A moment of happenstance last week led me from a post on Drowned In Sound about the best drummers you've actually seen to the news from Planet Rock that one of my choices, Micheal Lee, had died at the shockingly young age of 39.
My first recollection of Michael Lee was when he left a promising thrash metal band Holosade to join Little Angels. I was already a Little Angels fan at that point and was instantly impressed with his "if it moves hit it" style. He demonstrated an ambition for bigger things when he left Little Angels (actually I think he got chucked out after they found out he'd gone for an audition) in 1991 to join the Cult, playing with them on their Ceremony tour and featuring on the 1993 Live Cult album. Lee was a fabulous drummer, very much in the mould of John Bonham, and I got to saw him play with Robert Plant & Jimmy Page on the No Quarter tour. That was the last time I saw him live though he went on to drum with a succession of re-formed bands including Thin Lizzy, The Quireboys and Echo & The Bunnymen.
In tribute to Michael here's my top 5.
1. John Convertino (Calexico)
2. Todd Trainer (Shellac)
3. Michael Lee (Little Angels, Plant & Page)
4. George Hurley (The Minutemen)
5. Ian Mosley (Marillion)
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2 comments:
I'm liking your list of drummers, Dave. Some definites to add though: Mark Brzezicki (Big Country). He's a real hitter. When I saw them play Pohrro Man in '86, I thought there was a tape playing he was so intricate- obviously there wasn't! Chris Sharrock (Icicle Works, the Lahs, Robbie, now with Oasis). Will never forget the evening, I as an 18 yr old looked up from my front row position at a 'Works' gig to see him going ballistic on the kit. Finally: the young pretender Gons. Plays 'folk' to a rock beat and fills. Can be seen playing the Kingston area with The Woodcut Process.
Cheers Mark - You're spot on about Mark Brzezicki, he was pheonomenal whenever I saw him. Think I'd have to drop George Hurley for him to get in. Will check out that folk combo sometime ;-)
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