Who are the best drums players in history??

[Peestie]

I'd go with:
Neil Peart (no one comes close in a technical standpoint)
Cozy Powell (totally awesome)
Bill Ward of Black Sabbath(I just think he has a great style, even if not the most technically proficient)
Ginger Baker

Those are the only ones that jump to mind.

[PsychCat]

Hard to say who is the greatest but I can say who has influenced me most.
Mick Fleetwood and Keith Moon were my original influences and the reason I got my first drumset all those years ago.
Others include (no part. order):
Ringo
Joe English (Wings)
Stewart Copeland
Phil Collins
Ashwin Sood (Sarah McLachlan)
Gene Krupa
Buddy Rich (LOVED seeing him on the old "Tonight Show")
Max Weinberg
Clem Burke
Nigel Olsson
Liberty DeVito
Russ Kunkel
WS Holland (Johnny Cash) .... etc., etc....

[jadegypsy]

Hmmm....

John Bonham (wow!even seeing video of Moby Dick is amazing)
Keith Moon (to stand out in the who is a feat in itself)
Charlie Watts (probably one of the few drummers that wasn't stoned 100% of the time)
Phil Collins (I love something in the air tonight)
Ringo Starr (maybe not the best technically but the Beatles really needed him)
Don Henely (not the nicest guy, but he drums, he sings and he writes, now if he could just look like he was having fun)
Mick Fleetwood (to be able to satisfy 3 such varied songwritters says something)
Ginger Baker (all hail to cream!)

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by jadegypsy

Hmmm....

John Bonham (wow!even seeing video of Moby Dick is amazing)
Keith Moon (to stand out in the who is a feat in itself)
Charlie Watts (probably one of the few drummers that wasn't stoned 100% of the time)
Phil Collins (I love something in the air tonight)
Ringo Starr (maybe not the best technically but the Beatles really needed him)
Don Henely (not the nicest guy, but he drums, he sings and he writes, now if he could just look like he was having fun)
Mick Fleetwood (to be able to satisfy 3 such varied songwritters says something)
Ginger Baker (all hail to cream!)

You think Don

[jadegypsy]

unwindeDreams: I put Don b/c he's one of the few drummers i know of who can sing and write, he's more of an all arounder, no he isn't an incredible drummer like bonham, but then again bonham didn't write or sing really...Also Don does have several different writters in the group that he has to work with, so different styles to adjust to.

It's kinda like putting Stevie up there with the best singers, or Lindsey with the best guitarists, I would put each of them there but not because they are the "best" in each area but b/c the sum of what they do is incredible, does that make sense?