Drum covers, whats your strategies?

If it's straight forward I just play along to them but break down any bits that may throw you, just as an example the track Valerie by The Zutons I count the number of times the guitar does the turnaround before the drums come in at the beginning

I did that song recently for my mum's 60th, nice one to cover that as everyone seems to love it and it is one of those songs that just "flows" on the drums once you get the groove going, feels great.

Anyway, my approach is to get a basic version up and running, and then a slowly refine it to be more and more like the original - or I make it my own and change it. It always depends on the song, etc.. I try to know the song well enough to do it more by feel than counting, though there are times you will have to count until you are used to it. One of the songs in the originals band I'm in, I've always had to count one particular bit because I just can't feel where I'm meant to come back in (it's a slightly obscure part of the song).

I try also not to rely on charts - just basic structure notes to begin with, but I throw them away as soon as possible otherwise I start to rely on them.

I'm no pro, this just works for me.
 
Apart from all the great comments, I can only add to get inside the story. What is the song about? Find a character that the drums are playing. Something like Mustang Sally, everyone and their poodle plays it, but maybe you can play Sally's poodle.

Use the lyric as a clue to getting inside the song, get the melody, that way you will have the tempo.
Does this song belong in a car stereo, what is the surroundings? Mountains, long open roads, urban clutter? All these things will dictate how you hit the drums. Tempo will dictate your touch as well. Every note has subtext, and those that play from the visual will sound better. Freebird will offer something different than Cissy Strut.
 
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