Great video guys. Phil Gould is a superb drummer, one of the best British drummers of the last 50 years, and is the reason I took up the drums way back when. Check out the live L42 track '88' from their album 'A Physical Presence' to hear him in full effect - one of the most musical yet technically brilliant solos I've ever heard. Fabulous drummer and an incredible song writer and lyricist 👍🥁
Definitely,word for word there,I too agree. Done the same here,I'm nearly 50,in the UK,he was n still is an incredibly human being,shame he didn't reach as the guys said ,north America at the time
Pete is a worthy successor now playing for LEVEL 42, but Phil is in a class of his own, he has musically enriched and supported the band! I still love his playing to this day.
One very underrated drummer is Ian Mosley for Marillion. He does some great stuff on the early albums and continued to support the band with his drumming on the later albums too. He's really good at serving the music as a drummer.
One drummer that I do not see here that was a monster rock/fusion player and had a huge impact on me was the incredible Mark Craney (Gino's Vanelli, Jethro Tull, Tower of Power, Eric Burdon). Incredible drummer with a very unique voice on the instrument. Unfortunately, he suffered from health issues (severe diabetes) early in life and had multiple health setbacks that limited his musical career. His condition ultimately caused his untimely death at an early age. R.I.P. the incredible Mark Craney.
A few 90s drummers that I always think need more praise: Tim Alexander from Primus. Sean Kinney from Alice In Chains Dave Abbruzzese played in Pearl Jam from 91-94. He recorded Vs and Vitalogy. All three are very creative drummers who came up with memorable parts for their tunes.
Glad to see mention of Tim Alexander. Check out his work with the group Attention Deficit featuring the insanely great Michael Manring on bass and Alex Skolnick on guitar. Also, Tim played on 3 tracks of MM's album Thonk as well.
I don’t know if he’s been forgotten - I hope not - but Carlos Vega was another guy who was certainly underappreciated. He was like Jeff Porcaro’s long lost brother.
Two drummers I never see listed are Barrimore Barlow from Jethro Tull and Jerry Speiser from Men at Work. Two masters of their craft that always get forgotten
Another one people never think much about anymore is Rod Morgenstein. Maybe because he’s become more known for Winger - but he was/is phenomenal. His stuff with the Dixie Dregs was crazy.
Fan/in awe of/ inspired by Mark Brzezicki for probably 35 years. Unbelievably met him after a show just recently. What an incredibly humble and sweet guy. An absolute honour.
My nomination for this list: Airto Moreira. While he's certainly well-known as a percussionist, I think his drum set playing is woefully underappreciated. Check out his band from a few years back, "Fourth World," and try playing some of the parts he plays. Also, as to the "North-American-Centric" aspect mentioned in the video, I'll throw out two masterful drummers from India: Trilok Gurtu and Ranjit Barot.
Chester is the man! The definition of "professional." Tasteful; musical; always playing for the song and not himself. Love him with Genesis especially, and with Ruth and Ralph in Zappa's best band. Just a fantastic, world-class drummer!
Thank you for doing this by the way Phil Gould was the master of the groove N ghost note. His groove is unsurpassable. His snare sound is simply amazing g together with Copelands THE best snare signature sounds of the 80s. Please check out his body of work with LEVEL 42. A masterclass is playing for the song.
Joey Heredia, an absolute original - "Forgotten" by his own choice hehe... During the 90's/early 2000's, his trio at La Velee club with Marco Mendoza and Renato Neto was THE obliged musicians' hang if you were in L.A. On separate occasions, I got to see (among others) Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl sitting there, getting into it and enjoying Joey's playing. His playing alone on Tribal Techs's self-titled 1991 album should make you a believer. Also wish Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani, Alice Cooper) had kept playing more than attending to his recording studio. Another powerhouse drummer with his very own chops and touch.
I would love to see some love paid for Michael Shrieve, who may be most famously known his Soul Sacrifice performance at Woodstock with the incomparable Santana and much more 😊
Dave Abbruzzese in his Pearl Jam years.. He really laid it down in the live performances and accelerated the band.. Also the performance in Pearl Jams MTV Unplugged is spectacular..
Chester lives in Nashville Tn. He was and maybe still teaching drums at Forks Drum Closet, I work at Innovative Percussion and he toured the operation about 6mons back great guy and very nice and😮 great to talk to
Great picks! Supertramp's Bob C. Benberg, REO Speedwagon's Alan Gratzer, and Boston's Sib Hashian (RIP) are three others that deserve a lot more recognition!
I would put Chester Thompson on the list as he has such an extensive background in other genres of music. A very diverse player which is why Phil Collins wanted him in Genesis and Phil’s solo stuff.
Great call on Sheila E. Her looks, and 80s persona, overshadowed by Prince (who wasn't?) really was the tri-fecta of generations not taking her skills seriously. She had a cameo in Fred Armisen's drummer standup show a few years back.
Oh man.. bringing up anything Level 42 is awesome..loved it... if you're ever planning on doing a forgotten drummers Pt. 3, you have to give props to Tim "Herb" Alexander from. Primus and Chad Gracey from Live.... both amazing drummers
Phil Gould was HUGE in South Africa 🇿🇦 I grow up with Level 42 since the early 80s, but really got into their music since the mid 80s. My local radio station Algoa FM in Port Elizabeth, often play their songs still to this day.
