Millenium(ish) Rock Drummers

Yes those are all excellent drummers that could hold their own.
For me it was the following short lived influences of mid to later 90s come to my mind:
Mikey Bug Cox - Coal Chamber
David Silveria - Korn
Jose Pasillas - Incubus
Matt McDonough - Mudvayne
Johnny Kelly - Type O

We obviously led similar music lives in the late 90s lol. The first name I thought of when I read the OP was Matt McDonough, but you beat me to it. I think L.D. 50 is a drumming masterpiece.
 
His drumming when they first hit the scene sounded like he'd been drumming for decades, and he looked like he was still in high school.
Yes! His drumming structure was very colorful yet palatable. His fills were so damned explosive yet crisp. Stage presence just as articulate and nuanced as studio performance. Listen to the song Bradley and you’re in for an intense ride.
If you went to see CC you were there for 3 reasons:
1. See Rayna
2. See Bug (performances stole many a show)
3. Mosh the bleep out
 
We obviously led similar music lives in the late 90s lol. The first name I thought of when I read the OP was Matt McDonough, but you beat me to it. I think L.D. 50 is a drumming masterpiece.
Ahh hell yeah - The break in Dig, I swear all his cymbals are getting thrashed I love that! Severed is a beast of a song and Internal Primates... don’t even get me started on “Spuug” as he was known at that point.
 
I think it's only right and proper to add Chad Smith to the pantheon. Though he joined the Chili Peppers in 1988, he recorded, in my opinion, his best work with them in the '90s. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and "Californication" are iconic albums in my music museum.

The '90s. Where can I find a time machine?
Do we want to open this can of continuity?
JoeyKramer would like a word if so!

(and I would like to honorably mention the mysterious Sara Lee Lucas.)
 
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I kind of think of the late 80s to now as being pretty blah on drums. It’s all drum machines now, at least as far as what gets actual radio play. I remember when I discovered 50 Ways on the radio when I was 12. I can’t remember the last time I heard a new song on the radio and got excited about the drumming and wanted to learn the drum part.

On a related note, I guess I’m just not that into hard rock drumming as a stand-alone thing. It fits the music and works well in context, but it’s just not subtle or musically inspiring in the way that stuff from back in the day was. Not to me, anyway.
 
I kind of think of the late 80s to now as being pretty blah on drums. It’s all drum machines now, at least as far as what gets actual radio play. I remember when I discovered 50 Ways on the radio when I was 12. I can’t remember the last time I heard a new song on the radio and got excited about the drumming and wanted to learn the drum part.

On a related note, I guess I’m just not that into hard rock drumming as a stand-alone thing. It fits the music and works well in context, but it’s just not subtle or musically inspiring in the way that stuff from back in the day was. Not to me, anyway.
Do we want to open this can of continuity?

The can of continuity is flung wide open. Chad can't be ignored in any discussion of '90s rock drumming. His impact is a lasting one.

Let's not go all the way back to the '70s, though. :)
 
The can of continuity is flung wide open. Chad can't be ignored in any discussion of '90s rock drumming. His impact is a lasting one.

Let's not go all the way back to the '70s, though. :)

I am just not feeling Chad Smith. I’m just not into aggressive, hard-hitting, attitude-y drumming with little subtlety. I’m just more of a Steve Gadd, Steve Smith kind of guy, if we’re talking rock drumming.
 
I am just not feeling Chad Smith. I’m just not into aggressive, hard-hitting, attitude-y drumming with little subtlety. I’m just more of a Steve Gadd, Steve Smith kind of guy, if we’re talking rock drumming.

For me, all drumming occurs in a given context. In the context of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I think Chad Smith is great. As untouchable as Steve Gadd and Steve Smith are, I can't envision either in Chad Smith's role, so Smith's greatness is a function of what he does to make the Chili Peppers who they are, not a function of who he is in and of himself. He's an integral component of a one-of-a-kind chemistry. That's what makes drummers great in my eyes.

And let's face it; the dude can drum. You might not care for his style, which is perfectly valid, but he's very good at what he does. He plays with punch and authority, but he's quite dynamically skilled as well. I wouldn't describe him as an ungraceful pounder by any stretch of the imagination.
 
I kind of think of the late 80s to now as being pretty blah on drums. It’s all drum machines now, at least as far as what gets actual radio play. I remember when I discovered 50 Ways on the radio when I was 12. I can’t remember the last time I heard a new song on the radio and got excited about the drumming and wanted to learn the drum part.

On a related note, I guess I’m just not that into hard rock drumming as a stand-alone thing. It fits the music and works well in context, but it’s just not subtle or musically inspiring in the way that stuff from back in the day was. Not to me, anyway.

This was kind of my point with the original post.

I was in my head a lot at that time period as to what a "Good" drummer is and comparing guys like Jimmy Chamberlin to Buddy Rich or Weckl, etc. I was the biggest drum snob for a long time.

It's taken me a couple decades to realize how silly that is and appreciate them for they had to offer - which was actually some great drumming despite being a little less impactful then Steve Gadd.

There's a whole level of "hard rock" rock now that I can't listen to - but it's the blast beat, machine gun double bass drum thing. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to listen to it - but I can appreciate the work it takes to do it.

Maybe I'll be back here again a couple decades posting about blast beat guys hahaha
 
This was kind of my point with the original post.

