10 Best Drum Solos In Classic Rock
9. 100,000 Years - KISS
When they first came on the scene, KISS seemed to break every rule in the book when it came to the unbridled rock performance. Though the fire-breathing and blood-spitting moments of the show wowed every crowd they played to, it was almost to the point where the music got lost in the theatrics.
That all changed with Alive!, which brought the band's manic energy onto two slabs of vinyl. While most of the record is a proud display of rock and roll debauchery, things get much more intense once you hit "100,000 Years." The song had been a highlight of the band's debut record, but Peter Criss dialed up the intensity to 11 when the band took to the stage.
Growing up, Criss had taken drum lessons from the jazz great Gene Krupa, and you can really hear it on this tune. The way that the toms cascade over your eardrums makes you feel like you're running through the jungle on some of distant island. Criss also has a great sense of dynamics as he slowly brings the song back into the original groove. The other band members argued that the solo was a bit too long, but this little piece of rock history has inspired countless rock drummers to pick up two sticks.