From Keith Moon to Tommy Lee drummers are always known for their erratic behaviour and one of these guys was the inspiration behind puppet drummer Animal from The Muppets
What is it about rock n’ roll drummers? They’re in and out of bands “like a bleeding squeezebox,” according to The Who’s Zak Starkey – who’s just been fired for the second time in a month.
In his case, it seems to be a matter of musical differences. But percussion does attract some big personalities, from Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham to original Who drummer Keith Moon.
Here MEG JORSH meets the wildest men ever to hold a pair of sticks and the stories behind the wild men…
Who is the best drummer ever? Have your say in the comments below
Beyond the Moon
Long, long before Zak Starkey, there was Keith Moon. The Who’s original drummer would go down in history for his love of smashing everything from TVs to hotel rooms and his own drum kits.
Keith also enjoyed a good prank, particularly blowing up toilets with dynamite. At his 21 st birthday party in 1967, he famously drove a stolen Lincoln Continental into a Holiday Inn swimming pool in Michigan, US.
But behind the good-time image, the North London-born musician struggled with alcoholism. He tragically died aged 32 from an overdose of sedatives, in the same flat where singer Mama Cass Elliot had passed away four years earlier.
According to legend, Keith was one of the inspirations behind puppet drummer Animal from The Muppets.
Seeing red
Famed for his role in 60s supergroup Cream, Ginger Baker learned his trade from jazz drummer Phil Seaman. They had quite a lot in common – including the fact they were both addicted to heroin.
But while Phil died aged just 46 in 1972, Ginger clung on for eight decades of eccentricity. He was notorious for his bitter feud with bandmate Jack Bruce, often throwing drumsticks at his head and once pulling a knife on him on stage.
Determined to have the last word, Jack is said to have called the drummer hours before his 2014 death to say “I’m dying Ginger, f*** you” and slam down the phone.
The grumpy star, known for his hatred of journalists, was at least fond of raising polo ponies. He apparently wasted his $5million takings from Cream’s 2005 reunion on the hobby.
Demon drink
Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was famed for his epic solos. He must have been good, because he regularly played alone for half an hour at gigs – and fans didn’t seem to mind.
But behind the musical powerhouse, born in Redditch, Worcestershire, was a troubled soul who struggled with the pressures of fame. John told pals he suffered from panic attacks before every concert.
His alcohol tolerance was legendary. He necked 12 bottles of champagne at a stag do for Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and still showed up on time for the wedding the next day.
When he was found dead in 1980, at the age of 32, he had apparently drunk 40 shots of vodka in the preceding 12 hours. The unconscious star then tragically choked on his own vomit.
Home movie star
If you’ve heard of Tommy Lee, it’s probably because he accidentally invented the celebrity sex tape. His stolen home video with then-wife Pamela Anderson became one of the biggest scandals of the 90s.
But the Mötley Crüe drummer was living life on the edge long before that. His globetrotting tours with the band were fuelled by a diet of cocaine, vodka and what Lee called “zombie dust” – a blend of coke and sedative Halcion.
The heavy metal star boasted a flying drum kit that allowed him to perform solos while suspended about the audience’s heads. And he was famous for mooning the crowd at every show.
It didn’t stop him dating a string of beauties, said to have included actress Heather Locklear, supermodel Naomi Campbell and singer P!nk. He tied the knot with Pammy in 1995 after knowing her for just four days.
Slave to the rhythm
Rocker Terry Bozzio pours his crazy into his art. The musician, known for his work with Frank Zappa and Missing Persons, is legendary for assembling one of the most outrageously elaborate drum kits of all time.
Dubbed the S.S. Bozzio, it features an impressive 34 drums and more than 50 cymbals. It also has 22 pedals that trigger a range of percussion instruments, from tambourines to gongs.
The kit takes four hours to set up on stage and takes up around as much space as a compact SUV. “There’s always been an art and beauty to drum sets,” the 74-year-old explains. “I always say I spend more time under the hood of my drum set than I do driving it.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
