(Credit: Press)
At the age of 15, Weezer’s Patrick Wilson went to his first-ever concert: Van Halen. Seeing Alex Van Halen’s efficiency in the flesh, a young Wilson was inspired to pick up a pair of drumsticks and take lessons, beginning a lifelong path towards becoming the backbone of Weezer.
In high school, Wilson was so technically sound that he began teaching other students how to play, displaying a seemingly effortless talent for the instrument. When he co-founded Weezer in the early 1990s, after a brief stint at a local college and a move from Buffalo, New York, to California, Wilson was an immediate shoe-in.
Not only was he a proficient drummer, but he could write songs, too, and, with Rivers Cuomo, wrote early iterations of some of Weezer’s later classics. The two embarked on a “50-song project”, challenging themselves to write new material. Many would come to be included in their discography, including ‘Undone – The Sweater Song’, with Wilson’s unforgettable drum opening becoming one of the band’s signifiers.
Weezer has been placed under unfair scrutiny since the release of their self-titled debut in 1994, but they have always been voracious songwriters and instrumentalists, each of their influences bleeding into a sound that could stand on its own amidst an oversaturated grunge and alternative world. With Wilson’s reliable versatility, they became sort of emo forefathers, in their own right.
Looking back on how his sound began and developed, Wilson shared the six drummers that continue to resonate with him. The first that comes to mind for him is Steve Gadd, an American session musician. Gadd’s talents are highly regarded, as he is seen as one of the instrument’s most prolific players by generations of drummers. With songs like Steely Dan’s ‘Aja’ and Paul Simon’s ‘50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’, he has cemented himself in rock history. “Everything he plays is music, the feel is instantly groovy,” Wilson declares to Consequence of Sound. “He’s one of one.”
Wilson also recognises American drummer and composer Stewart Copeland, best known for his tenure in the English rock band the Police. While the band is rooted in Sting’s vocal stylings, Wilson heard Copeland’s drumming before all else. He describes Copeland as, “A force of nature, all go! He has punch AND bounce, and the Police was his band.” He holds a similar enthusiasm for American jazz drummer Bill Stewart. A self-taught drummer, Stewart led his own bands and played with a variety of others, from John Schofield’s quartet to a trio with pianist Larry Goldings and guitarist Peter Bernstein. Wilson calls him, “A jazzer with endless ideas who never pushes, a fountain of effortless groove.”
No “best drummers” roundup would be complete without the chaotic genius of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. While each section of Zeppelin’s whole had their own signature that lent to the band’s brilliance, it was Bonham who brought a raucous energy, one that Wilson identifies with. “Everything is laid back in the cut, the entire kit is one instrument,” he explains, before calling Bonham, “The sound of Led Zeppelin.”
American jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette makes Wilson’s list, as well. Leading bands for an array of artists, including Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans, DeJohnette is one of jazz’s most virtuous performers. Wilson calls him “fearless and explosive”, explaining, “He respects the music, but also, zero fucks given. He was expressionistic.” Wilson places fellow American jazz drummer Peter Erskine in contrast with DeJohnette. Erskine played with jazz fusion groups Weather Report and Steps Ahead, and has collaborated with the likes of Kate Bush, Queen Latifah and Linda Ronstadt. “The deepest swing, intentional but free,” Wilson describes Erskine’s style. “Unlike DeJohnette, he was impressionistic.”
With a varied palate, Wilson’s picks highlight some of the most well-rounded musicians – nods to the drummers who have diversified the instrument and changed its course.
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