Just watched this carefully again.

I must admit, John Bonham, Butch, Jaimoe and Matt Apts can't play the drums on this level of technical ability. Alex Van Halen can't touch this either.

Those left hand triplets on the snar while the right hand is on the toms is just incredible not to mention the lightening speed. But behind the scenes this drummer was mean to his band and a real jerk.

How would you musicians like to play for someone who talks to you like this?

[Edited on 12/27/2019 by blackey]

[Edited on 12/27/2019 by blackey]

Are you suggesting that a greatest of all timer can be highly demanding and borderline abusive to those around them when they don't uphold their standard of excellence?

Shocking!!!! 😉

Just imagine how hard he is on himself

Islalala. I hadn't thought of how hard he was on himself. Part of that anger may have been being mad at himself. There is a longer version without the music and band footage and he says " I leave one beat out and then half of you can hold a cord??"

I like it when he says " I've played with the greatest f***ing musicians in the world". Is he talking about The Sex Pistols?? Or The Dead Kennedy's?

Buddy was technically amzaing.
There are many others I would take over him.

Here's one. Vinnie Colaiuta

I watched Vinnie. I especially enjoyed his story about auditioning for Frank Zapa. Wow Zapa's outfit was picky and if you didnt or couldn't read music and bring your A game you didn't have a chance.

Vinnie uses traditional grip which is good. Several of the old pros have said matched grip slows you down if you need to really shine on the snare drum. Butch Trucks used matched grip and that is why Jaimoe was more advanced technically with those jazz licks.

There are several drummers I like better than Buddy too. And Vinnie is excellent.

But if you watched my first link above of Buddy playing his solo in Paris in 1972, Buddy's technical ability and speed blows by Vinnie but every other drummer I've seen.

Buddy's favorite was Chick Webb but I can find anything with Chick taking a solo. Buddy also mentioned Steve Gadd as a favorite in that interview I saw a number of years ago and he mentioned Sonny Payne. But Buddy was the best there ever was according to Buddy himself. Buddy said he isn't interested in battle of the drummer contests because he always would win.

Here is some info on Chick Webb. Many of the old drummers including the drummer on this piece and Buddy Rich say Chick Webb was the best drummer they ever saw. But I can't find one drum solo by him.

[Edited on 12/28/2019 by blackey]

The late Sonny Payne. Buddy Rich liked Sonny. Sonny was in Count Basie' band for years and played in Harry James' band toward the end of his life, I think he replaced Buddy.

I'll do a new thread on this. Its Jai Johnny Lee Johnson on drums about 8 minutes in.

Not a very good film but it is the Allman Brothers doing Mountain Jam in July of 1970.

[Edited on 12/28/2019 by blackey]

What a great version of Mountain Jam and a great job by Jaimoe

I've seen that piece on Chick Webb before, and have heard Sonny Payne.

You're right, technically Buddy was great. I like to listen to the musicality of drummers and what they do with the band. Long drum solos don't necessarily impress me. Elvin Jones, Brian Blade, Vinny - lots of guys, Bonham, do (or did) great sounding, sometimes technically challenging things in the context of the music. What I've heard of Chick Webb's playing in that piece you posted was like that. You have to serve the music.

People debate over traditional vs matched. I use tradition mostly 'cause that's how I was taught. I think matched has more power but traditional allows you to play more subtleties - kinda what you alluded to with Jaimoe. JoJo Mayer likes traditional better because it allows him to think of his right and left hands differently. A lot of the greats switch back and forth. Watch, and listen to, Brian Blade if you haven't already. He blows me away.

ETA Billy Cobham will sometimes turn the stick in his R hand around and hold it in a traditional L hand grip. Don't ask me why, he is Bill Cobham

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by stormyrider]

As with guitar or any instrument, it isn't a competition or contest. It is all subjective to what you like.

Statements such as "he is the best and no one can even compare" is just an opinion.

Drummers of that era were often stronger on snare as it was the style ans the kits were tiny so the snare was much featured. Look how high those jazz drummers placed their snare. Almost level with the toms.

Let's see Buddy keep pace of double bass drums like a trash metal drummer., He would drop after a minute. They run marathons over a show.

Different strengths and styles.

Buddy would not have come up with the drums for Fool In The Rain and the way Bonham implemented his bass drum into his playing.

Put Buddy behind a set like Neil Peart's and he would have been lost. Would never do rolls like Neil as they hadn't invented that many drums yet. LOL

As amazing as Buddy's snare work is and it is incredible.

3 minutes would have worked better than 11 IMO. Not enough variation to the theme.

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by CanadianMule]

Neal Peart playing in Buddy Rich's band several years after Buddy died. The sax player is dead now too but he was in Buddy's band for years.

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by blackey]

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by blackey]

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by blackey]

Jaimoe in 2017 playing Take The A Train. Just snare and ride symbol. He won an award. And they played Jessica as they introduced him. Those guys are so connected to Dickey like it or not. Actually after 2000 Jaimoe was the one that wouldn't vote for a firing and always said Dickey quit and he hoped Dickey would get better and return someday.

[Edited on 12/29/2019 by blackey]

Has anyone who likes drummers checked out my link above of Neil Perat of Rush playing in Buddy Rich's band several years after Buddy died. Peart is spot on playing that jazz-big band style and he is even using a small kit similar to Buddy. Let me know what you think if you watch Peart playing in Buddy's band.

The sax player is deceased now. He played in Buddy's band for many years and apparently got on with Buddy okay.

[Edited on 12/31/2019 by blackey]

I watched Neal Pert do the Buddy Rich thing in that video you posted. Thanks for sharing.

Perhaps for similar reasons subsequent ABB lineups never did it for you like the original, watching that only reminded me of what Buddy would be doing had he been in the chair.

Admirable of Pert to even attempt it, nonetheless!

I liked it.

As you could figure, I'm not a fan of long, indulgent drum solos, especially when the main purpose is showing off technical skills.

I like what Pert did. He fit in with the band and music great. the solo was musical.