Top 10 "Late Show with David Letterman" Drumming Moments

May 20th, 2015 by Michael Dooley

Tonight marks the end of a 31-year era: David Letterman's last night hosting The Late Show. We drummers have always appreciated Dave - not just for his cynical sense of humor, but because he went out of his way to highlight his love of the drums.

Letterman exposed the late night audience to drumming in a number of ways over the decade through interviews, musical guests, and most famously: Drum Solo Week. To commemorate his last night, here's my personal Top Ten David Letterman Drumming Moments.

10. Mutemath

Dave brought in some extremely talented musical guests, and Mutemath is no exception.

My favorite part: right at the end of the song, Darren King almost knocks over his ride cymbal and Dave starts to laugh like Jeff Goldblum in that Jurassic Park helicopter scene.

9. Dennis Chambers Drum Solo

Part of the show’s Drum Solo Week in 2011, Dennis lays down some tasty grooves while playing along with the classic Cissy Strut.

My favorite part: at 2:11 he completely throws the audience for a loop by going into a wide open 6/8 half time after spending most of the tune playing fast, busy licks in a funky 4/4.

8. David Letterman Plays the Drums

This hard-to-find video showcases Dave’s own drumming abilities (sorry about the overdub voice that pops in every 20 seconds).

My favorite part: his trademark off-the-cuff remarks throughout the entire thing.

7. Roy Haynes Quartet

Roy shows us that you don't need a metric ton of drums and cymbals to sound great. His old-school style sounds just as good today as it ever did.

My favorite part(s): the drum key he keeps on one of his toms, the timpani mallets in his stick bag, and the way the song ends - on the "e" of 3.

6. Neil Peart Drum Solo

On the flip side of Roy Haynes, Neil demonstrates that a metric ton of drums and cymbals (and other stuff) can be really, really cool.

My favorite part: obviously, when the entire kit spins around and Neil starts adding in electronic train noises at 2:12.

5. Chip Ritter's Stupid Human Trick

Stupid Human Tricks was a staple bit on Dave's show, and it was only a matter of time before a drummer got up there.

My favorite part: when Anton Fig (Late Show house drummer) loses a bet.

4. Babatunde Olatunji

This isn't the most technically impressive display, but it demonstrates how Dave could bring a wide world of drumming experiences to a huge audience - especially in the dark days before the internet.

My favorite part: the opening chant which is equal parts bizarre and tacky, sort of like a representation of the 80's in general.

3. Gavin Harrison Drum Solo

I’ll admit my bias here - I met Gavin when he gave a clinic here at the store, and he’s a great guy with an immense amount of talent. Everything is just so clean.

My favorite part: at 1:25 he starts to play polyrhythms between his limbs with an open/splash hi hat pattern that is just sick. The level of coordination it takes to do that well probably went over most people’s heads.

2. Anton Fig Drum Solo

Anton has been the house drummer for The Late Show since 1986, and he got to show off his own chops during Drum Solo Week.

My favorite part: the audience’s reaction at 2:18 when Anton plays something that isn't actually hard - it just goes to show that there's really something to that old saying, "Keep It Simple, Stupid".

1. "Are Those Your Drums?"

Somebody was kind enough to put together this compilation of Dave complementing drummers on their equipment live on the air. It truly showed his appreciation for the craft.

My favorite part: the whole thing.

Sign-up for Updates Get a heads up on sales, promotions, and the coolest new gear from our newsletter! Sign-Up

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Disqus