I think Nick really understood the power in hypnotic drumming. I remember clearly thinking and being vocal that I felt repetition was boring when I was in my 20's and full of spit and vinegar..
It's a thing that can happen at any age, when you realize the power of hypnotic drums.
More than any other instrument IMO, the drums set the mood, and create the effect, and the very feel of the song. Like if the whole band is doing spikey reggae stabs for instance and the drummer is playing smooth 4 on the floor swing feel with a jazz ride or shuffle pattern, the tune feels more like a swing tune than a reggae song. It might sound like a reggae song but it feels like a swing tune. That's real power. Sound is easier to define than feel. The real superpower of the drums is it's ability to make people feel good. Nick knew that was plenty and had the absence of ego to just leave it there. Winning formula in their case obviously.
Nick must have realized early on where his strengths lie, reinforced by record sales. Number one hit records....back in the day anyway.. generally speaking don't have fancy drums. I'd say it's a fact that a straight drum part sells. Yet to many, a straight drum part is vilified.
Nick could be accused of non inventive-ness, but to me, keeping a great meter, at the perfect tempo, played with the confidence of the full knowledge of the subtle power it creates, it adds up to more than the individual parts alone. It's a cloaked power in a way, when a song just feels good. Substitute a show-offy drummer and watch the song crash and burn. Simple, distilled parts always work well, for the audience, for the other players, for the greater good. Being a team player, not the star of the show, gives you star quality. It's backwards.
I have to wonder how a technical wizard like Mangini would have interpreted "Comfortably Numb" if he was the original drummer and had free reign. You never know, if we were all imprinted with busier drums in Floyd songs, would we feel Nick would be not right for the music? Imprinting is powerful stuff.