Underrated

B

billy shears

Junior Member
Name, in your opinion, an underrated (doesn't typically come up in conversation) drum part. I'll offer two:

"Badman's Song" (Manu Katche) by Tears for Fears...just beautiful

"Lonely Boy" (Mike Botts) by Andrew Gold...not sure how many people really listen to the drum part on Lonely Boy
 
What makes a drum part underrated? What are some parameters?
 
Bill Haley and the Comets...."Thirteen Women". Just a great "hook" with an underststed but perfect drum part.

https://g.co/kgs/kt71Ix

Billy Guesack on drums...

Note: for me "underrated" meant what Billy Shears said-"not normally brought up in conversation" as an example of a great drum part. Something cool, but off the beaten path a bit.
 
Phil Gould - All of his level 42 stuff.

Steve Gadd - Barbra Streisand Make It Like a Memory
 
billy shears said:
"Lonely Boy" (Mike Botts) by Andrew Gold...not sure how many people really listen to the drum part on Lonely Boy
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Oh yeah.

The drum parts I tend to love in popular songs are the really expressive ones where the drum part is well-considered and beyond a straight groove, but complements the song perfectly. Doesn't have to be technically difficult—and usually isn't—but serves the music in an above-and-beyond way.

And Lonely Boy definitely qualifies. I always liked the song and I persuaded a band I was in to play it for a while. I love the drum part. It just sounds to me like every part reflects the song it was built around. The sleigh bells he plays during the choruses are a nice touch; I wonder if those were Botts' idea or if they were suggested by Andrew or the producer. And the way he builds the parts as the song progresses. The floor tom on the + of 4 during the last verse. So tasty.

Another example for me would be The Wheel, by Rosanne Cash. I'm not 100% sure which drummer played on that specific track, but I believe it's Dennis McDermott.

Promises In The Dark by Pat Benatar (Myron Grombacher).

Middle Of The Road by The Pretenders (Martin Chambers).
 
GRUNTERSDAD said:
What makes a drum part underrated? What are some parameters?
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Perhaps underrated is the wrong word choice. All drum parts stand on their own, but there are the ones everyone seems to always mention...Tom Sawyer, Late in the Evening, Fool in the Rain, etc. What I meant to ask is do you ever hear a a song and say, "wow, that's a great groove" and it just goes under the radar when great drum grooves are being discussed. I hope this makes a bit more sense.
 
I always thought "Radar Love" had a really great drum part. Not complicated or bombastic for the most part but the groove is unrelenting through the different song parts.
 
8mile, great take on Lonely Boy...sleigh bells! Botts would actually play the sleigh bell part live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPGIC0FfZk

Check out the greasy drum fill by Manu Katche on Badman's Song at about 6:06....right after they sing the lyric "when I hear soft whispers at the break of day"

Dr. Watso, "Radar Love" is a great drum part

and Icetech, "Use Me" is sick! That's a groove
 
"Come Dancin" by Jeff Beck with Narada Michael Walden on drums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMW1MOZbdLY

One of my favorite all time beats/grooves.

OMG the song is 41 years old now. This beat is a hidden gem that IMO should be as popular as "Fool", "Roseanna" and the like.

I've been trying to play that beat right since I first heard it. I still can't play it perfectly, but I can play it passably.

I like it because the song starts with this great beat. Akin to "Lido Shuffle" where the drumbeat kicks the song off and is so damn infectious.

The drums really set the tone for both those songs.

The bass line is another gem.
 
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Bobby Colomby on BS&T God Bless the Child.

In fact BC should be in the drumming hall of fame.
 
billy shears said:
"Badman's Song" (Manu Katche) by Tears for Fears...just beautiful
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+1 on that for sure. I was in a Tears For Fears tribute band, and always wanted to learn that one. Unfortunately that never happened.

mikyok said:
Phil Gould - All of his level 42 stuff.
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Absolutely. Phil Gould + Mark King = pure gold!

I also like Jason McGerr's grooves with Death Cab for Cutie, especially on 'Brothers on a Hotel Bed' and 'We Looked Like Giants'.

Then there's Ashwin Sood's offbeat groove on Sarah McLachlan's 'Wait' and Bun E. Carlos' solo on 'Dream Police' (Cheap Trick).

I'm sure I could come up with tons more.
 
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