Travis Barker

[petgeh]

I never would pay a OCDP kit. Of course they look cool, but they are too expensive.

Go to http://www.plusfortyfour.com/ (The new band of Travis) and you can hear their second song.

[DWDrummer]

I hope that estimate is an exageration.

exageration of what? I guess you don't know about OCDP...the main reason they're so expensive is because of the large hoels /"vents"they have in their snares, to produce more sound


If you want to get "his" sound.... what do you mean?

depends on what kind of wood the snare is made out of ,etc

of course you don't need an OCDP snare to sound like "his" sound

of course tuning and micing drums will change sound

[Chip]

the main reason they're so expensive is because of the large hoels /"vents"they have in their snares
Sorry, but I can't see an extra $1000-$1500 in vents. A drill press and a large enough cutting bit... It would be very similar to actually drilling the shell for the lugs/various visual crap they put on their drums to appeal to rich people that don't care for sound/sonic appeal.

OCDP's price boils down to borderline extortion and greed. They most likely make their sales from Travis Barker fans. One 'swiss-cheeserized' snare peppered with ridiculous decorations would probably pay for 2 whole Keller shell packs with hardware, which in turn would probably pay for about 5 more kits. They have a HUGE budget/profit margin.

I could never, nor think of any intelligent (about drums) person that would pay such money for a snare that looks like it has barely survived a bout with a small cannon.

Then again, I'm also told that the ZXT titaniums sound 'really good, really high quality' and 'they were the best at the shop'. If somebody chooses those tinny-sounding cymbals, coated with silver that makes them sound more tinny, for the price that one could've got professional cymbals... I think they deserved to get ripped off.

^I sound grumpy, don't I?

[the.tree]

I saw a pertty nice used OCDP for 2000 at guitar center. Not all of their stuff has to be bought new cmon guys.

[beatsMcGee]

i love acrylic drums so much! i want to scale dow to a 4 piece kit, cause i never use the 3rd tom. travis's kit is similar to the sizes i want...

whats the benifit of a 24" deep kick

[Shinx]

I'm not totally sure about Travis' sound but cutting more and bigger holes in a drum will just make it less sensitive, i.e. you would have to hit harder to get the same sound from a less drilled shell. Maybe he likes that, I don't know

Thats the way I understand it at least

[ns3476]

I was just wondering, does travis use a double bass pedal? sorry if its a stupid question.

[Cavemeister]

I don't think Barker will be a legend. As thoroughly mainstream as he is, he wouldn't do anything that will be innovative. Still, I couldn't say he was a bad drummer for a few reasons: 1) He does seem to play well in his area of music. 2) He's a much better drummer than I am, so my judgement might not be the one you want to hear.

[ams]

All you people just dont get it. Travis has the feel, he has the skills, he's been playing drums from the age of 4!!! If you ask why travis is not like other drummers it is just because he is known for playing in bands.. and all you see of him doing is playing punk.. although you have to admit his ideas for every song he plays are brilliant! I've seen travis' solo (as in the not punk one).. he's pretty good i tell ya... not the kind of thing u'd expect seeing someone in a punk band playing...

i've been playing drums since i was four... i oughtta know.. im fifteen now.. im going to perform on TV later on the 13th of october 2006... n my lifetime goal is to get my name on any of these drum websites.

[Wegadrummer]

I was just wondering, does travis use a double bass pedal? sorry if its a stupid question.

I dont think he use double pedal..

[Mageneinfalt]

I've been to the (+44) Concert in Cologne yesterday. I just have to say it's fu***** awesome to see him (Travis) drumming. I was in first row, just 4 meters away from him. This guy is incredible!!! I think there's no better Punkrock Drummer on this world!!! By the way...the whole band was great.
I talked to some other guys who had a bad opinion of Travis and they said that this show totally changed their opinion!

[metalheadeza666]

I dont think he use double pedal..

ye, he uses a DW single pedal, can't remember what one tho.

[emmerson]

travis baker hmmm ... i dont like his style with blink 182 not even with the transplants and i think hes a bit overrated in terms of popularity like what has he done that no one else has? nothing i just think hes another drummer hes not great but hes not horrible he lands in the middle

[Jeremy Perfection]

Sorry but this guy is overrated :(

[NUTHA JASON]

thanks for you opinion but on this board we like you to back it up a bit otherwise no one will respect it at all and it becomes like those glossy leflets you tip out of the newspaper into the bin before sitting down to read.
not that i totally disagree with you.

j

[rendezvous_drummer]

It really irritates me when people, especially youngions who have no knowledge of drummin, say that Barker is the best drummer. I mean cmon, it's alright to have an opinion and all, but when I try to introduce these people to truly great drummers, they shut them out and focus on whatever is "hip". There'es nothing great about his solos at all really, he just has really fast chops. Just my two cents.

[Jeremy Perfection]

ok, i agree. Well im just anoyed that sooo many (mostly teens) dont give credit where credit is do. Yea this guy is a good drummer dont get me wrong BUT he is not the most musically smart one out there. My personal opinion is that you dont give someone the title "one of the best" unless they have created they're own distinct sound. And unfortunatly Travis does'nt sound a whole lot different than most. There are so many under appreciated drummers out there to give credit to.

[metalheadeza666]

There'es nothing great about his solos at all really, he just has really fast chops. Just my two cents.

i'll back you up on that one, anyone go to his drummerworld profile and watch all the vids of him, and try and tell anyone here that they arn't exactly the same! lol

[drummerboy147]

To be honest i like Travis Barker. I enjoy Blink 182 even though they can hardly string a guitar line together but hey they're catchy! Im 13 and have only started drumming and although i like him, he is nothing special. I have heard many better, like Buddy Rich, Mike Portnoy, Steve Gadd etc. but you can't say he has no skills, otherwise he wouldnt be where he is today.

[RossB15]

it would be cool if there was discussion about him, like his gear, and just wats going on with him at the moment, i think the arguement over him being overrated has been exhausted.

im going to start but askin does any1 know what cymbals hes using with plus 44? in the 'when your heart stops beating' video it looked like a Zildjian 'K' series ride he was using. ne views?

[petgeh]

I think he uses K's.
I really like the video and the song. His drumming is nothing special, and his kit is amazing.

[jonescrusher]

To be honest i like Travis Barker. I enjoy Blink 182 even though they can hardly string a guitar line together but hey they're catchy! Im 13 and have only started drumming and although i like him, he is nothing special. I have heard many better, like Buddy Rich, Mike Portnoy, Steve Gadd etc. but you can't say he has no skills, otherwise he wouldnt be where he is today.


Very well said, no grounds for idolising him, no grounds for bashing him. It's very easy to dismiss Travis, and the level of skill in his chops that he has attained , purely because the band he plays in is so rubbish and forgettable. That said, there's no denying he comes up with good parts and executes chop very skilfully. I dare say that he's a better drummer than anyone who's posted a bash on this thread. He's paid his dues to the greats and shedded like the best of them.
Definitely a good drummer to transcribe, this helps put into perspective exactly how involved some of his parts are.

[Garvin]

It really irritates me when people, especially youngions who have no knowledge of drummin, say that Barker is the best drummer.

Rendezvous, I agree to some extent but I also remember being fifteen and thinking that Lars Ulrich was "the best drummer ever" and all I ever wanted to do was play like him. Idolizing a drummer like Travis Barker is only bad if it doesn't help you grow to appreciate other musicians, and types of music.

My interest in music and drumming didn't start with Metallica, but the Black album was a catalyst in my life. I remember listening to that cassette tape over and over (along with Bel Biv Devoe and Body Count) while mowing lawns during the summer. I fantasized about meeting the band and I remember what it felt like to have people challenge my opinion when I said they were my favorite band in the world. It's hard not to get riled when someone you revere is attacked by people who "just don't understand". My love of drumming evolved in a direction that lead me to jazz and afro-cuban drumming and percussion, but I will never deny that once I idolized someone to this extent. It's important to have role models in life, and as we grow we will always evolve our taste to include other role models.

So to all you kids who feel slighted or attacked by folks who just don't get it. Believe me we've all been there before. So keep listening to this guy if you love him, it's important for your growth as a drummer to stay inspired by who you feel is the greatest.

[mattsmith]

He just broke his arm.

It seems like any man who hooks up with Paris Hilton ends up with pain and suffering.

That woman must be stopped.

[Stitch Kaboodle]

Let's face it: Travis is today's Ringo.

[Class A Drummer]

Let's face it: Travis is today's Ringo.
Whats wrong with ringo? Ringo may not be rippin out any insae solos, but he is still a legend in drumming IMO.

as Bernhard would say...

"never bash Ringo." ( i still dont know what that means, but its a good saying ).

[shuffle]

Let's face it: Travis is today's Ringo.

Wow.

About the worst name association I could think of.

[Stitch Kaboodle]

I don't mean that as a slight against the guy. Plenty of good drummers have been inspired by Ringo. Althought John Lennon did say that Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles nevermind the World!

[shuffle]

Well, perhaps you could enlighten us and precise exactly what stylistic elements you think those two drummers have in common.

[Stitch Kaboodle]

I never made any comparison in their styles. Read it again. It was a cultural reference.

[T-1000]

DUDES!? Has anyone heard the news that Travis may have a tumour in his arm bone? Get well soon Travis...

[skippy]

yeah he borke it while filming the new +44 video. he broke his arm drumming thats how hard he hits. cause his bones are weak from being a vegetarian for 16 years. he played the european leg of the tour with a broken arm so it got worse. no playing for 6 weeks. but he is trying to learn the +44 set with one arm.

[Stu_Strib]

Let's face it: Travis is today's Ringo.

Please please please ellaborate.

I can't see Travis showing enough restraint in "Come Together" to play just bass drum notes in the one section...or playing the simple triplets on the hihats then down the toms. Restraint is not Travis' forte, and restraint IS Ringo.

Ringo plays for the music, Travis plays a beat regardless of the music.

[jazzin']

I have a feeling he's talking in terms of popularity. In getting people, alot of people, excited about drumming just as Ringo did in his day. Nothing to do with the music or styles of the two, because as we all know they really couldn't be more opposite of each other.

[gusty]

broken arm huh? he must drum hard

[dawg]

although not a fan of Barker (or blink 182) i certainly hope he makes a full recovery.it could be something more than i freak accident if (God forbid) it's a tumor. remember the pitcher for the baseball Giants a few years ago broke his arm pitching in a game and they discovered a tumor. i wish Travis the best.

[Mageneinfalt]

Yeah I totally agree! But whats really impressing me is that he played the whole european tour, maybe 10 concerts or somethin', with his briken arm. And I have been to the concert in cologne, and he was playing as hard as always although he had so much pain(He says this on his myspace). When I saw him drumming i had never expected that his arm is broken! And I totally hope its not a tumor that would be so sad. I wish Travis the best as well!!!

[David]

Where's your supporting evidence? Which songs does Tré suck on?


'thats MY opinion i know some people may not like it and some yes but thats what i think you gotta respect me.'

I don't agree with your opinion... but why should I respect? You make no clear argument as to why Travis is so good.

Dude Travis leaned Blink's hole set of 22 songs from Cheshire Cat and Dude Ranch in just a few hours to perform that night! That's not easy to do man, who cares whether you think Blink's drums aren't good or not it's still hard and it's amazing that he did that and how much Blink improoved after he joined them.....He's MADE a NAME for him self. So if you don't like him... then just lay off ok and stop being so critical about him.

To be honest i like Travis Barker. I enjoy Blink 182 even though they can hardly string a guitar line together but hey they're catchy! Im 13 and have only started drumming and although i like him, he is nothing special. I have heard many better, like Buddy Rich, Mike Portnoy, Steve Gadd etc. but you can't say he has no skills, otherwise he wouldnt be where he is today.

What do you mean he's nothing special! Travis is what made Blink 182 BIG! He changed them to what made them famous with Enema of the State, Take off Your Pants and Jacket, and the Untitled one. He's an amazing drummer who's got lot's of skill and experience! And your right that's why he is where he is today, the BEST Punk/Rock drummer!

broken arm huh? he must drum hard

No I'll be a drummer thank you

Sorry but this guy is overrated :(

No he's not overrated! He's a great drummer, who's got good rhythms and makes good sounds. That's why so many people like him...... if you don't like him lay off him and go enjoy your "better" tastes of drums.

[NINNG20002000]

my 9 year old adores Tavis and would love to be able to perform like him.

[beatsMcGee]

you can check out how Travis Barker is coming along with the one armed drumming on his myspace www.myspace.com/immawinnerbaby pretty neat stuff. enjoy

-DNS

[DamonRF]

Hey people, my first comment!

I personally think Travis is good, not the best though. I bet you can all agree he plays very good for the style of music Blink-182 are/were.

For pop-punk most drummers are far more simplistic, I think travis' solos are fairly boring to be honest, even though I am a fan. I think his talent lies more in the song, and how his drum parts fit perfectly towards the song.

Listen to Take off your pants and jacket, alot of the songs (mainly not the singles) are amazingly good for a pop punk drummer. Who knows what he could do in a thrash metal band? No one! He did come from a jazz umbringing I recall, which means he is versatile!

P.S I'm amazed this topic has gone on for so long! I think if you don't like him, stop bitching and like what you like:))

Keep rocking people!

[DrumMasterDave]

Sorry i gotta get in on this. Travis Barker is a very good Drummer In my opinion. The problem is with most ppl, is they only hear him in blink 182. He had to play punk for the last few years of his life. He was brought up playing Jazz, and is a very technical drummer. I have heard him play a jazz solo once, and i was blown away, he can rock out, and then mellow out as well. Plus his corps drumming is Very good. And he used single DW pedal for a long time, but recently has swithed to Double pedals. in His perfomance on the tonight show with blink,he used his left foot the whole time.

[RossB15]

drummer master dave he hasnt switched to double pedals, he only did for a while coz he had broken his right foot. he has now broken his right arm and is playing one handed using his left hand to play cymbals and his left foot to play snare(trigger pad).

[DrumMasterDave]

Im sorry but he is using double pedals. In the show i saw him with double pedals, he was using his left foot for the bass, and then his right foot for a small 12 inch hi hat control and the other side. But i do know he had broke his foot. I think what i was tryin to get at is he isnt a stranger to them. He can playh them, and im sure if the style asked for it, he could show us all how good he could be at them!