Mickey Curry...Killer pocket. Great studio and live drummer. Hall and Oates, The Cult, Bryan Adams, and tons of other studio work. The Bryan Adams band has not been the same without Mickey.
Stephen Perkins is pure genius. Most know him from Jane's Addiction but his drumming on the two Porno For Pyros albums is amazing! In Porno For Pyros, he incorporated bongos, congas and tympani into his grooves. Absolutely AMAZING. I saw him do a drum clinic at Guitar Center, around 2010. The clinic was about Keith Moon and The Who's music. Perkins loves and studied those songs. While Zack Starkey has done a great job with the Who, Perkins could easily stand in and play with The Who. Perkins is still playing with Jane's Addiction. He's also been touring with Porno For Pyros again. I've met him a few times. He's one of the nicest people. And you can tell what a joyful person he is when he plays. He exudes positive vibes.
I was glad to see Mark Brzezicki in the list. His drumming is fantastic on Big Country’s hard to find live CD Come Up Screaming. Pure energy from the band and audience. That album is my favorite live performance from any artist.
Sheila E was 'famous' before playing with Prince on the Sign O' The Times tour. Her first album 'The Glamorous Life' (single of the same name) was released in 1984. I think she'd stepped away from the limelight for a bit after a health issue. But she's back at it.
Watch the Stuart Copeland History of the Drum Kit or something like that does in New Orleans Louisiana. There's a great interview with John Densmore & his approach to playing with the Doors.
Future suggestions. I agree with the mention of Myron Grombacher. Dino Danelli of the Rascals, Simon Kirke is a solid drummer of the 70's from Free and Bad Company. Also, I'm a long time fan of the late Pat Torpey of Mr Big.
Boris Williams best known from The Cure but played with several punk and alternative bands from the 80’s. Playing with Robert Smith must’ve been a trip considering the weirdness of his writing style.
regarding Level 42, Mark King started out as a drummer and continued the percussive stuff over to the bass, Phil Gould is one of the more technical drummers out there with a fenomenal pocket, not too much, incredible groove, i can keep going :)
Jimmy Marinos the Drummer for The Romantics, sang on their biggest hit "What I like about you". Unique approach to drums, rock solid and heavy hitter. He disappeared after the album/tour "In Heat".
I didn't hear mention of Chester's year with Weather Report (75-76). He recorded Black Market with them. Chester left shortly after Alphonso Jonson (who recruited him to join) was replaced by Jaco Pastorius. As a drummer used to being tight with the rhythm section, he couldn't relate to Jaco's lyrical and virtuosic style. He joined Genesis shortly after.
Worth of checking out: Frank Farley (The Pirates) and my all time favourite rock drummer (r.i.p.) Bruce Gary. Thanks for great channel, greetings from Finland!
Chester completely modified his style to play with Zappa. Frank said that Chester came to him playing a boogaloo beat over everything. Frank taught him about different time signatures, odd phrasing, and suggested that he work on his reading. Chester went away, scratched his head over it all, and returned ready for action. Such a fantastic player. Loved his work with Brand X and, of course, Frank and Uncle Phil.
Thanks for this, great topic. What it really shows is that the world of drumming has a huge depth and range of great players. It is interesting to see who others admire... how about adding Robbie France, Peter Criss, Tommy Erdelyi, Jerry Shirley, Steve White, Pierre Moerlen, Jon Farris. It's really about sharing the music you grew up with...
Chris Sharrock (Icicle Works, Lightning Seeds, Robbie Williams), Hans Joachim Behrendt (Ideal), Dennis Davis ((David Bowie), Glenn Kotche (Wilco)are great drummers worth mentioning too🤘
Chester Thompson is always forgotten in comparison to Phil; Barriemore Barlow's contribution to Jethro Tull is outstanding. So musical; Ian Mosley, and the whole band Marillion, are really underated; Brian Downey should be praised on the same level of people such as Ian Paice and other hard rock greats. He wrote so many cool grooves and even solos to Thin Lizzy.
I'd have to say Jon Theodor would be an "unknown" drummer in my estimation. He's in QOTSA now, but he's not nearly as much in the "drum conversation" as he should be.
Points of marketing (and the opposite, fan worship) are both extremely valid and well stated. To wit, Mark Brzezicki of Big Country IS an excellent drummer, yes there were tons of overdubs, but they also did release a VHS concert in the early 80s (came out on the same day as U2's Live at Red Rocks, I bought them both) but the clips selected weren't very indicative of how good he was/is (realizing potential sources like Instagram are possibly more proprietary than youtube). And when you're not familiar with the band/artist to start, finding a top example is time consuming. Kudos to this series, I hope it continues. btw, did anyone mention Billy Ficca of Television / The Waitresses?!!! Add him to your list!
Next time you do a ‘Forgotten Drummers’……please consider Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow (Jethro Tull drummer in the 70’s). Awesome drummer - His drumming on tracks like ‘No Lullaby’ from the ‘Heavy Horses’ album is superb. In fact the whole of that album is awesome (so too is ‘Thick As A Brick’, ‘Aqualung’, ‘Songs From The Wood’ and ‘ War Child’)
John Bonham of Led Zeppelin considered Barrie to be the best drummer of their era. And I agree wholeheartedly! I remember hearing Hunting Girl from Songs from the Wood and couldn’t believe that someone could actually be that fast! I’m still amazed every time I listen to it.
