Many people think drummers are not true musicians. Accomplished drummers play their kits with an ear for the notes to each drum, cymbal, high-hat, floor bass and tune them for a particular song. The best know how to fill or pause against or with the rhythm of the other instruments. Easy example: Bonham on Zepplin's "Good Times, Bad Times"
“RIP. Always sad to see a fellow drummer pass.”
Amen to that .. . I am a 70-year old rock drummer who just wants to be able to play drums on, “Stairway to Heaven” without making a mistake before I die.
I notice with great sadness at all the familiar drum icons who have passed recently. Poetically, recently my wife and I saw Ginger Baker’s son, Koffi, in concert. I like to think Ginger would have been proud of his son that evening .. .
Incidentally, if I had the chops that John Bonham had I’d play FILLS the entire song ! What contributed to John’s greatness was the fact he did NOT over utilize fills in a song ( paging Mr Keith Moon .. . ), making the times he DID employ a fill all the MORE powerful .. .