[OCTO]

TBH trav isnt actually that fast if u compare him to for example eric sandler (nofx) or the rev (avenged sevenfold). Despite of this the music that blink 182 wrote didnt exactly need to be all out click perfect and rymthm etc. the drumming sounded good in any blink 182 album and did alot too the music. for his genre he is a quality drummer and has inspired lots of kids to pick up sticks and start to learn the drums
OCTO

[tmv31]

I agree with OCTO on this one. I think that his drumming fit the music. There isn't one blink song that I could see straight notes on a bass drum fitting in. Also he is well versed there are plenty of interviews where he states he did study plenty of jazz and funk, however he does not enjoy playing those styles as much. Also,not to sound defensive, but I like his drumming a lot on the transplants album.

[tmv31]

I agree with OCTO on this one. I think that his drumming fits the music. There isn't one blink song that I could see straight notes on a bass drum fitting in. Also, he is well versed in jazz and latin there are plenty of interviews where he states he did study plenty of jazz and latin rhythems, however he does not enjoy playing those styles as much. Also,not to sound defensive, but I like his drumming a lot on the transplants album.

[beatsMcGee]

Im sorry but he is using double pedals. In the show i saw him with double pedals, he was using his left foot for the bass, and then his right foot for a small 12 inch hi hat control and the other side. But i do know he had broke his foot. I think what i was tryin to get at is he isnt a stranger to them. He can playh them, and im sure if the style asked for it, he could show us all how good he could be at them!

i don't want to argue, but i think you're wrong. which show did you see him play this way? and if possible post a youtube. now i am aware that he played a letterman show (back with blink) and played the bass with his left foot (b/c of a broken foot) and had a little hihat on the right side.. the song they played was "down"

(keep in mind he may of had a "double pedal" on his kit b/c he needed the left foot versitility (broken right foot) but i doubt he was playing a double kick pedal like your thinking)

[stagecustom]

Seems like Travis Barker receives many mixed reviews. Well here is my thought i would like to contribute to this discussion... I think Travis is a good technical drummer, as of musicality i think not. His drumming does fit the music, but we tend to forget that what makes a great drummer is to discover new ways of coming up with a beat, its to be an artist... to be creative with it. Now Travis is a good drummer, but he is not great, and could never be compared to a Neil Peart , John Bonham, or Danny Carrey as rock drumming goes. Travis Barker is more of an image rather then a musician, and I dont blame him, because he is makin millions doing what he does ,he gets any freakin girl he wants, and he is also a father, so I think he has many other priorities in life then becoming a better drummer because after all he is good enough for what he wants to do and makes millions doing it and at the end of the day that is what matters.

[metalheadeza666]

i don't want to argue, but i think you're wrong. which show did you see him play this way? and if possible post a youtube. now i am aware that he played a letterman show (back with blink) and played the bass with his left foot (b/c of a broken foot) and had a little hihat on the right side.. the song they played was "down"

(keep in mind he may of had a "double pedal" on his kit b/c he needed the left foot versitility (broken right foot) but i doubt he was playing a double kick pedal like your thinking)

hasn't he now gone and broken his arm or summut??

i read in kerrang (not a regular reader) that he has broken his arm and summut bout a tuma???

[beatsMcGee]

yea hes broken or fractured his right arm i blieve, but he is still touring with plus44 (playing with one arm).

[drummergirl_Nina]

I give Travis props, its a style thats quite athletic and he pulls it off,, i mean you cant compare to someone like Thomas Lang or Vinnie, but for what he does, he does it well. A band like Blink 182 you cant take that seriously,,,,, (I mean they dont even take themselves seriously! :), but its all good fun,,

[DamonRF]

He's not afraid to tour with broken arms and feet, what other drummer would do that? ;) I'm guessing he doesn't care what people think of his drumming, he's more aware of the music he creates.

[markmerdith]

omfg, tre cool is no good at all he has his good things and that but he just knows how to hit the drums and cymbals thats it, he doesnt do anything special i think he sux a little bit. Travis rulez


thats MY opinion i know some people may not like it and some yes but thats what i think you gotta respect me.
travis barker is great!!!!

[Mike Firth]

I saw Travis Barker on the +44 tour, I wasn't there for +44 tho, I was there for THE MATCHES!

I saw him playing with 2 arms, not one, and he was not impressive at all. The whole band revolved around him, and thats like revolving around a stick with dirty socks on it (if that makes sense.)

The Matches were amazing and the made the trip from Cleveland to Detroit all that it was worth.

[kung_f00]

Here's my $0.02

Travis Barker is a decent drummer. He's got some unique fills, interesting ideas for licks. I think by far his best work was in Boxcar Racer. If you listen to "Watch The World", his opening snare part shows he's got decent marching chops (nothing spectacular, of course) and the lick he plays during the verses is kinda neat. "Sorrow" also has a cool groove, as well as "All Systems Go". As far as his work for the Transplants goes, "Killafornia" has a funky little latin groove going on, and "Hit The Fence" has a cool drumline-esque beat which caught my attention pretty quickly.

I've been playing for two years, and I can play most of his stuff, but I wouldn't say I've got him down pat. Compared to other pro-level drummers, he's not much but for the aspiring drummer, he's got some licks and fills that would for the most part draw inspiration. He's creative, energetic, has fast hands, and a good feel for the music. He's not exactly the 'model' drummer.. I think he's got too much of the "hotshot" mindset, but personally.. his stuff intrigues me, and I enjoy both listening to the bands he's in and learning and playing his beats.

You may not like his persona, the genre of music he plays, or the attention he draws from the mainstream.. but admit it, the kid can play.

[t_rav]

I like Travis - great style and all.

But for staying with sports: When he would race a formula one race he even couldn't follow the pace car - and he knows it and agrees, that's make him sympathic.

Bernhard

hi bernhard!
well.. i would like to know what have you and travis talked about (if its nothing personal) any information? his musical formation.. anything..
could you answer me?
that would be awsome..
yes im a new mwmver.. im 17 years old.. and im from portugal.. (thats the reason for my bad wirting).

[hauk]

i listened to adam's song (blink) the other day. its got some cool drum parts, not all speed and actually cool to listen to... i think he's pretty good, just not amazing, and his image gets kind of ridiculous

[skippy]

travis' best work in my opinion was on the boxcar racer album. there is more groove on those songs and more technical beats. his work with the transplants was good also. mainly thier second cd haunted cities. i have the plus 44 cd and the drums are good but not his best in my opinion. but some songs here and there with blink are nice such as adams song and feeling this. his best blink cd was probly either "enema of the state" or "the mark tome and travis show" live album. but im a big travis fan so i have em all. his work on the aquabats cd the fury of the aquabats was also realy good. im a big fan but i also dig many other drummers. i think of myself as a very well rounded musical person. i have cds from buddy rich to snoop dogg. and everything in between.

[DWfan20005]

Can I say one of the most overated drummers ever. He's good but not god like status good.

[pdp 9091]

I wish everyone would stop jumping on the "i hate travis barker" ban wagon just to fit in. Just cause he plays in bands that arent as serious as singing about mystical stuff such as Rush doesnt mean he should be looked down upon. Now i am not saying he should be compared to Peart but you cant say travis is not that great of a musician and he has not become a better musician over the years is just wrong.

[Mr. Pasquini]

I like him, I just don't LOVE him. He's got chops and skill, just not the best ever. Hand PDP a beer or somethin'!

[dawg]

i guess the reason i don't care much for travis' style with blink is the same reason i don't care much for the red hot chili peppers. i don't really feel what they are doing. and i really don't like either bands' songs,they seem forgettable.and if i can't relate to the tune,then i can't relate to the drummer unless the groove is irresistable(like say chambers or gadd or bill stewart.) for the life of me i can't understand the buzz about the peppers' "funk" and i haven't heard anything about blink in a long time.

[franki182]

travis barker is the reason i started drumming. im not gonna say hes god or anything because i much prefer drummers like thomas lang or benny greb, but i like listening to alot of punk and alternative music. lets face it, there are alot of drummers out there who are quite boring to listen to. listening to travis drum is quite refreshing because hes very creative. its much better than listening to alot of the crap on the billboard 100 nowadays.

[ns3476]

travis barker is the reason i started drumming. im not gonna say hes god or anything because i much prefer drummers like thomas lang or benny greb, but i like listening to alot of punk and alternative music. lets face it, there are alot of drummers out there who are quite boring to listen to. listening to travis drum is quite refreshing because hes very creative. its much better than listening to alot of the crap on the billboard 100 nowadays.

Yeah i will say that he has made up some pretty crazy stuff on drums and thats what i like about him is that he doesn't play the same thing over and over again like some drummers that i have heard. But yeah he also is over rated by a lot of people out there that don't know anything about drumming or other drummers out there. And most of those people don't even play drums.

[ledzepjb]

I havent red all of the posts because it would take to long so im not sure if someone has already posted it or not.

I think that he is a good drummer but highly over-rated. All of my non-drummer friends will talk to me about Travis Barker as if he was the only drummer on the planet. They know him because hes the drummer of Blink182 and Boxcarracers and he has his own tv show. There are plenty of other great drummers that dont get the attention they deserve.

-He's good, but not that good-

[DWfan20005]

When I first heard all the stuff about +44 and then their music I was "oh boy, another Blink-182"

[ns3476]

When I first heard all the stuff about +44 and then their music I was "oh boy, another Blink-182"

I guess they can be considered some what like Blink 182 but not really, and even if they are it doesn't really matter because thats the kind of music that Travis and Mark are good at making.

[DWfan20005]

I guess they can be considered some what like Blink 182 but not really, and even if they are it doesn't really matter because thats the kind of music that Travis and Mark are good at making.

Yeah, they're good at making music thats simple and accessible to MTV.

[pdp 9091]

Yeah, they're good at making music thats simple and accessible to MTV.

But dont forget that the +44 music and lyrics have a whole world of difference behind it as far as meaning. I mean try to compare the meanings behing Happy Holidays by blink 182 to No It Isn't by +44.

[DWfan20005]

But dont forget that the +44 music and lyrics have a whole world of difference behind it as far as meaning. I mean try to compare the meanings behing Happy Holidays by blink 182 to No It Isn't by +44.

Yeah ya gotta good point there.I hate saying the dreaded word "mature" but +44's music definitly more mature and thought provoking then Blink-182's music. Not that Blinks music doesn't make ya think but the meanings behind +44's music allows them to be taken much more seriously.

[pdp 9091]

Yeah ya gotta good point there.I hate saying the dreaded word "mature" but +44's music definitly more mature and thought provoking then Blink-182's music. Not that Blinks music doesn't make ya think but the meanings behind +44's music allows them to be taken much more seriously.

Blink 182 will prob always be one of my favorite bands for a simple reasons. they were fun, funny, and as their careers went on, their music progressed in level of a little thought and more musically wise. I also love blink 182 cause a good amount of their songs i can relate to because i am 16 years old. But on the flip side, after blink broke up +44 evolved and so did AVA and both bands now are more mature than blink 182 as far as thought put into songs lyrically. Basically blink 182 was serious about not being serious and +44 are 2/3 of those same goofy, funny, fun guys of blink but with a more mature presentation on the album (maybe still not in person)

[ns3476]

Blink 182 will prob always be one of my favorite bands for a simple reasons. they were fun, funny, and as their careers went on, their music progressed in level of a little thought and more musically wise. I also love blink 182 cause a good amount of their songs i can relate to because i am 16 years old. But on the flip side, after blink broke up +44 evolved and so did AVA and both bands now are more mature than blink 182 as far as thought put into songs lyrically. Basically blink 182 was serious about not being serious and +44 are 2/3 of those same goofy, funny, fun guys of blink but with a more mature presentation on the album (maybe still not in person)

Couldn't have been said any better. All three of those bands are really good in their own way.

[Green and Mean]

Don't like his playing, but I respect him because he is famous and I also like his attitude.

[drumminbro23]

I havent red all of the posts because it would take to long so im not sure if someone has already posted it or not.

I think that he is a good drummer but highly over-rated. All of my non-drummer friends will talk to me about Travis Barker as if he was the only drummer on the planet. They know him because hes the drummer of Blink182 and Boxcarracers and he has his own tv show. There are plenty of other great drummers that dont get the attention they deserve.

-He's good, but not that good-

defantly man i couldnt have said it better

[KWDEMON]

Travis is good but not great, he doesn't have a ... And Justice For All, Rust in Peace, Death Cult Armageddon, Led Zeppelin anything , Deep Purple in Rock, Masters of Reality, something Wicked This way Comes, Follow the Blind, Painkiller. Again he is good but not epic. He doesn't make me want to play drums but he is nice to listen to some times.

[drummer2k7]

I think that Travis should be considered more of an ambassador to the non-drumming world than a highly skilled musician. He definitely has some skill, but many people hold him in far too high esteem than is probably necessary. I like some of his stuff, but there's always room to improve, for everybody.

[t_rav]

You guys forgot that creativity is also an important part of a good drummer.
I've heard from Travis beats that i've heard from anyone else.
For exemple:
Box Car Racer: Cat Like Thief; Instrumental; Sorrow; Elevator; Watch the wold
The Transplants: One Seventeen; Dj Dj;
Blink 182: Story of a lonely guy; Down; Fallen Interlude; Mutt; Anthem part II;

among many others..

Another thing you forgot was the changes that he does on his drum parts when playing live.
Just see some live videos and you all know what im talking about, but the very best are:
Down live on letterman
I miss you (not sure where it was but i think it was from a TV show)

I know he cannot be compared to drummers like Neil Peart; Billy Cobham; JoJo Mayer; we all know that, but that doesnt make him a bad drummer. He has his own place on the pantheon... also he is one of the drum gods choosen by Drum Gods magazine. Another thing some of oyu talked about was his mohawk and his tattos.. well, i gotta ask to keep youre mouh shutted up because he has that almost since he was born.. (1st tatoo - 17; mohawk - 25 or so) (( he wasnt a famous guy already)), so hes not like that to prove some one hes "so hardcore" as someone said...

Travis has been an huge influence on me because of his taste, and his capability of creating cool drum parts for many-time-heard-musics..
I personally preffer him as box car racer drummer than blink or +44.

Hes not GOD (at least for me) but he is an awsome drummer without a doubt.

And no, im not a "travis Barker rullez" member..


P.S.: check the video "blink 182 - down: on letterman" on youtube anyway :)

[petgeh]

For everyone who wans to paly some of his grooves.
Not Now is really fun to play

[Vinnysimmo]

Hes good. A hard hitter, fast and a showman. There are meny better than him though.

[drumbuddy105133]

Hes good. A hard hitter, fast and a showman. There are meny better than him though.

Agreed. Have any of you guys seen the CSI episode where Travis plays a rapper? Good episode.

