Drummer Battle: Neil Peart vs. Keith Moon vs. John Bonham

[guitarguru2112]

All three are great. It was a hard choice, but I had to go tie between Peart and Bonham. Bonham may not have been the entire showcase of Zeppelin, but that does not take back how awesome his drumming was. Bonham never really stuck to the traditional 4:4 beat and he always had variety in his playing. I love Pearts constant change of double-beat and time signitures too. Difficult choice.

[rickjames284]

Peart, considerin hes the only one i was lucky to see play live.

[Limelight]

I've always thought that Peart is probably the most overrated drummer ever. What he does almost always sounds very good, but the number of "holy ****" moments in Peart's drumming are much fewer and far between than Bonham and (especially) Moon. He is very constant, though, and the best of these three at holding a beat. (Ignore the fact that these two gentlemen are dead.)

Bonham is great, but no as good as Peart. Also kinda overrated.

Moon, although definitely not what one would call finessed and not being able to hold a beat to save his live (either due to a lack of ability, or, more likely, boredom) is, I think, the best musician. Creatively, he blows almost any drummer out of the water. Only Moon could bash stuff is such a seemingly random manner, and have it all make perfect sense musically. Listen to the opening of Young Man Blues, or the end of Love, Reign O'er Me. If almost anyone else tried to do that, it'd just sound like a guy bashing on a drum set; when Moon did it, every hit sounded intentional and musical.

I should note that Buddy Rich kicks the living **** out of all three, though, at everything, including Moon-style fills. He could do **** at sixty that half his age couldn't do.

[Runesmith]

I've always thought that Peart is probably the most overrated drummer ever. What he does almost always sounds very good, but the number of "holy ****" moments in Peart's drumming are much fewer and far between than Bonham and (especially) Moon. He is very constant, though, and the best of these three at holding a beat. (Ignore the fact that these two gentlemen are dead.)

Bonham is great, but no as good as Peart. Also kinda overrated.

Moon, although definitely not what one would call finessed and not being able to hold a beat to save his live (either due to a lack of ability, or, more likely, boredom) is, I think, the best musician. Creatively, he blows almost any drummer out of the water. Only Moon could bash stuff is such a seemingly random manner, and have it all make perfect sense musically. Listen to the opening of Young Man Blues, or the end of Love, Reign O'er Me. If almost anyone else tried to do that, it'd just sound like a guy bashing on a drum set; when Moon did it, every hit sounded intentional and musical.

I should note that Buddy Rich kicks the living **** out of all three, though, at everything, including Moon-style fills. He could do **** at sixty that half his age couldn't do.

This! Well-said. I voted for Keith Moon. To me, his drumming style had the most synergy with the rest of his band members. I always felt like Peart and Bonham were playing against the music, instead of with it.

[bdrizzle14]

i vote 3 way tie!

[a21schizoidman]

i vote for none, as i said earlier, i vote for the greatest drummer ever, Carl Palmer

[OppoKaze]

I gotta give it to Bonham here. Peart and Moon are both very excellent drummers as well, but Bonham wrote some of the groovingest backbeats known to man. Oh, and he can play some arm destroying solos:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cRuTcnd8YLU&feature=related

All three are drum gods for sure though. I'm sure that Peart and Moon are technically better, but I really dig how tasteful Bonham's parts are.

[Limelight]

Moon are technically better, but I really dig how tasteful Bonham's parts are.

NO. Say what you want about Moon; technicality was NOT his strongsuit. In fact, the reason he was great in the first place was because he gave the finger to technicality.

[spoonytooth]

Keith Moon in my opinion is the best drummer. He may not be technically as good as Neil Peart, but I absolutely love his style of drumming. It was so inovative and there has never been anything else anything like it to this day.

Neil Peart and John Bonham are also two of my favorite drummers as well though, along with Ian Paice.

[blue_dragonzero]

RUSH! RUSH! RUSH!

I am a Rush fanboy, and I approve this message.

Seriously, Bonham is below Moon and Peart. Being overindulgent it better than sticking with the music, especially for drummers. And Moon and Peart both know that. Bonham doesn't stick out nearly as much as the other two. And it hurts him in the long run...along with $200 tickets.