Big Fat Five: Jimmy Chamberlin's (The Smashing Pumpkins, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex) Top 5 Influential Records

This week’s guest is THE Jimmy Chamberlin. He is a singular player that blends jazz/rock/prog and I was SO curious as to what his top 5 would be; and he did not disappoint. He is, of course, most known for his time with Smashing Pumpkins, but he's also formed his own group, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, in addition to a supergroup with Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan called Zwan. He's performed and recorded with Skysaw, Frank Catalano, and many more…and so…without further ado, I hope you enjoy the five records that helped shape Jimmy Chamberlin into the drummer he is today. Cheers!

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Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.

JIMMY'S BIG FAT FIVE 👇🏻

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Album - Tony Williams Lifetime - Believe it

Artist - Tony Williams

Release Year - 1975

Key Track(s) - Fred / Proto-Cosmos

Drummer - Tony Williams

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Album - Blow by Blow

Artist - Jeff Beck

Release Year - 1975

Key Track(s) - Air Blower / Scatterbrain

Drummer - Richard Bailey

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Album - Captain Beyond

Artist - Captain Beyond

Release Year - 1972

Key Track(s) - Dancing Madly Backwards

Drummer - Bobby Caldwell

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Album - Unorthodox Behaviour

Artist - Brand X

Release Year - 1976

Key Track(s) - Euthanasia Waltz / Smacks / Euphoric Hysteria

Drummer - Phil Collins

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Album - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Artist - Traffic

Release Year - 1971

Key Track(s) - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Drummer - Jim Gordon

Honorable Mentions:

Real McCoy/McCoy Tyner

Empyrean Isles/Herbie Hancock

Wired/Jeff Beck

Gist of the Gemini/Gino Vanelli

Now he sings, Now he sobs/Chick Corea

Bill Evans/Any

Roxy and Elsewhere/Zappa

Pat Metheny Trio/99-00

Story of Neptune/Tony Williams

Dave Holland/Big Band

Blue Train/ John Coltrane

Any Lee Morgan

Any Art Blakey

Monk

Any Roy Haynes

Hank Jones

Any Elvin

Mose Allison

Weather Report

Jazz Crusaders

UK

Terry Bozzio

Bill Bruford

Ian Paice

Nate Smith

Nate Wood

...so many drummers - I'm inspired by anyone doing their own thing!

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