What Garf the Drummer is up to

Well, did you see that BBC series - "I'm in a rock band"?  What a load of tosh!  I am talking specifically about the program on drummers.  I thought that it was too focused on John Bonham and Keith Moon, myself,

 Whilst they were great drummers, there are and were so many awesome drummers through the years that have influenced todays drummers (including me) that I thought I would add my input here for what it's worth.

 I'm not saying this is definitive but just my view.  If anyone doesn't agree or wishes to suggest content, feel free to use the blog or email via the 'contact us' button.

Here goes:-  I am probably quite lucky in that my parents were always into a bit of music.  My mother used to be in the chorus (I know, who'd have thunk it?!) and my late father loved loud music.  Our house was very often rattling to the sound of Glenn Miller or James Last, or even Jim Reeves.  All good stuff, but it was the Glenn Miller that stuck.  Sadly overlooked, the big band scene was a drummer's paradise.  I mean, yeah the modern stuff is great but just listen to the drumwork on American Patrol or Pensylvania 6-500.  This music was surprisingly drum heavy.  Having said that, look at some of the drummers around in the 1940's, such as Gene Krupa (who first used a bass drum pedal), Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson - who pioneered the use of the double bass drum. check out 'Skin Deep' here http://www.louiebellson.info/watch_videos.html and weep.

Of course, there were other drummers, such as Sandy Nelson - the first drummer to have a hit single - 'Let There be Drums'.  By the time I started playing - in 1975, music had moved through the sixties 'explosion' with groups such as the Beatles, the Searchers, the Shadows etc.  Listening back to those early sixties records, I think that the drums went through a period of not being heard.  Maybe this was to do with the recording technology at the time but maybe it was the style at the time.  Either way, there was just not enough drums - dammit!  Notable drummers for me from the sixties would include Ginger Baker, Ringo Starr (not the best drummer in the world - not even the best drummer in the beatles - but quite influential nonetheless) and Mitch Mitchell.

Then came the glorious seventies with heavy rock, prog rock, glam rock and then punk rock.

Content to follow>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>