[spartacus1989]

the only real advantage to Travis Barker is the fact that he was in a marching band (which there are loads of drummers who uses techniques used by marching bands) and he was in Blink 182!! (until they split up and he moved to +44)

[drummer4thefreaks]

When i started playing almost 4 years ago, Blink 182 was all i listened to, and until about two years ago Travis was my favorite drummer. Then of course i found loads of other drummers and learned that, while he's pretty darn good, so many others are greater than him. Mr Barker and Joey Jordison are the two most horribly overrated drummers I think.

[Michael G]

T Barker is the best drummer eva!

[Joel Woody]

Travis Barker is a very talented drummer. He is probably better than half of us on here. But he still made it. He may be a bit of an overrated drummer but he is still doing what he loves. He doesnt care if he is overrated, he just does what he wants. I love Blink 182, but when I am listening to them I dont get all, ''''whoooo whoooo'''' for his drumming. I agree with whoever else has said that he is better in The Transpants.

[shawn]

Love him or hate him, he has to be one the busiest drummers, he has marketed himself well. He is still one of my favorite drummers, i think he adds alot to the bands he has played with.

[Mikecore]

On one hand his fame reminds me of Gene Krupa's popularity among non-drummers.

On the other hand, some people (like whoever did the write up on him in DRUM! magazine) are kissing his arse a bit too much.

It's like those of us who still remember Tommy Lee's upside down drum solos having to read in an ad that Terry Bozzio is a "stunt drummer". Are you kidding?

Travis deserves whatever he's worked for, but popularity and skill don't always go hand in hand; the next Buddy Rich will be a long time coming, I'm afraid.

[Jazzmojo]

I'm not exactly a drummer. My last lesson was in the 6th grade and I thought it was neat that I got to flip the little spring thingy to make the drum sound different for a change...I digress. I am clearly going through a quarter-life crisis and I am about to start over as it were...Travis has a lot to do with that. He's done something (for me anyway) that I've never heard anywhere else (long time music fan, dropped band for choir and still went through the high school music theory class).

On "Adam's Song", the first two verses are about "Adam" being lonely and suicidal. He locks himself in his room, alone, listening to music and getting more depressed. Every time the music gets to this part of the song, when Adam is in his room, listening to loud music, waiting for someone to show him that they care about him, Travis makes a series of very sharp snare hits that sounds exactly like someone knocking on a door...but with the rest of the drum track and Mark and Tom's loud Bass+Guitar playing, it's easy to miss it...easy enough that I've never heard anyone else talk about it in the 7 years since the song came out.

I don't know if he did that on purpose, but knowing how much psychologists talk about how any outreach to a suicidal person will more often than not be enough to snap them out of the depression (at least for a short time), that makes the knock at the door turn that song into 100X more effectively depressing than it already was.

For me, in those few places, Travis took his instrument and made it, not just part of the music, but part of the story.

and that is genius...

my opinion...

Scott

[jonescrusher]

I'm not exactly a drummer. My last lesson was in the 6th grade and I thought it was neat that I got to flip the little spring thingy to make the drum sound different for a change...I digress. I am clearly going through a quarter-life crisis and I am about to start over as it were...Travis has a lot to do with that. He's done something (for me anyway) that I've never heard anywhere else (long time music fan, dropped band for choir and still went through the high school music theory class).

On "Adam's Song", the first two verses are about "Adam" being lonely and suicidal. He locks himself in his room, alone, listening to music and getting more depressed. Every time the music gets to this part of the song, when Adam is in his room, listening to loud music, waiting for someone to show him that they care about him, Travis makes a series of very sharp snare hits that sounds exactly like someone knocking on a door...but with the rest of the drum track and Mark and Tom's loud Bass+Guitar playing, it's easy to miss it...easy enough that I've never heard anyone else talk about it in the 7 years since the song came out.

I don't know if he did that on purpose, but knowing how much psychologists talk about how any outreach to a suicidal person will more often than not be enough to snap them out of the depression (at least for a short time), that makes the knock at the door turn that song into 100X more effectively depressing than it already was.

For me, in those few places, Travis took his instrument and made it, not just part of the music, but part of the story.

and that is genius...

my opinion...

Scott



Or maybe his left hand spazzed out for a moment.

I'mj confused though, are you saying that Barker mimicking these knock on the door makes it more depressing to listen to for someone who's suicidal, or that it works to reach out to someone who's already suicidally depressed? And what's wrong with a Leonard Cohen album and a bottle of red wine these days?

[Garvin]

Whoa, you mean he actually mimmicked someone knocking on a door with his drums? WOW! He is a genius!

Sorry... Bad mood... No love this morning.

[Spencer_159]

Travis Barker is an awesome drummer and for people to say that he is not versatile and that he only plays punk music is crap. he is very musical and plays a lot of hip-hop, his drumming is featured with some of todays hottest artists. If you think he's over rated, "who cares" he is not a self absorbed person what-so-ever and never suggested that he was the greatest or fastest drummer. He is doing his job and that is to play drums.

[kris10]

He is one of my favorite drummers ever.

[kris10]

Travis Barker is an awesome drummer and for people to say that he is not versatile and that he only plays punk music is crap. he is very musical and plays a lot of hip-hop, his drumming is featured with some of todays hottest artists. If you think he's over rated, "who cares" he is not a self absorbed person what-so-ever and never suggested that he was the greatest or fastest drummer. He is doing his job and that is to play drums.

Yeah he has played for the game, rhianna, Expensives tastes, Rich boy, Pharrell, etc...plus he also played a country thing at some country awards show..he isn't versatile is complete bs

[Jazzmojo]

Whoa, you mean he actually mimmicked someone knocking on a door with his drums? WOW! He is a genius!

Sorry... Bad mood... No love this morning.

It's not so much that he is making a realistic sound fx with his instrument. Even I stuck with the drum long enough to learn how to make the sound of gunfire...and who didn't look nervously around the first time they heard the French Horn sound like an elephant?

No, for this, its the fact that the volume and the timing of the knock-effect occurs at the point in the song where the kid inside the room needed someone to show up at the door and knock, which they did, and yet he still missed it because the music was too loud for him to detect the knock..

Had he done it in a song about raping a 23,000 year old Ice princess over a bloodstained field of self-sacrificed virgins (silly Norwegian death metal bands) then it's not interesting in the least bit. Had he done it during a "quiet" spot in the song, it becomes an obvious trick and loses a large measure of its eventual effect.

But right there, the simple song becomes something much more allegorical by not only comparing the loneliness of a suicidal teenager to the loneliness of a young band on the road but also in demonstrating how the isolation between parents and their children or between teenagers and their peers (or between a band and their audience – tre` PF) might not be as explicit as it appears.

It's possible that the isolation is the result of one player reaching out in a manner inconsistent with the expectation of the other party. The outsider felt like the unanswered knock was a sign that Adam didn’t wish to be bothered. The insider didn’t hear the knock because he has his music on 11, expecting his potential savior to break the door down rather than politely knock first and then leave when the knock went unanswered.

The eventual destruction of the distressed party, be it Adam in the song or Blink-182 on the road or Pink Floyd at, well, any moment Roger Water’s opens his mouth could have been stopped had both sides learned to communicate effectively in the first place. At that point, the tragedy of the result is markedly underscored by the fact that a missed knock on the door, or a 10-month tour, or the demands of an audience conflicting with an internal struggle with the death of your father did not need to become the proverbial “straw that broke the camels back”.

Something like that anyway….

And that is why using that technique, right there in Adam’s Song, allows the snare to transcend being a mere instrument and become an affectation of the very story it helped to create.

[jonescrusher]

Lol, you gotta stop smokin them zoots 'mojo.

[Jazzmojo]

Lol, you gotta stop smokin them zoots 'mojo.

gotta use those graduate degrees somewhere.

[spartacus1989]

I find Travis Barker slightly boring, I don't see anything really unique in his style of drumming like I do with other drummers. Ok so he has been in a marching band, but then again, his technique against drummers such as Jojo Mayer and Virgil Donati differs completely! I think Travis Barker is a very adverage drummer.

Sorry for comparing but I couldnt find any other way of putting it!

[ULTIMATEDRUMMER]

I find some of his Blink 182 stuff fun to play..

[brittc89]

I find Travis Barker slightly boring, I don't see anything really unique in his style of drumming like I do with other drummers. Ok so he has been in a marching band, but then again, his technique against drummers such as Jojo Mayer and Virgil Donati differs completely! I think Travis Barker is a very adverage drummer.

Sorry for comparing but I couldnt find any other way of putting it!

I have to agree. Just because he has been in marching band doesnt mean he is any better of a drumset player. Drumset and Marching snare require totally different techniques to get what is best from the instrument.

[Jon Cable]

I would like to be $1million poorer than him...love the guy or not, he is extremely popular with the nondrumming, cd buying community....and isn't that where most of us would wanna be??? Apart from the few who would rather be Elvin, starving in a garret for 'the music'...??

[jonescrusher]

I would like to be $1million poorer than him...love the guy or not, he is extremely popular with the nondrumming, cd buying community....and isn't that where most of us would wanna be??? Apart from the few who would rather be Elvin, starving in a garret for 'the music'...??


Haha, wouldn't have taken you for a sellout.

[Jon Cable]

Haha, wouldn't have taken you for a sellout.
I'm 44, living with my wonderful wife and 2 pain in tha a** kids on a student grant of £550/$850 a month for my nursing studies....I'd sleep with you for a pack of cigarettes hunny....

[jonescrusher]

Fruity


............

[BrynnerAgassi]

Travis Barker is good. He is good for the music he plays. I can be honest and say that its not my type of drumming style, but I do respect for his skills.
The reason he has a tv show is all about $$$... Kids love Blink 182, hes married (or was) to a model, so Networks like Mtv will do anything and everything to create buzz around a tv showt hat will make them money, and gain the interest of kids. Why not there smart!
Drummers, musicians, all over the world know the likes of Gadd, Chambers, Weckl, etc.
They do not need a tv show to make them popular...

Brynner

[t_rav]

I have to agree. Just because he has been in marching band doesnt mean he is any better of a drumset player. Drumset and Marching snare require totally different techniques to get what is best from the instrument.
i have to disagree..
listen to Box Car Racer "cat like thief" and "watch the world"..
and then delete you're dumb posts

[foursticks]

i have to disagree..
listen to Box Car Racer "cat like thief" and "watch the world"..
and then delete you're dumb posts

Listen to anything by Jojo Mayer - who hasn't studied marching drumming, then listen to Travis. Then delete your stupid posts.

[brittc89]

i have to disagree..
listen to Box Car Racer "cat like thief" and "watch the world"..
and then delete you're dumb posts

No thank you. Ill keep them in minf though incase I ever want to bludgeon myself to death with a hammer as my ears oozed with blood.

[pdp 9091]

Travis Barker is an awesome drummer and for people to say that he is not versatile and that he only plays punk music is crap. he is very musical and plays a lot of hip-hop, his drumming is featured with some of todays hottest artists..

He's made remixes and worked with artists from avril lavigne to Rihanna to Paul Wall. Hes even played with some country artists (look it up on youtube). Lately barkers been turning normal rap songs into rock remixes. I lovveeeee hearing his rock remixes. Theyre so tight

[aegir77]

for me, he's a good drummer, not an excellent drummer..
i believe he is overrated.. but.. he's gone places most drummers would love to be... and in his style he is not that bad.. the guy has my respect, but i don't admire his drumming skills as i do with drummers like vinnie.

[LinearDrummer]

I have to agree. Just because he has been in marching band doesnt mean he is any better of a drumset player. Drumset and Marching snare require totally different techniques to get what is best from the instrument



i have to disagree..
listen to Box Car Racer "cat like thief" and "watch the world"..
and then delete you're dumb posts

Actually if you take off your TB worship glasses you'd see what Brittc89 wrote is very true....

I played for my college pep band at the football games and when I first joined I was very intimidated by the incredible technique the snare drummers had....however when it was time for the teacher to decide who got the number one drum seat on the kit he picked me cause their feel and coordination was really lacking....

[Big_Philly]

He's a good drummer, I think his drumming was the driving force of blink-182 more than the guitar or bass playing. He's probably the most talented member of blink 182.

[AnthonyB]

Yesterday, my friend asked me to learn part of one of his solos, and one of his 'remixes' of an existing drum track.
I watched the videos, and came to the conclusion that Barker relies purely on speed and thrashing big cymbals, than actually having any talent.

[jonescrusher]

Yesterday, my friend asked me to learn part of one of his solos, and one of his 'remixes' of an existing drum track.
I watched the videos, and came to the conclusion that Barker relies purely on speed and thrashing big cymbals, than actually having any talent.


Rubbish, he's woodshedded and paid his dues like all the other successful drummers. Try actually transcribing note for note his parts and play them as he plays them. These parts aren't easy. He has fantastic rudimental ability.

[That Guy]

Rubbish, he's woodshedded and paid his dues like all the other successful drummers. Try actually transcribing note for note his parts and play them as he plays them. These parts aren't easy. He has fantastic rudimental ability.

Definately.

You know jones.. I wonder sometimes how people can think guys like TB have no talent? I guess they just haven't become familiar with the foundations of drumming or else they would get it. I'm not really a Barker fan, but man.. that dude can play.

[t_rav]

for god sake.. i never said he was the best XXXXXXXXXXXX marching drummer on the planet.. i just said hes quite good.. and he was the first to mix the marching stuff with pop/punk rock or even hip.hop music..
ive listened to jojo mayer.. in fact hes not my favourite drummer just because of the music he plays.. so what? yeah.. he plays like hell he has an amazing technique.. who cares?
travis barker is the best on his busineess and thats it.
and if you guys dont like him.. why the hell are you here..!?.. we all know hes overrated.. and thats because of the sucsess his bands had.. (maybe because of him.. --')

[jonescrusher]

for god sake.. i never said he was the bestXXXXXXXXXXXmarching drummer on the planet.. i just said hes quite good.. and he was the first to mix the marching stuff with pop/punk rock or even hip.hop music..
ive listened to jojo mayer.. in fact hes not my favourite drummer just because of the music he plays.. so what? yeah.. he plays like hell he has an amazing technique.. who cares?
travis barker is the best on his busineess and thats it.
and if you guys dont like him.. why the hell are you here..!?.. we all know hes overrated.. and thats because of the sucsess his bands had.. (maybe because of him.. --')


You've clearly proven yourself far too immature to take part in discusssion on this board. Bye.

[brennenlesser]

There really cool! Check them out!

