This is the first-ever heavy metal drum solo. Discuss.

January 13, 2020 Alan Cross 0 Comments

With the passing of Neil Peart last week, drums and drumming have been a big topic of discussion. This has inevitably led to a debate about drum solos.

Good? Bad? Self-indulgent? A highlight of a gig? Depends who you ask.

But who started the whole drum solo thing? It goes back to at least the big band era of the 30s and 40s. Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Louis Bellson.

Speaking of whom, Kerrang posits that it was Bellson who could be credited with the first-ever heavy metal drum solo. Thoughts?

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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