Dave Holland from Judas Priest is one of my biggest influences, he had such great use of cymbals and fitting unique accents in complex timings. Phil Gould is one of my all time favorites. I also love Munetaka Higuchi of Loudness. Level 42 opened for Madonna on the like a virgin tour. Tom Hunting of Exodus has always been a favorite. Chester Thompson also played in Weather Report.
Possibly a bit UK-niche but the late Rob Heaton of New Model Army was a phenomenal drummer and musician. Michael Giles was an absolute genius and you definitely could of found a clip with him playing KC tunes with 21st Century Schizoid band. I'd also add another former KC drummer to that list and it's the late Ian Wallace (ex KC and also a drummer Don Henley)
Criminally underrated Ken Mary from House of Lords, y'all should have him on. Also Peter Criss from KISS (not forgotten, but you should get him on..) Also Gunnar Nelson from Nelson. They had Bobby Rock on the kit; but Gunnar is a fantastic drummer also.
I don't understand why you didn't mention Nicko McBrain in any of your videos in these years . He is must underrated metal Drummer in the world . . . . !😥
Of course the Si-Fi of the drumming world Simon Phillips. Try “give blood” by Pete Townsend with pino palladino and Dave Gilmore. Talk about dream team and spot Si-Fi’s top of the hat to Herbie Hancock during the song
Another forgotten drummer is a guy by the name of Barry Van Zyl who was the drummer for the late Johnny Clegg right up till Johnny's passing. Check Barry Van Zyl's bio out. He's an international endorsed Zildjian cymbal and DW drums. He was also a very versatile jazz drummer and even percussionist.
Some observations and comments: First, great to see the late Charley Antollini getting noticed. As you note, there are SO many great international drummers that never landed on the radar of the North American scene. As for Level 42, they were huge in America, one of the big sensations on MTV. Ditto Big Country, though only for a couple hits. And while Level 42 garnered media coverage for the group as well as all four individual players, Big Country was quite anonymous. Phil Gould's playing was definitely notable during his time with the band. He was a creative and technically articulate player with a great groove for funk as well as the chops for fusion, two areas into which the band dipped. And having a drummer - Mark King - playing bass certainly gave Gould a foundation on which to play. Gould also penned the bulk of the band's lyrics. His departure from the band was prompted when success prompted a more commercial direction. There are some videos available, most notably 'Live at Wembley'. The live album, 'A Physical Presence', recorded at a club date in the UK is also great, with the band ripping from start to finish. Worth noting that in addition to Gary Husband taking over Gould's seat in the band, guitarist Jakko Jakszyk, currently with King Crimson, came in on guitar. Yes, Big Country are Scottish, though Mark Brzeczicki is English. He also did a stint with Procol Harum, taking over from the late, great BJ Wilson, who was most heard on Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help from My Friends' (w/Jimmy Page on guitar) and also the 'Rocky Horror Show Soundtrack' (he's not on the band's 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'). Wilson was one of Page's invites to join what became Led Zeppelin. He was doing things Steve Gadd later popularised, most notably paradiddle inversions, linear and cowbell playing. The first album Brzezicki purchased was Jeff Beck's 'Blow by Blow', which featured the tremendous drumming of the great Richard Bailey. Bailey opted to not tour the album, so Beck enlisted Bernard Purdie. Bailey was back for the 'Wired' album, playing on 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' and 'Head for Backstage Pass'. Narada Michael Walden played on the rest of that album. Chester Thompson got the Genesis gig without auditioning. His background included jazz organist Jimmy McGriff, Frank Zappa's Mothers, Weather Report etc. Phil Collins was big on Weather Report and Earth, Wind & Fire, which heavily influenced the 80s direction of Genesis and Collins' solo hits. Chester left Phil after his playing was criticised during Phil's Motown phase. Given Mr. Collins' A-type personality and Chester's laidback nature, the latter had likely had enough and was happy to bow out. Mention of Scott Rockenfield's rack with Queensryche reminded me that Carl Palmer used a rack for his stainless steel kit in the early-mid 1970s. The concept was nothing new - the earliest kits in the 1920s and 30s used rack-like holders. And Meazzi drums of Italy also had a rack-like set-up. Michael Giles and his bassist brother had a band that Robert Fripp joined. They did an album, 'Giles, Giles & Fripp', prior to Crimson. Though his brother quit prior to 'In the Court of the Crimson King', Michael made his mark on that album, most notably on '21st Century Schizoid Man'. His solo album includes this great track. What a killer sound! BTW, McDonald is also on the second Crimson album, though as a hired session man - ditto Greg Lake - as they had all quit Fripp. ua-cam.com/video/iqqmRzc8EJg/v-deo.html Al Jackson Jr. was a surprise choice, given that he is one of the greats (one could say that about Chester Thompson). In addition to all those Stax records that he and the MGs provided backing, there is also the 'Home' album by Delaney & Bonnie. This was their debut album, which was on Stax, and had the MGs and the Memphis Horns (later heard with Paul McCartney's Wings) as well as D&B band members Leon Russell, Carl Radle and Jimmy Karstein (on percussion). The D&B band would later include drummers Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon as well as guitarists Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Dave Mason and George Harrison, plus future members of Little Feat amongst many others. The band's second album, 'The Original Delaney & Bonnie - Accept No Substitute' has some great playing by Keltner, most notably on 'Soldiers of the Cross' and 'When This Battle is Over'. These lists are great - get some realitvely unknown players into the narrative (nice that Todd Suchermann's mention of Mark Brzezicki was remembered). However, it would be nice if the person compiling the list dug a bit deeper on the players. Throwing a name into the ring - like that of Michael Giles - then having a lousy video example and offering up no further insight leaves much to be desired. Why no mention of the 21st Century Schozoid Men, which included McDonald and other former band members? They did a live concert DVD and there is footage on UA-cam (some with Ian Wallis drumming - McDonald has a moustache). I realise source material can be difficult to come by, a decent backstory would certainly help compensate. Cheers!
