First use of double-bass in metal?

I was listening to Painkiler before, and the awesome drum intro got me thinking - when was the double bass first used in metal? What artists pioneered it? Was it even started in metal?

RAINBOW - "Kill the King" maybe?

I'm not a drummer so I'm no expert, but I think Dave Lombardo (Slayer) was doing double bass stuff before JP's "Painkiller"

Fat Freddy wrote:

I'm not a drummer so I'm no expert, but I think Dave Lombardo (Slayer) was doing double bass stuff before JP's "Painkiller"

Well yeah, but so was Lars Ulrich for example - jeeez Freddy, in all those years of being a Metallica fanatic, you never noticed the double-bass frenzy on Kill 'em All?

Mitch Mitchell played double bass in the Experience, starting in around 1968 or so.

Carl Palmer was using double bass in Atomic Rooster in 1969, playing proto-metal.

King Crimson with Bill Bruford from 72-74.

Double bass was common in heavy jazz fusion bands like Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spectrum, Nucleus, etc.

Priest used it early, Sin After Sin has a good bit, they may have used it earlier...

I'm no expert in the field, but jazz drummers Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa were probably doing that sort of thing back in the 50's or earlier...

Detuned could probably chime in here and tell us more.

The first time I personally can remember hearing double-bass drumming in metal was on Motley Crue's Too Fast For Love album, but I doubt Tommy was the first.

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

I'm not a drummer so I'm no expert, but I think Dave Lombardo (Slayer) was doing double bass stuff before JP's "Painkiller"

Well yeah, but so was Lars Ulrich for example - jeeez Freddy, in all those years of being a Metallica fanatic, you never noticed the double-bass frenzy on Kill 'em All?

I dunno, I guess when listening to music I tend to "tune in" more to the guitars/bass/vocals, so for me the drums are just sort of "there" unless the guy's doing something totally ridiculous/amazing...

Here's a pic of Ginger Baker from Cream in the 60's...

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Here's a pic of Ginger Baker from Cream in the 60's...

Looks more like the Crypt Keeper's behind that kit. Or maybe a zombie. "BRAAAAAAAIIIIINS! BLAST BEEEEAAAATS!"

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I'm no expert in the field, but jazz drummers Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa were probably doing that sort of thing back in the 50's or earlier...

Detuned could probably chime in here and tell us more.

It was used as kind of a "gimmick" as early as the 30's. First recorded example I've heard is a Duke Ellington drum feature (I think it's called Skin Deep, but there were several) from 1945. There's actually a double bass drum solo in the middle of the song.

Krupa used a single kick, but he could play ANYTHING on a 4 piece kit, dude was scary.

more metal/hard rock examples...

Jethro Tull started using double bass in the mid 70's. Prominently on tracks like Hunting Girl and Heavy Horses from 1977-78. Their drummer was Barriemore Barlow who went on to play with Yngwie.

Riot was using double bass on Narita circa 1979

Motorhead's signature song Overkill in 1979

Temple of Blood wrote:

RAINBOW - "Kill the King" maybe?

there's also double bass on Stargazer and A Light In The Black, from Rising the previous year.

Quote :

It was used as kind of a "gimmick" as early as the 30's. First recorded example I've heard is a Duke Ellington drum feature (I think it's called Skin Deep, but there were several) from 1945. There's actually a double bass drum solo in the middle of the song.

A little research tells me that was Duke's drummer Louis Bellson, who appears to be the pioneer of double bass drumming, starting back before WWII. Ring-a-ding-ding, cool cats!!

detuned wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

RAINBOW - "Kill the King" maybe?

there's also double bass on Stargazer and A Light In The Black, from Rising the previous year.

But they weren't very fast or used for the same effect as most double bass drumming is today.

That "running double bass" effect I think started with "Kill the King" AFAIK.

Kill the King was the first thing I thought of as well. Cozy Powell was probably not the first, not even in metal, but certainly the most influential when it came to incorporating fast double bass drumming in metal the Painkiller way.

Brian Downey was doing some pretty cool double bass stuff in the 70's.

Oh yeah! Downey! You're right.

Listen to "Sha-La-La" from Nightlife. Double bass from '74.

Tommy Aldridge did a kick @$$ double bass solo with Black Oak Arkansas when I saw them in 74'

That was the first 80's style metal drum solo I ever saw

Of course there's always Judas Priest's Exciter

Ian Paice on Deep Purple's 1971 album Fireball.

Kill the King was also the first song that popped into my mind. God, that song is great...