Whos the better Drummer?

[VOXVENDOR]

I know this might be better fitted for the 'cave, but I figure more actual drummers would see it here....

Anyways... a friend of mine and I have a debate going on... Im not going to tell you which side Im on till it's over... i want to see what everyones choice is...

 

[Track Rat]

Copeland. He's more of a percussionist where Alex just beats the shit out of things.

 

[ctc3b]

Alex Van Halen is an underrated rock drummer. He has created many great drum parts.

HOWEVER, Copeland is by far a better drummer and more technically sophisticated. Copeland has created some drum parts that should be regarded as some of the best in history.

 

[postalblue]

stu copeland.

 

[elevate]

How is this even a debate? Stewart (stu or stew?) Copeland is one of the most underrated drummers ever. Sure, we're showering him with accolades, but he never achieved drumming deity status, like Peart or Bonzo, but he should have. The guy practically invented a new style of drumming - punk pop reggae jazz fusion. I think perhaps his influence was clouded by the Police's immense popularity (and questionable attire, circa Synchronicity).

 

[VOXVENDOR]

Ok... To answer your question... about "why is this even a debate"..

Im not going to give any names, to keep this a fair debate, and not disclose which drummer I am rooting for...

One of us thinks Alex Van Halen is a great rock drummer who is almost in the Peart League.....

The other one of us thinks that Copeland is awesome.....But the other person who likes Van halen has purchased The Police's Greatest hits, and claims to hear only very simple beats, and doesn't understand what the fuss about Copeland is....

Thats the debate.... Which side is Voxvendor on??... Well I won't tell till the end, and you might be suprised..

 

[pratt]

stews the man!!...

let me preface this by saying that I hate to 'rate' drummers....every drummer has his own individual strengths that makes them what they are...it's hard to compare drummers that play completely different styles of music....

I like alex van halen....but to me he's real limited (from what I've heard) - I'd like to hear him play something other than van halen 'style' music...his shuffle kicks butt (especially in older halen tunes)

Stewart Copeland is one of my favorite drummers.....he's super versatile and rock-solid. His accents are amazing....as far as very simple beats - 1.) you got to listen to some more police, 2.) what's wrong with that?? a good drummer does not necessarilly have to play 1000 notes a second or super complex beats....what stewart plays is so rock solid and classy....plus he can be super-furious.....listen to the drumming in 'every breath you take' - yeah it's simple - but every note and accent that he plays works with the song so perfectly...check out 'oysterhead' (stewart's new band w/trey anastasio of phish and les claypool (primus)....he plays some amazing stuff...stewart just always seems to play the perfect beat (kinda like a steve gadd)....

and to top it off, stewart is an excellent MUSICIAN - he's been scoring film music, etc. ever since the Police and he's very well-respected in the industry...

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Stewart Copeland WORD UP MUTHAFUCKAZ!

I really dig the dude's playing. The stuff he does in between beats on the hi-hat and ride is amazing.

 

[elevate]

But the other person who likes Van halen has purchased The Police's Greatest hits, and claims to hear only very simple beats, and doesn't understand what the fuss about Copeland is....

Possibilities for this are:
1 - This person is not a drummer, and has no rhythmic inclination.
2 - This person is not really listening.

I'd like to hear him [Alex] play something other than van halen 'style' music

Hehe...Van Halen is about as musically exploratory as a brick. Not saying they're bad, I own a couple VH albums, but it's like all of their songs are off the same album.

 

[ctc3b]

how about this? Album with their best drum performance

Van Halen- OU812

Copeland- Zenyatta Mondata

Alex Van Halen deserves respect within his genre. Copeland is by far the more versatile musician.

 

[Craig Raymond]

No contest here....Copeland!

 

[darrin_h2000]

Theres alot to be said for a drummer who Knows how to do thier part in a particular arrangement, tastefully and acurately. Stuart Copeland is one of these guys. You didnt hear alot of 10 minute solos out of him, but you didnt hear any sloppy work either.

 

[Krakit]

Ok... To answer your question... about "why is this even a debate"..

Im not going to give any names, to keep this a fair debate, and not disclose which drummer I am rooting for...

One of us thinks Alex Van Halen is a great rock drummer who is almost in the Peart League.....