Another guy that never got his due is Sammy J Watson. He played in a band called The Apex Theory (later changed their name to Mr. Helium) in the early 2000s. Wicked drummer!
Chester Thompson is a legend.. Check in out on all those early Gosple/ integrity music albums.. he killed everyone of them.. in fact.. the able the God Is Able by Ron Kenoly is still a master class imo. 🙌🏾
Without a shadow of a doubt, I think one of the most underrated and forgotten drummers is Terry Williams from Dire Straits. I think the guy was one of the most amazing live drummers I've ever seen honestly. So much unreal energy.
You wouldn't have Neil without Michael Giles. The live performances from back then are amazing, ferocious double bass drums, innovative fills with great chops and intricate grooves. I saw Chester in a clinic in 1984 or 85. What I remember most is his tuning a rack tom for what seemed like two hours, then playing a 30 min solo that was so powerful and unlike anything I had ever heard. It shook me. He had a 21" 602 ride with a bell that was so clear and musical.
I'm so glad you featured Chester Thomson. When I first saw the title to this video, I thought of him. I saw him with Frank Zappa a long, long time ago and was absolutely blown away!
Thanks for highlighting Phil Gould! Great drummer. He and Mark King on bass (one of the greatest ever) were brilliant together.
Chester was never a forgotten drummer in my book
Great video guys. Phil Gould is a superb drummer, one of the best British drummers of the last 50 years, and is the reason I took up the drums way back when.
Check out the live L42 track '88' from their album 'A Physical Presence' to hear him in full effect - one of the most musical yet technically brilliant solos I've ever heard.
Fabulous drummer and an incredible song writer and lyricist 👍🥁
Definitely,word for word there,I too agree. Done the same here,I'm nearly 50,in the UK,he was n still is an incredibly human being,shame he didn't reach as the guys said ,north America at the time
Pete is a worthy successor now playing for LEVEL 42, but Phil is in a class of his own, he has musically enriched and supported the band! I still love his playing to this day.
One very underrated drummer is Ian Mosley for Marillion. He does some great stuff on the early albums and continued to support the band with his drumming on the later albums too. He's really good at serving the music as a drummer.
Talking about Level 42, Gavin Harrison played a tour with them after Gary Husband in the early 90s
I saw Gavin with Go West!
Mike Bordin (Faith no More) , Ricky Lawson ( Michael Jackson ... )
Ricky Lawson on the Anita Baker album - Magic!
One drummer that I do not see here that was a monster rock/fusion player and had a huge impact on me was the incredible Mark Craney (Gino's Vanelli, Jethro Tull, Tower of Power, Eric Burdon). Incredible drummer with a very unique voice on the instrument. Unfortunately, he suffered from health issues (severe diabetes) early in life and had multiple health setbacks that limited his musical career. His condition ultimately caused his untimely death at an early age. R.I.P. the incredible Mark Craney.
A few 90s drummers that I always think need more praise:
Tim Alexander from Primus.
Sean Kinney from Alice In Chains
Dave Abbruzzese played in Pearl Jam from 91-94. He recorded Vs and Vitalogy.
All three are very creative drummers who came up with memorable parts for their tunes.
Dave was the best PJ drummer!
I love all three, but I gotta say Sean's drumming is just so right for AIC. Always just the right beats and fills. So tasty! :)
Tim!
Glad to see mention of Tim Alexander. Check out his work with the group Attention Deficit featuring the insanely great Michael Manring on bass and Alex Skolnick on guitar. Also, Tim played on 3 tracks of MM's album Thonk as well.
Dave Krusen too. Ten was HUGE.
I don’t know if he’s been forgotten - I hope not - but Carlos Vega was another guy who was certainly underappreciated. He was like Jeff Porcaro’s long lost brother.
He was born Richard Starkey on July 7 , 1940 and gained acclaim in Liverpool playing clubs gig with Rory stormed and The Hurricanes in the late 50 .
Two drummers I never see listed are Barrimore Barlow from Jethro Tull and Jerry Speiser from Men at Work. Two masters of their craft that always get forgotten
Another one people never think much about anymore is Rod Morgenstein. Maybe because he’s become more known for Winger - but he was/is phenomenal. His stuff with the Dixie Dregs was crazy.
Agreed.
@@sethcashman1011 Yes, I was about to post the same comment
Rod is a legend…👍
ua-cam.com/video/Txqn5lHiAc0/v-deo.htmlsi=dszF8rKw6RhK7Wrb
Absolutely!
Phil Gould, great drummer.
