Which drummer inspired you the most?

[DRWM]

Mitch Mitchell - All time biggest influence on me.

Stanton Moore - Big influence in the last 6 years.

[Bob Dias]

In short, many.  However, three in particular:
1) John Bonham for the raw power and energy.
2) Neil Piert and Phil Ehart (Kansas).  After listening to these two , I really understood what it meant to play my entire kit with both hands...rather than trying to rush my hands around to perfom some impossible fill, being able to crash, start and end fills with either hand made my playing more effortless and more dynamic (and to the uninitiated, seemngly more complex).  I also picked up the habit (a nasty one to some) of accenting my crashes with my bass.
cheers, Bob

[smoggrocks]

the ones that got me really inspired were bonham, tony williams, terri lyne carrington, smitty smith, jack dejohnette, ignacio berroa and neil peart.

but the one who is now seeping into my brain and starting to influence my thinking [not my playing yet; that will take an eternity] is gary husband. he is the first drummer whose playing actually made me cry. if i could get one one-hundredth of his thinking into my playing, i'd die a happy drummer.

to me, his playing embodies everything i think a drummer should be: expressive, explosive, in-the-moment and intelligent.

gary's the man!

[Rani]

Ian Paice - Deep purple
Matt Cameron - Sound Garden

[HDT]

The one who started it all for me... Keith Moon

Then I started listening to other bands that were popular in the early 70s, such as Deep Purple, Black Oak Arkansas, Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Joe Walsh, Edgar and Johnny Winter, James Gang, Mott the Hoople... all the drummers in these bands (and many others, I'm sure) inspired and influenced my playing to one degree or another.

[J. Skins]

Here's one you don't hear very often:

Doug Clifford.

As far back as I can remember, my parents had a couple of CCR albums that they listened to late into the night on weekends at high volume. To entertain my parents, I would play along with the songs on a barstool with my hands. Those are my first fond memories of being a "drummer". It wasn't until years later that I actually began to think their music was pretty cool.  

[Big-Skittle]

Matt Chamberlain inspired me the most along with Tony Williams and JoJo Mayer.

[Brandon Amador]

Animal from the muppets I thought was the most amazing drummer i've ever seen when i was about 4 or 5 years old. So he inspired me to get started. Then I try to learn and take in things from every drummer i see. Amateur or pro.

[nridgedrummer]

i would have to say peter criss not because of his style or anything, but because he started to float during one of his drum solos i saw at a concert i went to

[Mark W]

People like Lars Ulrich, Dave Grohl, Ed Graham, Keith Moon, Joey Jordison etc. Also, John Bonham, extremely.

[TheBeachBoy]

Here's one you don't hear very often:

Doug Clifford.

As far back as I can remember, my parents had a couple of CCR albums that they listened to late into the night on weekends at high volume. To entertain my parents, I would play along with the songs on a barstool with my hands. Those are my first fond memories of being a "drummer". It wasn't until years later that I actually began to think their music was pretty cool.  

Forgot about him.  I love CCR, love that 'swamp rock' from California.

My main influences, at least the ones that made me want to play, would have to be Ringo Starr and Dennis Wilson (or Hal Blaine, depending on who actually played on a particular song).  Now, as I've discovered more, I definately like Buddy Rich and John Bonham, Pat Wilson from Weezer, and Brian Young from Fountains of Wayne.

[HZRDus]

initially it was Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience

over the years, it has become:
Mike Bordin of Faith No More
Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch
Sara Lee Lucas [formerly] of Marilyn Manson
Danny Carey of Tool
Joey Jordison of Slipknot


...and lately, John Boecklin of DevilDriver (holy crap! :o)

[Tae]

John Henry Bonham, pedal speed, style, everything about him I love (other than what killed him). Also Travis Barker isn't one of the drummers I consider the best but he kept me drumming because Blink 182 was one of my first favorite bands and have always liked them (plus he is crazy fast).

[goodness]

That's an easy one ... Steve Gadd.

Billy G.

[BigAssHam]

Buddy Rich.  Why?  Are there other drummers?  ( just kidding... )

[LT500man]

The one who started it all for me... Keith Moon

Then I started listening to other bands that were popular in the early 70s, such as Deep Purple, Black Oak Arkansas, Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Joe Walsh, Edgar and Johnny Winter, James Gang, Mott the Hoople... all the drummers in these bands (and many others, I'm sure) inspired and influenced my playing to one degree or another.

Ditto for me... But I would ad Neil in there also.

[Mark Counts]

If I have to say one drummer, John Henry Bonham...........
                                           Nutty

[Dave Heim]

If I have to say one drummer, John Henry Bonham...........
                                           Nutty

Whenever I see all three names - John Henry Bonham - it seems weird to me.  The three-name thing is usually reserved for killers.  John Wayne Gacy, John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald. . . .    :P

[Mark Counts]

I can except that Dave,  Bonham lived on the edge and pushed everything to the limit.  This
was many musicians back then and probably now? Joe Walsh is living proof that a few of them lived.
                                              Nutty

[DannyMeazell]

I have several, My Mintors Gene Kupa and Robert Taylor, theres Buddy Rich,and ;D Bono and most recently Pete Sandoval and Kevin Taylor.  ;D