The 'Totally Under-rated Drummer' thread

Gassage

Now we all know who the greats are- but what about those less sung? People that nail the song time and time again?

I present my list of 5.

1) Chris Frantz (Talking Heads) Notable as he hardly touches brassware but his rythym and timing and 'drive' were utterly remarkable. Lovely fills, very unusual style.

2) Jet Black (Stranglers) - Literally, IMO, one of the best in the business. Still powering the lads (albeit for 15 mins per time under doc's orders

3) Will Champion- (Coldplay)- yes he's got stiff arms, yes he's limited, but that man puts in one of the biggest workloads vocally of any drummer alive.

4) Nick Mason - people regard him as a weak link- listen to Comfy at Live8 and the divine rota tom and tom punctuations- nobody does it quite like Nick.

5) Dennis Davies (Bowie/Wonder)- sadly died recently- the power in D.A.M. and one of the fastest players around

Let's hear yours...

IvisonGuitars

Simon Kirke /thread.

ICBM

Meg White

Yes I'm serious.

tony99

Jean Crooper

randella

Despite achieving the apparently impossible and getting himself booted out of Guns N' Roses for getting too high, I always thought Steven Adler had a swing to his playing.

I think people miss that bout Guns, the interplay between him and Duff McKagan that gave Appetite its swagger.  It all got a bit leaden after Adler left.

Grumpyrocker

I love Nick Mason's drumming. Just watch Live At Pompeii (the original) for some lovely drum work. And his penchant for pie without a crust. 

Gassage

ICBM said:

Meg White

Yes I'm serious.

Totally agree. A modern day Ringo.

StefB

Rod Morgenstein.

EricTheWeary

I probably a) need a list of who is and isn't rated and b) slightly more interest in drummers to give a really good answer but off the top of my head:

Stephen Morris of Joy Division. An original thinker I guess.

Budgie. I'm not a particular Banshees fan but he completely makes Cut by The Slits into a classic album.

Charlie H Bembridge of The Selecter. Great power and energy to his drumming , again someone who can really lift a song. Having played many songs by The Selecter and heard others do it too you realise how hard it is to replicate what he achieved. 

Bill Ward. He's probably not under rated but every subsequent Black Sabbath drummer has failed to swing like he could and much of what he did was pretty technical for the time as well. 

stimpsonslostson

Dom Howard of Muse. 

Travis Barker of Blink182

stimpsonslostson

I WAS going to suggest moving this to the music area... But then remembered we're discussing drummers. ;-)

Wazmeister

Topper Headon - The Clash

Enuff said.

Philly_Q

I don't really know anything much about drummers and I don't know who's rated or not.

But I'll say Jean-Paul Gaster (of Clutch) and John Stanier (ex Helmet) because they both seem pretty good to me.

fob

Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello)

Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins)

Mick Burt (Chas & Dave)

Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey)

WiresDreamDisasters

The monster from the Shreddies adverts in the 90's.

Danny1969

Nathan Followill .... drummer in Kings of Leon. Always plays something interesting and does some great off beat accents when you least expect it

545454

In terms of being the perfect person for the job always thought Billy Ficca (Television) was right up there. Not flash, but always plays just what the song needs, and I'm sure Marquee Moon would sound weird with anyone else on it.

HerrMetal

Brian Downey

tony99

Nicko McBain

Mark1960

Charlie Watts ( Rolling Stones) - I saw him doing his "jazz style" drummer recently. Very good.

scrumhalf

Terry Williams - Man (and Dire Straits, Rockpile and others)

Pugwash - Man (and Gentle Giant and others)

Steve Upton - Wishbone Ash

Ken Pustelnik - Groundhogs