An Ode to Drummers

A band, definitionally, is a group of musicians who work together to create music. However the influence of these individual parts in rock bands are highly debated. Are bassists easily replaceable? Are lead singers arrogant? I can’t answer these questions. However, at riot fest I learned that one thing rings true, drummers backbone the band’s energy and pulse, greatly affecting the overall performance of the band. 

I saw this first hand at the Foo Fighters concert, with Josh Freese on drums. Obviously, Dave Grohn and Pat Smear produced an amazing sound from their side of the band, but Josh Freese’s influence was undeniably great. In the past Freese has done work for bands like Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, and has notoriously

worked with Devo since 1996. Now, we see him drumming for Foo Fighters as well. 

I’ve also seen some awful drummers, and a bad drummer ruins the whole band in my opinion. If everyone is trying to follow a weak, unsteady beat, even great musicians struggle to make it sound good. It’s difficult to think of great bands with mediocre drummers, and there’s a reason for that.