Once again, these are the drummers who, in my opinion, should form a fantastic 11-player team.”
by Nando Machado
Feel free to create your own list, change mine, or simply yell insults at me. At Wikimetal, you're at home, the home of Metal!
John Bonham – Bonzo was the most influential, the most creative, and one of the heaviest drummers of all time. Therefore, even though he is no longer with us, in my opinion he will always be the greatest drummer of all time, starting with the groove of the first song on Led Zeppelin's first album, Good Times, Bad Times. There, John Bonzo Bonham already shows that he is the greatest, and the band could never continue after his death – RIP.
Neil Peart – It's unbelievable what Neil Peart can do. Listening to the excellent Clockwork Angels, his recently released new album, Peart shows that he remains the great giant of the drums and is undoubtedly the greatest living drummer on the planet. Rush is a living legend of Rock and one of the most original bands on the planet!
Dave Lombardo – The greatest thrash drummer and probably the best metal drummer ever. Seeing Lombardo live impresses anyone; his technique, his drive, his impressive speed define who this musician is. With Lombardo's return to Slayer, the band regained a prominent place in the metal world. It's no coincidence that Metallica, early in their career, considered replacing Lars Ulrich with Lombardo on drums. Fortunately, Lars improved to the point that James abandoned that idea.
Charlie Benante – The two fastest bass drums on the planet. Charlie Benante is like a runaway locomotive; seeing him play live impresses anyone. The sound of his drumming is truly fantastic, and if you listen to Anthrax's album *Among the Living*, you'll be blown away. Also check out his demo videos and solos on YouTube; they're truly incredible.
Ian Paice – Creative, with impressive good taste, Paice seemed to play a drum kit with four bass drums, but in reality, he only had one. If you listen to Burn, it sounds like two guys are playing at the same time. Ian Paice is a genius, and the Deep Purple sound is unique, in part because of this great drummer.
Mike Portnoy – Dream Theater, Adrenaline Mob, Avenged Sevenfold, or Flying Colors. Any of these sounds showcases Portnoy's quality as a drummer; he's the Neil Peart of Metal. His 2011 show with Fates Warning displayed incredible technique, but it's on Dream Theater's albums that Portnoy delivered the best of his career, showing everything he knows, including helping to shape the sound of this excellent band, and being a protagonist in Dream Theater's shows even while seated behind the drums.
Ginger Baker – Imagine a great jazz drummer playing heavy rock. That's Ginger Baker, the drummer for Cream. Undoubtedly one of the bands that most influenced the creation of heavy metal in the late 60s. Ginger's strength was his technique and the impeccable rhythm section he formed with Jack Bruce, allowing Eric Clapton to "let loose" freely on the guitar. Ginger Baker is a beast!!!
Keith Moon – Another drummer who influenced many people, including those who invented Heavy Metal. In fact, Keith Moon certainly played a major role in the creation of Heavy Metal, thanks to his aggressiveness, his groove, and his beats. The Who was certainly one of the bands that helped shape what we call Heavy Metal, destroying their instruments and smashing everything on stages and in hotels. Get to know The Who better; they are one of my all-time favorite bands – RIP
Eloy Casagrande – Watching Eloy play is truly impressive, it's unbelievable what this musician can do. At such a young age and already so experienced, he deserves to be on this list. Imagine what he'll be playing in 10 years. Congratulations Eloy, congratulations Sepultura!
Bill Ward – The heaviest drummer in classic Metal. Bill Ward drew from the wellsprings of Jazz and Rock and invented a new way of playing. Please stop everything you're doing now and listen to Hand of Doom from the album Paranoid. Bill Ward is a genius and it's a shame he's not part of this Black Sabbath reunion.
Eric Carr – Eric Carr's drumming tone is one of the best of all time. Listen to the album Creatures of the Night from beginning to end at high volume and you'll feel Eric's bass drum pounding in your chest; then you'll understand why he couldn't be left out of this list. His live solos were always special too.
Eric, we miss you so much!!!