Classic Drummer Hall of Fame
Honoring Music's Most Influential Drummers
As voted by the readers of Classic Drummer Magazine
Carmine Appice
In the beginning there was “rock and roll” which begat its less innocent offspring known simply as “rock”. Then in the late sixties a segment of rock was to become “hard” and “heavy” thanks in great measure to a group known as Vanilla Fudge, powered by the larger-than-life drumming of Carmine Appice.
Carmine Appice’s career has included a diverse series of collaborations with not only his long time partner in the engine room bassist Tim Bogart, but also high profile greats such as Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Stanley Clark, Ted Nugent, Paul Stanley, Ozzie Osbourne, Rick Derringer, Richie Sambora, Brian May, Sly Stone and many more.
As a classically trained musician himself, Carmine Appice has given back to the percussion community as a popular clinician and author of the ground breaking and best selling instructional book and DVD, REALISIC ROCK. In addition to his playing he has also co-written hits with the likes of Rod “Do You Think I’m Sexy” Stewart and more.
There was a time when manufacturers assumed that the drums and hardware of the jazz era were just fine for rockers. Well by the 70s, Carmine Appice and those influenced by him had changed all that. Big hardware, big drums, big sound and big talent have become Carmine’s legacy to the industry. His advanced technique coupled with his flair for the theatric have made him a drummer’s drummer and an icon in the eyes of fans and fellow musicians alike.