THE ALL-TIME GREATEST DRUMMERS. Today: #50-46. Continues: tomorrow. 

Caffè Lattè presents the

ALL-TIME

🥁

               

 GREATEST DRUMMERS

It’s hard to imagine any song with a driving beat without a drum kit powering the overall sound. This list pays tribute to the drummers whose work has had the greatest impact and influence on rock and pop music.

/50\

TONY MEEHAN

The Shadows had a profound impact on the early British rock music. As well as being Cliff Richard’s backing band, the group scored massive chart hits in its own right. Meehan particularly shines on the instrumental chart topper “Apache”. He died in 2005.

 

/49\

IAN PAICE

Deep Purple was one of the bands that led rock and pop music down a heavier route. Paice was there in the early incarnation of the band on its hit single “Hush” and influenced countless other drummers with his Deep Purple records in the early 1970s.

/48\

MICHAEL SCHRIEVE

Santana delivered one of the most thrilling sets at Woodstock and its drummer stole the show with his long drum solo. As well as his work with that group, Michael Schrieve has gained respect for his new age and jazz fusion endeavours.

/47\

CHAD SMITH

It’s Chad Smith that helps create the beat that powers the funk metal of Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s impossible not to feel the groove he builds on “Give It Away”.

/46\

BILL WARD

In 2002, Black Sabbath finally received a Grammy Award. The band had formed back in the 1960s. Bill Ward played drums on the early albums of the group’s golden period. He stayed on after the departure of Ozzy Osbourne and the arrival of Ronnie James Dio. Ward quit Sabbath in 1981 but was to come in and out for some time before the original line-up reformed in 1997. He still plays drums for the group to this day. Black Sabbath are one of the seminal heavy metal acts.