I was in my head a lot at that time period as to what a "Good" drummer is and comparing guys like Jimmy Chamberlin to Buddy Rich or Weckl, etc. I was the biggest drum snob for a long time.

It's taken me a couple decades to realize how silly that is and appreciate them for they had to offer - which was actually some great drumming despite being a little less impactful then Steve Gadd.

There's a whole level of "hard rock" rock now that I can't listen to - but it's the blast beat, machine gun double bass drum thing. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to listen to it - but I can appreciate the work it takes to do it.

Maybe I'll be back here again a couple decades posting about blast beat guys hahaha

Oh, I think the hard rock guys have done some fun stuff. I enjoy listening and playing. But the music just doesn’t lend itself to drumming subtlety like a lot of what Gadd and some others have done. But it’s still worth loving.
 
For me, all drumming occurs in a given context. In the context of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I think Chad Smith is great. As untouchable as Steve Gadd and Steve Smith are, I can't envision either in Chad Smith's role, so Smith's greatness is a function of what he does to make the Chili Peppers who they are, not a function of who he is in and of himself. He's an integral component of a one-of-a-kind chemistry. That's what makes drummers great in my eyes.

And let's face it; the dude can drum. You might not care for his style, which is perfectly valid, but he's very good at what he does. He plays with punch and authority, but he's quite dynamically skilled as well. I wouldn't describe him as an ungraceful pounder by any stretch of the imagination.

His PERSONALITY is that of an ungraceful pounder. But I agree, he has technical ability well beyond that. I just can’t stand watching him play. I feel like he’s about to jump up and punch someone or steal their lunch money. LOL
 
Oh, I think the hard rock guys have done some fun stuff. I enjoy listening and playing. But the music just doesn’t lend itself to drumming subtlety like a lot of what Gadd and some others have done. But it’s still worth loving.

Well - I guess one thing to discussion is which music you're talking about.

I'm not sure I'd call hardly any of the bands referenced in this thread "Hard Rock" maybe "Alternative" - and I don't think it's fair at all to dismiss all of them as "fun stuff" with no subtlety. I think more speaks to just sort of not being familiar with the music - there's plenty of complex and quiet moments in all of that music.

But I might also be protective of those folks because I was a teen during the 90s and I have a nostalgia shield up haha.
 
Matt Johnson (Jeff Buckley), Forrest Williams (Big Wreck). Not big names, but big rock grooves.
 
I am just not feeling Chad Smith. I’m just not into aggressive, hard-hitting, attitude-y drumming with little subtlety. I’m just more of a Steve Gadd, Steve Smith kind of guy, if we’re talking rock drumming.
How about swinging for the fences.
I’m surprised the bass drums not peeled at the rail mounts during.
The under my thumb part is nice.
 
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His PERSONALITY is that of an ungraceful pounder. But I agree, he has technical ability well beyond that. I just can’t stand watching him play. I feel like he’s about to jump up and punch someone or steal their lunch money. LOL

I know what you mean. Chad is a brassy fellow. He seems stricken by self-imposed pressure to be perpetually humorous, and it can be a bit much at times. Regardless, I'll always respect him as a drummer. His musical contributions have been vast.
 
Yes! His drumming structure was very colorful yet palatable. His fills were so damned explosive yet crisp. Stage presence just as articulate and nuanced as studio performance. Listen to the song Bradley and you’re in for an intense ride.
If you went to see CC you were there for 3 reasons:
1. See Rayna
2. See Bug (performances stole many a show)
3. Mosh the bleep out

The fill at 0:27 makes the "one" beat of the next bar feel like 10 tons when it drops.

 
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I'm sure we could draw a "Genealogical Tree" of drummers from 1930 to present-course that would have to take in performance career as well as popularity-include all genres. Since drumming isn't genetic we can categorize it as a meme-so it's cultural and passed on by imitation. Call it "Evolution of the Modern Drummer"-then we can make predictions on how drumming will evolve-likely nowhere with humans since technology is replacing many of our jobs likely inevitable there will be the last book "The Last Modern Drummer" LOL. But I'll never believe that cause there is always a table, lap, toe tapper in about every crowd-so rhythm and music just grabs people. Reminds me of that kids move "Happy Feet" about the penguin who couldn't sing (as all the other penguins were singing) so he was a toe tapper-I call that a drummer. Cause "Drummers can't sing" it's inevitable we will find an outlet like the little bird. But there is definitely a genealogy and evolution to drumming-lots of diversity and a rich culture and history. I guess there could be some "music related" genetics though-much like math, but I don't know of any evidence. I can tell where many young drummers took lessons in my local scene (you see the influences of their teacher), and then old skool drummers have their characteristic mannerism and trends, I just love it and I've gone through probably hundreds of drum phases/shifts emulating others-so I figure everything I do today is a synthesis of all that influence. And I also see evolution/progress/advancement in modern drummers (so many really good ones)-like I use to be pretty good on water skis but in comparison to modern skiing I was a wimp-made tricks we did child's play-same thing on skate board. I see that in modern drumming-some fantastic drummers out there-just sic. Sometimes it isn't something new just revisiting something from the past in a new context-I see that in metal. There have been lots of trends in drum tunings in snare and toms-and cymbals now are a whole new category-when it use to be pretty simple.
 
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