I did get paid for drumming a number of years ago. Does that make me an expert on drumming? Far from it, but since I DID get paid, does that mean I was a professional drummer? Maybe. Here are the guys who have made an influence...
Billy Cobham. I first heard
Tommy Bolin through Billy. I was at a head shop in Moline in 1973 while
"Birds of Fire" by the
Mahavishnu Orchestra was playing on the stereo. I loved hangin at headshops on a Saturday afternoon because, checks were cashed and you could always find some cool incense, posters or tshirt to get. I then found previous Mahavishnu releases and then,later in 1973, he released
"Spectrum" featuring an unknown guitartist named Tommy Bolin. Billy rules.
Keith Moon. He was once quoted in an interview to be able to keep four different times with each limb. Damn, four different ones? Wow. Reckless abandon is how I would describe his style.
"Who's Next" was his masterpiece.
Harvey Mason. He may be the best drummer on the planet. Listen to
"Captain Fingers" by
Lee Ritenour and then you tell me how he does it. He has drummed for everybody and his chops are unbelievable.
Richie Hayward. I didn't get to see
Little Feat until the late 80s. I was SO looking forward to see how Richie did that live as opposed to the studio. There was no way he could pull it off. He did. I saw some old
"Don Kirschner's Rock Concert" not too long ago and
Ikeand Tina Turner performed. Richie was their drummer, too. Cool.
Charlie Watts. He's not paid to be flashy, he's paid to keep the beat. No one keeps the beat better. Slow and steady wins the race.
Neil Peart. Very few guys turn the drums into a lead instrument. He does. The quintessential "How'd he do that?" Guy. Fastest hands ever.
Uriel Jones. The best Motown drummer. The Funk Brother who drummed to "Aint Too Proud To Beg","Cloud 9" and the other great Motown hits.
Honorable mention..
Hal Blaine...
Simon Kirke...
Ringo Starr...
Bill Bruford.
These are all drummers of the "Rock era". I would by no means leave out guys like
Gene Krupa,
Buddy Rich,
Sandy Nelson etc.
What would the "oldies" format be without this guy? Classic story... a guy goes from nothing to big star...has trouble with what follows...rehabilitates himself...gets elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and then dies too young. He was 64. One of the best movies of all time "The Commitments" deals with a struggling Irish R&B band and their goal of playing for Wilson Pickett.
In the middle of July, Cliff and I removed all of his window unit air conditioners because the brand spanking new central unit was on its way...and then all hell (literally) broke loose. The next day, the mercury hit 98 and then after that, the daytime temperature was never below 100 for the next THREE weeks. "White Hot" by Red Rider was on the radio, along with "Against The Wind" by Bob Seger, "This Beat Goes On" by The Kings and "I Hear You Know" by Jon and Vangelis. I was unattached but became attached when a woman I had met at a remote broadcast asked me out for a drink while I was on the air. I normally didn't do that kind of thing (yeah, right)but I met her for a drink that night and (on her tab) we immediately moved into The Raphael hotel on the plaza. Here I was, bumpkin Bill, and here was this Jewish woman from Long Island in my life. Uh...let's just say, I had a great time and shortly thereafter, she broke it off with me. I still think of her a lot. She taught me a lot about a lot of things. Thanks for being a chapter in the book, Liz. 112 degress at 4:48 PM. I remember it well.
Billy Cobham. I first heard Tommy Bolin through Billy. I was at a head shop in Moline in 1973 while "Birds of Fire" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra was playing on the stereo. I loved hangin at headshops on a Saturday afternoon because, checks were cashed and you could always find some cool incense, posters or tshirt to get. I then found previous Mahavishnu releases and then,later in 1973, he released "Spectrum" featuring an unknown guitartist named Tommy Bolin. Billy rules.
Keith Moon. He was once quoted in an interview to be able to keep four different times with each limb. Damn, four different ones? Wow. Reckless abandon is how I would describe his style. "Who's Next" was his masterpiece.
Harvey Mason. He may be the best drummer on the planet. Listen to "Captain Fingers" by Lee Ritenour and then you tell me how he does it. He has drummed for everybody and his chops are unbelievable.
Richie Hayward. I didn't get to see Little Feat until the late 80s. I was SO looking forward to see how Richie did that live as opposed to the studio. There was no way he could pull it off. He did. I saw some old "Don Kirschner's Rock Concert" not too long ago and Ikeand Tina Turner performed. Richie was their drummer, too. Cool.
Charlie Watts. He's not paid to be flashy, he's paid to keep the beat. No one keeps the beat better. Slow and steady wins the race.
Neil Peart. Very few guys turn the drums into a lead instrument. He does. The quintessential "How'd he do that?" Guy. Fastest hands ever.
Uriel Jones. The best Motown drummer. The Funk Brother who drummed to "Aint Too Proud To Beg","Cloud 9" and the other great Motown hits.
