Article on Drummers by Joey leone

"BONZO"

Drummers — the Back Bone of the Band.

I have been blessed for most of my career to have played with some great drummers. Jon Hussey, my current drummer is a real talented musician, who holds my band together. Those of you that go to see live bands, take time and isolate on the drummer, it’s a great sideshow.
Now here is my list of my 10 favorite drummers and the reasoning behind it.

#1 John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
Bonzo was the ultimate rock drummer, his playing with Led Zeppelin was unbelievably original and mind-bogglingly complex. Not many drummers can say that they created “hooks” in songs (a hook is an immediately recognizable phrase that identifies a song). Some of Bonzo’s hooks were the intro’s of “When the Levee Breaks” and “Rock and Roll” as well as his trademark complex polyrhythms heard on “Kashmir” and “Achilles Last Stand”. Bonzo’s playing on the first Led Zeppelin shocked so many of us back in the day that we would be lifting up that needle to review(before rewind kids) to his drum parts. Many have said, and I agree with the statement, that “there is no Led Zeppelin without John Bonham”.

#2 Buddy Rich (bandleader and featured sideman)
Buddy was such a great drummer that he was as sought after as the top singers of his day. Jazz, that was Buddy’s music, whether in a big band, small group or a solo feature, Buddy Rich could absolutely mesmerize a crowd. Some of Buddy’s greatest and most famous performances were on the Tonight Show in the late 60’s and early 70’s. One such performance had Buddy battling Tonight Show drummer Ed Shaunessey, which you can see on YouTube.

#3 Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons)
The first time I saw Terry Bozzio play was at a Frank Zappa show in 1977, and I was completely blown away. His drumming had evolved from the Bonham standard to a more jazz/fusion style, which integrated so well into Zappa’s blend of rock, fusion, classical, and jazz. He was a consummate performer too, and could sing and do characters onstage, all this while he kicked butt on drums. I also found Terry’s solos to be interesting and dramatic. Terry was a founding member(with Terry’s wife Dale, and my former bandmate Warren Cuccurullo) of the popular 80’s L.A. band Missing Persons that had a hit with “Nobody Drives in L.A.”

#4 Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Rod Stewart)
I must admit I am a bit prejudiced when it comes to Carmine, as he is a fellow Brooklyn Italian, but I ain’t alone, John Bonham said in interviews that Carmine was his favorite drummer. Appice’s double bass drumming was as good as anybody’s and his stick twirling was also quite entertaining. Carmine played some amazing fills and licks on the Vanilla Fudge’s “Keep Me Hanging On”, as well as some great playing on the first Cactus album (check out the intro to “Parchman Farm”). BTW Carmine also wrote “Do You Think I’m Sexy” for Rod Stewart (before he sucked).

#5 Elvin Jones (John Coltrane)
Jazz drumming is a quite specific discipline encompassing many different styles, and there are many great jazz drummers who specify Elvin as their primary influence. I cannot tell you how many drummers I have heard refer to a specific style as Elvin “Jonesesque”. When John Coltrane died prematurely in 1969, Elvin Jones went on to lead his own band, and well as play with fellow Coltrane sideman, pianist McCoy Tyner. I always thought Mitch Mitchell tried (and succeeded) in being the Elvin Jones to Jimi Hendrix’s John Coltrane.

#6 Bernard Purdie (King Curtis, Aretha Franklin, studio legend)
“Pretty” Purdie was in my opinion the John Bonham of funk and r&b, complex, original, and “hooky”. Bernard played on many of sax legend King Curtis’ seminal recordings like “Soul Serenade” and “Memphis Soul Stew”, but it was on his “Live at the Fillmore West” LP that Bernard Purdie flipped everyone out. His log of studio sessions was legendary, commercials, movie soundtracks, as well as hit records made Bernard if not the most recorded drummer of all-time the second most (see Hal Blaine below).

#7 Keith Moon (The Who)
Keith’s legend includes his temper tantrums, alcohol consumption, and hotel room destructions, but the guy could play! His style was so original that no drummer was ever able to copy his parts in the many incarnations of the Who since his passing. He like Mitch Mitchell played a “non groove” free wheeling style that gave the Who’s music a totally different vibe. Just check out his drumming on one of the Who’s early hits “I Can See For Miles”. Another great testament to Keith’s legacy is that there are no Keith Moon drum solos anywhere to be found. Some might say that every tune had a Keith Moon drum solo in it.

#8 Ringo Starr (uhhh..The Beatles?)
Richard Starkey will always be remembered as the smiling, big nosed, lovable chap from Liverpool who played drums for the band that changed music forever. In the era of the long drum solo and big drum sets, Ringo Starr held steady the beat, and was the foundation of the Beatles. Paul McCartney was a groundbreaking bass player, probably the most important rock bass player of all time. But without Ringo holding it down steady, Paul could not have expanded the role of the bass guitar in rock. Again we can talk about hooks, Ringo had tons of them. His tympani-like fills were melodic and atypical, and his singing………well let’s just say he was a great drummer anyway heh?

#9 Hal Blaine (studio drummer #1)
To understand this pick, I will have to give you a bit of background on the recording business in the 60’s. Bands got recording contracts, but usually never played on their own records, and for a multitude of reasons, here’s a few. Record producers basically do what a director does in a movie; he is responsible for the entire production. When a producer puts his name on a record he has to be absolutely sure that the musicians can play, and be capable in the studio. Except for the Beatles and Stones not many bands played on their own recordings. Okay back to Hal Blaine, Hal was the drummer on what was known as “The Wrecking Crew, a band of studio vets who played on about 75% of the hit records made in the 60’s, Hal played drums on records made by, The Beach Boys, The Monkees, The Turtles, Tommy James, the Mamas and the Papas,, Sonny and Cher, and was a drummer for Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound. I cannot tell you how important Hal Blaine is in the history of rock and roll. Hal was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 2000 with the rest of Wrecking Crew.

#10 Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)
The stoic, chiseled face of Charlie Watts was a reminder that the Stones were not the smiling, charming Beatles. The Stones were a bit (quite a bit) grittier than the Fab Four. Charlie played on every Stones record they have ever recorded, that fact separates him from even Ringo who occasionally had to step aside for Paul to play drums. Charlie’s background was actually playing swing and jump blues before he joined the Rolling Stones, I think that is what made him so versatile of a player. I will again talk about hooks and hit records, Charlie Watts’ playing on “Honky Tonk Woman” a hook immediately identifiable. And what about “19th Nervous Breakdown”, “Satisfaction”, “Jumping Jack Flash”, “Street Fighting Man”, and ”Live With Me” all great tracks.
That’s my list of favorite drummers…..who’s yours?
Peace in the world,
Joey Leone