Fan/in awe of/ inspired by Mark Brzezicki for probably 35 years.
Unbelievably met him after a show just recently. What an incredibly humble and sweet guy. An absolute honour.
My nomination for this list: Airto Moreira. While he's certainly well-known as a percussionist, I think his drum set playing is woefully underappreciated. Check out his band from a few years back, "Fourth World," and try playing some of the parts he plays.
Also, as to the "North-American-Centric" aspect mentioned in the video, I'll throw out two masterful drummers from India: Trilok Gurtu and Ranjit Barot.
R.I.P. Tony Thompson. A totally underrated drummer.
Chester is the man! The definition of "professional." Tasteful; musical; always playing for the song and not himself. Love him with Genesis especially, and with Ruth and Ralph in Zappa's best band. Just a fantastic, world-class drummer!
Thank you for doing this by the way Phil Gould was the master of the groove N ghost note. His groove is unsurpassable. His snare sound is simply amazing g together with Copelands THE best snare signature sounds of the 80s. Please check out his body of work with LEVEL 42. A masterclass is playing for the song.
Aussie bands, good one, Baby Animals. Check Rob Hirst. Midnight Oil. 80’s hit. “Power and the Passion”. Influenced me to start playing long time ago.
Ted McKenna. Sensational Alex Harvey band, MSG and a host of others. A late Scottish drumming hero and proud to say friend and mentor of mine.
Please check out Mel Gaynor - Simple minds drummer. Solid personified!
Joey Heredia, an absolute original - "Forgotten" by his own choice hehe... During the 90's/early 2000's, his trio at La Velee club with Marco Mendoza and Renato Neto was THE obliged musicians' hang if you were in L.A. On separate occasions, I got to see (among others) Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl sitting there, getting into it and enjoying Joey's playing. His playing alone on Tribal Techs's self-titled 1991 album should make you a believer. Also wish Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani, Alice Cooper) had kept playing more than attending to his recording studio. Another powerhouse drummer with his very own chops and touch.
I would love to see some love paid for Michael Shrieve, who may be most famously known his Soul Sacrifice performance at Woodstock with the incomparable Santana and much more 😊
Dave Abbruzzese in his Pearl Jam years.. He really laid it down in the live performances and accelerated the band.. Also the performance in Pearl Jams MTV Unplugged is spectacular..
Chester lives in Nashville Tn. He was and maybe still teaching drums at Forks Drum Closet, I work at Innovative Percussion and he toured the operation about 6mons back great guy and very nice and😮 great to talk to
Great picks! Supertramp's Bob C. Benberg, REO Speedwagon's Alan Gratzer, and Boston's Sib Hashian (RIP) are three others that deserve a lot more recognition!
Phil is one of the pocket kings (who also happened to have incredible chops). He was one of Neil Peart’s favorite players.
Level 42 toured / supported bands / artists like Madonna, Steve Windwood, supported The Police (in the early 80’s) in Germany, Tina Turner etc.
Chester is the most underrated. He played really crazy stuff.
No he's NOT - only to people that don't know
@@vergon666200
I would put Chester Thompson on the list as he has such an extensive background in other genres of music. A very diverse player which is why Phil Collins wanted him in Genesis and Phil’s solo stuff.
Great call on Sheila E. Her looks, and 80s persona, overshadowed by Prince (who wasn't?) really was the tri-fecta of generations not taking her skills seriously. She had a cameo in Fred Armisen's drummer standup show a few years back.
31:40 Matt Laug - Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill - Album of the year. Also Slash's Snake Pit.
Oh man.. bringing up anything Level 42 is awesome..loved it... if you're ever planning on doing a forgotten drummers Pt. 3, you have to give props to Tim "Herb" Alexander from. Primus and Chad Gracey from Live.... both amazing drummers
Chad Gracey is an animal live. Very underrated
Phil Gould was HUGE in South Africa 🇿🇦
I grow up with Level 42 since the early 80s, but really got into their music since the mid 80s. My local radio station Algoa FM in Port Elizabeth, often play their songs still to this day.
Mickey Curry...Killer pocket. Great studio and live drummer. Hall and Oates, The Cult, Bryan Adams, and tons of other studio work.
The Bryan Adams band has not been the same without Mickey.
Stephen Perkins is pure genius. Most know him from Jane's Addiction but his drumming on the two Porno For Pyros albums is amazing! In Porno For Pyros, he incorporated bongos, congas and tympani into his grooves. Absolutely AMAZING.
I saw him do a drum clinic at Guitar Center, around 2010. The clinic was about Keith Moon and The Who's music. Perkins loves and studied those songs. While Zack Starkey has done a great job with the Who, Perkins could easily stand in and play with The Who.
Perkins is still playing with Jane's Addiction. He's also been touring with Porno For Pyros again.
I've met him a few times. He's one of the nicest people. And you can tell what a joyful person he is when he plays. He exudes positive vibes.
Phil Gould is an amazing drummer
Dig it! Gotta mention Pat Torpey as well, from Mr. Big!!!
Great Band!!!!
Pat is still one of my favorites
I was glad to see Mark Brzezicki in the list. His drumming is fantastic on Big Country’s hard to find live CD Come Up Screaming. Pure energy from the band and audience. That album is my favorite live performance from any artist.
Sheila E was 'famous' before playing with Prince on the Sign O' The Times tour. Her first album 'The Glamorous Life' (single of the same name) was released in 1984.
