Andy Burrows' top 5 singing drummers

Andy Burrows' favourite singing drummers

This Is Scientist drummer, former Razorlight sticksman and I Am Arrows mainman Andy Burrows knows a thing or two about singing drummers. Burrows is back stretching his vocal chords with new single ‘If I Had A Heart’, so what better time to catch up with him to talk about his favourite singing sticksmen? Andy plumped for...

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Nigel Olsson

My favourite singing drummer has to be Nigel Olsson. He is a fantastic singer in his own right.

He recorded those great Elton John albums in the ‘70s and the backing vocals are just incredible. I watched a Classic Albums programme on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and the engineer turned took out the backing vocals on Candle In The Wind and it just blew my mind, these backing vocalists that would be every singer’s dream to have. Nigel always looked so cool as well, and what an amazing voice. There was always something exciting about the way he looked and the way his drums loved.

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Levon Helm

He’s just damn cool. He’s a frontman sat on the drums. There’s something very laid back about his drumming and vocal style. It’s all very organic, natural and cool. It was just such a great vibe. Everybody loves The Weight and from a singing drummer point of view it’s pretty special.

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Phil Collins

He has to be in there because he’s the man. I get really angry like I feel that in England we’re a bit funny about Phil Collins and he’s a guilty pleasure. I don’t understand.

If you go to America and you’re in a bar sat with a bunch of cool kids nobody finds it embarrassing that you’re into Phil Collins. It’s completely respected. It’s a shame because he’s damn awesome. There’s not many drummer that can boast a signature fill like the one he has in ‘In The Air Tonight’. It’s every drummer’s dream to have a fill like that.

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Roger Taylor

When I was growing up Queen were forever on my tape machine. He’s got a great voice. I always loved the fact that in a lot of the huge stadium shows he had a picture of himself on his bass drum skin.

I keep saying to Dom (Howard, Muse) that they’re the only band that can pull something Queen off so he should do that on the front of his kick drum.

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Dave Grohl

He’s the inspirational dude, isn’t he? I’m not sure how much singing and drumming he does, maybe he does a little with Them Crooked Vultures and he did during the MTV Unplugged Nirvana thing. I can live with those as a five.