In this monumental episode of The Sonic Road Podcast, host Beau sits down with multi-platinum producer and engineer Dave Hillis (Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains) to discuss: our Top 25 Drummers in Rock & Metal

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Join us for a deep dive into the world's most iconic beats, from the legendary power of John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)and the technical genius of Neil Peart (Rush) to the explosive chaos of Keith Moon (The Who) and the pioneering grooves of Bill Ward (Black Sabbath). We also pay tribute to the unique pocket of Vinnie Paul (Pantera), the raw energy of Sean Kinney (Alice in Chains), and the rock-solid backbone of Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam).

Beau and Dave share personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes insights, and more on topics like the importance of drum tuning, the controversy of "grid-perfect" drumming, and the unsung heroes who deserve more recognition. 

This is a must-listen for any drum enthusiast, musician, and die-hard rock and metal fan who loves a good list!

Tune in and find out where your favorite drummer landed on our list—and discover some new legends along the way.

Drummers, bands & key topics discussed in this episode:

• The underrated brilliance of drummers like Dean Butterworth and Joey Castillo
• Behind the scenes with the drummers Dave Hillis has worked with
• The groove masters: JP Gaster (Clutch) & Reed Mullin
• The backbone of classic rock: Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes), Butch Trucks & Jaimoe (The Allman Brothers)
• Metal titans: Tommy Aldridge & Vinnie Paul (Pantera)
• The heart of grunge: Matt Cameron (Soundgarden) & Sean Kinney (Alice in Chains)

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Host Introduction 

00:17 Discussing Underrated Drummers 

00:54 Dave Hillis' Experience with Drummers 

03:29 Dean Butterworth: The Underrated Drummer 

06:02 The Importance of Drum Tuning 

19:35 The Debate on Grid Perfect Drumming 

24:27 Top 25 Drummers in Rock and Metal 

50:06 Lars Wick and Dave Cruzin: Drumming Legends 

52:20 Joey Castillo: The Powerhouse Drummer 

54:29 Reed Mullen: The Funky Punk Rock Drummer 

56:08 Steve Gorman: The Black Crows' Backbone 

58:25 Butch Trucks and Jaimoe: The Allman Brothers' Dual Drummers 

59:43 Tommy Aldridge: The Metal Drumming Icon 

01:01:44 Keith Moon: The Legendary Who Drummer 

01:03:16 Neil Peart: The Rush Drumming Virtuoso 

01:04:21 Vinnie Paul: The Pantera Drumming Legend 

01:07:19 Sean Kinney: The Heartbeat of Alice in Chains 

01:14:32 JP Gaster: The Groove Master from Clutch 

01:15:54 Matt Cameron: The Soundgarden and Pearl Jam Drummer 

01:21:23 Bill Ward: The Black Sabbath Drumming Pioneer 

01:22:00 John Bonham: The Zeppelin Drumming King 

01:24:01 Honorable Mentions: Unsung Drumming Heroes

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