[remote_phone]

He replaced Keith moon first on Face Dances, and you’re right, he is nothing more than a metronome.

Keith Moon was a one-of-a-kind drummer. He pushed the drums up from the background to a first-order instrument. He didn’t keep time and didn’t maintain a steady beat.

I recently started teaching myself drums and when I listened carefully to Keith Moon, he doesn’t maintain any semblance of repeatable beat. But it’s beautiful and intimidating and ferocious. I wonder why others haven’t tried to imitate him because it’s so much more interesting than a regular drummer.

[jksmith]

From my amateur ear, Moon and Bonham are the only ones who both played match grip but were exceptional and were members of popular bands. Even Peart is a bit of a yawner compared to these two. Compare to all those great drummers not playing match grip, like a dozen including Buddy Rich, Keith Carlock, Steve Gadd, other great jazz drummers, and with the exceptions I mentioned, match grip doesn't hold up as well to my ear.

One more match grip exception would be Tony Thompson, who exemplified why xor decisions suck for just about everything in life.

Oh yeah, Modula2 foundationally rules. Just needed some more iterations.

[whstl]

Good points.

I think Bill Bruford is another exception, matched grip, but IMO he also qualifies as being exceptional and not a yawner! :D

[wyclif]

Keith Moon was the first and only drummer I've ever heard that played "lead drums."