Zelfire Drums : Some of my favourite hard hitting & punk rock drummers who happen to be female.

So here is my list of female drummers who will kick your ass - I'm sure after you've watched all the videos you will agree with me.

Feel like I've missed someone out? Tough! This is my list not yours... but please do free to add other worthy contenders in the comment box below.

Yael – My Ruin, The Love Project, Ugly Kid Joe + more.

I first saw Yael when I was 15 years old playing with My Ruin. She blew me away with her power, precision and positive attitude, and she is definitely up there with one of my main influences as a drummer. She did an amazing musical adventure called ‘The Love Project’ (check it out on Youtube) & she is currently drumming for Ugly Kid Joe. Some rad overhead footage of Yael smashing it below!

Patty Schemel! Hole!

I learnt ALL the hole songs on drums when I started out! Patty is not only a great drummer; she also deserves a medal for being in a band with Courtney love for so long. Ugh. Check out the documentary ‘Hit So Hard’ that features a whole bunch of footage Patty filmed herself when she was on tour with Hole. It’s great to see but also pretty heart wrenching.

I managed to find a great video of Patty playing with the rest of the Hole members but WITHOUT Courtney. Heh. Check it out:

Julie Edwards - Deap Vally

Julie's drumming is incredibly unique - she has this loose but groovy openhanded approach.

Apparently at one point during her life, she was literally obsessed with Keith Moon. Every thought she had revolved around him. Funnily enough though, she rates John Bonham as a higher influence!

SHE'S COOL, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S ALL OVER THE SHOP! I also once saw her play a whole song with a snapped in half drumstick coz she was so in the zone. Check out the head banging!

Janet Weiss - The Furies, Sleater Kinney, Wild Flag + more

Janet Weiss – famous for not ONE rad band but TWO. The incredible Sleater Kinney, & now the amazing Wild Flag. Here’s Wild Flag live on Letterman

Tobi Vail - Bikini Kill

“Tobi Vail describes herself as a feminist thinker/writer/critic and a cultural worker. She tries to make change happen through cultural work via bands, fanzines, songs, essays, documentation of feminism, community building (Ladyfest, feminist book clubs, going to protests, boycotting anti-birth control pharmacies, supporting women’s health clinics, writing letters to the editor of my local newspaper, blogging).” All that, and she’s also the badass punk drummer from influential feminist band Bikini Kill

You can download the transcription to Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill on my site:

www.zelfiredrums.com

Dee Plakas - L7

Lets not kid ourselves here, ALL of L7 are badass. They make badass music & have badass attitudes. Just watch the video for Christ sakes

Hannah Billie - The Gossip

I bet you have danced to this girls drumming at LEAST once on a drunken night out.

Veronica Bellino - Jeff Beck

Some absolutely RIDICULOUS lightening fast fills on this video (no double pedal!!)

Cindy Blackman - Lenny Kravitz + a bunch of jazz stuff

Originally trained as a jazz player, she got a break into the mainstream in 1993 when Lenny Kravitz asked her to play for his band. Jazz or rock - she kills it. Check out this solo!

Lorena Cachito - Window Pane + Those 3

You may not well have heard of her (yet), but Lorena Cachito is a whirlwind of ferocious energy behind the drums! Lorena first started out in Spain with her band Window Pane (who actually have a new album coming out soon) & then, moving to London to pursue drumming further, she joined up with prog rock band ‘Those Three’. Lorena is super passionate about the drums & really shines through in her playing – plus she can sing and play heavy as hell.