil Peart - I'm not really sure if Peart should count, since in retrospect, Rush were in their prime back in the 70's and 80's, but with the release of their latest album I thought I'd give him honourable mention, since he's so great. Well, what can I say? Modern Drummer readers voted him Best Rock Drummer for 4 years straight from '83-86, and rightfully so. He's nothing short of amazing, and it's hard to believe that some of his stuff was played by a human being with two arms and two legs. You can like Rush or you can have the urge to light Geddy on fire, but I doubt you can deny Peart's talent. Meg White - heh, just kidding. Anywho, this is all merely my opinion (which is relatively uninformed, since the only time I every played a drum set was once in grade 8 music room, after which I got kicked out for sucking so much). Feel free to critique and/or add. and .... go! Last edited by NegativeSleep : 06-12-2003 at 10:43 AM.

06-11-2003, 11:43 AM	#21
Shattered Apocalyptic Poster Location: Uranus Posts: 1,196	Uh.. Travis Baker Yeah. I know. Shut up.

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06-06-2003, 10:45 AM	#2
NegativeSleep Ownz Location: Level 8-2 Posts: 837	crap, that was long. But I suppose it offsets my many months of silence.

06-06-2003, 11:45 AM	#3
Dfresko Pledge Location: NY Posts: 77	Cameron - Awesome. Chamberlin - Makes me cringe half the time. The man refuses to just play beats. Peart - a one note joke that was the centerpiece of a horrific band. This is not to say that Chamberlin is bad, because he obviously isn't. His playing on SD and MCIS is pretty rad, esp. Jellybelly, Rock, and TtEoR, but on the Zwan album, he is awful. Pearl Jam had a really good string of drummers - Jack Irons and Dave A were both fantastic, though polar opposites in terms of style. And the guy from The Flaming Lips... he's all bass drum. Its nothing short of great.

06-06-2003, 01:12 PM	#5
Nimrod's Son Master of Karate and Friendship Location: in your butt Posts: 72,975	1 - Cameron. 2 - Carey. 3 - Abbruzzese.

06-06-2003, 01:36 PM	#7
James is Cool Apocalyptic Poster Posts: 1,058	I <3 the drumming of the following individuals: Jeremiah Green (Modest Mouse) William Kuehn (Rainer Maria) William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate) Jimmy Chamberlin

06-06-2003, 02:02 PM	#8
Jesse Miller Ownz Location: Minnesota Posts: 620	You guys are all dorks.... Dave Grohl - No really. Why do the Foo Fighters suck now? Because of Taylor Hawkins, that fucking prick. FUCK YOU!!!! "Hi, my name is Dave Grohl. I'm one of the best drumemrs of the 90s, but I'm gonna let some other guy drum for my band instead of me! What great idea!!!" Tim "Herb" Alexander - The original drummer for Primus... Wait, wasn't that Jay Lane? OK, Herb was the drumemr on Suck On This through Punchbowl. Large ammounts of awesome. And they replaced him with another great drummer, Brian "Brain" Mantia, who now plays in Gun & Roses (tee hee hee). Tre Cool - Yep. He's fat now, though. Maybe he'll drive a Rolls Royce into a pool and then die. Joey Waronker - Becktabulous? Darren Jessee - From Ben Folds Five. Per my other thread, I just picked up the first record and then went back and listened to Amen and Messner, and wow! That guy was good!

06-06-2003, 02:29 PM	#10
Lie Socialphobic Location: Goin' out West where they'll appreciate me Posts: 10,001	Jimmy Chamberlain, Dave Grohl, and Sara Lund immediately come to mind. Just in terms of creativity.

06-07-2003, 07:14 AM	#16
mono Apocalyptic Poster Location: When I listen to Madonna, it is a party time. Posts: 2,131	Danny Heifetz. Steve Gadd. Jimmy Chamberlin (only the SP years). ?uestlove (I know he's not really a "rock" drummer, but he's more rock'n'roll that most of these indie drummers).

06-07-2003, 07:20 AM	#17
Ann Ominous Ownz Location: gimme a fucking custom title, shitholes. Posts: 901	Animal http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~louiseh/animal.jpg

06-07-2003, 07:22 AM	#18
Azael Apocalyptic Poster Location: Australia Posts: 1,177	Orri of Sigur Rós - He's prolly not the most spectacular drummer in the world, but he is very very emotional when playing. His drumming at the end of the Pop Song (track 8 of ( ) ) is amazingly powerful, and hearing it live is awsome. Also interesting to note (for me, at least) is that when i saw them this year in Austin, he was up on the front of the stage to the right, instead of being shoved down the back like most drummers i've seen.

06-09-2003, 09:08 PM	#19
TheYellowDart Amish Rake Fighter Location: Suburbs that are by Chicago but arent Chicago but are still called Chicago Posts: 11	Mike Portnoy from Dream theater is amazing-the double bass sounds great and plays unbelievable chops and fills. Terry Bozzio is just as good-if i tried to play anything from these two even with a double bass pedal id have an aneurysm. Check out the size of Mike's kit- http://www.sabian.com/page.php?subse...artistsId=6974

06-11-2003, 09:24 AM	#20
AuroraStar Pledge Location: Brooklyn Posts: 126	I like Josh Freese. and I looooove Neil Peart.

06-11-2003, 01:40 PM	#22
Johnny_Swallow Ownz Location: University of Arkansas Posts: 979	BARKER. Travis Barker.