I think she'd stepped away from the limelight for a bit after a health issue. But she's back at it.
Shiela on a full kit is an experience. Her work on "Sign O' the Times" is legendary.
I saw Level 42 at a 1200 capacity club in the mid 80s (The Spectrum in Montreal). Awesome show!
Tony Thompson would be my pick for underrated and forgotten. His power was unmistakenly evident on all the records he played on.
Agreed! Those hit Chic and Sister Sledge records wouldn't have sounded the same without Tony's snare!
Totally agree with you he was a very tasteful and funky drummer especially when he played with CHIC and The Power Station!!!!
John Densmore from the Doors is a fantastic drummer as well, shadowed by Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek
Watch the Stuart Copeland History of the Drum Kit or something like that does in New Orleans Louisiana. There's a great interview with John Densmore & his approach to playing with the Doors.
Future suggestions.
I agree with the mention of Myron Grombacher. Dino Danelli of the Rascals, Simon Kirke is a solid drummer of the 70's from Free and Bad Company. Also, I'm a long time fan of the late Pat Torpey of Mr Big.
The ultimate underrated drummer. Pat Torpey
Absolutely! Dennis Chambers had high praise for Pat.
Way overlooked.
Boris Williams best known from The Cure but played with several punk and alternative bands from the 80’s. Playing with Robert Smith must’ve been a trip considering the weirdness of his writing style.
regarding Level 42, Mark King started out as a drummer and continued the percussive stuff over to the bass, Phil Gould is one of the more technical drummers out there with a fenomenal pocket, not too much, incredible groove, i can keep going :)
Add Brian Downey from Thin Lizzy to the list.
I can't believe you don't know about Mark King. A giant of a bass player and a drummer.
Jimmy Marinos the Drummer for The Romantics, sang on their biggest hit "What I like about you". Unique approach to drums, rock solid and heavy hitter. He disappeared after the album/tour "In Heat".
Yeah! Phil Gould! One of my favorite of all time.
That was awesome! I watched it on a 60 inch screen. I could see everyone so clear! Bad Ass! Thanks for having me! 🤜⚡️🤛
I didn't hear mention of Chester's year with Weather Report (75-76). He recorded Black Market with them.
Chester left shortly after Alphonso Jonson (who recruited him to join) was replaced by Jaco Pastorius. As a drummer used to being tight with the rhythm section, he couldn't relate to Jaco's lyrical and virtuosic style. He joined Genesis shortly after.
Would have loved to see Richie Hayward up there. What a legend. Even Chad Smith gave him shout outs in an old Modern Drummer issue from the 90s.
Worth of checking out: Frank Farley (The Pirates) and my all time favourite rock drummer (r.i.p.) Bruce Gary. Thanks for great channel, greetings from Finland!
Al Jackson Jr was a big influence on Simon Kirke who is another great drummer to bring attention to.
Budgie of Siouxsie & the Banshees, and the Creatures. Very creative and musical. Waaaay underrated.
Agreed, very original and an excellent player.
My first drum instructor always had me playing Level 42 music!
Let's not forget Sonny Emory. He killed those solos with ewf in 1990 & 1997
Oh! Your co-host mentioned Simple Minds. Mel Gaynor was a PHENOMENAL drummer. Check out "Up on The Catwalk" for starters.
Chester completely modified his style to play with Zappa. Frank said that Chester came to him playing a boogaloo beat over everything. Frank taught him about different time signatures, odd phrasing, and suggested that he work on his reading. Chester went away, scratched his head over it all, and returned ready for action.
Such a fantastic player. Loved his work with Brand X and, of course, Frank and Uncle Phil.
Thanks for this, great topic. What it really shows is that the world of drumming has a huge depth and range of great players. It is interesting to see who others admire... how about adding Robbie France, Peter Criss, Tommy Erdelyi, Jerry Shirley, Steve White, Pierre Moerlen, Jon Farris. It's really about sharing the music you grew up with...
Chris Sharrock (Icicle Works, Lightning Seeds, Robbie Williams), Hans Joachim Behrendt (Ideal), Dennis Davis ((David Bowie), Glenn Kotche (Wilco)are great drummers worth mentioning too🤘
Agree. It was Sharrock that inspired me (and Brzezicki) and I recently saw Kotche - what a drummer, a percussive musical .... I could go on
Dennis Davis.... on of my favorites!
One of my favorite is Paco Sery, performed with Zawinul Syndicate, and Nicolas Viccaro
Checkout Phil Gould on the level 42 physical presence live album. He is fantastic
Chester's got an album coming out - Wake up call. What I love about Chester is he worked really hard to sound like Phil and integrate into that gig.
Chester Thompson is always forgotten in comparison to Phil;
Barriemore Barlow's contribution to Jethro Tull is outstanding. So musical;
Ian Mosley, and the whole band Marillion, are really underated;
Brian Downey should be praised on the same level of people such as Ian Paice and other hard rock greats. He wrote so many cool grooves and even solos to Thin Lizzy.
Thanks for turning me on to Level42!
Steve Jansen from Japan...pure creativity.
Richie Hayward with Little Feat.
Mitch Marine with Brave Combo.
David "Pick" Withers withDire Straits.
Terry Williams with Man.