Looks like an altered carmine stick

[halfwayinn]

I like Travis Barker! He is a very good, if not one of the best out & out pop/rock drummers that is lucky enough to be living the dream. On the other side of the spectrum, the likes of Neal Peart and Thomas Lang et al are both incredibly talented technicians of their instrument who cannot possibly be compared with the likes of TB. And I admire Travis for that reason, that he isn't the best technical drummer in the world, but plays for the music.

I have been impressed just recently with the amount of young talented drummers but I fear there is too much emphasis on rudiments and technique. I do understand you need technique but it seems to be becoming like a science. I think it should be about creating drama, giving people an adrenalin rush. That’s why I loved what Travis Barker did with Blink 182! In my opinion drumming is an art, not a science. It’s there to entertain. Listen to TB with 'Rock Show' and he is so groovy, it’s simple but it moves you.

Barker isn't just a heavy hitter or a speed demon. He is funky; he has much more finesse than people seem to credit him for these days. It should be about the music.

[mattsmith]

for god sake.. i never said he was the best marching drummer on the planet.. i just said hes quite good.. and he was the first to mix the marching stuff with pop/punk rock or even hip.hop music..
ive listened to jojo mayer.. in fact hes not my favourite drummer just because of the music he plays.. so what? yeah.. he plays like hell he has an amazing technique.. who cares?
travis barker is the best on his busineess and thats it.
and if you guys dont like him.. why the hell are you here..!?.. we all know hes overrated.. and thats because of the sucsess his bands had.. (maybe because of him.. --')

Well man, it's not about us liking or disliking him. Boo McAfee, the founder of WFD says he's a very nice guy. So I'm pretty certain I would like him if I met him. But everyone here is allowed to discuss his music if that's our wish. I mean why would ALL people come here to worship him? Isn't a fan site where you go for that? The old Blink 182 is site still up, right? I know it was a few months ago.

I do want to pick at your claim that he is some kind of innovator for mixing a flavor of marching music into his own genre. Actually people have been doing that with all kinds of music for over 100 years, and New Orleans second line drummers were incorporating the marching thing into the earliest attempts at punk/pop in the early 1980s, or when Barker was in the 1st grade. So that just didn't happen. This was followed by the same thing occuring with hip hop in the mid 1980s. Again, no.

Besides, it's time we put this mighty Barker marching band career to rest. Man, he marched maybe one full season his sophmore year in high school. That's it ...nothing more, including that fabled drum corps career that a lot Barker fans go on and on about, that also never happened. Less than one season doesn't even match up to the collective preseason marching band camps that most of us Americans go through in a normal high school career. To say that this drink of water changed him as a drummer or altered the direction of a significant drum style within an important musical evolution is beyond ridiculous, and from what I hear about Barker, would really embarrass him.

One of the reasons you don't hear anymore new urban legends about Travis Barker is because he supposedly cooled down those press agents he used to have, who were actually the ones exaggerating that stuff to begin with. . In truth, he almost had a real issue with the story about how he was practicing for the WFD world finals and planned to win it. A lot of those competitors were really lickin' their chops over that one because that absolutely wasn't going to work out well.

Then it turns out that he was this nice, cool guy who wasn't pushing any of that stuff. He had nothing to do with it. Still despite his curtailing the new stories, these old ones/ like his being a marching band demon/innovator, continue with no end in sight, because so many of his fans just won't believe the real truth.

[That Guy]

In truth, he almost had a real issue with the story about how he was practicing for the WFD world finals and planned to win it. A lot of those competitors were really lickin' their chops over that one because that absolutely wasn't going to work out well.

I bet they were almost rabid dogs.

[t_rav]

Well man, it's not about us liking or disliking him. Boo McAfee, the founder of WFD says he's a very nice guy. So I'm pretty certain I would like him if I met him. But everyone here is allowed to discuss his music if that's our wish. I mean why would ALL people come here to worship him? Isn't a fan site where you go for that? The old Blink 182 is site still up, right? I know it was a few months ago.

I do want to pick at your claim that he is some kind of innovator for mixing a flavor of marching music into his own genre. Actually people have been doing that with all kinds of music for over 100 years, and New Orleans second line drummers were incorporating the marching thing into the earliest attempts at punk/pop in the early 1980s, or when Barker was in the 1st grade. So that just didn't happen. This was followed by the same thing occuring with hip hop in the mid 1980s. Again, no.

Besides, it's time we put this mighty Barker marching band career to rest. Man, he marched maybe one full season his sophmore year in high school. That's it ...nothing more, including that fabled drum corps career that a lot Barker fans go on and on about, that also never happened. Less than one season doesn't even match up to the collective preseason marching band camps that most of us Americans go through in a normal high school career. To say that this drink of water changed him as a drummer or altered the direction of a significant drum style within an important musical evolution is beyond ridiculous, and from what I hear about Barker, would really embarrass him.

One of the reasons you don't hear anymore new urban legends about Travis Barker is because he supposedly cooled down those press agents he used to have, who were actually the ones exaggerating that stuff to begin with. . In truth, he almost had a real issue with the story about how he was practicing for the WFD world finals and planned to win it. A lot of those competitors were really lickin' their chops over that one because that absolutely wasn't going to work out well.

Then it turns out that he was this nice, cool guy who wasn't pushing any of that stuff. He had nothing to do with it. Still despite his curtailing the new stories, these old ones/ like his being a marching band demon/innovator, continue with no end in sight, because so many of his fans just won't believe the real truth.


The real truth is that is overrated.. so what? hes quite good at what he does.. thats my point.. in fact he is the best on the business.. pop punk.. hiphop remix's..
i'm a fan.. yeah.. but i dont think hes te greatest drummer ever.. not even close.. of course not.. we would all be lost if he was.. so what? hes good and ive heard on his albuns fills and gooves i have never heard before and i actually listen to those greats cats.. tony williams, rich, collaiuta, all the guys at the modern drummer festivals.. (just to say that i'm not a non-drummer who only listen to THAT guy)
thats all. sorry if i didnt express myself correctly.. =?

[nebula821]

My input on this obviously popular topic. I really like his sound and I think he would sound really great in the right situation. It's unfortunate that he plays "pop-punk" because I think he could do really well in a progressive context.

[reddrummer90]

I have a very unoriginal friend that went through a travis barker phase, even tried starting his own clothing line like him, hes a good drummer,(barker not the friend) but in my experience everyone I've met that likes him say he's a good drummer because they like the way he dresses, has his own show etc.,

What I'm trying to say is it's not the guy i have a problem with, its most of his fans, or mtv people in general. I hate how stupid people can be with stuff like this. The guy desevres what he has but its all these freakin little barkertards running around saying he owned so and so's favorite drummer that pisses alot of serious drummers off.

and another question, how come when you give your opinion it's called giving your two cents, but when someones wants it they say pennie for your thoughts?

[Diaz]

Travis is the drummer everyone loves to hate.

As for his ability, he's extremely talented. And maybe he plays a lot of fast around the tom stuff, that most of us could do. But i'm sure Travis could tear up the jazz/latin as well, and not to mention having some monster chops.

[That Guy]

and another question, how come when you give your opinion it's called giving your two cents, but when someones wants it they say pennie for your thoughts?

Maybe its becuase thier is a difference between "opinion" and "thoughts."

"Opinons" are a personal view: the view somebody takes about a certain issue, especially when it is based solely on personal judgment. "Opinons" are usually a fairly well thought out view of a specific case wether truly informed or not. The individual has dedicated some time to the thought therefore forming an "opinion." therefore its worth more to the individual giving it. 2 cents

"Thoughts" are the process of considering: the process of applying the mind to thinking about a particular person or subject. An opinion usually isn't formed by this point of time in the thought process, but its getting there. Hence, only worth a penny.

Now, I have no idea if I'm right.. but it sounds good.

[dubstyly]

I have a very unoriginal friend that went through a travis barker phase, even tried starting his own clothing line like him, hes a good drummer,(barker not the friend) but in my experience everyone I've met that likes him say he's a good drummer because they like the way he dresses, has his own show etc.,

What I'm trying to say is it's not the guy i have a problem with, its most of his fans, or mtv people in general. I hate how stupid people can be with stuff like this. The guy desevres what he has but its all these freakin little barkertards running around saying he owned so and so's favorite drummer that pisses alot of serious drummers off.

and another question, how come when you give your opinion it's called giving your two cents, but when someones wants it they say pennie for your thoughts?

he is a very talented drummer, however i do believe your right, mtv and the hordes of emo fans know him for his clothing line or for his cars, he doesnt get enough credit as a drummer

[michael drums]

Maybe its becuase thier is a difference between "opinion" and "thoughts."

"Opinons" are a personal view: the view somebody takes about a certain issue, especially when it is based solely on personal judgment. "Opinons" are usually a fairly well thought out view of a specific case wether truly informed or not. The individual has dedicated some time to the thought therefore forming an "opinion." therefore its worth more to the individual giving it. 2 cents

"Thoughts" are the process of considering: the process of applying the mind to thinking about a particular person or subject. An opinion usually isn't formed by this point of time in the thought process, but its getting there. Hence, only worth a penny.

Now, I have no idea if I'm right.. but it sounds good.

Great post, TG! Thank You for that.

Hee...hee... Love that last sentence! ;-)

Play On! :-)

[Bernhard]

Great post, TG! Thank You for that.

Hee...hee... Love that last sentence! ;-)

Play On! :-)

Yes, but wrong place!!! It's the Travis Place

Bernhard

[michael drums]

Yes, but wrong place!!! It's the Travis Place

Bernhard

True, Bernhard...

Absolutely! ;-)

All my respect to T.B.


Peace...

[the skin man]

So you're saying he's both fast and excellent, but you'd prefer him to be admired for his excellence rather than his speed? Believe me, there are plenty of people admire him for the "right" reasons.

I admire him for his tattoos, but I'm not sure if that counts as one of the right reasons or not.

[Erik Lund]

I haven't heard one thing from Barker that would suggest I would enjoy listening to him in a jazz setting...I don't understand how the internet, with the world at everyone's fingertips, is developing more and more people who have no idea what they're talking about. This isn't even an issue of "jazz snob" whatever. This is an issue of people's fans bragging/riling-people-up from behind their keyboards.

I'm too scared to admit it? What is this, 3rd grade?

I doubt Barker would *suggest* it, and yet some of his fans think he is infalable. That's all well and good, but it begs me to ask you: What do you think is good jazz?

[tak22thegoat]

Travis Barker? I've never heard him in +44, but in his blink182 days, I would think, what the heck is he doing? In other hands, Tre Cool, the drummer for Green Day, puts in great beats and fills, not to technical, etc, and has great control over his fills. For example, he can go fast on his tom fills but with power and even strokes.

Travis Barker has great hands, power, creativity, but from what I have heard in Blink182, he sounds like another drummer on YouTube playing metal, and fast punk songs.
But keep in mind that without Barker, a lot of young drummers now wouldn't be playing they are now, go on youtube and look for blink182 covers. most of the people that have posted a video has other videos, and on their other videos you can clealry see that there is a Travis Barker influence in their some where.

[That Guy]

I don't understand how the internet, with the world at everyone's fingertips, is developing more and more people who have no idea what they're talking about.

Becuase information, or should I say MIS-information is so readily available that people are not able to distinguish true from false. We live in a society that promotes independent thinking. A natural outcome of that type of society are its members believing that what they personally think or know is the only truth out there. Most of these opinons or thoughts have never been given the time of day to be researched to see if they hold any weight or truth. So thier opinions are stated as facts when truthfully they are only the dross of ingorance.

Whoops, this thread is about Travis Barker not society.

[Kirsh]

the thing that makes me mad is non drummers giving opinions about who is the best drummer, i dont get into discussion of topics in which i am ignorant. and theres where he got his fame and "success" as musician 3 riff and 2 4. also i dont think he has achieved his goal as an artist because he has lots of money ,imo the career of an artist never ends because theres always something more to learn or do better and for wht i have seen he is the same drummer he was 4 years ago.

the videos arent impressive at all, anda some say he is fast? jojo mayer can get to that speed with one hand, also doesnt need to make and effort and start hitting harder. but the thing is he doess not need to do that stuff to get our respect
music is about creativity and innovation no offense to t b fans i but have seen his stuff too many times before his name was first spoken.

[t_rav]

I just want him to film himself playing for 1 hour.. without music..
then we could see and discuss about how good he is.. or hes not..

[hailhail]

the videos arent impressive at all, anda some say he is fast? jojo mayer can get to that speed with one hand, also doesnt need to make and effort and start hitting harder.

I agree. Travis Barker is a good drummer, no doubt about it, but nothing special.

[t_rav]

he did in fact learned and played in jazz bands in the beggining folk

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

he did in fact learned and played in jazz bands in the beggining folk

Doesn't mean he's Elvin Jones. One of my first experiences was playing in a jazz band, doesn't mean I'm good at jazz at all, I'm not. I really can't imagine him playing in that context well, show me him doing it well and I'll believe you, but nothing has made me aware of his 'jazz credentials'.

[bart60]

My opinion of travis is that his strong sides are
1. putting up a good show (you can tell he likes to drum) and
2. he is perfect for his type of music.
His technique is not the best, he could be much faster, and I haven't heard him play anything but alternative punk/punk rock or however you want to label blink 182 and +44. Too bad imo, since i think (and I believe many of you will agree with me) that a good drummer is a versatile drummer. But I actually really like travis because of the above stated strong sides.

[mattsmith]

he did in fact learned and played in jazz bands in the beggining folk

Travis Barker played ocassionally in his high school jazz band. That's his own statement BTW. This is certainly not the same as implying that he had some formative years playing in professional jazz settings as his press agent tried to push along.

Most American high school jazz bands merely flirt with jazz, and are in most cases pep bands with a big band instrumentation. That's not to say that there aren't some serious ones that play actual jazz, but they represent the minority, and they are all amateur. For you to make such a connection would be the same as another high school band kid using his tympani rolls on 1812 Overture to demonstrate a legitemate background in classical music.

As I've said before Barker didn't start a lot of this talk. He had a press agent who used to create legend from the smallest crumb of truth, knowing that his fanatics would run with it, whether it was tue or not. This compares with him being famously credited with drum corps experience, when he only once merely talked about trying out, before joining a rock band instead.

Man, people would be a lot more interested in discussing this issue with you, if your obsessive fanaticism for your hero was not so obvious.

[Jon Cable]

Travis Barker played ocassionally in his high school jazz band. That's his own statement BTW. This is certainly not the same as implying that he had some formative years playing in professional jazz settings as his press agent tried to push along.

