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Best balled drumming


rlhubley

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Steve Smith - Journey - "Don't Stop Believin'" A relatively simple part, yet extremely memorable to huge audiences. Hey, he can even play JUST the drum part, sans music or vocals, and people would STILL know what song it is. That's how simplistically distinctive that drum part is.

 

Steve could wail, great drum solos, smooth and fast fills, a 'busy' drummer, big drum kit. But, Steve ALSO has tremendous taste, and knew just when to lay it back. Guess it DOESN'T necessarily mean you're an overplaying idiot just because you have a big kit. It's the drummer, not the drums, eh?

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had.
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I thought the question was best "balled" drumming, i.e. drumming with a lot of balls. In this case I'd have to choose Danny Carey on Tool's "Aenema", or Nick Menza on Megadeth's "Rust in Peace."
Just for the record.
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I think Nicko McBrain has got to be one of the best BALLED drummers (what does that even mean? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif). He brings an almost jazzy approach to his parts, but plays them at extreme volumes with a lot of power.

 

As for the best bald drummer, I'd say either Steve Smith or Phil Collins (didn't Dennis Chambers shave his head as well? or do only naturally bald drummers count?)

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Best BALLAD drummer, I'd have to third (fourth?) the vote for Steve Smith, and I have to pick him over Larrie Londin cause Larrie took his job in Journey and that wasn't right. But that wasn't Larrie's fault, Steve Perry was the one who fired him. Took a lot of balls to do that.

 

Right, sorry, I'm done typing now.

 

 

 

This message has been edited by sidereal on 08-22-2001 at 08:44 PM

Just for the record.
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Actually, I didn't pick Larrie Londin just for his work with Journey, but also for all the artists he had worked with in his lifetime. He did a lot of work with Motown Records, Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers, and B.B. King just to name a few. The work he did with Journey was multi-platinum.

 

I love Steve Smith's playing as well. I especially enjoy how fluid his playing is after studying with Freddie Gruber. Amazing!

Drummer Cafe - community drum & percussion forum
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Uh, just as an aside, for those who might have some interest and in case you're not aware, Steve Smith is now part of the group Vital Information. Modern jazz stuff, very cool. And I can tell you Steve has lost nothing from his departure with Journey, which I agree was very unfortunate. His fluidity and dichotomy approach of 'laid back / wailing' is fantastic.

 

Oddly enough, Smith chose not to re-join Journey, although he was invited, unless Steve Perry was re-joining. The very man who fired him, LOL. And if it's notable to anyone, Deen Castronovo is the current drummer for Journey. Another absolutely top notch member of the drumming community. And Deen has excellent vocals as well.

 

As far as Freddie Gruber. Well, with the likes of Steve Smith, Neil Peart, et. al. as mentored students, I'd have to judge Freddie: THE Man.

 

And Jeff Porcaro is (was) an excellent drummer. But in honesty, I personally don't think Toto's ballad were, although good (I'm a fan of Toto as well), were quite to the same level and notariety of Journey's. As I said, there's not too many songs I can think of that the average Joe, non-musician could name the song strictly by the drum riff. I've known people to do that with "Don't Stop Believin'". That chop was that memorable. Hard to beat that kind of creativity. And to me, it's even more amazing when you note how simple the drum part actually is. Serve the Song. I think Steve served it perfectly.

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had.
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You're right about that. Average joe knows more journey than Toto. Although, Av. Joe knows more Backstreet Boys than Toto as well. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif But, as a drummer, i highly reccomend the Toto tune, "i'll be over you". Go download it on audiogalaxy.com if you don't have the album.
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For the record, I know Steve Smith's playing outside Journey and I know Larrie Londin's outside Journey. I was just being dorky.

 

Right now I'm listening to "A Love Supreme" which has nothing to do with balled drumming, or ballad drumming, but I can tell you it's DRUMMING. Ahhhh perfect thing with my morning coffee.

Just for the record.
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Gotta love Elvin. Great cd.

 

Nicko is a shitty ballad drummer...he rushes too much.

 

Steve Smith was pretty good, but so was Tico Torres. (makes no sense whatsoever)

 

Right now the best Power Ballad drummer is Type O Negative's drummer.

 

That man can wait allllllll day for it. Check it out boys and girls.

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Originally posted by felix stein:

Nicko is a shitty ballad drummer...he rushes too much.

 

 

I said he was a BALLED drummer, not BALLAD drummer. Meaning he plays loud, heavy music very well.

 

I was trying to play off of people's spelling mistakes. :P

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Originally posted by djarrett:

Hey, I had to throw this in ... I loved (and still do) two Elton John drummers for ballads:

Nigel Olson and Johnathon "Sugarfoot" Moffit!

 

Nigel Olson is very, very good on ballads. His stuff was tasty.

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Journey?? Toto? Egads!!! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/eek.gif

 

You REALLY wanna hear some ballad drumming, you guys should check out Jim Keltner on Peter Case's cover of the Pogues song "A Pair of Brown Eyes." It's in 6/8 and Keltner is just sublime on it. Roger McGuinn playing 12-string doesn't hurt it any, either. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

--Lee

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