Hayward was incredible. Love his work with Robert Plant in the 80s and his unforgettable work with Little Feet!
Good to see Frank Celenza get some props. He's an absolute monster. One of the greatest drummers we've ever had here in Australia.
I'd have to say Jon Theodor would be an "unknown" drummer in my estimation. He's in QOTSA now, but he's not nearly as much in the "drum conversation" as he should be.
He’s also on the first two or three Mars Volta albums. Great drummer!
@@joecooley2112 Oh absolutely! Some of his best playing is with The Mars Volta!
He was popular among my students in the early 2000's.
I loved his drumming
One drummer to check out would be Sami Kuoppamäki! The Kingston Wall stuff is amazing. Crazy chops and groove!
Points of marketing (and the opposite, fan worship) are both extremely valid and well stated. To wit, Mark Brzezicki of Big Country IS an excellent drummer, yes there were tons of overdubs, but they also did release a VHS concert in the early 80s (came out on the same day as U2's Live at Red Rocks, I bought them both) but the clips selected weren't very indicative of how good he was/is (realizing potential sources like Instagram are possibly more proprietary than youtube). And when you're not familiar with the band/artist to start, finding a top example is time consuming. Kudos to this series, I hope it continues.
btw, did anyone mention Billy Ficca of Television / The Waitresses?!!! Add him to your list!
Next time you do a ‘Forgotten Drummers’……please consider Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow (Jethro Tull drummer in the 70’s). Awesome drummer - His drumming on tracks like ‘No Lullaby’ from the ‘Heavy Horses’ album is superb. In fact the whole of that album is awesome (so too is ‘Thick As A Brick’, ‘Aqualung’, ‘Songs From The Wood’ and ‘ War Child’)
John Bonham of Led Zeppelin considered Barrie to be the best drummer of their era. And I agree wholeheartedly!
I remember hearing Hunting Girl from Songs from the Wood and couldn’t believe that someone could actually be that fast! I’m still amazed every time I listen to it.
I feel like Matt Helders never gets mentioned in these discussions, and he's fully deserving of the recognition as a drummer
Dave Holland from Judas Priest is one of my biggest influences, he had such great use of cymbals and fitting unique accents in complex timings.
Phil Gould is one of my all time favorites. I also love Munetaka Higuchi of Loudness. Level 42 opened for Madonna on the like a virgin tour.
Tom Hunting of Exodus has always been a favorite.
Chester Thompson also played in Weather Report.
Possibly a bit UK-niche but the late Rob Heaton of New Model Army was a phenomenal drummer and musician. Michael Giles was an absolute genius and you definitely could of found a clip with him playing KC tunes with 21st Century Schizoid band. I'd also add another former KC drummer to that list and it's the late Ian Wallace (ex KC and also a drummer Don Henley)
Yeaaah!!!Scott from Oueensryche!!
All the Spyro Gyra drummers kill it!
Criminally underrated Ken Mary from House of Lords, y'all should have him on. Also Peter Criss from KISS (not forgotten, but you should get him on..)
Also Gunnar Nelson from Nelson. They had Bobby Rock on the kit; but Gunnar is a fantastic drummer also.
Check out Jet Black ,played in a band called The Stranglers , Had loads of hits Peaches ,Golden Brown & check out a track called Genetix .
Something about you, Lessons in love, Running with the family, The Chinese way. Big hits for Level 42 in the UK, rest of Europe, Australia and Japan.
Curt Cress mostly known from the band Passport. The Steve Gadd of Germany.
Mark Brzezickik is so damn good and Big Country was such a fantastic band. Mark and Tony Butler are one of the best rhythm combos ever imo.
I don't understand why you didn't mention Nicko McBrain in any of your videos in these years . He is must underrated metal Drummer in the world . . . . !😥
Steve Judd from Karnivool is amazing. I witnessed how good Chester Thompson is on a live video shoot. He blew the roof off the soundstage!
PHIL GOULD!!!!!!!!! One of my all time favorites
Of course the Si-Fi of the drumming world Simon Phillips.
Try “give blood” by Pete Townsend with pino palladino and Dave Gilmore. Talk about dream team and spot Si-Fi’s top of the hat to Herbie Hancock during the song
Another forgotten drummer is a guy by the name of Barry Van Zyl who was the drummer for the late Johnny Clegg right up till Johnny's passing. Check Barry Van Zyl's bio out. He's an international endorsed Zildjian cymbal and DW drums.
He was also a very versatile jazz drummer and even percussionist.
Otherwise, great segment. Add to the list:
Aynsley Dunbar
Jon Hiseman
Cozy Powell
Brian Downey
Pip Pyle
Hey guys great job. Thera are a few I would love to mention Manu Katche, Mirko ali horacek, and klaudius Kryspin,
Some observations and comments:
First, great to see the late Charley Antollini getting noticed. As you note, there are SO many great international drummers that never landed on the radar of the North American scene.
As for Level 42, they were huge in America, one of the big sensations on MTV. Ditto Big Country, though only for a couple hits. And while Level 42 garnered media coverage for the group as well as all four individual players, Big Country was quite anonymous.