Most American high school jazz bands merely flirt with jazz, and are in most cases pep bands with a big band instrumentation. That's not to say that there aren't some serious ones that play actual jazz, but they represent the minority, and they are all amateur. For you to make such a connection would be the same as another high school band kid using his tympani rolls on 1812 Overture to demonstrate a legitemate background in classical music.

As I've said before Barker didn't start a lot of this talk. He had a press agent who used to create legend from the smallest crumb of truth, knowing that his fanatics would run with it, whether it was tue or not. This compares with him being famously credited with drum corps experience, when he only once merely talked about trying out, before joining a rock band instead.
Does that make Travis a jazz snob??? LMBFAO!

[foursticks]

he did in fact learned and played in jazz bands in the beggining folk

A high school jazz band and being taught by a jazz drummer does not make you magically able to truly play jazz. Without meaning to sound like a jazzsnob here, but its not even just with jazz - any genre takes thoughtful listening and study to truly be able to play it.

Oh, and in the least offensive way of putting this - you really need to act your age when posting as you can come off as a stubborn 10 year old, who isn't quite getting his own way.
I understand he's your hero, but just because someone critises him doesn't mean they're wrong. Someone people say Elvin Jones sounds like someone falling down some stairs - I can see why they would think that, but to me he's an incredible emotional player with incredible creativity, technique and passion. I would think that they didn't understand his playing, or appreciate his style - which is fair enough. Sorry to go off topic, but try to see different opinions. Matt once said that people with gigantic opinions who get angry at those with different ones, don't go down well in this place - too true.

[mattsmith]

Does that make Travis a jazz snob??? LMBFAO!

But seriously Jon, it is interesting that so many of these guys seem to go out of their way to get the word jazz into their resumes, even if they have to stretch like a rubber band to do it.

But again, I still think we have to be fair to Travis Barker. I don't think he transmits all this misinformation about himself. All that apparently happens is a press agent leaves a bread crumb and guys like t_rav just run with it.

[Jon Cable]

Wouldn't it be entertaining if t_rav was actually Travis himself??? just come on here to see what we all thought of him??
I think he's the greatest t_rav; the best jazz drummer, the best pop-punk drummer, the best snare drummer, the best tympanist, the best one-man band....etc
Actually I think he's a pretty good drummer who was extremely lucky to be in a band that became huge! He seems a nice guy, and it's his fans that annoy ppl more than Travis does!!

[BringoDingo]

"He seems a nice guy, and it's his fans that annoy ppl more than Travis does!!"

word

[jonescrusher]

Actually I think he's a pretty good drummer who was extremely lucky to be in a band that became huge! He seems a nice guy, and it's his fans that annoy ppl more than Travis does!![/FONT]


Not wanting to appear a fanboy (God no), but from what i've learned of his history, he pulled himself up out of a life of emptying dustbins by woodshedding as hard as many other world famous drummer. It's because he practised his craft that he got to a standard higher than 'pretty good', and through talent more than luck joined Blink One Hundred and Eighty-two band (of course turning out to be by far the most talented member)

Don't get me wrong, the music he makes is on the whole boring and repetitive to me, but through the direction of a teacher, I got a chance to break down some of his licks and aspects of his playing, and saw that they require great amounts of speed, stamina and technique to pull off. Don't underestimate his ability as a drummer because of the music he makes.

[chopsy]

I liked his work with the Aquabats, pre-182. If anything, I bet he was chosen to drum for blink because of the chops he displayed with the Aquabats

[Jon Cable]

Not wanting to appear a fanboy (God no), but from what i've learned of his history, he pulled himself up out of a life of emptying dustbins by woodshedding as hard as many other world famous drummer. It's because he practised his craft that he got to a standard higher than 'pretty good', and through talent more than luck joined Blink One Hundred and Eighty-two band (of course turning out to be by far the most talented member)

Don't get me wrong, the music he makes is on the whole boring and repetitive to me, but through the direction of a teacher, I got a chance to break down some of his licks and aspects of his playing, and saw that they require great amounts of speed, stamina and technique to pull off. Don't underestimate his ability as a drummer because of the music he makes.
I wasn't criticising him bro; just making the point that anyone who is in a band that huge is extremely lucky, sadly musical talent seems to have no proportionate relation to musical success. Not that TB or Blink weren't talented guys, BUT we all know musicians who blow our minds, but don't achieve popular success.

[chaoticharmonyIL]

i dont see anything special in travis barker's drumming. he only has one cool beat ive heard (adam's song) and the way that it's just chords in that song means that he has total freedom to play whatever he wants. other than that, everything ive heard him play sounds exactly the same. the drum solo i saw him do would hardly qualify as a drum solo from anyone else, it's just a couple extended fills and a very simplistic beat. I dont get why you guys all think hes so great...

[remoking]

I think Travis is an excellent drummer, and deserves all the credit he gets. I'm not saying he's THE best drummer, but I like his style. I'm a big fan of his drumming in the "early" years of Blink-182. Over all Travis is a good drummer, and with out a doubt, one of the best "punk-rock" drummers out there.

~ Remoking ~

[wad]

travis is well talented hes so complex and fast!

[Vinnysimmo]

travis is well talented hes so complex and fast!

Fast? Yes.
Complex? No.

[cavica]

I think he's one of the better dummers out there, probably not the best, but still very good. His playing style fits his music, and some of his beats are really cool. I like his work with the Aquabtas and Boxcar Racer the most.

[wad]

what snare does he use!

[petelawless]

[QUOTE=wad;401772]travis is well talented hes so complex and fast!

If I had a penny for every time I've heard someone say that......I just don't get it. He obviously has very loyal fans but I don't think many of them are drummers...

[matty_boy]

Hey everyone i read every post on this topic so far and all i really have to say is: respect.
im only 17 years of age and i've only been drumming for 5 years but as a musician i respect all types of music and all other musician goals and acheivments and i respect travis barker for his acheivments, sure he may not be THE BEST drummer but clearly he's not the worst or he would not be where he is today. as i said before im only 17 years of age and the rest of you may not care about what i have to say but i think as musicians we have an obligation to encourage and support all others in there musical goals. I myself am into more hardcore metal or some of you may know it as screamo, but just because im not so much into travis' genra of music i do respect him for what he can do. I'm still learning and trying to expand my skill and i may want to take my drumming somewhere some day but i have to say after reading some of the posts on this forum im somewhat discouraged. So if you'll take anything from what i've said take respect because its the laest you can give to support someone.

[ErNeStIn_182]

Well i have been playing drums for quite some time (years) and maybe it is because i am 16 or what, but i find travis very talented, he is my favourite drummer and will always be..

i know he sometimes gets boring because in his solos he usually does the same thing but i like it, he doesn´t have a great set and with what he has, he does lots of cool things!

maybe my opinion is not so valid as some of you here, obviously lots of you know more than me about drums, techniques and stuff and from your point of view travis is really bad but just respect people who think he is the best or simply like it a lot(like me).

Besides Travis being my favourite drummer, i know he is not the best.. that's known by everybody, there is LOTS and LOTS of drummers out there more talented than him, we all know it.

[indiadrummer]

I used to be an avid rock fan, but now find myself more interested in technical death metal and some jazz (I prefer drums that take thinking if you know what I mean). I also believe Travis is overrated. I have some friends who say that "Oh my god Travis is so good". But looking at his solos, all I see is some crazy ape bashing his drums as hard as he can. Of course, he's playing rock, but he has no class at all. He just thinks fast chops and loudness can substitute feel. Travis Barker seems like one of those drummers who can only play loud music, when in reality the best musicians can play absolutely anything thrown at them. This is just my opinion, and I respect anybody else's thoughts about Barker. I just think he's a terrible example of overrating.

[votard]

I used to listen to blink all the time, and mainly listened to the same song over and over again because of travis' drumming. He really adds a lot to blinks music. To me, its just basically a drum song with some appealing power chords and bass and voice(I don't find tom's voice annoying, although i do like marks singing even more). But I thought he was "supergood" before I had even really heard of bonham, peart, or portnoy. But his style is hard to imitate(for me anyways).

even though this thread is about just travis barker, doesn't anyone think blink could have been "more punk"/better if they had stuck with Scott Raynor? I really liked his style, playing d-beats and have having really simple, but smooth fills. They way blink played songs with him were better imo. Not so much pop punk. I think they way he played(please correct me if I'm wrong) is called crustpunk. Simple, but appealing to me.

[jesusfetusis6]

i was really surprised to see that there are/were 27 pages on this. he's a talented drummer no doubt, but it seems a lot of the people that say "he's the best drummer ever" are people that have never even picked up a pair of sticks or haven't been playing long enough to know other drummers [of the past or present] to compare him to. that aside, he's good but it's mostly just hype, recently he's seemed to have done drum remixes for hip-hop songs (i.e. soulja boy, pharrell williams) and it's very apparent that mostly all of the rap/hip-hop community (with the exception of ?uestlove) does not drum, (i don't know anyone who considers loops or drum machines drumming) though i'm not saying that may or may not be changing.

bottom line, it's all hype from people that don't know anything about drumming. is he talented? yes. is he the best? probably not. is he the fastest? no (look up gabe serbian - though he's probably not the fastest either). it's all just b/s imo, and i'm tired of hearing about the guy.

[jonescrusher]

i was really surprised to see that there are/were 27 pages on this. he's a talented drummer no doubt, but it seems a lot of the people that say "he's the best drummer ever" are people that have never even picked up a pair of sticks or haven't been playing long enough to know other drummers [of the past or present] to compare him to. that aside, he's good but it's mostly just hype, recently he's seemed to have done drum remixes for hip-hop songs (i.e. soulja boy, pharrell williams) and it's very apparent that mostly all of the rap/hip-hop community (with the exception of ?uestlove) does not drum, (i don't know anyone who considers loops or drum machines drumming) though i'm not saying that may or may not be changing.

bottom line, it's all hype from people that don't know anything about drumming. is he talented? yes. is he the best? probably not. is he the fastest? no (look up gabe serbian - though he's probably not the fastest either). it's all just b/s imo, and i'm tired of hearing about the guy.



Why are you surprised there are so many comments? He's the drummer in one of the biggest bands in the world nad he has a brash, instantly gratifying style of playing. Nothing more, nothing less. Barker and what he does has nothing to do with the hype he attracts.

[luigic]

to all you morons talking down about travis or saying he's a mediocre and overated drummer, you clearly don't know much.
travis is easily one of the best drummers of the last decade if not thee best.
i'd like to see half you drummers do what he can do.
have any of you people seen travis actually play without music just some of his freestyle's?
he's basically capable of doing anything on the drums.
and he's proved it if any of you people are educated about him.
you guys are complete idiots trying to say he's just ok.

[Resok]

i was really surprised to see that there are/were 27 pages on this. he's a talented drummer no doubt, but it seems a lot of the people that say "he's the best drummer ever" are people that have never even picked up a pair of sticks or haven't been playing long enough to know other drummers [of the past or present] to compare him to.

You've hit the nail on the head.
I 100% agree with you, it's like you see drumming videos to famous songs on youtube, and the people are doing amateur mistakes such as not playing semi quaver bass drum notes properly, and it's basically a technical sham, but people who don't play the drums still go "Wow, nice stuff" or "YOU'RE AS GOOD AS JOEY JORDINSON" (When it's a jazz video)

[selerky]

Hey everyone i read every post on this topic so far and all i really have to say is: respect.
im only 17 years of age and i've only been drumming for 5 years but as a musician i respect all types of music and all other musician goals and acheivments and i respect travis barker for his acheivments, sure he may not be THE BEST drummer but clearly he's not the worst or he would not be where he is today. as i said before im only 17 years of age and the rest of you may not care about what i have to say but i think as musicians we have an obligation to encourage and support all others in there musical goals. I myself am into more hardcore metal or some of you may know it as screamo, but just because im not so much into travis' genra of music i do respect him for what he can do. I'm still learning and trying to expand my skill and i may want to take my drumming somewhere some day but i have to say after reading some of the posts on this forum im somewhat discouraged. So if you'll take anything from what i've said take respect because its the laest you can give to support someone.

thanks, matty_boy.

luigic, I've never seen Barker play his freestyles, whatever that is. (I am very new to drumming, I only started last year, so any enlightenment will be accepted w/thanks)
What i've seen, though, he is superfast, so he picks up lots of non-drumming fans (incl. me) ,and he has power, he just uses it for fast licks hither an' yon. While this doesnt take away from the music, it's not really talent/creativity. I like Blink 182, but frankly, he hasn't come up w/ too many really good beats.

[Matt-a-tat-tat]

if you want to hear fast AND complex. Peter Wildoer of Darkane and Brann Dailor of Mastodon. I don't think about Travis Barker's playing. I think more about how Travis Barker is decidely NOT punk in any way shape or form. Thinking about his drumming right now after reading some of the posts here: I agree. The guy's all speed and no substance. It's the same old boring idea that fast equals good. Speed Ringo Starr up to 160 bpm or something and even he'll sound as sick as Travis Barker. (note: I like Ringo Starr).

[ihitdrumz]

travis is well talented hes so complex and fast!

lol.
to be honest i dont even think hes that fast
and hes not complex..

[Vinnysimmo]

to all you morons talking down about travis or saying he's a mediocre and overated drummer,

you guys are complete idiots trying to say he's just ok.

Well done, how very mature of you, calling people idiotic and moronic because they don't agree with you.
Great.

[jonescrusher]

lol.
to be honest i dont even think hes that fast
and hes not complex..


For some reason i'm compelled to look in on this thread. His speed is undeniable, and i say that as someone who can't stand the music he makes or the sound of his playing. Having briefly studied his style of playing, I can safely say he's done a lot of practice to be able to do what he does.

Even if you dislike what he does I recommend trying to transcribe and break down some of his parts and try to play them. 9 out of 10 amateurs will struggle to get a lot his parts up to speed, but is worthwhile to get an idea of where your chops are at, whatever style you play.

[OCDP_Austria]

Hey guys!!
you must forgive me when i write something wrong in english....I'm fourteen and from austria ;)

Travis barker is my favourite drummer!!!But I never would think that he is the best one^^ :)
I think the best one is Thomas Lang [Austrians are fine ;)]....
You can't compare two drummers like them......they have completely different styles....
I like what Travis is playing...it just sounds very good...one reason for this is that it's so fast....

But other drummers play with 10 pedals and 15 cymbals....of course they have more coordination and must think a lot more.....

but for what travis is playing.....he is the best one !!!

[drummer_kid]

So i've read some of your posts saying things like you don't think that Travis isthe best drummer because he's only got a FEW of the attributes that "the best" drummers should have....well.....then what are they? travis has speed, creativity, he catches on real quick, and he's good in many types of music....what other things does it take?.... i'm just asking so then i can know what kind of things i need to work on

[Matt-a-tat-tat]

have a listen to his "drum solo." it's pretty awful stuff. don't ever do what he does in it.

