Also known as 'piss breaks', even to me. Often it is booooring and 'oh look, I can play the d-rums real fast and interesting'. But every so often a seriously interesting musician (note how I said musician instead of drummer here) emerges and does something with the instrument that is either refreshingly original, or just very well thought out.
Gojira, the French metal band consists of very accomplished musicians and drummer (and art director for the band) Mario Duplantier has taken up the habit of recording a very stylized drumvideo, containing a truly composed drumsolo that does not outstay its welcome. He recently posted his 2025 effort, but I highly recommend checking out the others as well. Truly impressive.
Although not a drum solo I do think Matt Garstka is currently the top drumming dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXcOUsD6UbM
The problem is I don't particularly like the music "Animal as leaders" play but here the music is much more restrained.
I am not a patient man, especially not when it comes to things designed to be short, sharp and to the point. Luckily when it comes to music, I have a longer stretch and my imagination is a lot bigger. I managed to watch Neil's entire videos on drumming, and that's no easy task I can tell you.
This is my favourite drumvideo out there currently. It's a little older - 5 years - but it has lost nothing of its' power.
Technically not a drumsolo either, but the level of musicianship combined wth the fantastic music itself makes this top of the bill for me. Danny Carey is a beast in itself, but the way he manages to work what other drummers would struggle to play alone (as: in a drumsolo) in a song, in this case one of Tool's most regaled songs "Pneuma", borders on the impossible.
The thing is, each time I watch this (and yes I have watched it multiple times) I discover new things in his playing. Whether it is the constraint in his double strokes, his total command of the kit (that is ludicrous but 100% purposeful), his focus (he breaks focus only once around the 10:45 mark in which he glances over and smiles(!) to Adam the guitarist and immediately has to correct himself with the pattern on his ride cymbal), the intensity he uses to hit those cymbals when accenting specific parts, and his lush(er) approach if it is a 'random' cymbal stroke, his usage of electronics (unrivaled currently, there is a video out there with him explaining all of it - and I never understood all of it) or just the musicality to recognize when the music needs to breath, and when to choke, it remains such a fascinating watch.
This video is up there for the masses (and ages) and 99% of them will never understand any of this, they just crave decent quality Tool live footage (of which there is almost none!), and that is OK as well of course. I am not gatekeeping here.
Just to say: playing the drums is not just 4/4 all the time, although when your name is Phil Rudd it is pretty much your lifeswork.
OK, technically not a solo, not even remotely. But what this kid did is right on the border or brilliant and insane. And yes, you read that title correctly. No I did not watch the entire thing but what I have seen it is very well done. How the internet has changed things.. No one in their right mind would have thought of doing this in 1985.
Ah yes, it is Duplantier time again. Fantastic again this one, nice and tribal-y. In case oyu were wondering: the beginning (and near the end recurring theme) with the interplay between toms and bassdrum: he is using 1 foot.
Drum solos should be outlawed.. awful..
Quote from: Fishy on April 23, 2026, 10:32:34 PMDrum solos should be outlawed.. awful..
Yeah, they're a 1970s thing and should have been left there. I can't imagine NP looked forward to them night, after night, after night. Surely he had enough to do the rest of the time.
I sincerely hope Anika doesn't do one unless it's a short familiar motif, referencing Neil.
Quote from: The Picnic Wasp on April 24, 2026, 12:20:51 PMQuote from: Fishy on April 23, 2026, 10:32:34 PMDrum solos should be outlawed.. awful..
Yeah, they're a 1970s thing and should have been left there. I can't imagine NP looked forward to them night, after night, after night. Surely he had enough to do the rest of the time.
I sincerely hope Anika doesn't do one unless it's a short familiar motif, referencing Neil.
Neil was a fan of drum solos. I remember him saying that about the big band drummers' moment in the spotlight. He took his solo very seriously and dedicated an awful lot of his time to developing it. If any of the band had suggested dropping his solo spot, I doubt it would've been Neil.
I was quite impressed when I first heard his solo on ATWAS but later on it bored me rigid. Could've made space for (at least) two deep cuts.