From an objective viewpoint, who is the most "accomplished" drummer?

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iRONic

iRONic

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2006
8,182
3,507
136
Kenny Aronoff fits the OP's "accomplished" term.

After graduating from Indiana University, in 1976, where he studied under the acclaimed tympanist George Gaber, Aronoff passed on several symphony orchestra offers and decided to head for the East Coast where he studied drum set in Boston and New York. During this time he began to concentrate on jazz and fusion music, and in 1977 he returned to Bloomington, Indiana and spent several years in a popular local band, playing throughout the Midwest.

In 1980 he joined John Mellencamp's band, recording 10 albums and touring with him over a 17-year period.

In the mid-1980s, Kenny began to develop an enormously successful career as a studio musician, playing on hundreds of records as well as touring worldwide with many artists. Aronoff has recorded with musicians such as Tony Iommi, John Mellencamp, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Alanis Morissette, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Puddle of Mudd, Avril Lavigne, Joe Cocker, B. B. King, Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Alice Cooper, The BoDeans, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Martin, Santana, Trey Anastasio, GB Leighton, Michelle Branch, Vince Gill, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood, Patti LaBelle, George Jones, Conway Twitty, The Buddy Rich Big Band, Jefferson Airplane, Jason Sadites, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alex Band, Johnny Cash, Betty Moon.

I'll second the acknowledgments for Cobham and Beauford. Two excellent players.
 
K

Kev

Lifer
Dec 17, 2001
16,367
4
81
AMDZen said:
He doesn't drum for the Foo Fighters though
Click to expand...

He played every instrument on their first CD so I'm counting it.

Plus, starting one of the most successful current bands by himself is still a pretty good accomplishment for just a drummer.
 
SP33Demon

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
27,928
142
106
Kev said:
He played every instrument on their first CD so I'm counting it.

Plus, starting one of the most successful current bands by himself is still a pretty good accomplishment for just a drummer.
Click to expand...

Grohl, to me, is more an all around musician than drummer. If you've ever seen Foo Fighters live, he kills it on guitar and vocals (even screaming in some songs that actually sounds great).

Drumming, I wouldn't say he's the most accomplished and while he's a good drummer I don't think he matches Portnoy's technical depth/ability/speed on the drums nor Peart's creativity with sound sampling + genre hopping nor time signature ability of both.

Grohl is all around a better musician than both, however. Hell, he not only wrote the lyrics for all FF songs but the melodies with guitar and a huge portion of drums which, while not complicated, is still very impressive to think that he did all of that himself. Then he sang the songs for Foo Fighters and went platinum on six albums and won 3 grammys. Probably the only musician that can come close to Grohl is Jack White.

So yeah, Grohl is the probably the most accomplished musician just off Foo Fighters alone but not as accomplished on drums as say, Portnoy and Peart.
 
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IronWing

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,337
32,881
136
Best drummers I've ever heard were at Rainbow Gathering drum circles. Some of those guys do nothing but drum, smoke pot, and somehow find their way from gathering to gathering. I'm not sure they even eat.
 
T

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
iRONic said:
Kenny Aronoff fits the OP's "accomplished" term.

After graduating from Indiana University, in 1976, where he studied under the acclaimed tympanist George Gaber, Aronoff passed on several symphony orchestra offers and decided to head for the East Coast where he studied drum set in Boston and New York. During this time he began to concentrate on jazz and fusion music, and in 1977 he returned to Bloomington, Indiana and spent several years in a popular local band, playing throughout the Midwest.

In 1980 he joined John Mellencamp's band, recording 10 albums and touring with him over a 17-year period.

In the mid-1980s, Kenny began to develop an enormously successful career as a studio musician, playing on hundreds of records as well as touring worldwide with many artists. Aronoff has recorded with musicians such as Tony Iommi, John Mellencamp, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Alanis Morissette, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Puddle of Mudd, Avril Lavigne, Joe Cocker, B. B. King, Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Alice Cooper, The BoDeans, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Martin, Santana, Trey Anastasio, GB Leighton, Michelle Branch, Vince Gill, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood, Patti LaBelle, George Jones, Conway Twitty, The Buddy Rich Big Band, Jefferson Airplane, Jason Sadites, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alex Band, Johnny Cash, Betty Moon.

I'll second the acknowledgments for Cobham and Beauford. Two excellent players.
Click to expand...

WOW holy crap I need to check this guy out.
 
dpodblood

dpodblood

Diamond Member
May 20, 2010
4,020
1
81
Gene Hoglan. Ok; maybe not the most accomplished, but he at least deserves an honorable mention after all he's contributed to the genre of metal.
 
Ns1

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Kev said:
Nirvana
Foo Fighters
QOTSA
Them Crooked Vultures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Grohl#Other_projects

It's not even close
Click to expand...

