How could I forget Bozzio... "the cute little drummer". My favorite Zappa drummer (and that's sayin' something).

Martin Axenrot of Opeth is so good it's kind of scary.

ELO era Bev Bevan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKvVokm7NYU

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


Han Bennink is a rather unusual drummer.

She was an awesome drummer.




My favorite drummers? Too many to mention in here cuz of all the different styles and time feels but I used to listen to fusion a lot when I started and Lenny White was somebody I'd listen to a lot. He was funky 1st! (listen to sofistifunk by return to forever). Vinnie Colaiuta was another one. Really crazy drummer as far as odd meters goes.

Zigaboo Modeliste (the original drummer from the meters) was funky as hell.
Bernard Purdie was awesome too(Aretha Franklin-rock steady). Tony Allen of Fela Kuti. Carlton Barrett of Bob Marley fame.

As for an all around drummer, I'd say Steve Gadd. A lot of excellent drummers where mentioned in this thread also.

Now I'm much more interested in drummers that support the music well. They have to be in the pocket. Being super tight or super fast doesn't mean being in the pocket. Manu Katche, great time keeper with some really simple unusual rhythms.
Harvey Mason from the head hunters.

and on and on!

My favorite is Josh Freese. Session drummer. Performed on almost 400 records by now

lol! Totally! Plays quite a few other instruments also.

Love love love this dude's playing , Steve Gadd , funky .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQNiE37UC7A

If I had a dollar for each late night party that has been ruined with this kind of lame ass discussion between drummers...

-Dave Weckl!
-He doesn't *swing*!
rinse and repeat.

is where I'm at too, the reason for my choice, VINNIE!!!!

Woah! It's been a while, but I do remember these discussions from my university days... a girl who might have been trying to impress me actually said the following:

"Of course, no one comes close to the brilliance of Dave Weckl".

Too bad she didn't realize that, to me, Weckl is one of those clinically precise drum machine robots without a swing knob.

No one's mentioned Stewart Copeland yet... the master of playing light years behind the beat and still somehow managing to keep time.

Ye olde joke: "what's got three legs and an asshole?"

"A drum stool."

Arf arf.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone who plays the hi hat as well. He seems to know exactly the sweet spot on the hi hat for each song he plays on, or plays all over it but with some great control over how open it is too.

On the rock side of things, Roger Taylor of Queen has some great hi hat control. Not a lot of variation during a song, but he does these subtle releases of the hi hat that add some color to a standard rock beat that is pretty unique.

I'll just mention Britt Walford because nobody else will.

OTOH, some drummers play technical & hard & fast & are still awesome, such as Brian Chippendale:

Love the Gadd video. He's on my list too.

Found this for Abe Laboriel Jr. I never heard of the artist, but Abe gets his licks in at about 1:30. Also, this vid is notable for possibly the most tasteful use of a Keytar at 2:50.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N31GFq0nqQM

Having fun with McCartney:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o2bvjD6qXU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOqgPrJHheI&feature=related

Cheers
-B

You are the one trying to stir it up over here. As far as Weckl goes, I use to listen to Electrik band a lot. There 1st album was really good.

Too bad the sound is terrible, he's really going at it. Never heard of him before.