After 'bout the second page I got disgusted and stopped reading. Then I read the last page, and it got a little better. I just can't stand all the name calling.
My 2 cents, everyone needs to stop labeling things. Does it really matter whether blink is really a "punk" band, or a
power punk" or a pop" band? Those are just words, people!
When it comes to most intruments, in my opinion 2 things matter: chops and musicality. We all know what chops are, but musicality would be the ability to make aestheticaly-pleasing music, or as an individual instrument to add to the music in an appealing way. Given a cool recording/mic technique, a nice or unique sounding voice, and good lyrics, it is possible to write a three power-chord song, and for it to still be "good". True, it doesn't require much chops, but it can still be agreat song. How so? Because it just sounds good.
Call these two elements whatever you like, I think talent is a mixture of these two things. Some musicians rely on more of one, others on more of the other. People have differing opinions because of their diverse backgrounds. A really awesome intrumentalist might have a lot of contempt for the shitty one whose music sounds great just because of really cool engineering or great lyrics or uniqueness in some way, but I still think the shitty one has made good music even though he doesn't have the same chops. I think some really elitist people are just bitter, because they don't feel that people with the same abilities as them deserve to have recognition, and I don't think that's right.
As for Blink? I think Travis Barker is a great drummer. Not only does he have chops, but a really adds to the music in a meaningful way, that is to say, his drumming fits in perfectly. Or at least I think it does.
. And i know plenty of drummers that can do kick pedalling that fast with a single pedal.