The other one of us thinks that Copeland is awesome.....But the other person who likes Van halen has purchased The Police's Greatest hits, and claims to hear only very simple beats, and doesn't understand what the fuss about Copeland is....

Thats the debate.... Which side is Voxvendor on??... Well I won't tell till the end, and you might be suprised..

You don't have to be Sherlock Fuckin' Holmes to guess who you're rooting for.

I voted Copeland. I bought one of his solo albums but the title escapes me just now. It's black bordered with a photo of Africa (I think) on it. May have a Giraffe on it somewhere as well. I haven't listened to it since I stopped playing vinyl.

Carl

 

[VOXVENDOR]

You don't have to be Sherlock Fuckin' Holmes to guess who you're rooting for.

Carl

Don't be so sure of yourself Sherlock.. as I said, you might be very suprised

 

[charger]

This is a joke, right?

Listen to Roxanne, or So Lonely. Stewart Copeland, on taste alone, is one of the top five drummers I have _ever_ heard. Add to that his uncanny ability to slap the prefect accent on any chorus and his absolute wizardry with the hi-hat and ride, and he's so close to prefection it's scary.

Alex, on the other hand, is probably in the bottom third of drummers I have heard. A solid, okay drummer, who, due to his use of just one beat for most of his career, probably would have lost his job a long time ago if he wasn't named Van Halen.

 

[sonusman]

I have come to the conclusion that you guys here are too easily impressed!

I will go with AVH!!!

The comment about "it sound like off the same album could ONLY be a person who has only listened to mostly NEW VanHalen, which bites pretty hard! Before Sammy joined the band, Van Halen covered a pretty wide bredth of rock genre's, and a few others too boot!

Copeland is a really good drummer, but ss far as "creating a new style".... Let's face it, he isn't even half as good as Steve Smith.

I bet you all think Neil Pert is the shit too.....

Ed

Oh, forgot to add. VH 2 is Alex's best work.

 

[VOXVENDOR]

Well Im gonna sum this up now.....

I am a AVH fan also....

I think that the Police is considered an "intellegent" band, and VH is sort of a joke to the general public these days..

People naturally sway towards Copeland as being a more accomplished musician.... IMO

Like Ed Said.... Alex does do alot more than one beat....

I went out and bought the Police's Greatest hits, to hear these "amazing drums" that my friend was talking about.... All I heard was solid yet very, very simple beats.....

Someone mentioned Roxanne..... AND????????????????

I don't hear anything "awesome" in the drums on that song..

Walking on the moon had some need offbeat stick and hat hits, but nothing really fancy....

Listen to VH's "Amsterdam" from the album "Balance"... I have NEVER heard Copeland attempt something like that....

What about that bass drum shuffle AVH Keeps up through the whole song "Hot for Teacher"....??

I Like Neil Peart, and I might get flamed but I think the next best person is AVH... seriously...

And YEAH.. I DO play Drums...


AVH is really tamed on record, but if you have ever heard him live, man he is very close to Neil Peart...




Anyways.. thanks for polling.... my friend won... but It still doesn't sway MY opinion of Copeland, that he is solid, does some cool offbeat hits..... but is nowhere as good as AVH


Joe

 

[elevate]

The comment about "it sound like off the same album could ONLY be a person who has only listened to mostly NEW VanHalen

Incorrect. The last VH album I can place a name on is OU812.

Copeland is a really good drummer, but ss far as "creating a new style".... Let's face it, he isn't even half as good as Steve Smith.

That's debateable.

I bet you all think Neil Pert is the shit too.....

I bet you think he isn't.

 

[VOXVENDOR]

Incorrect, The last VH Album I can place a name on is OU812

It's incorrect cause YOU can't name any recent albums......??? Come on man, thats a little bit pigheaded....

I guess you don't recall Right Now, or Can't Stop Lovin' you.. a few of the many Top 10 hits SINCE OU812.....

Right Now has a pretty cool, and distinctively different drumbeat from Can't stop loving you, a fact that alone disprooves your theory


Oh and talking about not hearing late material from VH....... How many New Police albums have you heard since '86?

 

[VOXVENDOR]

Oh and ahead of time.......

By the way... Im just having fun with this... don't take my posting like im getting angry...