Who has inspired the most to make people play drums?

I think just by popularity alone, Ringo and Charlie would have to be at the top of the list. I think they did more to make young people gravitate towards music than anybody. Buddy Rich I'm sure did the same thing, but that's a different vibe - like you're already a musician, and you're looking for inspiration to get better. Ringo and Charlie I think gave us all hope that we could do the same and make a dent into music.
 
Ringo has to be #1

But Neil Peart did it for me and many drummers in my age group.
 
Maybe we could add Dave Grohl to the list.
It's a matter of generation of course.
 
Ringo by a country mile! He made Ludwig that much money that they made him a GOLD 400. Learning to play drums to the Beatles is great, I did!
 
Sorry but Ringo and Watts did nothing to inspire me. I like over the top. Animal was first, followed by Steve Smith, Ian Paice, Bonham, and too numerous others to mention.

An unknown guy, Earl Hamilton, played with a band called New York Flyers. My mom briefly dated the keyboard player when I was little. Earl would take me backstage, give me sticks, do amazing solos, and even play with sticks on fire. As a very young child, this impacted me a great deal.
 
Buddy Rich, Ed Shaunessy, Ringo, Grady Tate, Gene Krupa. In no particular order.
 
For kids who grew up in the 70s and 80s, the influence of Alex Van Halen can't be understated. Or Peter Criss from Kiss. Overall though, Ringo probably brought more kids to the drum kit than anyone else before or since.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
..Sorry but Ringo and Watts did nothing to inspire me..
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Same here..

I think people put a little too much 'romance' to certain things..

Like, i doubt that from all the drummers born after 1970 even 1% started playing drums because of The Beatles or The Stones..When i was in highschool in the 80's, literally almost no one cared about those bands, maybe 3 or 4 people in a class of 25..And those were not drummers..

And nowadays is even worse..Go to a highschool and start about The Beatles..lol..

I think people start more playing an instrument because of the genre thats popular at a certain moment and that for example the punk-movement at the end 70's and early 80's made 10 times more people take an instrument then The Beatles and The Stones together during that time..

If you would have to name drummers, then i think indeed that people like Lars Ulrich, Gene Hoglan, Chad Smith in the 80's/90's or Dave Grohl nowadays, appeal a lot more to teenagers than Charlie Watts..lol..
 
I think it's pretty obvious that this would draw generational responses.
 
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Don Brewer -- 1970 Grand Funk Railroad

eta: Don Brewer inspired me to play, I have no opinion on what drummer inspired the most people to drum
 
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John Bonham
Jimmy Chamberlin
Benny Benjamin
Richard Pistol Allen


EDIT: Misunderstood the question. These are the drummers that inspired me.
 
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The question of course isn't who inspired individuals but who the major inspirations are.

Gotta be Ringo. When I listened to Beatles as a kid, and had a passing interest in drums, he fomented the idea that "I could do that...it's easy". And it really was and is. Anyone with a bit of mojo about them could take a few lessons and drum along to Beatles songs.

I was in my college band, covering Beatles songs to a fair level of competence as a mid-late teen.

I suspect there were plenty like me.

And that's not denigrating Ringo. Of course we all know that when you get under the surface there's a world of competence in there. But playing along to Beatles tunes is a solidly achievable start on drums.

Other influences...Grohl yes, Rich, yes but in terms of numbers Ringo surely is THE largest influence on THE most number of drummers.
 
Ringo inspired me to become a drummer,..

But guys like Benny Benjamin, Hal Blaine, Bonham, and Don Brewer influenced my playing the most,..
 
SquadLeader said:
The question of course isn't who inspired individuals but who the major inspirations are.

Gotta be Ringo. When I listened to Beatles as a kid, and had a passing interest in drums, he fomented the idea that "I could do that...it's easy". And it really was and is. Anyone with a bit of mojo about them could take a few lessons and drum along to Beatles songs.

I was in my college band, covering Beatles songs to a fair level of competence as a mid-late teen.

I suspect there were plenty like me.

And that's not denigrating Ringo. Of course we all know that when you get under the surface there's a world of competence in there. But playing along to Beatles tunes is a solidly achievable start on drums.

Other influences...Grohl yes, Rich, yes but in terms of numbers Ringo surely is THE largest influence on THE most number of drummers.
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Bang on, a lot of people commenting are stating personal influences, that's cool, we all have em but it's personal to us.

Point of this topic is who has inspired the masses to play irrelevant of what generation you were born in. I think of who has a drum kit still made in their specs, I can only think of:

Ringo
Bonham
Buddy

That tells you who is inspiring people to play.
 
mikyok said:
Bang on, a lot of people commenting are stating personal influences, that's cool, we all have em but it's personal to us.

Point of this topic is who has inspired the masses to play irrelevant of what generation you were born in. I think of who has a drum kit still made in their specs, I can only think of:

Ringo
Bonham
Buddy

That tells you who is inspiring people to play.
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And it's all old people who buy them for nostalgic reasons.

There is no way to quantify this discussion down to a couple of people. This is a favorite color thread. There is no correct answer.
 
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