They are the ones at the back of the stage. They are the keepers of time and rhythm, and the backbone to every good band.

Drummers, of course, are the topic of discussion in this week’s musically themed Top 10 list.

With a couple of sticks – sometimes more if they are feeling frisky – Drummers produce the beat and tempo for a song. They play an integral role in music, and without them, there is no band.

Picking drummers is a tricky task. There are so many genres to choose from – jazz, swing, rock, reggae, hip-hop, heavy metal, blues, country, etc… And that’s not even counting all the subgenres within all these styles.

For the purposes of this list, I kept it to rock and roll mostly with a couple metal drummers sprinkled in for good measure. Jazz is excluded, so legendary musicians like Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, who influenced many of the drummers on this list, are not included. And although I have mad love for ?uestlove, hip-hop is also not on this list.

10. Mitch Mitchell

Anyone who could keep up with Jimi Hendrix deserves mad props, which is exactly why Mitch Mitchell makes this list. Hendrix was the face of the band, but Mitchell provided the exact sound and pace he needed to thrive. Mitchell and Hendrix fed off each other on stage. If Mitchell would pick up the pace, so would Hendrix – making for some very climactic moments. The drummer’s style blends jazz into hard rock, and is heavy on snare rudiments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKgd7BlYhBM

 9. Dave Grohl

Former Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl, is probably one of the most versatile musicians out there. Grohl can do just about everything in the studio, but drumming is was got him famous, and for good reason. His style is thunderous and fast. When he strikes the drumhead or cymbal, he does so with authority.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFMG4UUL3iQ

8. John Bonham

Before his death in 1980, John Bonham rose to the ranks of superstar with Led Zeppelin. He was only 32 years old when he died from alcohol abuse. But, before he passed, he left an everlasting impression on rock and roll. His style of drumming was explosive. He was hard-hitting and fast. His work influenced countless others who came after him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuTcnd8YLU

7. Keith Moon

Several of the other drummers on this list wanted to be Keith Moon. In his time with The Who, moon left a trail of destruction. Moon fell victim to the long list of professional musicians to die at a young age from alcohol abuse and drug addiction. He left a lasting impression on rock and roll, and really embodied the meaning of a rock star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPKGidTdyds

6. Danny Carey

Tool’s drummer Danny Carey is one of the more interesting musicians out there. His style breaks down borders between genres, blending jazz, progressive metal and rock. Carey is well known for his unusual time signatures, as is the rest of Tool. The method behind their songs is quite brilliant. Carey adds to the mix with polyrhythms and polymeters, which includes playing two different time signatures on top of one another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=245-thqPI3I

5. Stewart Copeland

Stewart Copeland is best known for being the drummer for The Police. He’s not just a drummer though. He is a composer and a mad genius with extensive range. His fills are magnificent, and his energy is intoxicating. Copeland’s style fuses rock with reggae and jazz to produce a fast, energetic and rhythmic ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB65_CVbo-0

4. Ian Paice

Deep Purple’s Ian Paice has quite the bag of tricks. His style is fluid and technical. He can do stroke rolls with one hand faster than most with two. Paice isn’t just a drummer though, he is a teacher and a student. He has been touring and putting on drum clinics since for more than 30 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfRHj6Db8co

3. Ginger Baker

Peter “Ginger” Baker basically pioneered rock and roll drums. He took his background in jazz and used it to his advantage when he joined Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce to form the power-trio Cream in 1966. He played his drums with power and finesse. He often used two bass drums and flam rudiment, which is the act of using two simultaneous strokes to create one emphatic sound. The instrumental song “Toad” off Cream’s first album “Fresh Cream” is a prime example of Baker’s role in rock music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYo3w_SQTLw

2. Mike Portnoy

Mike Portnoy is best known for his work with the progressive metal band, Dream Theater. He is a highly skilled drummer and his technique is flawless. Portnoy is schooled in the drums, graduating from Berklee Music Institute. Other acts he has been involved in include Avenge Sevenfold, Liquid Tension Experiment and Transatlantic, among others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdQ2dIQxcGQ

1. Neil Peart

Leaving Neil Peart off a list like this might be insanity, just ask anyone who is a fan of Rush. They will tell you. Insanity is the perfect word to describe Peart’s playing. He plays with lightning quickness and his stamina is through the roof. He is by far one of the best drum soloist ever, which stems from a drum kit comprised of just about every bell and whistle you could ever imagine, and then some. When Peart replaced John Rutsey in 1974, Rush found the missing piece to their puzzle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN-x0qwSGiI

Kyle Sutton can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @KyleSutton_DE or at 536-3311 ext. 273