Best current indie-rock drummers

[Paul_Klein]

I'm wondering which drummers you think are at the top of their game in the genre of melodic indie-rock/pop. That is the type of music my band plays, and while I do fine, and like the genre, I don't know much about the best drummers in this particular style of music, and I think it's time I learn.


So any names, and if possible, specific songs would be great. I have a huge library of music at my disposal.

P.S.: I mean "indie" in the genre-sense of the word, not the literal "not-signed-to-a-major-label" meaning. Although that's fine too :)

[LiveGoat]

Let's see:

Jesse Sandoval - The Shins

Russel Simins - Blues Explosion

The guy from Death Cab's pretty good.

Steve Shelly - Sonic Youth

Steven Earle - Afghan Whigs

Bobby Macintyre - Twilight Singers

Guided By Voices had some good drummers at the end of their brilliant life.

--LG

EDIT: Oops! You said current bands. Some of these groups are now split up. Sorry!

[Paul_Klein]

That's fine. By current, I meant "modern" bands.

And thanks for the list :)

[Vinnysimmo]

The guy from the arctic monkeys is quite good imo. I also really like Dominic Howard from Muse.

[drumbandit]

Gary Powell ex drummer for The Libertines and now Dirty Pretty Things. His style fits into their music so perfectly, he does clinics around Britain. I never seem to find any of them online or anything because I'd love to see him live.

Tom

[delta]

Justin Peroff - Broken Social Scene

[Chunkaway]

Death Cab's drummer is interesting and creative.

Jon Wurster from Superchunk

The guy from Motion City Soundtrack has always impressed me.

The guys from The Yeah, Yeah Yeahs is damn good.

[eglantin]

David Bazan, the man behind Pedro the Lion , has got a really good laid back groove, and is very creative imo. Listen to Pedro the Lion's "Control" album.

Chavez, cult indie band on Matador label, they released two albums around 1995, and their drummer James Lo is totally mind-boggling. All their songs are great.

[DrumGod]

I aint a fan of their music but Matt Helder from artic monkeys and Dominic howard from muse i think are great

[phlopip]

matt tong from bloc party is pretty good

[burnthehero]

Don't know his name off the top of my head, but the guy that played drums with American Football is crazy good. His playing is very jazz-influenced, or at least that's what it sounds like to me.

[volume_3]

Im pretty fond of the drummer who plays with Klaxons, he's pretty good.

Gary Powell ex drummer for The Libertines and now Dirty Pretty Things. His style fits into their music so perfectly, he does clinics around Britain. I never seem to find any of them online or anything because I'd love to see him live.

Tom

I know someone whose related to him! i never knew his name though (the drummer) ive heard he's good too.

[matt986]

That guy from Straylight Run....I think his name is warren moon ro something like that...He does some pretty cool stuff.

[burnthehero]

That guy from Straylight Run....I think his name is warren moon ro something like that...He does some pretty cool stuff.

Interesting. I'm pretty sure a guy named Warren Moon plays/played for Damiera, who happens to be an amazing band from NY......kinda like an indie rock Dillinger Escape Plan.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

Let's see:

Jesse Sandoval - The Shins

Russel Simins - Blues Explosion

Steve Shelly - Sonic Youth

Guided By Voices had some good drummers at the end of their brilliant life.



Those are a few of my favorite bands. I've seen The Shins live, and they are great. Love the new album as well. Modest Mouse has a great drummer too. Last night Modest Mouse and Guided By Voices were on Austin City Limits. I think it was a repeat, but I had never seen it. I caught the last song from MM, but the whole GBV set. They were killer. They may not be a band any more (wasn't long ago they broke up I believe), but their music is still relevant, I think at least. Such uniqueness that was completely avoided by the spotlight.

