Can You Match The Iconic Drummer To Their Band?

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Some of the greatest drummers of all time have been playing for over five decades. Others, like Keith Moon, lost their lives early. No matter the case, all of these drummers left their mark on rock and roll, jazz, pop, and rhythm and blues forever. Drummers like Gene Krupa proved that drums are more than just a supporting role in a band, while Benny Benjamin and others helped develop some of the biggest names in music. Without one particular drummer, Elvis Presley’s sound could have been completely different. Test your knowledge of the best drummers in history, now.

Which band did Neil Peart join in 1974?

Retry Correct Incorrect Neil Peart proved that he has endless talent on the drums when he transitioned from rock to pop, to electronic. His insane drumming skills have helped carry Rush throughout the decades, as they continued to make music as recently as 2018.

Fin Costello/Redferns

Which band did Neil Peart join in 1974?

AC/DC
Rush
Black Sabbath
Pink Floyd

Tony Williams made his debut at 17-years-old accompanying which artist?

Retry Correct Incorrect Drummer Tony Williams made a name for himself after playing with Miles Davis’ group the Second Great Quintet in 1963. Davis was blown away by Williams’ confident and explosive style of playing.

David Redfern/Redferns

Tony Williams made his debut at 17-years-old accompanying which artist?

Jimi Hendrix
Miles Davis
Ella Fitzgerald
Louis Armstrong

Buddy Rich is considered a child prodigy on the drums. Which of these acts did he NOT play with?

Retry Correct Incorrect Although Buddy Rich covered Stevie Wonder’s Uptight (Everything’s Alright) with the Swingin’ New Big Band, he never recorded or performed with the man himself. Rich has played with numerous artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Neil Peart, and Les Brown.

Buddy Rich Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Buddy Rich is considered a child prodigy on the drums. Which of these acts did he NOT play with?

Frank Sinatra
Louis Armstrong
Stevie Wonder
Nat King Cole

John Bonham is considered a genius on the bass drum. After his death, the band retired out of respect.

Retry Correct Incorrect Considered one of the greatest drummers of all time, John Bonham had a distinctive sound that inspired generations of drummers to follow. He preferred Ludwig drums and the heaviest sticks he could find.

David Tan/Shinko Music/Getty Images

John Bonham is considered a genius on the bass drum. After his death, the band retired out of respect.

The Who
Slade
Pink Floyd
Led Zeppelin

Hal Blaine is credited with popularizing the “disco beat” on the drums

Retry Correct Incorrect During his career, Hal Blaine played the drums on more than 6,000 singles with 40 of those singles hitting No. 1 on the Billboard charts. He was a go-to drummer for Phil Spector’s The Wrecking Crew.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Hal Blaine is credited with popularizing the “disco beat” on the drums

Simon & Garfunkel
The Byrds
All of these
The Beach Boys

Known for his jazz sound, Mitch Mitchell performed with the lead singer of this band at Woodstock.

Retry Correct Incorrect Drummer “Mitch” Mitchell is best known for playing with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He’s also played with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and super bands including the Dirty Mac.

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Known for his jazz sound, Mitch Mitchell performed with the lead singer of this band at Woodstock.

Jefferson Airplane
Mountain
Grateful Dead
The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Al Jackson Jr. made a name for himself as a star drummer for Stax Records. What was his primary band?

Retry Correct Incorrect Al Jackson Jr. played drums for many talented artists including Elvis Presley, Bill Withers, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Eric Clapton. He became one of the most influential drummers of all time.

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Al Jackson Jr. made a name for himself as a star drummer for Stax Records. What was his primary band?

Charles Wright & the Watts
The Commodores
Booker T. & The M.G.’s
Kool & The Gang

Keith Moon had a reputation for smashing his drumkit on stage

Retry Correct Incorrect After he passed away at the age of 32, Keith Moon was posthumously inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. Who Are You is the last album that Moon played drums on before passing away in 1978.

Michael Putland/Getty Images

Keith Moon had a reputation for smashing his drumkit on stage

The Clash
ZZ Top
AC/DC
The Who

Which artist was Benny Benjamin known for working with?

Retry Correct Incorrect Stevie Wonder has been quoted as saying, “I learned from just listening to him.” Benjamin’s flawless tempo can also be heard on the tracks “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong and “My Girl” by the Temptations.

Which artist was Benny Benjamin known for working with?

George Shearing
Stevie Wonder
Ray Charles
Jimi Hendrix

Ringo Starr’s drumming style isn’t as flashy as other drummers of his era, but he fit into this band perfectly

Retry Correct Incorrect A left-handed drummer playing a right-handed kit, Ringo Starr’s contribution to the Beatles rounded out their sound while incorporating rhythmic hooks, cymbals, and other percussions that lent itself to the Beatles sound.

