10 Greatest Classic Rock Drummers Of All Time
Behind every great band is someone whacking things with sticks.
The often forgotten man shoved to the back of the stage so the 'real musicians' can hog the spotlight, a great drummer is an integral piece of any great band. The time-keepers, the beat makers- drummers drive the whole band forward and keep them together.
Tom-terrorizing, snare-slapping rhythm machines- drummers bring an energy to the music that would not be possible without them. Some of the greatest drummers of all time have often gone unnoticed through the fame, embodying the ideals of what's good for the band matters most.
There are few genres of music that have had as many iconic cymbal-crashers as Classic Rock. The genre just screams out for high-tempo beats and the loud, rattling of rides and crashes echoing from behind the screeching of the lead singer. Solos and rolls, beats and fills- the man behind the kit can do it all and add extra layers to a song to carry it to the next level.
There are many iconic names to have sat squarely on that stool and here are some of the stand-out skin-strikers.
10. Ringo Starr
Famously referred to as ‘not even the best drummer in the Beatles’, Ringo Starr does not share the same level of drumming ability as the others percussionists inhabiting this list- but such is the man’s influence it would be insane not to sneak him into it somewhere.
Starr was one of the first superstar musicians along with his band mates and showed that drummers did not just have to sit loudly out of the way. His solid rhythm and varied beats were as integral to that ‘Beatles sound’ as any of the other legends in front of him. Songs like Come Together and A Day in the Life are rife with his creative percussion flair.
Starr has been an influential figure for almost every drummer that has come after him and, although he may not be the most technically gifted, he is certainly one of the greatest rock drummers of all time.