You should just listen to great music and not worry so much whether it is brand new or not. If you haven't heard it before, it's new. :)

[Therma lobsterdore]

The best indie drummer I've heard recently is Erin tate, he's the drummer for minus the bear, and John McEntire who does the drumming for The sea and cake is pretty good too, there more of a rock/jazz band though I guess.

[LiveGoat]

For my money GBV's "Bee Thousand" album is one of the top five greatest albums of the 1990's. They had a huge influence on the lo-fi bands that followed. Listen to early Deathcab albums and you'll hear GBV all over them. Alas they are now defunct but Bob Pollard is still doing solo work and, given that GBV's lineup seemed to change by the month, GBV is basically still around in a way through Bob.

I forgot about Modest Mouse. Great drummer. Also Patrick Keeler from the Racontours, Blackie from Urge Overkill, Greg Saugnier from Deerhoof, and Murph from Dinosaur Jr. I could go on and on...
Thanks to the internet and iPods, old music can be new music.

---LG



Those are a few of my favorite bands. I've seen The Shins live, and they are great. Love the new album as well. Modest Mouse has a great drummer too. Last night Modest Mouse and Guided By Voices were on Austin City Limits. I think it was a repeat, but I had never seen it. I caught the last song from MM, but the whole GBV set. They were killer. They may not be a band any more (wasn't long ago they broke up I believe), but their music is still relevant, I think at least. Such uniqueness that was completely avoided by the spotlight.

You should just listen to great music and not worry so much whether it is brand new or not. If you haven't heard it before, it's new. :)

[PDPDrummer09]

Andrew Forsman from The Fall of Troy is pretty impressive. They are not and indie pop band, but they are signed to an indie label. The drummer from Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys, Phillip Ellis, is quite good.www.myspace.com/rocketboys. The drummer of Circa Survive is also impressive, and I agree with the drummer of Damiera after seeing them live.

[Anchein Vouivra]

Simone Pace from Blonde Redhead is an incredible drummer to see live. He's got a great variety of sound and rythms that are very imaginative.

I also like the straight and solid playing of Black Mountain's drummer.

And over all, I don't know if it's considered as a indie band, but Dan Peter's is part of my all-time favourite band Mudhoney, and he rocks the hell out of his traps!!!

[Dussin]

I think Jon Theodore, the old drummer from The Mars Volta. I also agree with the guy above that the the drummer from Dillinger Escape Plan is really good.

[zj2302]

matt tong-bloc party
jason mcgerr- death cab for cutie
brian chase-yeah yeah yeahs
greg saunier- deerhoof
christopher bear- grizzly bear

[tiffanyl]

damiera and copeland's drummers are really creative

[drum.lad]

ben johnston from biffy clyro is one of my favourite drummers and he is amazing matt tong is good too but his kit didnt sound great at live earth

[freehandstyle]

Some unknown Asia indie band for you guys.

but Whence He Came's drummer Stephane Wong, (now Zildjian Endorser through Tom Lee in Hong Kong) is by far my favourite Indie drummer. Let alone, he's my favourite drummer cause i just love his sound when he drums. He may not be the best, but hey everybody's gotta have a hero right? :P


Here's just some of the video of his style of drumming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l_ThXHs-VQ&mode=related&search=

Then there's Takashi Kashikura from TOE in Japan.

Here's a video of his drumming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5xC4QJjE0

Another of my hero would be the drummer from Copeland, Jonathan Bucklew. He's just so smooth and creative in his drumming. Busy but not crowded drumming at certain times but just totally awesome.

Matt Tong is also a great in Bloc Party.

[Joel Woody]

Will Thomas Noon- Straylight Run

Jason McGerr- Death Cab for Cutie



the best of the indie i think

[rendezvous_drummer]

Matt Helders- Arctic Monkeys

[ideas]

Jason Tait from the weakerthans, and he does stuff for broken social scene aswell.

[byebyepanda]

Justin Peroff - Broken Social Scene

'nuff said.


oh yeah, and Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie.

