FEMALE DRUMMERS: YOUR FAVES & WHY?

[Lennytoons]

Meg White.

 

[pgm554]

Hillery Jones.

 

[Seafroggys]

Patty Schemel - When I unfortunately went to see Hole at the Electric Banana in London ON they were so loud and shitty sounding I had to go outside. I snuck my beer out under my jacket and stood out front at the window and had a smoke. The band had their back to the window and Patty was sitting very close to it on her throne. That's when I realized she wasn't wearing any knickers.

True story.

Oh my god, someone chose not to wear underwear!? The horror! Let's broadcast this to everyone!

For the record, I didn't wear my underwear when I went to the produce market today.

Anyway, I should probably mentioned Viola Smith as well. She was an OG, before Karen Carpenter:

 

[Bo Eder]

I don’t see “female” and “male” drummers. I just see “drummers”. This attitude of people being cool just because they’re a certain sex or a certain “whatever” has got to go as far as I’m concerned. It’s all about playing the music, and if they can do it, then I don’t care what they are. If they can’t play the music, I’m not around long enough to figure out what they are.

 

[Flaflaflafla]

Chaka Khan

 

[Jeff Almeyda]

I know a few female drummers who would be insulted by this thread.

 

[Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX]

Karen Carpenter
- my dad had me playing along to early Carpenters stuff as a real young [4-5 years old] kid; she was always smiling

Sandy West - The Runaways
- one of my first "wow, this stuff is mean and angsty" exposures to punky stuff; friends older brother would play them while skateboarding/riding BMX bikes in the late 70's

Cindy Blackmon
- she kicked my ass with Lenny Kravitz back in the 90's; mean, mean, sick, phat beats

Evelyn Glennie
- saw her in clinic at PASIC a few times, and came across her via her marimba playing;

Amy Farina - The Evens
- I LOVE her simple, rootsy, loose interp; got to meet her after The Evens played an art gallery here in town, and she was sooo fun to talk to: I asked her bout her drumming, and she lit up:" wow. Thank you. No one ever asks me about my drumming..." was her reply. Then we talked for a good hour or so

Pitchu Ferraz - Nervosa
- she played so ferocious and fast in what I think is one of the best thrash bands to come out of t he past 15 years; eyes closed, I though it was a young Dave Lombardo

Annika Nilles
- first exposure to her was her video for the Phil Fill song "Electrify Me"...so solid; i was in love with her bass foot technique

I think I have only been subject to "tank top and toms" [or tits and toms as my friends call them] drum videos once or twice, and as soon as it came on, I was like "oh jeez...this crap" and was out...

 

[Elvis]

I will check her out, man! Thanks for the tip!

You're welcome! =)

 

[Elvis]

Watched some Go-Gos videos recently--I've been meaning to watch the documentary but haven't yet--and while I remember thinking back in the day that Gina Schock was really tasteful, I'd never noticed before just how good her feel is, how perfect her fills are and, most of all, what a sledgehammer for a left she's got going on the snare. She's really bringing the power!

...and she did it all at 1000 mph!
I remember the reunion special that was on tv in the early 2000's and after the song she was caught going, "WHEW!"...a little out of practice I suspect. =)

 

[Elvis]

Chaka Khan

...ChakaKahn-ChakaKahn

 

[SharkSandwich]

I'm not sure I have a favorite but I saw Cindy Blackman with Lenny Kravitz back in the 93 and holy cow, she was KILLING it!

 

[bud7h4]

I don’t see “female” and “male” drummers. I just see “drummers”. This attitude of people being cool just because they’re a certain sex or a certain “whatever” has got to go as far as I’m concerned. It’s all about playing the music, and if they can do it, then I don’t care what they are. If they can’t play the music, I’m not around long enough to figure out what they are.

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with you, but all one has to do is avoid that perspective and the discussion is no longer icky.

 

[toddmc]

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with you, but all one has to do is avoid that perspective and the discussion is no longer icky.

Exactly right. As long as everyone's being respectful and keeping the comments to their drumming ability I don't see the issue.

 

[Andy]

I know a few female drummers who would be insulted by this thread.

Me too. It's not necessarily people's comments, as most are concerned only with artistic aspects, it's the fact there's differentiation in the first place.

Like most of us, I know & work with drummers & other players who you can attach any number of labels to. Nobody's advocating for PC, in fact, quite the reverse. The desire is for (insert differentiation here) to become a non issue / consideration. The more differentiation is highlighted, the longer it remains a thing.

On the flip side of this, I agree with Bo - those who seek to use differentiation as a promotion tool, mostly a feature that has zero relevance to the task at hand. Whilst they may be focussed on their own micro climate of self marketing, it's not a wider helpful strategy, either for themselves, or progression of the greater art. Certainly in a video context, I don't need an identifying label in the title. I have eyes, & can work it out for myself if I wish.

 

[GruntersDad]

So do they hurt their own cause by having a competition titled Hit Like a Girl? I realize, where the term came from, but could they not have chosen a better title?

 

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

What if they were born a cellist, but identify as a drummer?

 

[Chris Whitten]

I know a few female drummers who would be insulted by this thread.

It's a fair comment. Female drummers are still (sadly) relatively rare, especially on the studio and touring scene. So I think a thread highlighting 'favourite' female drummers and raising awareness is more of a positive than a negative.

 

[Old Dog new Cans]

For me personally, saying "Female drummer" is definitely NOT a distinction of being weaker. Powerful strong, smart women in my world. However, for the vast majority of my life, I only knew SHEILA E. And maybe Karen Carpenter. But Karen's music was so far out of my radar, I simply didn't pay attention to her. And it wasn't like I could look up videos on YouTube in 1986 when I was neck deep in drumming.

If the thread was who are your favorite drummers, I probably would have only added a few guys to be honest, because, well, I only have a few "favorites". A lot of the drumming videos I watch these days are from women. It's available! I don't have to sit and watch the same dudes that I've been watching.

Simply making a distinction in sex is not always a negative. I've only always been respectful towards women.

 

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

 

[someguy01]

The reason for grouping is rather simple yet is constantly over analyzed. People who are members of marginalized groups draw inspiration from seeing those who look like them doing things they may have been told they couldn't do.
Don't overthink it.