bon voici ce qu'on peut trouver sur le net... ca rejoint tout ce qu'on dit ici, sauf que bien sur le meilleur batteur, c'est Ken Owen (et pas -etait-)
10.
Mike Bordin
Faith No More, Ozzy Ozbourne
Undoubtedly my first pick in the left-handed drummer category,
Mike “Puffy”
Bordin’s friendly, down-to-earth nature belied the tremendous force that he applied to the drum kit. Not only did his drums
sound
phenomenal (perhaps he tuned them to actual pitches?), but Bordin was
just at ease ripping through blistering thrash patterns as he was
locking into a peppy bossa rhythm, country stomp, circus waltz, or
whatever
Mike Patton had planned for that day’s
rehearsal. And hell, I could never hold it against him that he
single-handedly caused the dissolution of
Faith No More
by accepting the drum throne position for the Ozzfest headliner; the
band was on its way out by ‘97 anyway. What Bordin left behind is a
solid and tasteful body of work that any young drummer would be proud
to aspire to.
“Stripsearch” – Faith No More 4:29 (
Album of the Year, Slash/Reprise 1997)
09.
Brann Dailor
Today Is the Day,
Mastodon
Although his drumming style has now matured into something resembling controlled chaos,
Brann Dailor’s one-time stint with
Steve Austin’s
Today Is the Day and his early work with
Mastodon
is the musical equivalent of an ADD-riddled caffeine overdose. Purists
scoffed at Dailor’s octopus-like flailing, which sounded like a
Billy Cobham solo filtered through
Damon Che’s
technical faculty, with a heapful of drum ‘n bass skittering for good
measure. On the surface, what appeared to be reckless self-indulgence
of the worst order actually made perfect sense in the context of the
music; Dailor’s drumming was the breath of life to those lumbering,
monolithic riffs the other members threw his way. He began to tone down
the level of frenzy on
Leviathan (2004) and especially last year’s
Blood Mountain
(2006), but Dailor can still navigate through the knottiest time
signature with ease, and just his snare chops alone are a wonder to
behold. His energy has always been infectious, and it’s difficult to
imagine another drummer who could fill his shoes in one of the most
popular metal bands working today.
“Workhorse” – Mastodon 3:45 (
Remission, Relapse 2002)
08.
Gene Hoglan
Dark Angel, Death,
Strapping Young Lad
The first time I heard
Gene Hoglan’s drumming, on
Death’s
Individual Thought Patterns
(1993), I was in a state of denial. Nimble 70’s fusion, hyper-technical
prog rock, and thunderous death metal were somehow combined into one
singular way of playing, embodied by a dude who couldn’t be human.
What’s so remarkable about Hoglan’s approach is how surprisingly
musical it is, whether it was his ’80s work with LA thrashers
Dark Angel or his current gig with
Strapping Young Lad.
Sure, he can rumble along with the heaviest of them, but there is an
innate musicality in the way he provides texture and little splashes of
color to liven up his drum parts. Focus solely on his ride cymbal and
hi-hat accents on “Zero Tolerance” for an insight into his genius, as
well as proof that it’s nearly impossible to air-drum along to the guy
with any sort of accuracy.
“Zero Tolerance” – Death 4:48 (
Symbolic,
Roadrunner 1995)
07.
Ted Parsons
Swans,
Prong,
Godflesh,
Jesu
While
Ted Parsons‘ metronomic timekeeping is one of
his greater claims to fame, he deserves a spot on this list because of
one critical weapon that should be in every drummer’s arsenal: taste.
There has never been a moment in his career where he overplayed his
role, vied for the spotlight, or just flat-out butchered his drum part.
The descriptor “questionable” just doesn’t apply to Parsons, not only
because of his reliability and utter deference to the music, but more
due to his impeccable grasp of what makes a drum pattern so satisfying,
from his hip hop-influenced grooves to blindingly fast thrash attacks.
On
Prong">
Prong’s mid-’90s releases (
Cleansing [1994] and
Rude Awakening
[1996]) it was almost as if Parsons had transformed into a machine, his
mind and limbs replaced by microchips and robotic mechanisms. He’s been
working with
Justin Broadrick since the turn of the
century, and continues to show up at the occasional drum clinic or
recording session. A generous part of Parsons’ appeal lies in his
versatility, to say nothing of his shotgun-like snare on those early
Prong records.
“Irrelevant Thoughts” – Prong 2:37 (
Prove You Wrong,
Epic 1991)
06.
Igor Cavalera
Sepultura
I remember when metalheads around the world acted as if it were the second coming of Christ when, upon the release of
Chaos A.D. (1993),
Sepultura’s
Igor Cavalera
began incorporating Brazilian tribal drumming into his playing. Who
would have thought that those exotic rhythms would have worked so well
underneath detuned thrash riffs? Since the age of fourteen, Cavalera
has been providing the rhythmic foundation for one of the most popular
international metal bands in the world, and his playing has influenced
countless young drummers. His work on the band’s earlier records was
somewhat chaotic (remember, he was still in his teens), but by the time
of
Beneath the Remains
(1989), his authoritative, no-bullshit approach had become the backbone
of the band and often the most interesting element of the music. After
a twenty-year spell Cavalera left
Sepultura last year (”artistic
incompatibility”), but he left behind a legacy that most drummers could
only dream of, not to mention one of the top ten most memorable drum
performances in metal, on the group’s biggest hit “Territory.”
“Cut-Throat” – Sepultura 2:44 (
Roots,
Roadrunner 1996)
05.
Dale Crover
Melvins
It’s hard to believe that the career of the
Melvins
has extended beyond two decades, but here they are in 2007, still
experimenting with variations on their sludge-metal formula, still
capable of raw and uncompromising heaviness, and still batshit insane.
