Who's your favorite GNR drummer?

[axlforever777]

 I was just wondering who do you believe is the greatest drummer Guns N Roses had or has?                                                                                                                                 Would it be, Steven Adler,Matt Sorum,Josh Freese,Brian Mantia,or Frank Ferrer? Could you please respond from best to worst? Im doing this because I dont see this topic anywhere on the forum. Thank you everyone for your honest opinions.

[rebelhipi]

judging by material they have done in gn'r  and my musical taste:

1 Matt Sorum (you cant get a more solid and agressive beat than him)
2 Josh Freese (this guy is really an exeptional artist)
3 Frank Ferrer (very great groove, fits gn'r perfectly can even steal the show)
4 Brain (extremely well skilled technical drummer, not my first choise for gnr)
5 Steven Adler (for me he plays in a different league than the other guys)

[axlforever777]

 I agree Matt did a great job on the Illusions ecspecially part 1 I love his hardcore drumming in the song Dont Damn Me! I do like Adlers loose style in Appetite though, Saw Frank live when GNR came to the Palace of Auburn Hills Michigan in 2006 great concert Axl stole the show of course and Ive heard Frank keeps getting more fit and better for GNR, havent heard much from Josh but I did like Brian on the song Oh My God he really keeps up the pace. Its hard for me to decide but keep your opinions coming. Thank You,

[Bridge]

STEVEN ADLER by far.  Everyone after him sounded mechanical to me.

I can't say it any better than this guy did.....

"Adler's drumming made the band.  He made a big musical difference.  His sense of swing was the push and pull that gave those songs their feel.  Afterwards, nothing worked."

-- Izzy Stradlin
Guitar World, November 1992

[rebelhipi]

I agree Matt did a great job on the Illusions ecspecially part 1 I love his hardcore drumming in the song Dont Damn Me! I do like Adlers loose style in Appetite though, Saw Frank live when GNR came to the Palace of Auburn Hills Michigan in 2006 great concert Axl stole the show of course and Ive heard Frank keeps getting more fit and better for GNR, havent heard much from Josh but I did like Brian on the song Oh My God he really keeps up the pace. Its hard for me to decide but keep your opinions coming. Thank You,

josh plays in oh my god

[axlforever777]

 Sorry, i had Josh mixed up with Brian I just know Oh My God live in Rio 1999 was magnificent! The drumming was spectacular and Axl was great, Buckethead and Tommy did great it was a great performance, Im  a huge GNR fanatic, I own all the albums of course I have been lucky enough to meet Axl who is an incredible, talented smart guy but thanks for the correction. Does anybody notice on the Chinese Democracy album which I love and it always sounds fresh, for I listen to it more so than the older material that Brian seems to have more drumming than frank on the album? I cant wait for the next album Im sure Axl and DJ are gonna write some great songs and its gonna be epic just like all of Guns N Roses stuff is. Thank you everyone for having me on this forum, Im a good friend of Axl and Im always looking for people to talk to and discuss the magic of GNR music!

[Gilbyfan]

Really hard one. Steven is a capable drummer but hardly up there with the greats. But he does play with a lot of feeling and had the right groove that fitted the original band. Matt is technically a far better drummer and a lot heavier. But for me it would be a toss up between Brain and Frank as they both have very groovy style but can also pound like sorum.

[volcano62]

Frank "Thunderchucker" Ferrer

[DeN]

for Guns, Adler, then Brain.

[AxlsMainMan]

Steven and Brain.

[LongGoneDay]

Adler, then Sorum

[Siamese Democracy]

I think Fran Ferrer has that's swing people missed with Steven.

[Jbat81]

You say you're a huge gnr fanatic... But RIR was 2001 not 1999. Anyway, I think gnr's "best" drummer was Steven. He energizes the songs. Whatever that means... BTW- im not bashing you bro. Just pointing something out... We all love GNR here  peace

[Sosso]

1. Brain
2. Frank
3. Josh
4. Steven
5. Matt

[D-GenerationX]

I think Matt is the best. 

I can see the argument that he will never blow you away, but I could come right back that he never lets your down.  I don't have one bootleg from his time in the band where the drumming is not solid as a rock.

The Adler love annoys me so much, I'm to the point I actively dislike him.  If he's so awesome, why has he not done one thing of note in 25 years?

[BangoSkank]

1. Adler

2. Brain

3. Frank

4. Matt - He's clearly more important to Guns than Frank, who you could argue is a hired hand, but I can't escape the fact that I just don't like is drumming much.

Very unfamiliar with Freese so I didn't include him.

[JAEBALL]

It boils down to what album you prefer...

Adler- Appetite

Matt- Illusions

Brain, Freese- CD

Frank- dont have anything to go on really....

they all are more than capable players

on the internet there is always this large anti Matt and Steve sentiment... I dont know why....

[rebelhipi]

I think Matt is the best. 

I can see the argument that he will never blow you away, but I could come right back that he never lets your down.  I don't have one bootleg from his time in the band where the drumming is not solid as a rock.

I agree,
i play drums for 13 or so year now and still to this day matt amazes me, i mean i have every bootleg from illusions era and i have never hear someone who has a steady beat like his, i have never heard him have tempo issues, (every drummer has, think about brain you could be mine in rio, or how he counts nightrain in too fast and slowly slows the song down, at many occasions) when you listnen to matt you can almost hear what he plays next, thats boring to some of you but for the other players its perfect, plus idont think gnr songs should be flashy drums wise anyways.

i dont think he was a hired hand, the band made it clear on many occasions 91-95 that matt is the guy. ill go as far as saying that matt was the guy who kept it together music wise on the illusion tour, cause he playd so solid that how drunk and fucked up you were you knew what to play just listening matt. Many drummers cant do that.

[JAEBALL]

I think Matt is the best. 

I can see the argument that he will never blow you away, but I could come right back that he never lets your down.  I don't have one bootleg from his time in the band where the drumming is not solid as a rock.

I agree,
i play drums for 13 or so year now and still to this day matt amazes me, i mean i have every bootleg from illusions era and i have never hear someone who has a steady beat like his, i have never heard him have tempo issues, (every drummer has, think about brain you could be mine in rio, or how he counts nightrain in too fast and slowly slows the song down, at many occasions) when you listnen to matt you can almost hear what he plays next, thats boring to some of you but for the other players its perfect, plus idont think gnr songs should be flashy drums wise anyways.

i dont think he was a hired hand, the band made it clear on many occasions 91-95 that matt is the guy. ill go as far as saying that matt was the guy who kept it together music wise on the illusion tour, cause he playd so solid that how drunk and fucked up you were you knew what to play just listening matt. Many drummers cant do that.

i have never played the drums... so my opinion pales in comparison to urs

but i also thought Matt has always been unappreciated... he came along at a tumultuous time in GNR... and i thought he was always solid, on the illusion albums and live

I have always liked his hold no punches attitude as well

[D-GenerationX]

It boils down to what album you prefer...

In a way, I agree with you.

Even though I have been around since day one, my goto version of the band in my head is the summer of 1991, the UYI band.  That "Dead!" group shot in the UYI booklet.