The importance of drums in metal

Okay, so I lied and John Bonham will be on Saturday and this will be the topic today. The reason is I have yet to listen to a Zeppelin song and I really need time to listen to a song like three times and it may be a few hours before I get to that. I think that sometimes drummers in metal and hard rock bands get this reputation of being wild players who just live for drawn out solos. I think that's just a reputation that came from the excess of arena shows in the late 70's through the late 80's. I think the importance of the drums varies depending on the style of the band, but it's a rhythm instrument along with the bass so it lays down the backing beat for the rest of the music. I think sometimes certain metal drummers don't get the recognition they really deserve in rock circles. I mean guys who are hard rock, but classic rock like Peart and Bonham get recognition and Tommy Lee being in a band with great commercial success gets recognition. Yet someone like Nicko Mcbrain or Charlie Benante have been with their bands for 20 plus years playing their asses off and really influencing young drummers yet they have not completely gotten their due. Then again maybe it's the influence they have provided for younger drummers that will be their real legacy.

I am stepping off the soapbox now. I did have one more question I wanted to toss out there today. I think it's easier to hear a poor or substandard guitarist on a recording then it is a drummer is their anyone you think is a poor or overrated drummer in hard rock or metal?

To me Peter Chriss comes to mind. Not that he is bad, but just kind of okay during songs and very mediocre during solos.

I guarantee that I will have a write-up on John Bonham out Saturday.

Happy St. Patrick's day!