Why does the drummer always get screwed?

sidehatch wrote:

drewtang wrote:
a strange case of a drummer being the most notable member/celebrity of a band. Neil Peart..John Bonham..not many others off the top of my head.

Keith Moon
Tommy Lee
Lars Ulrich
Alex Van Halen
Questlove
Buddy Rich
Art Blakley

Alex Van Halen?? Are you high again? He's only in the band cause of his brother Eddie who completely dominates the band..

Lars is their celebrity - I notice he gives all the interviews- so you're right to mention him…but he is by all accounts a pretty average drummer (and many think he is terrible.. i don't).. the thing is he comes from a rich family and funded the band in its early days.. at least the other guys had loyalty…

As much as I like Bonham its hard to not see Jimmy Page as the dominant force in Led Zep… not only did he dominate in the musical department both songwriting and performance but he even put the band together himself…

sidehatch wrote:
Keith Moon
Tommy Lee
Lars Ulrich
Alex Van Halen

I don't think I agree with any of these.

Yeah, sorry Sidehatch, I'm throwing a flag at that post.

Lars is the only one who could make an argument and even there, it doesn't hold up. James Hetfield is the alpha dog of that band. Lars actually came verrry close to being kicked out of the band in the mid-80s, and he almost certainly would have if Cliff hadn't died.

Questlove is a good answer.

Travis Barker is a very good drummer, but the core of that band were the two guys up front.

Relaxer wrote:
Travis Barker is a very good drummer, but the core of that band were the two guys up front.

I will grant him that by his stated standard of "most notable member/celebrity", it's Barker.