In this, our fifth year to run the annual mikedolbear.com visitors poll we saw the number of votes cast increase by 14% on last year.  What you see is what you get with our visitors poll, theese as the winners of each category as voted by you.  Well done to to both players and manufacturers alike.

Best Rock Drummer

John Bonham

Stealing the crown from very-much-alive Taylor Hawkins, the very-much-dead John Bonham is still making waves in the drum world. With the release of more archive footage of Led Zeppelin live performances last year, the big beat rock hero seems to have snatched back the hearts of drummers everywhere. A fantastic hard hitter known for his offstage antics and tales of excess as much as his performances onstage, John Henry Bonham takes the 2007 crown.

Best Fusion Drummer

Dave Weckl

The winner of the Dave Weckl award? Yep, it’s Dave Weckl folks. There seems to be little point in this category! No doubt that there are few as deserving of this title than the Weckl man himself. This is the fifth consecutive year the stateside wonder-drummer has walked away with the Best Fusion award. Powering a fantastic band, and (scarily) getting better every day, Mr Weckl makes the journey to Europe at least once a year. The upgrade of his video “How To Develop Your Sound” onto DVD format was a welcome addition to this world class drummer’s educational catalogue this year.

Best Jazz Drummer

Buddy Rich

Well, this is another bizarre one. There are millions of amazing jazz drummers alive, but it seems over fifteen years after his death, Buddy can still swing with the best of them. The grand-daddy of jazz has influenced more drummers than you’ve had hot dinners, and there’s no signs of him slowing. The absolute showman, the relentless bandleader, and a big hearted one of a kind legend, Buddy lives on through his records and the live DVD footage we all have of him. Watch him blow Animal’s socks off when he appeared on the Muppet show by going to www.YouTube.Com and typing in Buddy vs. Animal…

Best Metal Drummer

Chris Adler

Chris Adler holds down the drum chair in metal outfit Lamb Of God. With amazing precision, musicality and a full on assult, Chris wins his position as the overlord of Metal drumming.  His playing on the Hudson DVD from his performance at the Modern Drummer Festival is really exellent. There are some tidy grooves and nice tight playing on show if you are a metal player, that’s a must-have disk. Well done, Chris!

Best Funk Drummer

Chad Smith

Well, for the fourth time, Chad Smith takes the first place. Beating John Blackwell (!!), last years winner, Chad must be very happy with this result. The Chilli Pepper’s evolution from the funk edge of Blood Sex Sugar Magik in favour of more pop-ballad offerings like Californication haven’t quenched your feeling of funk towards the monster drummer. Chad and the Chilli’s are one of the most popular bands of all time, and their sell-out gigs and induction into the Hall of Fame are a sure sign of their pulling power.

Best Live Drummer

Taylor Hawkins

Taylor is one of the best rock drummers ever to grace this earth. Taylor was first seen on our screens with the Canadian songstress, Alanis Morissette back in the mid nineties when he pumped sheer power into her live shows. Since Dave Grohl spotted him and made him a member of his Foo Fighters, he’s gone from drumming strength to strength. A fantastic showman, pounding down solid, creative, spark-filled beats with the biggest rock band on earth, I can’t see a way this guy’ll get knocked off the top spot anytime soon. A well deserved victory, here to keeping our fingers crossed for a Foo Fighters full UK tour at some stage in 2007.

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Best Studio Drummer

Steve Gadd

Steve wasn’t on too many albums last year, he was touring with Paul Simon and James Taylor, so I’m not sure if this vote is for the sheer amount of wonderment Mr Gadd has conjured up in the studio in years past? But, hey, who cares?! Just this last year. he expanded his USA Clinic tour, (“Mission From Gadd”) playing to sold out venues night after night with the Zildjian crew. Regardless, studio, live, as long as Gadd has a place in the poll I just don’t care. Still among the most revered drummers that ever lived and rightly so. Groovemeister number one…

Best New Drummer

Benny Greb

Since coming to the fore with an opening spot at Drummer Live 2005, Benny Greb has been hot property. He’s an amazing technician, a fantastic showman, and a very musical player. He’s a nice guy to boot too! The release of his Grebfruit album (on which he plays most of the instruments himself!!) saw the move into the mainstream of drummer’s consciousness, and deservedly so. More Greb please!!

Best Recorded Performance

Benny Greb - Grebfruit

Well, this is no great surprise. It’s a fantastic album available signed from Benny himself and one with creative grooves, blistering technique and some fantastic music. As mentioned above he plays virtually everything himself meaning he’s no slouch in other departments, besides drumming. Some people get all the talent eh??

Best Percussionist

Evelyn Glennie

Snatching the title back off of Pete Lockett, this is Evelyn’s fourth victory. Evelyn is the first person in musical history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist. As one of the most eclectic and innovative musicians on the scene today she is constantly redefining the goals and expectations of percussion, and creating performances of such vitality that they almost constitute a new type of performance.  Glennie has set up camp in this category, a wonderful, inspirational player who has conquered deafness to make some of the most beautiful music around.

