I don't think there is a single musician in this world that hasn't been influenced by another. As an aspiring drummer I want to share the drummers that influence me. These guys represent everything great about rock music. So here are two of my favourite rock drummers



Rick Allen

Rick Allen has to be one of the greatest ever rock icons in the world. He epitomises everything cool about rock and roll. The one armed drummer that defied his disability to be part of one of the biggest rock bands in the UK. He joined def Leppard aged 15 and just after the band got signed he lost his arm in a car accident. True to form it was a horrifically spectacular accident that could only have happened to a rock star. Under the influence Rick Allen attempted a drive by high five and lost control of his corvette and crashed into a nearby field. Doctors re-attached his arm but later had to remove it due to risk of infection.

Fortunately this did not hold him back and indeed the members of the band would often jibe him saying that he was a better drummer after he lost his arm that when he had two. He utilised a semi-electronic drumkit to bang out some of the most distinctive rock tunes. He is a great example of a drummer that made the most of an electronic drumkit throughout his career.

John Bonham

John Bonham is my favourite drummer of all time. He revolutionised rock music with his playing style which was both thunderous and powerful and was intertwined with a finesse that no one else has ever managed to replicate. When Jimmy Page first saw him he was inspired and it ended his search for a new drummer for his new band the New Yardbirds. As you will no doubt know the New Yardbirds renamed and became Led Zeppelin the best rock band of all time.

John Bonham was the force in the band that drove the irrepressible genius of Jimmy page and Robert Plants music to new levels. Every member of the band consistently praises the influence of john on the band and state that Led Zeppelin would not have been half as good without him. There's not much better praise than that! Described as the backbone of the band he really came to the fore during their live shows where he was often given the opportunity to improvise and jam on stage. The most infamous of these solos was the 'Moby Dick' drum solo that reached up to half an hour in length.

Trying to imitate John Bonham's playing style has frustrated an enormous number of drummers. The incredible sound that he achieved looked effortless when he played but in reality requires an almost god-like level of skill. His early playing style was extremely boisterous but he developed his style in later years and approached the skin bashing with a more delicate wrist. This controlled approach provided an even more powerful and a louder sound with significantly less effort.