[jonescrusher]

So i've read some of your posts saying things like you don't think that Travis isthe best drummer because he's only got a FEW of the attributes that "the best" drummers should have....well.....then what are they? travis has speed, creativity, he catches on real quick, and he's good in many types of music....what other things does it take?.... i'm just asking so then i can know what kind of things i need to work on



Well, you need all those things, but developed to a much higher standard than Travis Barker. When has Barker shown to be good in many types of music? He's great in playing loud pop-punk, but i'm not sure he's ever demonstrated the dynamic ability to play funk or jazz for example.

[drummer_kid]

Well, you need all those things, but developed to a much higher standard than Travis Barker. When has Barker shown to be good in many types of music? He's great in playing loud pop-punk, but i'm not sure he's ever demonstrated the dynamic ability to play funk or jazz for example.
well...i see your point... but he did start out drumming mainly with jazz... so i guess you could say his roots are in jazz and rudemental stuff..... but i do see where you are coming from.... and thinking abouyt it more.... i am changing my statment from "the best drummer" to my favorite drummer... because any drummer can improve and i don't think the world will ever see "the best" drummer, because there's always gonna be someone better

[allthumbs]

Travis Barker is ok...not all that.But he has something we never will fame and fortune.

[Deltadrummer]

Where can I get the intro to Feeling This? I learned it, I just want to make sure it's right.

[t_rav]

HOW CAN YOU SAY TRAVIS IS JUST SPEED AND NO SUBSTANCE!
that only shows you guys dont know his work
listen to boxcar racer and you will hear some of the most creative drum tracks ever!

TRAVIS BARKER IS FAST BUT FAR FAR AWAY FROM BEEING JUST SPEED

[foursticks]

HOW CAN YOU SAY TRAVIS IS JUST SPEED AND NO SUBSTANCE!
that only shows you guys dont know his work
listen to boxcar racer and you will hear some of the most creative drum tracks ever!

TRAVIS BARKER IS FAST BUT FAR FAR AWAY FROM BEEING JUST SPEED

Substance isnt 'just creativity - sure that's an important part of it, but what's the use of it when you can't play it with enough feel?
Travis' playing lacks a certain warmth, which is what some people, I suppose, are saying. He's a classic example of chops over groove..

That's my opinion anyway, so please don't attack me.

[Matt-a-tat-tat]

Travis Barker is an awesome drummer and for people to say that he is not versatile and that he only plays punk music is crap. he is very musical and plays a lot of hip-hop, his drumming is featured with some of todays hottest artists. If you think he's over rated, "who cares" he is not a self absorbed person what-so-ever and never suggested that he was the greatest or fastest drummer. He is doing his job and that is to play drums.

Travis Barker doesn't play punk and neither does Blink 182 because Travis Barker isn't punk and neither is Blink 182. Wannabes, posers: yes. Punks: no.

[skippy]

well in modern drummer travis said he wast just a punk drummer matt. i also love how all of you people decided for some reason that you have the skill and ability to judge every drummer. every one of you is on the steve gadd jojo mayer(i love both of them) band wagon. if someone comes on with a different opinion then you all attack them. travis is not the best drummer. i learned to play drums by playing along with blink cds. but all you "HIGH AND MIGHTY" drummers need to learn that you are in no place to judge them. dont get me wrong some of my favorite drummers are billy martin, jojo mayer, and benny grebb. but that doesnt give me the right to come in here and say this drummer is boring uncreative and has no technique. who cars if they can play jazz and funk. they are playing what they love to play just as you and i do. i know this will not make any of you think twice about what you say because no matter what you think youre right. so its just whatever. but put yourself in the person who feels that they have to defend their favorite drummer. what if it were steve gadd...?

[Vinnysimmo]

Travis Barker doesn't play punk and neither does Blink 182 because Travis Barker isn't punk and neither is Blink 182. Wannabes, posers: yes. Punks: no.

Agree. (I agree so much that i need 20 charachters to express it)

[drummer_kid]

Substance isnt 'just creativity - sure that's an important part of it, but what's the use of it when you can't play it with enough feel?
Travis' playing lacks a certain warmth, which is what some people, I suppose, are saying. He's a classic example of chops over groove..

That's my opinion anyway, so please don't attack me.

for starters, i'm not attacking you...everyone has there own opinion and it's the mature thing to respect that. but i THINK the reason we don't see much "warmth" from him is beacuse "warmth" isn't is style. i THINK he mostly thinks hit it hard, loud and fast to make a good mark on the song and to leave a good impression. but i think that it's also an imprtant thing to be able to have that sense of warmth on the throne.

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

well in modern drummer travis said he wast just a punk drummer matt. i also love how all of you people decided for some reason that you have the skill and ability to judge every drummer. every one of you is on the steve gadd jojo mayer(i love both of them) band wagon. if someone comes on with a different opinion then you all attack them. travis is not the best drummer. i learned to play drums by playing along with blink cds. but all you "HIGH AND MIGHTY" drummers need to learn that you are in no place to judge them. dont get me wrong some of my favorite drummers are billy martin, jojo mayer, and benny grebb. but that doesnt give me the right to come in here and say this drummer is boring uncreative and has no technique. who cars if they can play jazz and funk. they are playing what they love to play just as you and i do. i know this will not make any of you think twice about what you say because no matter what you think youre right. so its just whatever. but put yourself in the person who feels that they have to defend their favorite drummer. what if it were steve gadd...?




spoken like a TRUE musician.

peace be with you, man.

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

a lot of people on this forum have to be asked this question;
whats your definition of "the best"?

[mattsmith]

well in modern drummer travis said he wast just a punk drummer matt. i also love how all of you people decided for some reason that you have the skill and ability to judge every drummer. every one of you is on the steve gadd jojo mayer(i love both of them) band wagon. if someone comes on with a different opinion then you all attack them. travis is not the best drummer. i learned to play drums by playing along with blink cds. but all you "HIGH AND MIGHTY" drummers need to learn that you are in no place to judge them. dont get me wrong some of my favorite drummers are billy martin, jojo mayer, and benny grebb. but that doesnt give me the right to come in here and say this drummer is boring uncreative and has no technique. who cars if they can play jazz and funk. they are playing what they love to play just as you and i do. i know this will not make any of you think twice about what you say because no matter what you think youre right. so its just whatever. but put yourself in the person who feels that they have to defend their favorite drummer. what if it were steve gadd...?
First of all, my official opinion of Travis Barker is that he's a great drumming entertainer, who is better than his detractors claim, and not nearly on the level his fanboys believe. I also hear he's a super nice guy and a pretty down to earth guy. So he probably gets this too.

But that's not why I came here.

Skippy, I remember when you were around here a lot a couple of years ago. Almost everything that ever came out of your mouth was Travis Barker and how the high and mighty drummers of the world were mistreating him---high and mighty meaning those who didn't go hog wild over your guy like you did. Now you claim that you have these other drummers you admire, but I can't recall a single post where you ever had a qualatative thing to say about them, past one or 2 observations.

Sorry man, that's not opinion, that's blind fanboy adulation.

And that's my opinion, based on observing with great interest your point of view over the years, weighing the evidence, comparing one issue to another, observing how your comments about other drummers were mostly jealousy rants where you pointed out what you believed to be their weaknesses, because you thought admirers of those guys were being unfair to your guy etc...And most importantly listening, listening, listening to all the music, not just half a Buddy Rich video or 30 seconds of Elvin Jones that gives you just enough insight to know that he liked big fat rolls. I mean really listening to the other side. And yeah, I've listened to a lot of Travis Barker. In fact, if you go to the most widely viewed Travis Barker youtubes, you'll see my videos in the response section, 2 inches up from the comments.

That's how you put together an actual opinion. It's not a result of the first knee jerk reaction to come flying out of your head. This is something I have a real problem with on drum forums especially, where somebody will simply dismiss or label every thing ever said an opinion as if every utterance or act of babbling carries equal weight. How convenient it is to use terms like high and mighty when anyone can see that it's nothing but a tactic to even the terms of the discussion, when one side doesn't want to engage in the work required to have a real discussion. So instead the tactic is to try and punk the actual thought as something not cool, or something put out there by a mean old snob to make you look bad. It's also interesting to me that there was this comedy movie a couple of years ago called Idiocracy that made fun of a society 500 years in the future that thought just like this. You ought to look at it man, because almost every character in it is a fanboy who thinks every single thing is an opinion.

Seriously, I'm tired of this POV, because there are a lot of younger guys trying to do it the right way, and to me this dumb it down for everybody stuff just makes everybody under 20 look bad, and it can't be helping the image of Barker, Jordison etc, anymore than the older fanboys of Bonham, Peart or Buddy Rich can possibly be helping them.

You want to be taken more seriously? You listen to the other side and try to be serious about it. And when there are educated contradictions that can proven 1000 different ways, then you have to accept them as facts, and not opinions, because they're 2 different things. Because I don't feel that's something you've ever done.

a lot of people on this forum have to be asked this question; whats your definition of "the best"?
Is that your opinion?

[Jonesy]

dont get me wrong some of my favorite drummers are billy martin, jojo mayer, and benny grebb. but that doesnt give me the right to come in here and say this drummer is boring uncreative and has no technique.

Do you even know what forum you're in?

[mattsmith]

dont get me wrong some of my favorite drummers are billy martin, jojo mayer, and benny grebb. but that doesnt give me the right to come in here and say this drummer is boring uncreative and has no technique.
Of course it gives you no right to say that, because that would constitute an unqualified opinion, thus making your statement wrong. Using the technique comparison for example, to say Mayer had no chops would be a contradiction of the obvious. When for example a Travis fan talks about his blinding untouchable speed, that can be refuted by actual statistics and computer analysis. Some fanboys don't like to hear that, so they respond by saying your actual facts are just your opinion, while their rose colored guess is an opinion of equal value.

See what I'm sayin'? It's a load of garbage and the Internet is only place you see it where anybody takes it seriously.

[Matt-a-tat-tat]

everybody's entitled to their opinion. Some opinions are more informed than others. For instance: if I was an anstronaut and I had seen something I felt was a flying saucer and held the opinion that flying saucers were real and you (not an astronaut and had not ever seen anything that could not be explained) held the opinion that flying saucers were not real, my opinion would be more informed than yours. Some of the drummers on here have a ton of skill and education and style to have an informed, qualified opinion of travis barker: mainly that he sucks and is overrated. I for one cannot stand Mustard. It is my opinion that mustard sucks. To others Mustard is great. Does the fact that I think mustard sucks mean that I'm an idiot or that I shouldn't express my opinion that Mustard sucks? Now it might be difficult to have a real informed, qualified, expert opinion that thwarts all other's attempts at swaying me or someone about the virtues of Mustard but it's still an opinion and it's valid. I also think travis barker is a terrible but capable drummer - he has maintained a career as a drummer but he gets more praise than he deserves. Mainly I hate him because now all these little Xgames rapper d-bags are running around sporting the poser punk look calling themselves punks and ruining a subculture I hold very close and dear to my heart. And it's all his fault. Him and the morons who rapped that Butterfly Sugar song and the Cottonmouth Kings.

and just because someone says they're a punk doesn't mean they're a punk. it takes a little more than a bunch of tattoos and a mohawk (which puh diddy or diddy or whatever that retard calls himself was sporting a while ago) to make someone a punk.

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

everybody's entitled to their opinion. Some opinions are more informed than others. For instance: if I was an anstronaut and I had seen something I felt was a flying saucer and held the opinion that flying saucers were real and you (not an astronaut and had not ever seen anything that could not be explained) held the opinion that flying saucers were not real, my opinion would be more informed than yours. Some of the drummers on here have a ton of skill and education and style to have an informed, qualified opinion of travis barker: mainly that he sucks and is overrated. I for one cannot stand Mustard. It is my opinion that mustard sucks. To others Mustard is great. Does the fact that I think mustard sucks mean that I'm an idiot or that I shouldn't express my opinion that Mustard sucks? Now it might be difficult to have a real informed, qualified, expert opinion that thwarts all other's attempts at swaying me or someone about the virtues of Mustard but it's still an opinion and it's valid. I also think travis barker is a terrible but capable drummer - he has maintained a career as a drummer but he gets more praise than he deserves. Mainly I hate him because now all these little Xgames rapper d-bags are running around sporting the poser punk look calling themselves punks and ruining a subculture I hold very close and dear to my heart. And it's all his fault. Him and the morons who rapped that Butterfly Sugar song and the Cottonmouth Kings.

and just because someone says they're a punk doesn't mean they're a punk. it takes a little more than a bunch of tattoos and a mohawk (which puh diddy or diddy or whatever that retard calls himself was sporting a while ago) to make someone a punk.



but its still an opinion. informed as they may be.

[Matt-a-tat-tat]

but its still an opinion. informed as they may be.


True. But for instance, a Cardiologist's opinion about your veins and heart is stronger and probably more important than some bum's on the street opinion even if the guy has read a book or two about Cardiology. Sure you could get a second or third or more opinions from other Cardiologists but that in no way diminishes the fact that Cardiologists' opinions are more valued than non-Cardiologists. Now of course health is more black and white than aesthetics but there are concrete things one can look at when determining that someone like Travis Barker sucks or a piece of art sucks and TRUE, in the end it all boils down to personal feelings and personal opinion. I could pee on the sidewalk and then punch myself in the nose and bleed on the pee, take a photo of it, call it art and of course at least one moron will agree with me. As a capable drummer who has forged a career as a drummer and can play a tune: Travis Barker does not suck. But taking in the totality of the contributions he's made to drumming: speed is the least important; and he's really not all that fast; he DOES suck. He hasn't done anything above and beyond, say, that nut Tre Cool from Green Day or even Sheila E for that matter. The only reason he's so famous is because he was in the prototype boy fake punk band: Blink 182. Much the same as Tommy Lee, if it hadn't been for Blink 182 and Motley Crue nobody would care about either Travis Barker nor Tommy Lee. In fact, Tommy Lee and Travis Barker may share the exact same amount of over-ratedness and sucktitude.

[druid]

and then...there is the matter of Peter Criss.......

