this is what puzzles me all this talk of great time keeping not over playing , OK then people rave about kieth moon who in effect played the drums like lead guitar...then you have mitch mitchell who was also a very busy but oh so tasty drummer, Ginger baker, I never felt he over played but always played a unique beat or rhythm to each song.... Ian Paice to me is a human metronome, I mean he is oh so good at keeping the beat... as is charlie watts... my point is it is the music that dictates the drumming NOT the drummer a drummer has to fit the band not the other way around . for instance charlie watts in the who? NOT.ginger backer in the eagles Nope.... the tunes written dictate the way they are played.

I have always played in musician bands 3 piece power trio's and 4 piece hard rock bands featuring top line players who showcased their talents along with songwriting so a Ringo style would not have worked in a band like that just as Bonham would not have been the first choice for the Beatles... hope all this makes sense it did when I wrote it :)

Depends... I always thought Keith Moon's constant soloing over the vocals (and everything else) was obnoxious; however Carl Palmer's soloing in ELP fit the music so perfectly.

Yes, Moonie played lead drums, so to speak. His time keeping (according to his band mates) was sometimes not really good, but it did fit in with the bombastic nature of the Who's music. Moonie would have been HORRIBLE in some bands, for sure; but he was perfect with the Who.

You do touch on one thing in particular, and really the intent of my posting- when to hold back and when to let loose. Or more accurately, what's the best style for this particular piece of music? When I find that I am over playing, then I ask myself WWRD?

Good points you put out there.

And some people feel the exact opposite.

I don't begrudge drummers having a drumgasm, it's when it stands out waaaay too much is when it bothers me. I usually witness this phenomenon in club-level drummers and dudes who think they're putting on a clinic at the local Banjo Center.

I read that Ringo said he was really a lefty playing on a righty kit. I think this may have had a difference in his style and approach.

I often ask myself "What would _______ (fill in your fave drummer) do?"

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Ringo is not my favourite drummer, but he is who I refer to when I need to simplify my approach to a particular piece of music. I find myself wondering WWMFD? Yes, I'm referring to Mick Fleetwood, not the other MF!!! Sometimes it's Phil Collins in this question, as well...

I mentioned the guys that influenced my playing...not all the guys I love! Anyone that can play like Carl, Keith, Beauford Carter, etc., have my utmost respect & love to listen to. I LOVE Carl's playing, anyone that as a teen was buddies with Buddy & actually sat in with his band, is OK with me! They just didn't influence the way I wanted to play. I love the swing pulse these guys brought to simple grooves...it's not playing the quarter note, it's where you put the quarter note. Bernard Purdie & Clyde Stubblefield were great examples of this, that's why their grooves are the most sampled in history. I knew I'd never be Carl or Tony Williams but knew I could groove. If someone can do all that stuff & stay out of the way of the song, it's great...but a clubber without the ability is (trying) to do it without the ability, what's the point. Our first job is to make the band groove & sound unified...I've always been very happy doing that.

BTW-Keith played in a power trio with (IMHO) the best "Power" rhythm guitarist in history...he was given a lot of room to do his thing & did it very well!

Keith was perfect for his band, PERIOD.

Yeah, I really don't have a favourite drummer, per se. So many people influenced my playing.

And I feel the same way as you when it comes to good, tasteful playing, even if it is nearly over the top. If it's gregarious and still manages to stay relevant to the song, I love it just as much as the guy who just grooves and stays in the pocket.

So true, so true. So many club drummers seem more intent on showing you what they can play rather than what they should play. One of the best clinics I ever attended was conducted by Liberty DeVitto (after his split with Billy Joel). He not only stressed analyzing a song to determine what a drummer should choose to play, but also when to choose not playing at all (foreign concept to a lot of drummers).

Oh, and back to this thread's original intent, I got to see exactly what Ringo would do on Saturday when I saw RAIN, a tribute to the Beatles. Amazing tribute with dead-on drumming authentic down to every Ringo fill. Catch it if the tour comes to your state.

I love this thread .... here is a prime example of a power trio playing the 3 perfect parts to make a song all it can be and they each are really playing solos yet the magic works and the vocals ain't bad either....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uezii5wCbP8[/ame]