Best Live Event

Drummer Live

There is no competition here really. The UK’s first drumming-only show was a massive success for it’s third year running despite the change of venue. Testament, as if it were needed, to the sheer power of drumming and the passion of drummers to flock to London and check out the latest gear and hottest players. Already scheduled for another show later this year, make sure you keep tuned to mikedolbear.com to find out who the line-up includes as it’s released…

Hall Of Fame

Steve Gadd

About bloody time. The only crime here is that it wasn’t done sooner. It’s a shame there can be only one recipient of this award every year, as so many deserve their place in the cannon. None more than Gadd however, and this year sees his induction. Groovy, funky, solid and a true pioneer of the instrument, he’s a true hero of drums and drumming.

Best Kit

Mapex Orion

One year after surprising us all to take the crown, they retain it with equal splendour! Well done Mapex! The company has done well to shed the “new boy” image. They’ve always made consistently fantastic drums, and are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve.  The Orion is a beautiful kit and with the number of Mapex owners growing all the time it’s hardly surprising they’ve won this coveted award.

Best Hardware

Drum Workshop 9000 Series

No surprises here. Unparalleled in quality, innovation, reliability and sheer ease of use, the DW hardware rightly scoops the award for the Drum Hardware section for the fifth year on the trot. Constantly expanding and refining their gear, there is a reason why there has never been another winner in this category. Expensive yes, but good? The best.

Best Snare

Ahead Snare

Not so much of a shock here, it was destined to become the snare that everyone wanted after a few pics made their way back from NAMM back at the beginning of last year. This is the drum everyone is talking about -  and rightly so. Great drums, great construction, great sound. Now with an extended range, you need to go and check these bad boys out.

Best Cymbals

Zildjian A Customs

Zildjian, the only ever winners in this category, are on the cutting edge of sounds and innovation in all things metal. The biggest selling cymbal company in the world, Zildjian’s superb A Custom series sees the addition of the new A Custom EFX and the new Spiral Twist. Never one to rest on their, frankly massive, laurels, Zildjian have also made additions to the K Series including new hats and rides, and to their ZHT series. Well done Zildjian.

Best Heads

Evans EC2

Evans have snatched the crown from Remo after a 3 years reign. Year on year they have been closing the gap on previous winners and finally this year they’ve taken the top spot.  They have really made a big impression on the UK market in the last year or two with the release of the EMAD bass drum heads and now the EC2’s. A warm, fat sound with controlled overtones seem to be the order of the day.

Best Mics

Shure SM57

Have you ever been in a studio or a live gig and not used one of these mics for something or other? The industry standard on snare drums, the SM57 is rugged, powerful and has everything we need in a microphone. All hail the ’57!!!

Best Electronic Kit

Roland TD20

Any surprises here? I think not. Roland took a massive 73% of the vote in this category.  Consistently the best gear on the market. Roland have the best sounds, the simplest and fastest setup, the best pads and they truly trumped themselves with the addition of this kit. For the fifth year running, Roland reign supreme. Will anyone ever topple them? 

Best Cases

Protection Racket

The Cornish casers have gone from strength to strength in the last year years. A safe, affordable way to safely transport your tubs, these cases are stylish, practical and worthy of their popularity. Some non drummer friends of mine even have Protection Racket wallets, without knowing they relate to drums! A brand to be seen with it seems…

Best Drumsticks

Vic Firth

Even non-drummers know what people are talking about when they hear “Vic Firth” mentioned. A true leader in every sense of the word, the stick manufacturer has walked away with the award for the fifth year on the trot. Is anyone surprised? Thought not…

Best New Product

Ahead Snares

Formatively known as a stick company only, Ahead seems to have pulled a trump card out of the air with their new metal snares. It was voted NAMM product of the show by guys on this very site and you can also ready a full review is in the site archives here. Have a read through. I think you’ll be as impressed as we were…

Best Portable Kit

Traps A400

Beating the Hipgig into second place, the A400 is a cheaper and more portable option.  It''''s obvious that a lot of thought has gone into the design and manufacture of this kit and given that everyone from an absolute beginner to a pro can pick up one of these kits and have everything they need, must make it well worth a look.  No wonder it stole the crown!

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Best Drum Book

Tommy Igoe’s “Groove Essentials”

A well deserved prize for Mr Igoe. A complete vocabulary of what’s what in rhythmical terms. The best part of this book is the play along CD, so you can apply your newly learnt chops and grooves!!! Well done Tommy!!

Best DVD

Thomas Lang – Creative Control

After Thomas’ new DVD gets round, I’ll bet that will take the award next year, but until then, it’ll have to be this beast for the third consecutive year. This DVD has outsold all other educational DVD’s on the market – drumming or not. What else has to be said that hasn’t already been said about this masterwork? I don’t know why I’m bothering, you probably own it anyway…

Words - Mark Pusey