[khanedeliac]

Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon,

his parts always stick in my head;
subtle adjustments to basic phrasings, played very well.

[cactusman]

Some unknown Asia indie band for you guys.

but Whence He Came's drummer Stephane Wong, (now Zildjian Endorser through Tom Lee in Hong Kong) is by far my favourite Indie drummer. Let alone, he's my favourite drummer cause i just love his sound when he drums. He may not be the best, but hey everybody's gotta have a hero right? :P


Here's just some of the video of his style of drumming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l_ThXHs-VQ&mode=related&search=

Then there's Takashi Kashikura from TOE in Japan.

Here's a video of his drumming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5xC4QJjE0

Another of my hero would be the drummer from Copeland, Jonathan Bucklew. He's just so smooth and creative in his drumming. Busy but not crowded drumming at certain times but just totally awesome.

Matt Tong is also a great in Bloc Party.

goodness the takashi guy is a monster.

[ElDuderino07]

What about Darren King of Mute Math? I saw him on Letterman the other night and he was fantastic.

[ElDuderino07]

The best indie drummer I've heard recently is Erin tate, he's the drummer for minus the bear, and John McEntire who does the drumming for The sea and cake is pretty good too, there more of a rock/jazz band though I guess.John McEntire palys for Tortiose as well. Good call. One of my favs.

[ElDuderino07]

Don't know his name off the top of my head, but the guy that played drums with American Football is crazy good. His playing is very jazz-influenced, or at least that's what it sounds like to me.Steve Lamos. He was crazy good in that band. Good call!

[ElDuderino07]

Here is a few more that I didn't see listed:

- Zach Hill (Hella, The Ladies, Team Sleep)
- Nathan Richardson (The Casket Lottery, The Appleseed Cast, Coalesce)
- Rickie Mazzotta (mewithoutYou)
- Nate Kinsella (Owls, Make Believe)
- Jim Eno (Spoon)
- Heath Metzger (Mock Orange)

These guys are all IMHO excellent players.

[CyclopseSlayer]

I have to throw Cale Parks of Aloha in here too, amazing sense of rhythm and fluid feel combined with creativity. There's some great stuff of him on www.mydrumlesson.com
and on Aloha's myspace http://www.myspace.com/aloha as well as Cale's solo myspace http://www.myspace.com/caleparksmusic

Bianca from Erase Errata is very amazing as well http://www.myspace.com/eraseerrata

[Topper]

I've also really liked Ronnie Vannuci's (Spelling?) drumming from The Killers. Just such a nice style.

[Jaden]

the walkmen drummer is pretty great

[junkdrum]

Yoshimi P-We, Muneomi Senju,Yojiro - the three drummers for Boredoms. Japan rules.

[lewisn27]

the drummer from bloc party is good, matt tong.

[kingy102]

Gary Powell ex drummer for The Libertines and now Dirty Pretty Things. His style fits into their music so perfectly, he does clinics around Britain. I never seem to find any of them online or anything because I'd love to see him live.

Tom

When i went to see RHCP in june 05 they were supporting them and they where pretty good live..

[icetrey202]

tony ceraoulo-volta do mar
cale parks-aloha
zach hill-hella/crime in choir
tim soete-crime in choir
ian hill-crime in choir
cedric bixler-de facto
the drummer for minus the bear
damon che-don caballero

[drumbandit]

Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon,

his parts always stick in my head;
subtle adjustments to basic phrasings, played very well.

His drumming fits their music just perfectly, he never overplays but that's not to say he's a boring drummer. Amazing live as well.

Tom

[Rhodri]

Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders
Dom Howard from Muse (Listen to Assassin by them)
Ronnie Vannuci from the Killers is decent, just has a nice way of playing.

I only really listen to "mainstream indie" and don't really know many bands...

[Diaz]

Forsman - The Fall of troy
Drummer from Circa Survive
Marc Allen - Finch (these bands arent that indie)
Chris Tsagakis - RX Bandits