Alex Van Halen not a Top 10 Drummer?

[Carloscda]

According to Don Jamieson he's not?!

Happened to catch a rerun of That Metal Show late last night and they were doing their top 5 Rock Drummers. Eddie get's flamed alot but at least he had Alex at #3 and so did Jim Florentine but this Dom said he wouldn't even list Al in a top 10?! They even said WTH! Mike Portnoy came in on the segment and put Al's name up.

It's real F ed up how Alex doesn't get the credit he deserves!!

[Anonymous]

I know who Alex is - unfortunately - but I have no idea who Don Jamieson is.

Make of that what you will.

Cheers!

[FORD]

I didn't see the show, but knowing how that dumbass Eddie Trunk thinks, he was probably judging Alex by his playing on the Van Hagar records (since Trunk is a bigtime Chedhead). And if I went by those records, I wouldn't vote Al in the top 10 either.

Now on the other hand, all you need to do to know why he belongs on the list is to grab your old vinyl copy of Van Halen II. Listen to the last song on Side 1 and then the first song on Side 2. Definitely Al at his best.

And all those jazz shuffle beats that no other rock drummers would have attempted. Well, Charlie Watts might have, but he would have had to talk Keef into writing riffs that fit them first.

[thismusicsux]

yup... I'm still amazed Alex doesn't get the credit he should. Seems he's always dissed in top drummer lists. I guess Ed takes all the shine so hard to stand out.

Yes.. Outta Love Again is all you need.
Plus take "Girl Gone Bad" and game over.
not to mention all the other great songs he shines on.

[Nitro Express]

Al get's no respect because his wife has pissed off too many people.

[mh5150]

[Jérôme Frenchise]

Gotta praise Unc' Al for his drummin' - and for how fuckin' greatly he can still play.

[TJMKID]

Yes.. Outta Love Again is all you need.
Plus take "Girl Gone Bad" and game over.
not to mention all the other great songs he shines on.

"Girl Gone Bad" and "I'm the One" are proof enough that the Big Reverend easily belongs in the Top 10 list of All Time Best Rock Drummers

[ZahZoo]

Years ago Alex got schooled by one of our own comrades... Catfish... aka Fuckfish... when he was informed publicly at a mall in southern California that his brother wasn't shit without Diamond David Lee Roth. It was an epic event which turned the tables and eventually led to Dave's triumphant return...

Al hasn't been the same since... he still feels dirty from that encounter...

[SunisinuS]

As a drummer since a wee lad I think that Alex is kinda mysterious in someways even to other drummers. He lacks a certain cohesion that other players expect. If you notice...many times he will hit a theme...and then change it over 4 measures and it makes you ask....is he coherent? Will he remember to play that again next take...or next concert? Part of that comes I think because he is caged; I have never seen him play for another group or band or even wedding. He plays with his brother. I would love to see some footage of him playing for someone else.

Peart for example...we know he attempts Jazz...takes lessons....plays with other groups. Never seen Alex anywhere else. So since it seems Alex himself is playing forgettable beats and compositions....it plays upon your psyche that he is not memorable. I would agree that he shows gymnastics that define a great drummer...he just only stays in one venue.

I would love to have him try out "Drummers Week" on Dave Letterman. I think he can impress....it just seems like sometimes....he is just happy being the drummer of Van Halen and nothing else.

[DLR Bridge]

Did that really happen, ZZ? If so, that's a riot!

[ZahZoo]

Did that really happen, ZZ? If so, that's a riot!

Yes it really happened... I'd link you to the original post at DDLR.com but that jackass Von buried the site in his backyard!!

Here's a topic from links that still exists... http://www.vhlinks.com/vbforums/ddlr...ts-t27751.html

[Nitro Express]

I got to see Van Halen do their sound check in 1984. The venue was empty and with no people to soak up the sound Al's drums sounded awesome! They just had a thunk to them that would hit you in the chest. Ed would play something and Al would kick in. Or Al would just play on his own (I think they were tweaking the mix on his kit). You could tell Al tuned his drums to compliment Eddie's guitar tone.

Another drummer that stood out in the 80's to me was Stewart Copeland. He was the opposite of Al. Al had a deep thunk to his tone and Stewart had a crack to his tone. Tight heads and small toms. I saw The Police live on the Ghost and the Machine and Syncronicity tours. Man. Stewart's drums swould just stand out and when he did fast runs and fills it sounded great.

[Nitro Express]

Yes it really happened... I'd link you to the original post at DDLR.com but that jackass Von buried the site in his backyard!!

Here's a topic from links that still exists... http://www.vhlinks.com/vbforums/ddlr...ts-t27751.html

I remember Catfish's post. I chuckled reading it but didn't know if it was true. Most fans would rip VH behind their backs and be star struck if they ever met them. Not Catfish. LOL! He laid it down. Tommy Lee says it costs about $10,000 to punch a paparazzi. Cat is lucky Al didn't punch him in the face but then he's got that neck issue. Hell. Punching Catfish would have gotten some press. It would have told the world Van Halen were at least still alive and man enough to punch someone. Everyone was worried Sammy and Gary had turned them boys gay.

[ZahZoo]

The best Alex could muster was a hearty "Fuck YOU!!"...