Prog Report Ranking – Best Opening Drum Fills in Prog

5. “South Side of the Sky” – Yes
Although this song starts out with 16 seconds of white noise, it doesn’t really begin until Bill Bruford hits the bass drum and sends us rolling into one Yes’s most iconic compositions. Though just 4 seconds in length, the intro serves its purpose well, and serves as a perfect reminder for why Bruford has been in three of classic prog’s most important bands.

4. “Peaches En Regalia” – Frank Zappa
Featuring perhaps the most obscure drummer on this list, “Peaches En Regalia” is the quintessential Zappa tune for the most strait-laced of prog rock fans. While a lot of this is due to Zappa’s compositional genius, the song wouldn’t be half the beast it is without Ron Selico’s opening fill. Those first 3 seconds are the most important in the song, and Selico does not waste a beat. Despite the heavy tone of his kit, Selico manages to capture the loose and jazzy spirit of the piece while still creating an auditory landscape that is wholly his own. No pomp, no self-indulgence, just a rock-solid fill to get things going.

3. “Wax Simulacra” – The Mars Volta
Though the Mars Volta have always straddled the line between prog and post-hardcore punk, there’s no denying the band’s chops, especially on this Grammy award winning track. Thomas Pridgen starts us off with a simple pick up on the floor tom before slamming the gas pedal down and wailing on the snare and cymbals. It’s an intense display of musical mastery, and a perfect start to this harsh number.

2. “Digital Man” – Rush
From the king of fills himself, Neil Peart has an undeniable amount of iconic drum moments to choose from, but when it came to opening fills – using the strictest definition of the term – there were only a few obvious picks. It was tough to choose which we would include on this list, but “Digital Man” ultimately won out over “Best I Can” and “By-Tor And The Snow Dog,” for the simple reason that it is the fanciest out of the bunch. Built around a descending line that goes from snare to toms to floor tom, the nature of this lyrical fill manages to compliment the melodic character of the composition. There’s flash and mounds and mounds of technique featured throughout, yet it’s all confined in the prog meets new wave (a la the Police) framework that the band set for themselves with Signals. Considering that the drum intro even works at all within this compositional framework makes it that much more impactful and legendary.

1. “Honor Thy Father” – Dream Theater
To pick just one opening drum fill from Mike Portnoy is an impossible task. The man’s drummed for so many bands that it’s impossible to keep track of every little paradiddle he sneaks into a song. Still, this is a list dedicated to the best opening drum fills, and when it came to choosing a piece that best represents Mike Portnoy as a drummer, it was clear that “Honor Thy Father” had to be the one and for one reason alone. It has more stuff going on in the drums than just about any other Dream Theater or Neal Morse related song. You have the alternating snare and tom rolls, cutting use of the hi-hat, and the crazy footwork going on underneath everything else. The fact that it manages to fit in with the syncopated guitar riff and all the other musical elements at work just goes to show you that this the one. It’s intense, electrifying, and just plan glorious.