Dale Crover’s thundering, heavy-handed approach to the kit has contributed to the band’s trajectory perhaps more than his alter ego
King Buzzo,
and certainly more than whatever poor soul happens to be filling in the
bassist’s slot at the moment. Crover has always operated under his own
labyrinthine logic, attacking each component of the modern drum kit
with a furious determination that alternates between shocking and
straight-up bizarre; and if one suddenly finds him slipping into a
standard 4/4 rock pattern, it’s probably for his own ironic amusement.
Stylistically, there simply isn’t another drummer in existence that
could be compared to him, a crushing, brute force that propels the
music forward with an almost violent momentum. Crover’s secret weapon
is the element of surprise, as he always opts for playing something
that one would
never expect any drummer to play, whether it’s
imitating a clumsy six-year-old on his first two-piece setup or
conjuring sheets of white-noise cymbal soundscapes. He looks scary as
hell to boot and I’d venture to guess that he’s clinically deranged on
some level, but God bless the dude for keeping me entertained some
fifteen years now.
“Manky” – Melvins 4:36 (
The Maggot, Ipecac 1999)
04.
John Stanier
Helmet,
Tomahawk, Battles
Few drummers hold such an air-drum addiction as
John Stanier.
Let’s put aside the fact that one could write an entire musical
dissertation on the ability of his right foot and focus on his
infectious hip hop-influenced approach, his often-overlooked speed, and
the direct and raw brutality of his playing. Plus, the guy has the best
snare fills of anyone I’ve ever heard. Stanier’s greatest contribution
to the modern drum manual is that it’s perfectly acceptable to inject a
little
groove underneath a riff, and the lack of double bass
drums doesn’t have to necessarily hinder one’s style; just listen to
the number of pinched bass hits during the verses of “FBLA” to glean
some insight into his revolutionary approach. I was afraid when
Helmet
disbanded back in the late ’90s that I’d never hear from him again, but
Stanier has only refined his playing, returning to challenge himself
with Mike Patton’s
Tomahawk and his current outfit
Battles. Then again, he could sit in with
The Roots and still move the crowd just as effectively as
?uestlove. His shit just
bumps like that.
“FBLA” – Helmet 2:40 (
Strap It On, Amphetamine Reptile 1990)
03.
Martin Lopez
Opeth
As one of the few who was utterly disillusioned with
Opeth’s
Ghost Reveries
(2005) upon its release, I figured that if anyone could pull the band
out of the keyboard-laced wankery of their new direction, it would be
drummer
Martin Lopez. When I heard of his departure
from the group earlier last year, I could only hang my head in
frustration as I watched my favorite active metal band slowly unravel
(guitarist
Peter Lindgren’s withdrawal back in May
was yet another nail in the coffin). I’m unsure of his future plans,
but Lopez could man the kit for a power-pop band led by some
mascara-scarred indie brat and I’d still buy their record. Since his
opening percussive slaughter on “
April Ethereal” from
My Arms, Your Hearse
(1998) (his debut with the band), his versatility and fluidity have
been absolutely critical to the development of
Opeth’s sound. Through
beautiful twelve-minute epics of mysterious complexity, countless
variations in tempo and feel, and head-spinning time signatures,
perhaps Lopez’s greatest skill lies in the fact that he makes it all
seem so easy. I’m struggling to think of another drummer who has
displayed such proficiency over the course of six full-length albums
for any band, metal or otherwise. Martin Lopez, you will be sorely,
sorely, missed.
“Godhead’s Lament” – Opeth 9:47 (
Still Life, KOCH 1999)
02.
Dave Lombardo
Slayer,
Grip Inc., Fantomas
He’s
Dave Lombardo. Of course he’s going to be on
this list. Feel that subterranean roar ripping through your chest?
That’s just Dave Lombardo’s double bass drum work. Or how about that
crackling explosion in your neck that’s now surging down your spine?
That’s just Dave Lombardo executing a descending tom fill with perfect
accuracy and timing. Hear every note that your favorite metal drummer
just played? That’s because of Dave Lombardo and his overwhelming
influence on modern metal. An old friend and I used to play this game
where we’d construct various “calling cards” with his name, like: Dave
“Other Drummers Are Just Lesser Deities” Lombardo. Or Dave
“My Floor Tom Just Crushed Your Skull” Lombardo. Go ahead, say his name out loud. Chant it like a mantra. Then take a look at his
résumé,
now nearing the 30-year mark, and tell me that there is another
individual out there whose drum throne sits higher than that of the
king of metal drumming.
“Hostage to Heaven” – Grip Inc. 3:57 (
Power of Inner Strength, Metal Blade 1995)
01.
Ken Owen
Carcass,
Blackstar
I know, I know – it seems like I’m incapable of discussing any aspect of metal without bringing up
Carcass or their masterpiece
Heartwork
(1993), but precious few records have resonated as much within me, and
it strongly remains my favorite metal album of all time these many
years later. See, like most folks, I have this mental list of things to
do before I die: skydiving from 13,000 feet above the earth, hiking the
Andes, lolling for a month in some Mediterranean villa, transcribing
every note of
Ken Owen’s drum work on
Heartwork
to study and cherish. Not to slight the band’s earlier grindcore
material (or the less popular country-fried stoner metal of their later
stuff), but had Owen never played another note of music besides
Heartwork,
he would still be at the top of this list. The term “thinking man’s
drummer” would be applicable were it not such a tired cliché, because
every pattern Owen blesses with his ridiculously skillful chops seems
honed to perfection after months of contemplation.
Lightning-fast
blastbeats, mid-tempo grooves, stomping tom patterns, militaristic
snare rolls – Owen did it all, with equal parts savage and elegance
that no drummer to date has been able to match.