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

True. But for instance, a Cardiologist's opinion about your veins and heart is stronger and probably more important than some bum's on the street opinion even if the guy has read a book or two about Cardiology. Sure you could get a second or third or more opinions from other Cardiologists but that in no way diminishes the fact that Cardiologists' opinions are more valued than non-Cardiologists. Now of course health is more black and white than aesthetics but there are concrete things one can look at when determining that someone like Travis Barker sucks or a piece of art sucks and TRUE, in the end it all boils down to personal feelings and personal opinion. I could pee on the sidewalk and then punch myself in the nose and bleed on the pee, take a photo of it, call it art and of course at least one moron will agree with me. As a capable drummer who has forged a career as a drummer and can play a tune: Travis Barker does not suck. But taking in the totality of the contributions he's made to drumming: speed is the least important; and he's really not all that fast; he DOES suck. He hasn't done anything above and beyond, say, that nut Tre Cool from Green Day or even Sheila E for that matter. The only reason he's so famous is because he was in the prototype boy fake punk band: Blink 182. Much the same as Tommy Lee, if it hadn't been for Blink 182 and Motley Crue nobody would care about either Travis Barker nor Tommy Lee. In fact, Tommy Lee and Travis Barker may share the exact same amount of over-ratedness and sucktitude.


thats a good point.

and if one more reality show comes up on MTV about some ex rock star, i think ill puke.
and in further response to your earlier post, its really wrong and ignorant for someone to judge you and call someone an idiot or moron when it comes to their own opinion. i deal with that crap all the time and i totally agree with you.

it totally pisses me off.

[mattsmith]

but its still an opinion. informed as they may be.

Did you read anything I wrote above?

For the 500th time, the primary issue is this.

Example:

Fanboy: X Drummer is so cool because he is the fastest ever. I love him.

Other Guy: No he isn't the fastest ever. In fact his strokes were subjected to computer analysis showing that he is merely of average speed. Look, here is the data.

Fanboy: That is your opinion. My opinion is that X Drummer is the fastest and coolest drummer ever. If you will not let me have my opinion you are an elitest snob.

You can find some version of this conversation in almost every thread where hero worship is present. Such claims aren't opinions. That's about keeping the legend alive in face of actual facts.

The irony of this argument is that I actually like most of the drummers who are worshipped like this. But the discussions about them are pretty frustrating, because the fanboy crowd could care less about having a real objective conversation, while always pulling the you're picking on me card when they can't think of anything else to say.

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

Did you read anything I wrote above?

For the 500th time, the primary issue is this.

Example:

Fanboy: X Drummer is so cool because he is the fastest ever. I love him.

Other Guy: No he isn't the fastest ever. In fact his strokes were subjected to computer analysis showing that he is merely of average speed. Look, here is the data.

Fanboy: That is your opinion. My opinion is that X Drummer is the fastest and coolest drummer ever. If you will not let me have my opinion you are an elitest snob.

You can find some version of this conversation in almost every thread where hero worship is present. Such claims aren't opinions. That's about keeping the legend alive in face of actual facts.

The irony of this argument is that I actually like most of the drummers who are worshipped like this. But the discussions about them are pretty frustrating, because the fanboy crowd could care less about having a real objective conversation, while always pulling the you're picking on me card when they can't think of anything else to say.



yea. i agree with you full on. but its almost impossible to change someone like thats opinion. thats whats wrong with a lot of people these days. theyre so ignorant to what THEY think is cool and awesome or whatever that they stay firm in that belief no matter what you throw at them.

[druid]

Did you read anything I wrote above?

For the 500th time, the primary issue is this.

Example:

Fanboy: X Drummer is so cool because he is the fastest ever. I love him.

Other Guy: No he isn't the fastest ever. In fact his strokes were subjected to computer analysis showing that he is merely of average speed. Look, here is the data.

Fanboy: That is your opinion. My opinion is that X Drummer is the fastest and coolest drummer ever. If you will not let me have my opinion you are an elitest snob.

You can find some version of this conversation in almost every thread where hero worship is present. Such claims aren't opinions. That's about keeping the legend alive in face of actual facts.

The irony of this argument is that I actually like most of the drummers who are worshipped like this. But the discussions about them are pretty frustrating, because the fanboy crowd could care less about having a real objective conversation, while always pulling the you're picking on me card when they can't think of anything else to say.

Peter Criss is the best drummer because they even said it..."you wanted the best and you got it the hottest band in the world...KISS"

Oy Vey......;-)

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

Peter Criss is the best drummer because they even said it..."you wanted the best and you got it the hottest band in the world...KISS"

Oy Vey......;-)



thats cool.
go to a peter criss thread then, man.

[jonescrusher]

thats cool.
go to a peter criss thread then, man.

Hehe, noob



......

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

Hehe, noob



......


yea? so? whats your point?

[druid]

ah yes....let it be said....irony....is.....dead.

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

yea, im a noob.

educate me.

[druid]

I was referring to the "Peter Criss is the best" thing......

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

yea, I know.
i was just sayin, im pretty new to all this.

[mattsmith]

yea, im a noob.

educate me.
It's friendly sarcasm man. It's coming your way because after being here 20 minutes, you said this:

a lot of people on this forum have to be asked this question;
whats your definition of "the best"? .

1. To say this you assume a whole lot, including the fact that no one here has considered that question over 4 years.

2. We weren't engaged in a the best conversation anyway. We were talking about how fanboys react to their heroes including Travis Barker, including how they label those who don't agree with them snobs. For several days you kept posting away, while some were wondering if you were actually reading what others were saying.

Nobody's trying to be a jerk man, and welcome to the discussion. But this identical behavior is what is usually seen on a Barker/Jordison/Peart/Bonham/Rich thread, and I'm not sure how it helps anything.

I'm just going to back off and lurk for awhile. A lot of repeat discussions going on today at the same time.

[druid]

Matt if you think the Bonzo/Peart/Portnoy crowd is bad...you should check out the comments on youtube for Criss/Carr/Singer....if I am to believe what is written...each one is...in fact..."the best drummer who has ever lived"...;-)

Oy Vey....

[Moon_Type_Drummer]

It's friendly sarcasm man. It's coming your way because after being here 20 minutes, you said this:



1. To say this you assume a whole lot, including the fact that no one here has considered that question over 4 years.

2. We weren't engaged in a the best conversation anyway. We were talking about how fanboys react to their heroes including Travis Barker, including how they label those who don't agree with them snobs. For several days you kept posting away, while some were wondering if you were actually reading what others were saying.

Nobody's trying to be a jerk man, and welcome to the discussion. But this identical behavior is what is usually seen on a Barker/Jordison/Peart/Bonham/Rich thread, and I'm not sure how it helps anything.

I'm just going to back off and lurk for awhile. A lot of repeat discussions going on today at the same time.



i apologize. i suppose i am in a little over my head here, if you know what i mean. im kinda just tryin to get into the convo. but maybe not in the best way. but it comes down to a big inferiority complex in the forum. a lot of people here are really good, experienced drummers who have had training and lessons, and im kinda just a 17 yr old kid with no formal training having conversations with seasoned percussionists.

ya know?

[mattsmith]

i apologize. i suppose i am in a little over my head here, if you know what i mean. im kinda just tryin to get into the convo. but maybe not in the best way. but it comes down to a big inferiority complex in the forum. a lot of people here are really good, experienced drummers who have had training and lessons, and im kinda just a 17 yr old kid with no formal training having conversations with seasoned percussionists.

ya know?
Yep, I do know man. I'm the same age as you. There are a lot of places I can go to on the net and feel like I don't get it either. I feel confused on drum forums all the time. But you might want to hang around at these kinda places and and get a feel for stuff before saying stuff that looks like you're calling them out. There are also a bunch of talented young guys here you can talk to. In fact this is probably the only drum forum where younger guys with a clue get respect.

[foursticks]

i also love how all of you people decided for some reason that you have the skill and ability to judge every drummer.

I know this discussion has died down a bit, but I think this must be said:

You don't need to have skill and ability to judge every drummer. What a silly comment. After all, we're the most important people, right? We're the listener, it's our reaction that's most important otherwise how would he earn his money?
You don't have to be a pro in order to judge a pro. It's been said thousands of times - it's OPINION.
If we went by what you said, then really we couldn't even say Travis was good unless we were professional drummers ourselves.
Alright, I'm exaggerating a bit, but I just wanted to point out the flaw in that part of your quite angry post.

Le Fin.

[drummer_kid]

I know this discussion has died down a bit, but I think this must be said:

You don't need to have skill and ability to judge every drummer. What a silly comment. After all, we're the most important people, right? We're the listener, it's our reaction that's most important otherwise how would he earn his money?
You don't have to be a pro in order to judge a pro. It's been said thousands of times - it's OPINION.
If we went by what you said, then really we couldn't even say Travis was good unless we were professional drummers ourselves.
Alright, I'm exaggerating a bit, but I just wanted to point out the flaw in that part of your quite angry post.

Le Fin.
well said!
though i must add that while you don't need to be a pro to judge the pro, it's helps your opinion if you knew SOMETHING about drumming in general

[ihitdrumz]

well said!
though i must add that while you don't need to be a pro to judge the pro, it's helps your opinion if you knew SOMETHING about drumming in general

Yeh,
but I'm sure none of us are better than buddy rich,
but we all know that he is better than us

[Garvin]

I just read an interesting interview with Gil Sharone in a back issue of MD where he talked about having to take one of Travis's European gigs with some band witht the number 44 in it (sorry, I don't remember what it was called)... He talked about how he basically memorized all the songs and parts during his flight from CA to Germany. Gil is someone I haven't listened to a lot of, but it seems like he's a really solid drummer.

Kind of a left-field post there I realize, but related to this threads namesake nonetheless.

[foursticks]

well said!
though i must add that while you don't need to be a pro to judge the pro, it's helps your opinion if you knew SOMETHING about drumming in general

Of course, that's how you can form opinions fairly - by knowing both sides of the arguement and something about the issue. You still don't have to be an expert to have one.

[darkstar442]

Well he is a good drummer but i just hate that people think he is "the best" drummer. when actually there a so many better drummers than him. He isnt all that fast but people who only know famous bands think the drummers are the best and fastest. But i guess we'll just live with it unless someone has some protest signs... but thats probly to much to ask

[ceckha]

Well he is a good drummer but i just hate that people think he is "the best" drummer. when actually there a so many better drummers than him. He isnt all that fast but people who only know famous bands think the drummers are the best and fastest. But i guess we'll just live with it unless someone has some protest signs... but thats probly to much to ask

i agree. he's nowhere close to "the best." i've seen several videos of his drum soloes and they all consist basically of a long drawn out 16th note (not very fast) fill, then he throws in a catchy sounding beat that while sounding catchy isn't hard to come up with at all. its very basic stuff in my opinion. he's more about image than the music.

[UberDeepName]

I'm new here and I don't want to flame anyone. But I have to agree that Travis barker is more about image and looks. i can't stand how he jerks his entire body around while playing some basic 4 on the floor beat. Then he adds a drum track behind him to make it sound more complex. He's a hack in my opinion. And he's an egomaniac based on the way he presents himself in interviews and Television shows ect... I'd love to see him try to play some jazz or Meshuggah.

[RobertM]

I agree with Ledzepjb: Travis is a good drummer and definitely has some trained, solid chops. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that he had good teachers growing up.

That said, I do think he is very overrated as a rock/punk drummer, and bands like Blink 182 are a complete joke and not taken seriously by any serious student or fan of punk and hardcore music. I've said this before a couple of times on this forum already, but just go listen to Anthony "Bomer" Manzullo of RKL (Rich Kids on LSD), a massively influential hardcore/rock band from California in the early-to-late 1980s: Bomer's chops are stunning, his timing is incredible, he can do it all. I think people who praise Travis Barker and similar current punk drummers do have reason to do so--they are decent drummers--but I think that such folks also have poor historical knowledge and memory of the punk genre. Drummers like Earl Hudson of Bad Brains, Bomer, Brian Betzger of Boston's Jerry's Kids (early 1980s hardcore band), just to name a few, laid the foundations for super fast hardcore punk drumming, and each of these drummers could easily hold his own with, if not out perform, Travis and company.

So, that's my honest assessment of this issue, as someone who has been listening to and studying punk and hardcore music since the mid 1980s. Yes, Travis is good, but if you know your history, you will realize that he is nothing special at all.

[burnthehero]

Years ago I used to think he was kinda cool. He was quiet and reserved and had good chops. Back then, he was known as "that quiet guy" from Blink 182. Well, these days he still doesn't say much, but I can't help but think of him as just plain ridiculous. Seeing him doing the "rap remixes" and playing as if he's trying to destroy his drum set just makes me lose any respect for the guy I ever had, which wasn't a whole lot to begin with.

Travis Barker serves, IMO, as a good example of what NOT to look up to if you're a young drummer. Yeah, he's got the look that kids are into, but from a drumming standpoint he's just obnoxious and over-the-top.

[mattsmith]

You shoudlve maybe read up a lil before posting that last bit. Although i'm not a travis barker fan,quite the opposite, but ive still read up on him and it appears that his first teacher that he had for several years was a jazz player,and that he started off as a jazz drummer. So im sure he can still play that style quite well.

Travis Barker Urban Legend #6
He started his career as a jazz musician, and has a degree in jazz.
Fact:Travis Barker played one year in his high school jazz band. He has no practical jazz experience.

Travis Barker Urban Legend #17
He marched for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps.
Fact:Travis Barker marched sophmore year for his high school marching band. He was going to attempt a tryout for a local corps, but took a small road gig instead before he had the chance.

Travis Barker Urban Legend #4
He is arrogant.
Fact:People in the field actually say he's a very nice guy. WFD has had a brief encounters with him several times in the past, and he was always the nicest guy in the room. He sometimes acts out because he lives his life in a public bubble where all his actions are observed and evaluated. How would you react under those circumstances?

Travis Barker Urban Legend #22
He is a publicity hog.
Fact:Barker employed one of the most aggressive press corps on Earth. They exaggerate his actions and his past to the point of legend. That's why all these urban legends exist.

Interestingly enough, Jordison also has the services of a press agent, and not surprisingly his year in high school marching band has turned into a full blown DCI career.

You know guys, you can look this stuff up on your own. It's all out there.

[Bernhard]

Fact is, that Travis Barker is by far the most visited drummer at drummerworld - 15.000 visitors a day, next followers (SG, BR, DC, DW, VC) - less than 8.000.

So if some of these visitors find out a bit more also about other drummers here - i'm fine.

And why not playing Countrymusic in PunkStyle? - i enjoy it from time to time....

Bernhard

..and posts with personal fighting beween our forum members i delete without too much hesitating

[UberDeepName]

Fact is, that Travis Barker is by far the most visited drummer at drummerworld - 15.000 visitors a day, next followers (SG, BR, DC, DW, VC) - less than 8.000.