Well then fuck, I'd say Josh Freese pwns Dave Grohl

This is the discography of American session drummer and songwriter, Josh Freese. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records. Freese is an original member of A Perfect Circle and a member of The Vandals as well as DEVO. He was the drummer for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. He is currently performing live with both DEVO and Weezer.
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Freese_discography

Everybody and their mom wants Josh to play with them.
 
SP33Demon

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
27,928
142
106
QueBert said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt3h1t0Rr00&feature=related

Video of Travis Barker in a drum off with The Roots drummer ?uestlove. Travis is damn good, but ?uestlove is fucking incredible.
Click to expand...

It was ok, but Peart is more creative/versatile at almost twice their age (56 y/o):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEVrN9SdRuk

Portnoy hitting us with some pretty good drumming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxuYIiGqXWk

A personal fav of mine, Chris Pennie (Coheed, former Dillenger):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HJEmuHJrFE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLswG4TSs_I&feature=related
 
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K

Kev

Lifer
Dec 17, 2001
16,367
4
81
SP33Demon said:
Grohl, to me, is more an all around musician than drummer. If you've ever seen Foo Fighters live, he kills it on guitar and vocals (even screaming in some songs that actually sounds great).

Drumming, I wouldn't say he's the most accomplished and while he's a good drummer I don't think he matches Portnoy's technical depth/ability/speed on the drums nor Peart's creativity with sound sampling + genre hopping nor time signature ability of both.

Grohl is all around a better musician than both, however. Hell, he not only wrote the lyrics for all FF songs but the melodies with guitar and a huge portion of drums which, while not complicated, is still very impressive to think that he did all of that himself. Then he sang the songs for Foo Fighters and went platinum on six albums and won 3 grammys. Probably the only musician that can come close to Grohl is Jack White.

So yeah, Grohl is the probably the most accomplished musician just off Foo Fighters alone but not as accomplished on drums as say, Portnoy and Peart.
Click to expand...

I think you're mixing up "accomplished" with "technical skill"
 
CallMeJoe

CallMeJoe

Diamond Member
Jul 30, 2004
6,938
5
81
Aynsley Dunbar

With John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers:
* A Hard Road (1967)
* Looking Back (1969)
* So Many Roads (1969)
* Thru The Years (1971)

With the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation:
* The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation (1968)
* Doctor Dunbar's Prescription (1969)
* To Mum, From Aynsley & The Boys (1969)
* Remains To Be Heard (1970)

With Blue Whale:
* Blue Whale (1971)

With Frank Zappa:
* Chunga's Revenge (1970)
* Fillmore East - June 1971 (1971)
* 200 Motels (1971)
* Just Another Band from L.A. (1972)
* Waka/Jawaka (1972)
* The Grand Wazoo (1972)
* Apostrophe (') (1974)
* Playground Psychotics (1992)
* Joe's Domage (2004)

With David Bowie:
* Pin Ups (1973)
* Diamond Dogs (1974)

With Lou Reed:
* Berlin (1973)

With Mick Ronson:
* Slaughter on 10th Avenue (1974)
* Play Don't Worry (1975)

With Ian Hunter:
* All American Alien Boy (1976)

With Journey:
* Journey (1975)
* Look into the Future (1976)
* Next (1977)
* Infinity (1978)

With Sammy Hagar:
* Nine on a Ten Scale (1976)

With Jefferson Starship:
* Freedom at Point Zero (1979)
* Modern Times (1981)
* Winds of Change (1982)

With Whitesnake:
* Whitesnake (1987)
* 1987 Versions (1987)

With UFO:
* Covenant (2000)
* Sharks (2002)

With Jake E. Lee:
* Retraced (2005)

He was also an early drummer with the Jeff Beck Group, though he did not record an album with them, and is said to have lost the drummer's throne in the Jimi Hendrix Experience on a coin flip.
 
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JSt0rm

JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
3,947
126
^^ im not fsckin around. Watch that and honestly tell me it isnt the finest.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
i think some are confusing 'studio' (hired help) with skills.

Studio work involves a lot of stuff don't get me wrong, but you are playing sheet music basically. They expect that.

Live work and where so many musicians lack today involves the constant changes each member faces when they are seeing the crowd.
 
T

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Josh Freese.

This is a PARTIAL list of projects:

Guns and Roses
The Vandals
A Perfect Circle
Suicidal Tendencies
The Offspring
Sting
Lostprophets
The Replacements
Nine Inch Nails
Queens of the Stone Age
The Dwarves
Hollywood Undead
Daughtry
Weezer
Devo
Michael Buble
Social Distortion
Megadeath
Katy Perry
Cher
Gavin Rossdale
Avril Lavinge
Dweezil Zappa
Danny Elfman
Meredith Brooks
Chris Cornell
Puddle of Mudd
Rob Zombie
3 Doors Down
Kelly Clarkson
Good Charlotte
Ween
Clay Aiken
Static-X
Seether
Fuel
Miley Cyrus
Filter
Slash
 
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