Ebet Roberts/Redferns

Ringo Starr’s drumming style isn’t as flashy as other drummers of his era, but he fit into this band perfectly

The Moody Blues
The Police
The Beatles
Deep Purple

Ginger Baker was all about showmanship playing for which band?

Retry Correct Incorrect Although Ginger Baker and his two bandmates bumped heads more times then they could count, Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton were a force to be reckoned with during Cream’s heydays.

David Redfern/Redferns

Ginger Baker was all about showmanship playing for which band?

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Cream
Queen
Jethro Tull

Charlie Watts already had a solid reputation as a great drummer before joining this band

Retry Correct Incorrect Before he joined the band, Charlie Watts was the missing piece of the Rolling Stones. His style has been described as perfectly complimentary of Jagger. Watts is also known for being an exceptionally skilled drummer who doesn’t call too much attention to himself.

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Charlie Watts already had a solid reputation as a great drummer before joining this band

The Eagles
The Rolling Stones
The Beatles
The Who

Gene Krupa was one of the pioneers of performance drumming and was known for his solos with which band?

Retry Correct Incorrect Gene Krupa’s solos set him apart from other drummers while also elevating the role of the drummer from an accompanying instrument to a band member worthy of their own solo parts.

Graphic House/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Gene Krupa was one of the pioneers of performance drumming and was known for his solos with which band?

Benny Goodman’s band
Old and New Dreams
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Art Ensemble of Chicago

D.J. Fontana was on the cutting edge of rock and roll drumming. Which artist was he known for accompanying?

Retry Correct Incorrect A fast drummer with a special talent on the snare drums, Dominic Joseph “D.J.” Fontana played with Presley on tracks like “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog” and was credited with giving Presley the powerful backing he needed.

Charles Paul Harris/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

D.J. Fontana was on the cutting edge of rock and roll drumming. Which artist was he known for accompanying?

David Bowie
Elton John
Elvis Presley
Bob Dylan

Stewart Copeland’s natural ability made other drummers green with envy. Which band was he in?

Retry Correct Incorrect One of the most popular drummers of all time, Stewart Copeland has a truly distinctive sound that helped make the Police one of the most successful bands of the 80s.

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Stewart Copeland’s natural ability made other drummers green with envy. Which band was he in?

Steve Miller Band
Bad Company
The Police
Blue Öyster Cult

Bill Bruford is an incredibly diverse drummer who played on five albums of this band before leaving.

Retry Correct Incorrect After five albums, the band Yes was just about to hit it big in 1972 when drummer Bill Bruford announced that he was leaving the group to play for King Crimson.

Dick Barnatt/Redferns

Bill Bruford is an incredibly diverse drummer who played on five albums of this band before leaving.

Rush
The Beach Boys
Cream
Yes

Terry Bozzio was most famous for working with which artist in the 70s?

Retry Correct Incorrect An exciting drummer to listen to, Terry Bozzio combined technique with flare while playing with artists including Frank Zappa, Mike Patton, Missing Persons, and Korn. It seems there isn’t anything you can throw at Bozzio that he couldn’t master.

Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Terry Bozzio was most famous for working with which artist in the 70s?

Frank Zappa
Roy Orbison
Bruce Springsteen
Jerry Lee Lewis

Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste is known as one of the most lyrical funk drummers of all time. Which band did he co-found in 1965?

Retry Correct Incorrect Born and raised in New Orleans, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste is credited with helping to bring the New Orleans sound to mainstream music. He was a founding member and drummer of the funk group The Meters. After they split, he continued as a solo artist.

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage

Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste is known as one of the most lyrical funk drummers of all time. Which band did he co-found in 1965?

Kool & The Gang
Parliament Funkadelic
The Meters
The Commodores

When he wasn’t recording on the drums, Bernard Purdie was the musical director for which major artist?

Retry Correct Incorrect Bernard Purdie was one of the most in-demand drummers of the 60s, recording with countless top artists including Bob Marley, Mongo Santamaria, and Steely Dan. He was also Aretha Franklin’s musical director.

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When he wasn’t recording on the drums, Bernard Purdie was the musical director for which major artist?

Diana Ross
Fontella Bass
Ben E. King
Aretha Franklin

Ian Paice was the only continuous member of which band?

Retry Correct Incorrect Ian Paice stood apart from most drummers with his fast and furious style. Steve Morse, guitarist of Deep Purple told Drum!, “He has a swing that feels just right. And his dynamics are great.”

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Ian Paice was the only continuous member of which band?

Deep Purple
Rainbow
The Talking Heads
Blue Öyster Cult

Congrats, you finished! Here are your results:

Retry Yikes! Gene Krupa is wondering how you got so many wrong. You didn’t do very well. Keith Moon saw you scratching your head at more than a few of these. Pretty good! Hal Blaine thinks you did OK. Wow! Ginger Baker is amazed at your score!

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