Travis Barker

I'm not impressed with his drumming. Everyone I know who doesn't play drums loves him, and defend him to death everytime I say something like, "Eh, he's ok at best." Which is exactly what I think. I prefer listening to Erik Sandin (NOFX).

Hell, I'd rather listen to Meg White.
 
Overrated by most of his fans.

Underrated by most "musicians".

Entertaining drummer.
 
This not intended to start a war with anyone but i'd rather watch paint dry than watch Travis Barker play drums.
 
This not intended to start a war with anyone but i'd rather watch paint dry than watch Travis Barker play drums.

That's exactly where I was going with that, but I was afraid to say it.
 
Oh. My. God. At the animosity here... i'm embarrassed by the people here who call themselves "musicians" talking like this about another. Is it mostly out of jealousy, ego, or what...? And I'm a little confused, there was a thread about Meg White where people stood up to her, well, who's going to stand up for Travis? I guess I'll begin...

Travis is an inspiration. His dying mother told him to "do what he likes best", so he decided to make a living being a drummer. His style is exactly what Blink182 needed. Listen to songs like "adam's song", "first date", "the rock show", etc. He's a great recording artist, multiple #1 hits with Blink. When playing live, he get's the energy pumping. His style is fast, furious, punchy. And without him, Blink182 wouldn't be where they are. Soooo.... ok I'm done now =)
 
Oh. My. God. At the animosity here... i'm embarrassed by the people here who call themselves "musicians" talking like this about another. Is it mostly out of jealousy, ego, or what...? And I'm a little confused, there was a thread about Meg White where people stood up to her, well, who's going to stand up for Travis? I guess I'll begin...

Travis is an inspiration. His dying mother told him to "do what he likes best", so he decided to make a living being a drummer. His style is exactly what Blink182 needed. Listen to songs like "adam's song", "first date", "the rock show", etc. He's a great recording artist, multiple #1 hits with Blink. When playing live, he get's the energy pumping. His style is fast, furious, punchy. And without him, Blink182 wouldn't be where they are. Soooo.... ok I'm done now =)

That's just like..your opinion, man.

I mean, I'm not saying he's this terrible drummer who should never have set foot behind a kit. I'm just saying that I don't like listening to him. I was one of the ones defending Meg White, too. Yeah, it's simple and easy, but I would rather listen to her play than him. Just my opinion.
 
I didn't like Travis Barker. He just seemed to be a consummate of Caucasian rhythm.
Then I saw a video of him rudimenting (Yes.) it up on a snare.
My opinion stands, but I respect him.
And that's really all this is about isn't it?
 
In my opinion this guy is the worst most overrated drummer of all time. No groove or feel all chops and he sounds terrible.
 
Okay, I read about half of the pages of this discussion and couldn't take it anymore, so please excuse me if I repeat someone else point of view, but someone has to adequately support and explain Travis Barker. I will attempt, and probably fail, to do so.

Technically speaking, he's good. He's not amazing. He's not a human Metal machine gun, he's not a crazy time signature playing jazz virtuoso, he's not a marching corps rudimentalist. But what he does, he does better than most, and in my opinion, he invented it. Pop/punk is a genre defined by bands like Blink 182, Sum 41, etc. Whether you like these bands is of no consequence to the discussion right now. My point is, Blink 182 is defined by Travis. Pop/punk, to a majority of the musician and nonmusician public, is defined by Blink 182. See where I'm going with this?

Vinnie Colaiuta is one of my favorite drummers, as is Dave Weckl. But they sound like each other. Sure there's a noticeable difference in playing styles, but you could imagine swapping Vinnie for Dave and vice versa and the song still working, sounding similar. What would Blink sound like with anyone but Travis? It would not be Blink.

What I'm trying to say is that few other drummers out there have so clearly and distinctly created their own sound that it polarizes the entire drumming community. He has more original style in 4 bars of a Blink 182 song than many drummers have in a whole album. That's why I like him.
 
Whether you like these bands is of no consequence to the discussion right now. My point is, Blink 182 is defined by Travis. Pop/punk, to a majority of the musician and nonmusician public, is defined by Blink 182. See where I'm going with this?


You have to accept that music is entirely subjective. Whether someone likes the band Blink 182 is entirely relevant to the discussion given, as you say, that Barker defines the band: if you don't like the band, you're not going to dig what he does.

You're clearly a big fan of him and the band and so you hear his playing as a cut above the rest; a big fan of Vinnie or Dave will do the same and dispute your assertion that the two are interchangeable. The producer who hires Vinnie isn't doing so because Dave wasn't available...
 
.. a big fan of Vinnie or Dave will do the same and dispute your assertion that the two are interchangeable. The producer who hires Vinnie isn't doing so because Dave wasn't available...

I am a big fan of both Vinnie and Dave, probably more so than Travis. What I'm saying is in this day and age Travis is the more all around unique player. He has a persona and style about his playing that is synonymous with him, Blink 182, and pop/punk. Not many other drummers, with the exception of John Bonham and others, have so influencedm or daresay created, a genre.

When you think pop/punk, you think Travis.
 
Regarding Travis, I respect the fact that He is a drummer and does the job, but there is something on his playing style that does not catch me, for some reason...

When I think of punk, it comes to my mind: Paul Cook - The Sex Pistols, Paul Headon - The Clash, Darren H.Peligro - Dead Kennedys.
 
I may be splitting hairs here, but I feel there is a definitive difference between punk and pop/punk. Travis is pop/punk. Anyone agree? Or should I just shut up?
 
I may be splitting hairs here, but I feel there is a definitive difference between punk and pop/punk. Travis is pop/punk. Anyone agree? Or should I just shut up?

Works for me. I not a huge Blink fan by any measure, but what I've heard, I wouldn't neccessarily define as "punk" in the same vein as the Pistols, Clash, Dammned, Black Flag et al. Pop punk seems fitting I guess. But it sells well and keeps them all employed, so hats off to the lot of them.

As for TB, he does what he does well. That's enough for me. I couldn't care less if he is better/worse/on level pegging to the bloke next to him. He is the "best" Travis Barker there is.....what more can he do?.....what more should he have to do?
 
I believe Travis Barker is a fine drummer. I came upon his playing through teaching when students would ask me to teach them his grooves. What I learned was that Travis has a wonderful knack of incorporating elements of ethnic rhythm into his pop/rock grooves. As a teacher I found this very beneficial because it led to discussions with students as to where a rhythm came from. I have the Blink 182 book and find it very useful in my teaching. A teacher must be hip to what is happening today so I listen with interest to what Travis does.

I see no real reason why many people bag him out. Often it seems petty. Perhaps born of jealousy. It is true he is no Buddy Rich, but then who is? The fact remains that Travis Barker plays well, inspires legions of new drummers and does what he does very well. He may be the most successful drummer since Ringo at bringing people to drumming. That is something to be proud of. And it is something to be respected.

I tip my hat to Travis Barker.
 
I may be splitting hairs here, but I feel there is a definitive difference between punk and pop/punk. Travis is pop/punk. Anyone agree? Or should I just shut up?

You're right. Punk is anti institution and has quick handed drummers full of licks. Pop/punk is defined by travis barker. end of story.
 
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