Which of these drummers had the best "time"?

Who of these 5 well known classic drummers had (has) the best “time”. That is to say who of these kept the best beat with the best feel, regardless of tempo-- a combination of pace and accuracy. The question is NOT who is the best drummer of these 5. The answer may surprise you.

Gene Krupa
Ginger Baker
Ringo Starr
Charlie Watts
John Bonham

Watts or Starr

Yeah, this was my initial thought.

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I am going to go with Charlie Watts.

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I'm going to say Ringo Starr. He was never flashy but always well thought of. So I imagine his timing was what other musicians admired.

Sedai, you may move to the head of the class...

Many people don't realize that "feel" is one of the most major aspects that sells songs, and pop music in general. Feel is oftentimes based upon a rock solid beat-- especially the drums, but also how the bass and drums gel together.

For decades Charlie Watts was a shining example of "playing a good beat" with "feel". It's especially notable because he stated that he listened to the guitar player, but yet Keith Richards tended to rush. So without Watts, the arguably best rock 'n roll band of all time would have consistently rushed. Here is a good example of Watts' time-- "Brown Sugar" from the Stone's album Sticky Fingers (1971):


IMO playing a good grounded beat and feel is accomplished by what is called playing on the back of the beat. It can be done at any tempo. Here is a famous example of playing on the back of the beat in a slow tune by Count Basie's "Li'l Darlin'" on his popular album The Atomic Mr. Count Basie (1958). The drummer is Sonny Payne, Eddie Jones on bass, Freddie Green on guitar.


Here is another example of excellent time on the song, "Upon The My O MY" by Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band from the album Unconditionally Guaranteed (1974).

Another guy with excellent time that tended to lay back a bit was Jeff Porcaro of Toto. I see allegedly "amazing" drummers on twitch that continually struggle with his stuff, even if it seems like a simple part on the surface. They skate around the tempo and consistently go off-time as they try to replicate the part, because a lot of these drummers tend to drift out ahead of the beat when they play.

You're right about Porcaro. Excellent drummer. It's trustworthy to say that any drummer who was or has been in demand as a studio musician --especially prior to the mid '70s when studios started using "click tracks"-- has a deep understanding of "time". That is one of the chief reasons that contractors want them on their sessions.

Jazz drummers are sure underappreciated.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

I was gonna say Bonzo. Loved that guy.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

My first thought was Buddy Rich.

Guilty! And not for lack of trying. I have tried to get into various styles of jazz in the past, but it has just become clear to me that I just don't vibe with the genre. There were a few tunes here and there that I found interesting, but it's just not for me. That said, there were astounding levels of talent and musicianship on display, that's for sure.

Jazz leaves me stone cold. For one reason, I can’t dance to it. Everyone loves Brubeck’s Take Five - terrific piece of music, but maybe the only jazz piece I like.

Dawg, you gotta get with the skiddlys and the doo bops.

Great genre though. No offense meant here, but I find it interesting when people say they don't like jazz when there is so much variety in it. There is something for everyone, in my opinion. At least, I hope you don't stop searching for something that clicks, Sedai!

"Jazz isn't dead, it just smells that way." - Frank Zappa

Buddy had the greatest "drive" of any drummer. The majority of drummers (including me) will cite Buddy as the greatest drummer of all time.