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Drummers By Whom I Have Been Intruiged

These are in no particular order, except the top five; those are my for-realzies top five.

* Denotes a drummer that I’ve seen play live

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1. John Wright (NoMeansNo/Dead Bob) *
2. George Hurley (Minutemen/fIREHOSE) *
3. Bill Stevenson (ALL/Descendents) *
4. Damon Che (Don Caballero) *
5. Stew Copeland (Police)
6. Tim Solyan (Victim’s Family) *
7. Mac McNeilly (Jesus Lizard) *
8. Jim Kimball (Mule/Denison-Kimball Trio) *
9. Bruce Gary (The Knack)
10. Earl Hudson (Bad Brains) *
11. Brant Bjork (Fu Manchu) *
12. Scott Reeder (Fu Manchu) *
13. Buddy Rich
14. Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins)
15. Dave Lombardo (Slayer) * (saw him with Fantômas)
16. Matt Cameron (Soundgarden) *
17. Dan Bitney (Tar Babies)
18. Dale Crover (Melvins) *
19. Rat Scabies (Damned)
20. Mike Joyce (Smiths)
21. Stephen Moses (Alice Donut)
22. Derrick Decker (Branch Manager) *
23. Sebastian Thomson (Trans Am)
24. Dan Peters (Mudhoney) *
25. Dave Mello (Schlong/Operation Ivy) *
26. Dave Gleza (My Name/Victim’s Family) *
27. Nicky Scott (PopDefect) *
28. Chris Pederson (Camper van Beethoven/Monks of Doom)
29. Sara Lund (Unwound) *
30. Lucky Lehrer (Circle Jerks)
31. Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless, OFF!)
32. Greg Saunier (Deerhoof)
33. Billy Martin (Medeski Martin & Wood)
34. D.H. Peligro (Dead Kennedys)
35. Jean-Paul Gaster (Clutch, Bakerton Group)
36. Jay Lane (later Primus)
37. Russell Simins (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion)
38. Peter Moffett (Government Issue)
39. Neil Peart (Rush)
40. Ted Miller (Satan’s Pilgrims) *
41. Michael Dahlquist (Silkworm) *
42. Barrett Martin (Skin Yard) *
43. DJ Bonebrake (X)
44. Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction) *
45. John Sherman (Red Fang)
46. Tim Alexander
47. Bryan “Brain” Mantia (Primus)
48. Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
49. Jack Irons (early Red Hot Chili Peppers)
50. John “Drumbo” French (Captain Beefheart)
51. Jeff Nelson (Minor Threat)
52. Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)
53. Rey Washam (BigBoys/Scratch Acid)
54. Victor DiLorenzo (Violent Femmes) *
55. Murph (Dinosaur Jr) *
56. Lyman Hardy (Ed Hall) *
57. Greg Saenz (Excel)
58. Nate Smith (Vulfpeck/Fearless Flyers)
59. Dave Berg (House of Large Sizes) *
60. Howie Klein (Poster Children) *
61. Topper Headon (Clash)
62. Louis Cole (solo, Knower)
63. Bernard “Pretty” Purdie (session)
64. Orestes Morfin (Bitch Magnet)
65. Greg Clifford (White Denim)
66. Keith Carlock
67. John Schier (Last of the Juanitas) *
68. Brian Chippendale (Lightning Bolt)
69. Zach Hill (Hella)
70. Simon Allen (New Mastersounds) *
71. Brann Dailor (Mastodon)
72. Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)
73. Mark Guiliana
74. Joey Waronker (Walt Mink)
75. Spit Stix (Fear/Nasalrod)
76. Chris Mars (Replacements)
77. Martin Chambers (Pretenders)
78. Katherina Bornefeld (The Ex)
79. Brendan Canty (Fugazi)
80. Clem Burke (Blondie)
81. Zigaboo Modeliste (Meters)

Drummers who I can’t identify by name but have blown me away:

• The drummer on C. W. McCall’s songs “The Silverton”, “Four Wheel Drive”, “Wolf Creek Pass”, “Classified”
• Whoever played in Steve Miller Band on songs like “Swingtown”, “Take the Money and Run”, “The Joker” (Wikipedia says John King)

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Update: Long about January 2024 I became quite obsessed with late 50s/early 60s jazz drumming. So now I’m really quite smitten with Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Buddy Rich. Some contemporary players like Ari Hoenig and Mark Guiliana are really turning my crank also. I’ll probably get into Tony Williams and Billy Cobham soon, but I’m not there yet.

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