The passing of the drum solo . . . .

[Cowperson]

LA Times examines why the drum solo has disappeared . . . . great article for the mullet crowd:

And I was there. Nazareth. Black Sabbath. Pink Floyd. Yes. Emerson Lake and Palmer. Blue Oyster Cult. Aerosmith. Queen. The Who. Jethro Tull. I'm one of those few survivors who saw Led Zeppelin in concert—how quaint that sounds now—and heard John Bonham play the furious and fundamental "Moby Dick," with its phase-shifted tympani, tom-toms played barehanded like Indian tabla, machine-gun triplets and cymbals hissing like lava pouring into the sea.

It's been 25 years since Bonham's tragically clichéd drummer's death—choking on his own vomit during an alcoholic blackout—and while he is sorely missed, the same can't be said of the drum solo per se. Somewhere along the way, the drum solo became a rock-and-roll punch line of the "More cowbell!" variety. Among the top concert draws of 2005, the Rolling Stones didn't break stride to give Charlie Watts—an exceptional jazz drummer when not propping up Mick and the lads—a 20-minute showcase; neither did U2 step aside for an intimate moment with drummer Larry Mullen Jr., because if they did, well, just think of the crush at the snack bar.

The passing of rock drum solos was so unlamented that I might have missed it but for a new DVD by Neil Peart called "Anatomy of a Drum Solo." Peart is the drummer/percussionist for the arena rock institution Rush and is widely considered the greatest living rock drummer. By my calculation, Peart is also the most prolific drum soloist ever. In its astounding 31-year history with its original lineup, Rush has spent more time on the road than the Roman army, and there was always, always a drum solo in the show. At least there was the five times I saw them.So I called Neil Peart to ask: What happened to the drum solo?

"Rock drummers killed the solo themselves," Peart tells me when we meet at a coffee shop in Santa Monica. "It got to be so predictable and manipulative. They cheapened it by making it a clap-along or a boring ramble."

http://www.latimes.com/features/prin...-home-magazine

Cowperson

[troutman]

I like Neil Peart.

In one section of Peart's "Der Trommler" solo, he keeps waltz time, 3/4 rhythm (PA-tah-tah, PA-tah-tah) with his feet, while playing lightning-fast 6/8 and 7/8 drum fills across his other drums. In terms of physical coordination, this is something like playing badminton with two rackets while typing with your feet.

I think every kid that played drums in his parent's basement has tried to play "Tom Sawyer".

[Hanna Sniper]

It all depends to what concerts you choose to go and see, the ideal rock band has changed and thus so has the solo's, no longer are we seeing guitarist like Eddie Van Halen doing a 10minute guitar solo either. Right now the musicianship of music has taken a backrow in mainstrem music.
It's not that the drum solo is dead (although I do agree 100% with Neil) it's just todays "chart" musicians couldn't solo their way through 12 bars

[transplant99]

Im old school and still love a good solo.

The Bonham solo on the live album of How the West was Won is a thing of beauty.....19 minutes of nothing but Bonzo doing what he did so well.

Much like some of the classic auto's of that era were called "muscle cars", Zepplin was a muscle band, and made no apologies for it.

Peart was also brilliant live....saw Rush at least 10 times in my youth.

[Bobblehead]

I still "air drum" like crazy when I hear Baba O'Reilly on the radio (and "It Doesn't Really Matter" by Platinum Blonde [feels shame, but not too much])

[Clarkey]

There's a live impromptu jam of the Allman Bros at Fillmore that has a 15 minute drum solo that is just insane.

[Shin Pad]

My favorite is Ginger Baker - of Cream. The best drum solo that I've heard is after the break up of Cream, Clapton and Baker started another band with Steve Windwood - called "Blind Faith". The only had one album, but, the drum solo on the second side of the album was something to behold. It left the room vibrating after it was done. As far as I'm concerned Ginger Baker is/was the best drummer around. By the way - how is that for dating myself - I remember buying Creams first album when it came out in something like 1967.

[ZOSO]

I am a huge fan of bonham. That how the west was won solo is unreal.

Peart is amazing too, I heard at the start of YYZ he is playing the Morse Code for Toronto's airport, can anyone confirm this? I thought that was a pretty cool idea.

Anyways, my favorite drummers:
1)John Bonham
2)Keith Moon
3)Mitch Mitchell
4)Ginger Baker
5)Neil Peart

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by ZOSO

I am a huge fan of bonham.

With a nick like ZOSO, I am not surprised.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Rock music is also cyclical and mind-numbingly imitative. All it takes is one feller with a fluke hit and the rival record companies follow suit.

[AC]

This is fitting for the topic at hand, 12 years old:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...70&q=drum+solo

[troutman]

I have a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by troutman

I have a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.

The Cowbell Project

[troutman]

Originally Posted by ZOSO

Peart is amazing too, I heard at the start of YYZ he is playing the Morse Code for Toronto's airport, can anyone confirm this? I thought that was a pretty cool idea.

You are correct sir:

http://www.kempa.com/blog/archives/000059.html

The rhythm of the beginning of 'YYZ' IS the letters 'YYZ' in morse code. Just to make sure everyone is clear on what is meant here - this isn't just someone tapping out the code 'y y z' (dash dot dash dash, dash dot dash dash, dash dash dot dot, incidentally) - the actual rhythym of the song follows the code.

I always thought local band Huevos Ranchersos should do a countryfied version called "YYC".

[Reggie Dunlop]

Dunlop has cowbell. Dunlop has FOUR!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Dunlop has cowbell. Dunlop has FOUR!

Not enough. WE NEED MORE COWBELL!

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/99/99pcowbell.phtml

Bruce Dickinson: [ running out of the booth again ] That.. that doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!

Bruce Dickinson: I gotta have more cowbell, baby!

[4X4]

Anyone see the Metallica Binge and Purge video? Has a pretty good drum-off between Lars and Hetfield. IIRC, its a good 15 minutes of drumming with a bunch of cheese sandwiched inbetween.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Frankly, I think it has as much to do with the talent level as anything.

Guys that have been mentioned by posters in this thread were uber-talented musicians. Peart, Bonzo, Moon, Baker had/have more talent in their pinkies than most of today's drummers have collectively. There are very few exceptional musicians playing today. The one's who are, haven't found commercial success because the mainstream music fans are morons.

That said, one guy I can think of who does do drum solos at shows and is extremely talented is Carter Beauford of Dave Matthews Band. He's not in the company of the guys above, but he's as good as it gets today. Additionally, I'm not sure if Scott Rockenfield still does solos in Queensryche shows, but he is an exceptional drummer.

[LGA]

The most amazing drum solo I've ever seen is the John Bonham solo for Moby Dick from Live At The Royal Albert Hall (off of the Led Zeppelin DVD), where he's soloing, throws away the sticks and starts beating the crow outta the drums with his hands...now that's dedication.