I wonder how many of these visitors of his thread are FANS. I would be willing to bet most visitors to his thread, like myself, are just shocked that he is even mentioned. It's just sad that there are so many talented drummers out there, discovered and not, that smoke this guy. I just get sick of seeing his face everywhere on magazines, on Reality TV (whatever that means). He's famous because of BLINK 182. I mean GET REAL. He's not worth mentioning on a Drummers forum of this caliber. It's insulting to true artist everywhere. Boo this man. boooooo!!!

P.S. Berhard, you totally look like Steve Gadd. It's crazy.

[mattsmith]

I wonder how many of these visitors of his thread are FANS. I would be willing to bet most visitors to his thread, like myself, are just shocked that he is even mentioned. It's just sad that there are so many talented drummers out there, discovered and not, that smoke this guy. I just get sick of seeing his face everywhere on magazines, on Reality TV (whatever that means). He's famous because of BLINK 182. I mean GET REAL. He's not worth mentioning on a Drummers forum of this caliber. It's insulting to true artist everywhere. Boo this man. boooooo!!!

P.S. Berhard, you totally look like Steve Gadd. It's crazy.
Well, see I disagree. You can't fault the guy for having a press corps who deliver for him. Instead of complaining about his exposure, I think the better question that benefits the rest of us is how we can get onboard his well organized publicity machine.

Getting your name out is how you stay in the game. None of that has anything to do with ability, and of course music comes first. But good marketing has to be on the list. I would bet that half of this publicity is stuff Barker doesn't even know about. His name rec is currently on automatic pilot.

[ledzepjb]

Travis Barker Urban Legend #6
He started his career as a jazz musician, and has a degree in jazz.
Fact:Travis Barker played one year in his high school jazz band. He has no practical jazz experience.

.

Oh well, i guess i was wrong. I had read it from an interview about him(and he stated the facts himself)

[kwolf68]

I think Travis is a fine drummer, technically he's very good, but he lacks the "feel" I like in my drummers. Hard to explain.

Put it this way, Eddie Van Halen is a masterful guitar player, but I don't enjoy listening to him. I'd rather LISTEN to Carlos Santana, Pat Metheney, Alex Skolnick, etc...because they aren't interested necessarily in Flight-of-the Bumble-Bee on speed, how many notes CAN WE cram into one measure?

Barker is trying to be the EVH of drummers and it makes my head hurt.

[Pass.of.E.r.a.]

hmmm..... i dont see the big deal about Barker, im sorry but i just don't see any of his "chops" as being impressive......he's got speed sure, but so does Tomas Lang, or Marco Minnemann......

[moshpitdrummer]

travis barker is a personal hero of mine. you all bash him for not being as "technically proficient" as terry bozzio or neil peart, but that's not the point! travis has his style down, and it's his own style! it's his own mixture of jazz influence, hip-hop, and even a little drumline. he has a very solid feel, and he has a groove all his own. his beats make you nod your head, and thats what music is about. if it makes you sing along or tap your foot, its a good beat, no different than neil pearts prog-solos in sub-divided time signatures.

and yeah, he probably isn't amazing at drumline stuff, but thats becase he isn't trying to be!
he focuses on improving his own style. he's not in it for the fame, he's in it because he likes to play the drums! besides, he's got more style and groove than most of you guys.

[Class A Drummer]

travis barker is a personal hero of mine. you all bash him for not being as "technically proficient" as terry bozzio or neil peart, but that's not the point! travis has his style down, and it's his own style! it's his own mixture of jazz influence, hip-hop, and even a little drumline. he has a very solid feel, and he has a groove all his own. his beats make you nod your head, and thats what music is about. if it makes you sing along or tap your foot, its a good beat, no different than neil pearts prog-solos in sub-divided time signatures.

and yeah, he probably isn't amazing at drumline stuff, but thats becase he isn't trying to be!
he focuses on improving his own style. he's not in it for the fame, he's in it because he likes to play the drums! besides, he's got more style and groove than most of you guys.

Not saying he is bad but his groove isnt that great or anything. He kinda sounds like a drum machine, everything at 10x Forte.

Mostpitdrummer, im sure that if you listen to almost any music, you will find a drummer with groove just as good if not better than Travis.

But hey, you like who you like and you dont like who you dont like, its all personal choice.

[moshpitdrummer]

i agree with you there bro :) i think he's got a ways to go before he will be as good as, say, bozzio or wackerman. but hey, he's trying, and he's just doing his own thing. i respect that.

and yeah, i listen to A LOT of music. and there are plenty of drummers in every genre that have their own style and groove.

[Skinsman38]

It's amazing what marketing and hype will do for you. Objectively I'd have to say that Barker has some good solid skills overall. There's nothing that he plays that makes me say wow and nothing I've heard makes me bob my head to the beat either. If he'd have let his playing gain it's own publicity rather than all the media minions bestowing supposed greatness on him, I'd have respected him more. As it stands I've seen a ton more drummers with better chops and many many more drummers with more groove and swagger in their groove than Barker. The people who think Travis is a drumming god simply haven't done their homework.

[thanksmisfortune]

i never understood why everyone hated on travis so much. so some of his songs can easily be learned, and maybe he hits his cymbals hard, and mayyyybe his toms are just a little ;) flat.

who cares - he can obviously buy new cymbals whenever he needs them. and the fact that he CREATED the beats he plays is what matters, and the feel he puts into his drumming. nobody can disagree with that. travis is without a doubt a great drummer, but whether youre a fan or not, he is very overrated. thats just something well have to get used to.

also, i watched an interview with barker where he explained that his JAZZ teacher made him use flat toms to focus on the center of the drum more.

im not trying to sound like an ass but thats just the way it is.

[blink44]

travis barker is overrated, just not as much as Joey. Yeah i know my username is blink44, but im not the biggest barker fan. im a bigger fan of jojo mayer, buddy rich, neil peart, jim chapin, etc. Travis is great cause he contributes the most in the bands he was in, and he influences kids to take up drumming.

[mrsbarker17]

travis barker is amazing how he can take a popular rap song and find an amazing beat to go with it

[LM201]

travis barker is amazing how he can take a popular rap song and find an amazing beat to go with it

The beats he makes up are pretty basic stuff....

[Ironcobra]

travis barker is amazing how he can take a popular rap song and find an amazing beat to go with it

Hook me up with all the same recording gear and I guarantee I could do those remixes, minus the tasteless cymbal mashing and headache causing head bangs.

Don't get me wrong, I love those remixes to death, but almost anyone could have done them.

[Baddstuff]

check out this video of Travis and then look at some of the comments on the bottom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnzXTGn3i58
more then one person calls Travis amazing. Why? There is absolutely nothing amazing about what he does in this clip. If they're calling him amazing based on this clip then that tells you quite a bit about how some young people overrate some drummers. I can only guess that his exaggerated movements are impressing them more than then his actual playing in this clip.

[kjsm]

if only he played two kicks

[LM201]

if only he played two kicks

He wouldn't be much better me thinks


Don't bash Ringo

[MaDaBe]

I can't stand him for calling himself a punk. I never heard Joe Strummer utter or write a word about Blink 182 when he spoke or wrote about punk bands of the nineties, etc. I just think those guys (and a lot of bands too {Good Charlotte}) never quite got the punk ethos and never will and unfortunately influenced a lot of kids into believing that punk is all about setting fire to poo, belching, showing your butt, and copping an oversexualized attitude about everything . . .
As far Barker's playing goes. He plays all the rudimentary kind of stuff well enough but as a true master: nah.

[7DaysToTheWolves]

Travis is not on my list of amazing drummers. I honestly don't find his newer stuff better. There's too many people out there that can play to rap songs, it's not that hard in the first place.

[Sebsemilia]

I would never say that Travis Barker is an "outstanding", or even the "best" drummer, but I guess a lot of people who dislike this "Travis Barker Hype" do underrate him (yes, I said UNDERrate)

I mean, playing the drums is not about some hard licks or a gorgeous technique, it's about playing for the music, giving the listener a certain feeling, expressing emotions.
And unfortunately, a lot of people have forgotten this.

Travis Barker has no superspecial technique, he's also neither the fastest drummer nor the best technician. But he's able to bring the music he plays in the right way, let it sound good. A good example for this is Blink 182. When they had their old drummer Scott Raynor (until dude ranch), they weren't that popular, I mean they were just one punkrockband in a big pot of bands, nothing special. But when Barker joined them and they recorded the LP "Enema of the State", they actually became famous very fast, and from my own experience the reason is that he made it sound special, sound better than the other equal sounding punkrockbands.

Another example are these remixes. Of course every advanced drummer could play the things he plays there, but I guess he doesn't really care about how hard it is, he just cares about how he can make it sound powerful (like in "Crank That"). A damn hard lick would not fit into this context.

Things like his Solo's, or this hard cymbal smashing - This is just entertainment.
I mean, as like you guys already pointed out, he's an entertainer. Of course he could hit the cymbal like a little girl, but doesn't it look cooler to smash them like he wants to destroy them? For a non-drumming audience I guess yes. And that's what it's about. The majority of listeners aren't musicians themselves, they just want to get a good feeling, they want it to sound good. And his solo's always sound good for a non-musician, even if it is not as hard as a Steve Gadd lick (show the solo's to a bunch of non-musicians and they will all say it sounds damn cool)

So that's his intention, to entertain, to make a band like blink sound interesting and good (of course he can't help you if you hate punkrock ;-)


I am not a Travis Barker fan, but I think he deserves respect for what he does

[Bernhard]

Sebsemilia:

My opinion: well said. Great first post!!

Keep'em coming.

Bernhard

[Bernhard]

check out this video of Travis and then look at some of the comments on the bottom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnzXTGn3i58
more then one person calls Travis amazing. Why? There is absolutely nothing amazing about what he does in this clip. If they're calling him amazing based on this clip then that tells you quite a bit about how some young people overrate some drummers. I can only guess that his exaggerated movements are impressing them more than then his actual playing in this clip.

Ok Badstuff:

Based on this clip i find him amazing....

Of course i know also some other drummers too, ok!!??

Bernhard

[rockinrider]

...
Based on this clip i find him amazing....

Of course i know also some other drummers too, ok!!??

Bernhard

I agree, Bernhard! There is NO way that I could play like Travis played on that video. I think it's great that there is a real drummer playing Rap.

Besides, the guy is a joy to watch! You gotta admit, the guy's got ENERGY! And entertainment is a large part of our business.

[MaDaBe]

I would never say that Travis Barker is an "outstanding", or even the "best" drummer, but I guess a lot of people who dislike this "Travis Barker Hype" do underrate him (yes, I said UNDERrate)

I mean, playing the drums is not about some hard licks or a gorgeous technique, it's about playing for the music, giving the listener a certain feeling, expressing emotions.
And unfortunately, a lot of people have forgotten this.

Travis Barker has no superspecial technique, he's also neither the fastest drummer nor the best technician. But he's able to bring the music he plays in the right way, let it sound good. A good example for this is Blink 182. When they had their old drummer Scott Raynor (until dude ranch), they weren't that popular, I mean they were just one punkrockband in a big pot of bands, nothing special. But when Barker joined them and they recorded the LP "Enema of the State", they actually became famous very fast, and from my own experience the reason is that he made it sound special, sound better than the other equal sounding punkrockbands.

Another example are these remixes. Of course every advanced drummer could play the things he plays there, but I guess he doesn't really care about how hard it is, he just cares about how he can make it sound powerful (like in "Crank That"). A damn hard lick would not fit into this context.

Things like his Solo's, or this hard cymbal smashing - This is just entertainment.
I mean, as like you guys already pointed out, he's an entertainer. Of course he could hit the cymbal like a little girl, but doesn't it look cooler to smash them like he wants to destroy them? For a non-drumming audience I guess yes. And that's what it's about. The majority of listeners aren't musicians themselves, they just want to get a good feeling, they want it to sound good. And his solo's always sound good for a non-musician, even if it is not as hard as a Steve Gadd lick (show the solo's to a bunch of non-musicians and they will all say it sounds damn cool)

So that's his intention, to entertain, to make a band like blink sound interesting and good (of course he can't help you if you hate punkrock ;-)


I am not a Travis Barker fan, but I think he deserves respect for what he does



Blink 182 was not and Travis Barker is not punk.

[cyclepilot2]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080920/ap_on_re_us/learjet_crash

[Mapex589]

This sucks. I just heard the latest on the national news. Critical condition in a burn unit in South Carolina. Apparently the plane crashed on takeoff and skidded off the runway. The news didn't sound good.

[PineyplayParadiddles]

I just heard on the radio, 4 other people died in the crash.

[sticksnstonesrus]

Just picked this up off of yahoo.

------------------------------------------------------


COLUMBIA, S.C. – Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and a popular disc jockey were critically injured in a Learjet crash in South Carolina that killed four people, authorities said Saturday.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the plane carrying six people was departing shortly before midnight Friday when air traffic controllers reporting seeing sparks. The plane went off a runway and crashed on a nearby road, she said.

Hospital spokeswoman Beth Frits said Barker and DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, were in critical condition at a burn center in Augusta, Ga., about 75 miles southwest of Columbia.

Two other passengers and two crew members died, said the National Transportation Safety Board. Their identities were not immediately available.

Barker and Goldstein, who perform together under the name TRVSDJ-AM, played a free concert in Columbia's college neighborhood Friday night.

"It's absolutely terrible and tragic," Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said.

A representative for Barker and DJ AM said she had no information the crash.

After Blink 182, Barker went on to form the rock band (+44) — pronounced "plus forty-four." He starred in the MTV reality series "Meet the Barkers" with former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, to whom he was married at the time. The show documented the former couple's lavish wedding and life.

Goldstein at one time was engaged to celebrity Nicole Richie.

[drumhead61]

WOW, that blows my mind...pray that Baker and Goldstein come out their critical status and recover...tragic about the other 4 who lost their lives.

[blink44]

hope that they can get better, and RIP.

[Steamer]

Saw the pictures of the crash site on Fox news on the net. No pretty. The 2 survivors were lucky to be spared the fate of the other 4 on the plane. From the brief description of the condition of Travis and the other fellow it will be touch and go at this point due to some serious burns involved after the crash. Hope both pull through.

[Drumsword]

I just read that as well, is always a shock to see someone we know well in a bad crash, my thoughts and prayers are with them and all the families.

[burnthehero]

Musicians should just stop flying on airplanes from now on. Too many have been lost like this. Anyway, setting aside whatever feelings we may have about Travis, he's a drummer and a damn good one at that. I hope he gets through this and back to doing what he does best.