Phil Gould's playing was definitely notable during his time with the band. He was a creative and technically articulate player with a great groove for funk as well as the chops for fusion, two areas into which the band dipped. And having a drummer - Mark King - playing bass certainly gave Gould a foundation on which to play. Gould also penned the bulk of the band's lyrics. His departure from the band was prompted when success prompted a more commercial direction. There are some videos available, most notably 'Live at Wembley'. The live album, 'A Physical Presence', recorded at a club date in the UK is also great, with the band ripping from start to finish.
Worth noting that in addition to Gary Husband taking over Gould's seat in the band, guitarist Jakko Jakszyk, currently with King Crimson, came in on guitar.
Yes, Big Country are Scottish, though Mark Brzeczicki is English. He also did a stint with Procol Harum, taking over from the late, great BJ Wilson, who was most heard on Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help from My Friends' (w/Jimmy Page on guitar) and also the 'Rocky Horror Show Soundtrack' (he's not on the band's 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'). Wilson was one of Page's invites to join what became Led Zeppelin. He was doing things Steve Gadd later popularised, most notably paradiddle inversions, linear and cowbell playing. The first album Brzezicki purchased was Jeff Beck's 'Blow by Blow', which featured the tremendous drumming of the great Richard Bailey. Bailey opted to not tour the album, so Beck enlisted Bernard Purdie. Bailey was back for the 'Wired' album, playing on 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' and 'Head for Backstage Pass'. Narada Michael Walden played on the rest of that album.
Chester Thompson got the Genesis gig without auditioning. His background included jazz organist Jimmy McGriff, Frank Zappa's Mothers, Weather Report etc. Phil Collins was big on Weather Report and Earth, Wind & Fire, which heavily influenced the 80s direction of Genesis and Collins' solo hits. Chester left Phil after his playing was criticised during Phil's Motown phase. Given Mr. Collins' A-type personality and Chester's laidback nature, the latter had likely had enough and was happy to bow out.
Mention of Scott Rockenfield's rack with Queensryche reminded me that Carl Palmer used a rack for his stainless steel kit in the early-mid 1970s. The concept was nothing new - the earliest kits in the 1920s and 30s used rack-like holders. And Meazzi drums of Italy also had a rack-like set-up.
Michael Giles and his bassist brother had a band that Robert Fripp joined. They did an album, 'Giles, Giles & Fripp', prior to Crimson. Though his brother quit prior to 'In the Court of the Crimson King', Michael made his mark on that album, most notably on '21st Century Schizoid Man'. His solo album includes this great track. What a killer sound! BTW, McDonald is also on the second Crimson album, though as a hired session man - ditto Greg Lake - as they had all quit Fripp. ua-cam.com/video/iqqmRzc8EJg/v-deo.html
Al Jackson Jr. was a surprise choice, given that he is one of the greats (one could say that about Chester Thompson). In addition to all those Stax records that he and the MGs provided backing, there is also the 'Home' album by Delaney & Bonnie. This was their debut album, which was on Stax, and had the MGs and the Memphis Horns (later heard with Paul McCartney's Wings) as well as D&B band members Leon Russell, Carl Radle and Jimmy Karstein (on percussion). The D&B band would later include drummers Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon as well as guitarists Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Dave Mason and George Harrison, plus future members of Little Feat amongst many others. The band's second album, 'The Original Delaney & Bonnie - Accept No Substitute' has some great playing by Keltner, most notably on 'Soldiers of the Cross' and 'When This Battle is Over'.
These lists are great - get some realitvely unknown players into the narrative (nice that Todd Suchermann's mention of Mark Brzezicki was remembered). However, it would be nice if the person compiling the list dug a bit deeper on the players. Throwing a name into the ring - like that of Michael Giles - then having a lousy video example and offering up no further insight leaves much to be desired. Why no mention of the 21st Century Schozoid Men, which included McDonald and other former band members? They did a live concert DVD and there is footage on UA-cam (some with Ian Wallis drumming - McDonald has a moustache). I realise source material can be difficult to come by, a decent backstory would certainly help compensate.
Cheers!
Another guy that never got his due is Sammy J Watson. He played in a band called The Apex Theory (later changed their name to Mr. Helium) in the early 2000s. Wicked drummer!
Chester Thompson is a legend.. Check in out on all those early Gosple/ integrity music albums.. he killed everyone of them.. in fact.. the able the God Is Able by Ron Kenoly is still a master class imo. 🙌🏾
Without a shadow of a doubt, I think one of the most underrated and forgotten drummers is Terry Williams from Dire Straits. I think the guy was one of the most amazing live drummers I've ever seen honestly. So much unreal energy.
Gary Peterson of the Guess Who !! Bobby Caldwell of Captain Beyond and Johnny Winter And…
Here are some of my favorite drummers. Jordan Burns, Damon Che, John Stanier, Chris Guanlao, Josh Eppard, and Ryan Parrish.
Morgan Agren. 'Daisy' live by Mats/Morgan is a great intro.
You wouldn't have Neil without Michael Giles. The live performances from back then are amazing, ferocious double bass drums, innovative fills with great chops and intricate grooves. I saw Chester in a clinic in 1984 or 85. What I remember most is his tuning a rack tom for what seemed like two hours, then playing a 30 min solo that was so powerful and unlike anything I had ever heard. It shook me. He had a 21" 602 ride with a bell that was so clear and musical.
I'm so glad you featured Chester Thomson. When I first saw the title to this video, I thought of him. I saw him with Frank Zappa a long, long time ago and was absolutely blown away!