Mike Portnoy reveals his 11 favourite drummers of all time
Some of rock music’s heaviest hitters are known to the public as icons of the genre. Whether it be Keith Moon, John Bonham or Neil Peart, their names are as emblazoned onto the songsheet of music history as their respective frontmen. However, one rock and roll percussionist has largely been left out of the limelight despite being regarded as one of the genre’s best. Mike Portnoy might not be as well known as the aforementioned, but his claim to the throne of “world’s best” may be stronger than anyone’s.
But while that argument will rage for decades to come, it’s always refreshing to see who the contenders for the belt like more than anyone else. When speaking with Revolver, Portnoy, who found fame with Dream Theater, the Winery Dogs, Avenge Sevenfold and Liquid Tension Experiment, selected his favourite drummers, and the list is a who’s who of the greatest percussionists the world has ever known.
There are many ways to prove you know your stuff when it comes to music. You can play well, you can create well, and you can pick well. Portnoy has always been a great player, his work with the aforementioned bands proves he can create great songs, and this list of performers showcases that he can pick some of the greats too.
While the three respected musicians mentioned above are all included in the list, with The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Rush sticksmiths all given spots, the first drummer Portnoy brings up is the wildly underrated Ringo Starr. While he confirms that his list is in “chronological order of when they appeared in my life”, he also says the inclusion of Starr at the top of the pile is no mistake and says he is “number one in my book”.
“The Beatles are my favourite band of all time,” the drummer continues, “And Ringo Starr obviously was a hugely important drummer in my life.” Noting how the band had been an ever-present force in his life, Portnoy shared, “Ringo was so important to them. He is so underrated. People don’t realise The Beatles would not have made the music they made without him”.
Speaking about Neil Peart, Portnoy reflected that the Rush man “was my introduction to odd time signatures and really cool, creative drumming”. He later simplified this to note, “he had a tremendous impact on me.”
Other classic entries on Portnoy’s list include Stewart Copeland, the Police drummer whom many consider a pioneer. There are also spots for Alex Van Halen, who would help propagate hair metal in the 1980s with his namesake band, and Lars Ulrich, who would do something similar with Metallica. However, one of the lesser-known names on the list is Charlie Benante.
The Anthrax percussionist is naturally a huge name in the realms of thrash metal, but his impact on other musicians is rarely cited as so influential. Living in New York and seeing the band on regular occasions, Portnoy confirmed that he felt a “special kinship” with the group and Benante especially.
Portnoy calls him “such a versatile drummer. It’s not just thrash metal, he does all these different things, and I totally admire that about him.”
You can find the full list of Mike Portnoy’s favourite drummers below.
Mike Portnoy’s favourite drummers:
- Ringo Starr
- Keith Moon
- John Bonham
- Neil Peart
- Bill Bruford
- Terry Bozzio
- Stewart Copeland
- Alex Van Halen
- Lars Ulrich
- Charlie Benante
