The best drummer of all time, according to Lars Ulrich
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich’s life changed when he witnessed the spectacle of Deep Purple in concert as a young child. It was an awe-inspiring event that altered the trajectory of Ulrich’s existence, putting him on the path to rock ‘n’ roll glory.
However, despite seeing Deep Purple perform in Copenhagen, it still felt like an unattainable dream for Ulrich. Instead, he attempted to follow in his father’s footsteps by trying to become a professional tennis player while simultaneously fostering secret plans to be a rockstar.
As an early teenager, Ulrich received his first drum kit, which proved pivotal. Rather than soaking up as much music as possible by listening to records, he could now also emulate his heroes from his bedroom. Due to the emotional connection that Ulrich continues to keep from that period in his life, nobody will ever surpass those figures that he grew up idolising. Furthermore, for as much as he has achieved in his impressive career, Ulrich doesn’t believe he’s in the same league as them.
For any drummer, picking the greatest of all time is an almost impossible question. However, the Metallica founder provided a definitive answer during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM. Stern and his team had already discussed the topic before Ulrich’s involvement in the broadcast, and they shortlisted the contenders to John Bonham and Neil Peart.
In fact, the Metallica member only got involved in the conversation after a listener recommended that Ulrich settle the debate. For most radio shows, this would be attainable, but not for Stern, who has access to anybody in the entertainment industry. The following day, Ulrich appeared via video link on the programme and provided the decisive answer about the greatest drummer of all time. “It’s fucking hard,” he said. “Listen, I’ve been asked that question on and off for 40 years.”
Firstly, he credited Deep Purple’s Ian Paice and AC/DC’s Phil Rudd despite them being left out of the conversation. However, while they are among Ulrich’s personal favourites, that’s irrelevant to the topic regarding the greatest of all time. Ulrich holds Peart and Bonham in the highest regard. While he didn’t have the opportunity to meet the late Led Zeppelin drummer, Peart was an individual who he considered a friend.
“The first time I ever met Neil, it was 1984,” recalled Ulrich. “Our manager Cliff [Burnstein] signed Rush, and I had drum questions about gear and this and that. He goes, ‘Neil loves to talk to younger drummers.’ He goes, ‘Call Neil. He wants to hear from you.’ And it was, like, ‘Huh?!'”
He added: “I was 20 years old with not a pot to piss in. And I called him, and we spoke 30, 45 minutes on the phone and were geeking out on drums.”
Despite Ulrich’s relationship with Peart, who went out of his way to offer pearls of wisdom, his kindness still wasn’t enough to displace Bonham at the top of the list. The Metallica drummer explained: “Between Neil and between John — no disrespect — I’ll have to go with John Bonham.”
Ulrich isn’t alone in believing that the late Led Zeppelin drummer is the greatest of all time. Other notable names to have registered this opinion include Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Mike Portnoy, Brad Wilk from Rage Against The Machine, and the late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison.
Additionally, Dave Grohl once perfectly epitomised Bonham’s brilliance, stating, “John Bonham played the drums like someone who didn’t know what was going to happen next—like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff. No one has come close to that since, and I don’t think anybody ever will. I think he will forever be the greatest drummer of all time.”
The late Bonham played the drums with power and precision that the rock world had never seen before. He possessed the skills to do the unthinkable, which made Led Zeppelin the most dominant force in music during the 1970s. Following his sad passing, Led Zeppelin knew he was irreplaceable and chose to end their career. Bonham was the heartbeat of the band, and his brilliance dragged them to the top. However, while he’s no longer here, Ulrich and many others inspired by him continue to keep his legacy alive.
