MusicRadar
The No.1 website for musicians
10 new drum heroes you need to hear
Meet the new generation of drumming pioneers
The MusicRadar Team, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 5:11 pm UTC
The drum kit has seen many pioneers over the years – Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, John Bonham and countless other familiar names – whose vision and talent shaped what drumming is today.
But decades have since past; these pioneers are gone and the world of drums has changed. So who are the new drum heroes taking the instrument to the next level? Who are the new guard redefining what it is to be a drummer?
What follows is a list of ten people who, over just the last few years, have earned themselves the title of new drum hero. We salute them, and so should you.
Next page: Introducing... John Stanier
User comments (14)
-
really!?!?!?!? danny carey... is that all you kids think is good? oh wait lets not forget neil pert... maybe a slight mention to tommy lee, and oh yeah not to forget mike portnoy. yeah, i agree they're cool..... if you are a nerd. they play progg rock yet their writing doesn't progress...
how about these guys?
chris hainey (maps & atlases)
i guess people forgot about jon theadore??? he's no good since the mars volta felt obliged to fire him?
casey deitz (the velvet teen)
i agree with zach hill, the bad plus and deerhoof, & the dodos.
-
I heard zack hill was on the list so i had to check it out and I'm glad i did. I found so many new names to check out and its gonna keep me busy forever.
oh corsejsut like everyone else on the planet i got suggestions
Brian Chippendale may not be the most technical, but as far as speed and energy and snare work go i think he's something to take note of.
and if you ever to a bass hero thing look at his partner brian gibson who is also a rad drummer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jmr1qnU0P0
thanks now im going to explore the rest of this site -
So Glad you have Mark Heron on the list. He is an incredible drummer, one of my main influences. All the Oceansize albums (+ 2 EPs) are amazing with some incredible drumming on them. If you're a fan of his then you've GOT to check out his side project KONG. It's Mark and Steven (bass and drums from Oceansize) +Jon-Lee Martin. They are absolutely incredible, different to the 'size but amazing in their own unique way.
Heron has seriously got some chops and an incredible understanding of the music he plays. Check out Oceansize and Kong if you don't already know them, DO IT! -
It is indeed a good list, but if you havnt heard of most of them you just arent paying attention :)
-
Send us your suggestions! We may have to do guitar heroes first, though...
-
Very well, give us ten more then.
-
Hey all, cheers for all your comments and suggestions - keep them coming.
First off I'd like to point out that the article isn't a top ten or definitive list - it's a list of ten people we think are drum heroes. That isn't to say that we don't think anyone not mentioned in this list isn't a drum hero.
thirteenburn: John Stanier was great in Helmet, as mentioned. And we don't think that alt-metal isn't 'classy' or 'relevant'. It's just that MusicRadar wasn't around in 1989 - otherwise we'd probably have written about him being a drum hero then. Similarly, Danny Carey is one of my personal favourite drummers of all time. But Tool have enjoyed widespread commercial success, therefore his inclusion in a list of drum heroes "you need to hear" (which implies that you might not have heard them before) wouldn't be quite right.
And irradiate - regarding your comments about Oceansize using polyrhythms and time signature changes senselessly and sounding like noise - you're talking utter nonsense!
Keep the comments coming! -
This list was just meh.
Converge? Really?
I agree that you should have mentioned Danny Carey, but also: Britt Walford (Slint), Steve Kleisath (Shai Hulud - I dare you to listen to "Hearts once nourished with hope and compassion" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pGQR9Q5oPg), Abe Cunningham (Deftones),
You see, I have a problem with polyrhythms and shifting time- signatures if they're done senselessly. In fact I'm thoroughly unimpressed by them if they're there just because they can be. Or if they're drowned out by noise as they are in this Oceansize example.
More articles like this please, but I'd like to hear so really musical geniuses, not just technical drones. -
After going through the entire list, my first suspicions were proven correct. Other than Stainer, Greg Saunier and Ben Koller, rightly or wrongly the rest will never rise above obscurity and niche loyalty due the their respective genre's of music.
Again, I'm confused. The author laments that the greats like Krupa (his genre was extremely popular at the time) Bonham (no explanation needed) and Rich (again, his genre was hugely popular) no longer exist. I guess he's never really sat down and listened to Tool's Danny Carey? That guys is a freaking octopus. Also, the "Professor", Neil Peart doesn't get a nod as one of those "heros" that seem to no longer exist? Grant it, he's a bit mechanical, but the man has set precidence over and over again, as has Carey, forcing up and coming skin bashers to reach deep and push themselves. The same can be said for Jane's Addiction poly-rhythmic pounder, Stephen Perkins as well.
This "list" should have been couched in more realistic and actual terms of drummers to keep an eye on, but in no way should these guys be deemed "heros" or even intimated as such. They're all great drummers, but just because of their more "tasteful" genre's, are they getting these lofty and ridiculous labels put upon them, most of whom I have a feeling would agree with me.
That is if they're the self-respecting members of the brotherhood of drummers, long the butt of merciless - but mostly gut-busting hilarious - jokes (how can you tell if the drum riser is level...the drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk) that I think they are.
Sorry, but I have to say that while this article had good intentions, it was executed poorly. -
I don't know. I'm kind of confused here. I'm listening to the Battles tune and I'm hearing the poly-rhythmic beats - off time, off beat and yet, as the author said, keeping the whole thing together.
Trouble is, he was doing this in Helmet, so I'm confused as to why he's now getting his long overdue props. Could be because he's playing what sounds to me like 'World' music now, instead of the aggressive, intense as well as complicated "alt-metal"? That is the ONLY reason I can come up with and it's a bit disapponting.
I have no problem with different musical genre's and styles, but someone shouldn't be dismissed just because he plays a genre of music that isn't something that crosses the usual barriers people set up when it comes to what that particular person deems to be "relevent" or even "classy".
I could be wrong, but I my gut tells me I'm not.
John Stainer is, was and will always be a top-notch drummer, considered one of the top drummers in music, period, so while it's nice to see he's finally being recognized, it's too little, too late in my opinion.
Next...
You need to be logged in to post a comment. Login or Register to post a comment.
Poll
Blogs
-
Craig Nunenmacher quits Black Label Society
Normal 0 0 1 68 389 Future Publishing 3 1 477 ...
ReviewFinder
Click to find gear in the following categories:
- Guitars (3026)
- Amplification (798)
- Computers & Software (1416)
- Recording (376)
- Keys & Synths (135)
- Drums (666)
- DJing (23)
- Publications (47)
- Clothing (2)
- Gadgets (13)
Buy here
MusicRadar Marketplace
If you're looking for great deals on gear, tuition, mastering, education or kit hire, click here for our new and improved marketplace.
ztrukjar
12 weeks ago.