Best drummer ever?
Neil Peart and Joey Waronker both taught by Freddie Gruber.
Gene Hoglan (Devin Townsend, Death, Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory. Testament, etc, etc) has been my drumming idol for almost 20 years. Speed, groove, feel, technique, the guy's got it all. The best drummers are the ones that can do everything with seemingly equal ease
Chris Pennie (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed & Cambria) is also another unbelievably excellent player.
Buddy Rich was seriously good, better than Krupa IMO.
The problem is separating the drummers frm the music you love. I loved the first 5 Metallica albums, but I will concede that Lars Ulrich isn't the best drummer in the world. Not taking anything away from the guy, but of 'The Big 4', Slayer's Dave Lombardo & Anthrax's Charlie Benante are both better drummers.
Who's your idol/inspiration Chris?
Edit, just seen it, serves me for scanning.
The problem is separating the drummers frm the music you love. I loved the first 5 Metallica albums, but I will concede that Lars Ulrich isn't the best drummer in the world. Not taking anything away from the guy, but of 'The Big 4', Slayer's Dave Lombardo & Anthrax's Charlie Benante are both better drummers.
I agree with you, matey. Love their music, but Lars actually sucks as a drummer. I never really noticed when I used to listen to their albums on tape on a rubbish boombox as a teenager, but when I listen to them on a decent system that could pick out the drumming clearly, all his mistakes jump out of the speakers. He just has really poor timing. Some of the mistakes on the 'Black' album really surprised me that they made the final cut. He plays awfully on the 'one night in France' BluRay, too. But then, on that disc, he seemed more interested in standing up from his kit every five minutes than playing a good gig!
Of course it is! Ta, that was bugging me...
Have you met him recently though? He has been trading on that one photo for quite a while now - for all we know he might now be 28 stone, and may have lost all that lovely blonde hair by now... 
It's a mute point, I think! 
Did I ever tell you the story about the kid drumming at a wedding I went to in Wolverhampton many years ago?
Will it be a ba dum dam tish moment?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trG-jQk7wXA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Wait until it starts and prepare to be amazed....
Billy Cobham is a fine drummer. Possibly not technically as good but my own personal favourite - Chester Thompson.
Did I ever tell you the story about the kid drumming at a wedding I went to in Wolverhampton many years ago?
You didn't...... I'm all ears....
Gavin Harrison and Marco Minnemann deserve a mention.
Did I ever tell you the story about the kid drumming at a wedding I went to in Wolverhampton many years ago?
You didn't...... I'm all ears....
Sorry, forgot all about this thread!
Err, right, I can't remember exactly when it was but we're talking anything up to 20 years ago, my then girlfriend and I were invited to a wedding in Wolverhampton by a work friend of hers, it was a Caribbean family, which meant a full live band, in the church, horn section and everything.
Anyway the drummer was no more than about 12 years old but it quickly became apparent that he was a natural, barely seemed to be using any effort or even paying much attention, as became apparent when, in the middle of a song, he stopped using his right hand completely for about 30 seconds in order to pick his nose (he had a proper root around as well!) and I listened very carefully and couldn't hear anything different from when he was using both hands, whatever his right hand had been playing he covered it perfectly, I've no idea how he did it but it's still one of the best (and funniest) drumming moments I've seen, wish I'd videod it but we didn't have phones back then...
It's not that exciting I admit but I do like to see natural talent like that. I did mention it to the then girlfriend but got a whack for not paying attention to the ceremony...
Randy Jones played with Dave brubeck a great British drummer I might be a bit biased though as he is my cousin
John Henry Bonham. Won the BBC poll a few years back. Dave Grohl has a tattoo of Binham's symbol from Led Zeppelin 4. For those who want evidence, check out the Landover 77 gigs. His drum solo, Moby EDITED, lasts 36 minutes and includes 3 standing ovations. I don't know of any other drummers that come close.
Others worth a mention:
Keith Moon. Totally self taught. Didn't use a Hi-Hat but it's all done through cymbals.
Bobby Chouinard. Lonely Is The Night is sampled even more than Bonham; while Billy Squire admits he can live off just the royalties from Bobby's drumming.
Buddy Rich. That's who they all copy. Wrote the book.
Gene Krupa. First drummer where people turned up just to see the percussionist. Amazing.