There are thousands of examples of simple pop drumming which achieve a kind of craftsmanly invisibility, but here I’ve chosen a handful of favorite tracks in which the drumming actually stands out artistically for its simplicity:
Sly Stone – Thank You For Talking To Me Africa – Greg Errico
More goodness after the break:
The Police – Too Much Information – Stewart Copeland
Bill Frisell – Unsung Heroes – Joey Baron
This has one of my favorite drum breaks of all time:
The Beatles – Birthday – Ringo Starr
And here are three things that we’ve all heard a thousand times, but what the hell, I put them in, and it would take more effort to delete them at this point. Here’s an opportunity to give them a fresh listen:
AC/DC – Back In Black – Phil Rudd
Miles Davis – So What – Jimmy Cobb
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean – Ndugu Leon Chancler
Please share your own favorites in the comments- I’d love to take the time to think of more, but I have Ornette Coleman charts to struggle with…