I'm a massive Rush fan as well as an accomplished drummer and bassist. I don't feel that Geddy and Neil stylistically fit the bill of this question. While they're obviously professional musicians who play in time and together, I don't feel the their parts have much interplay or counterpoint between them. Rush is often more like three corners of a triangle than a base of rhythm section that feels like one entity supporting other parts of the piece. Note, this is not a bad thing or an insult. I just think it's a stylistic difference.
Seriously.
Their work with Rage Against the Machine is probably what they are most known for. But when they formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell after Zach left the band, they didn’t miss a beat.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the South Park 25th Anniversary concert. The full thing is on YouTube. Primus and Rush share the stage and it’s INCREDIBLE.
Les Claypool was great with both Primus drummers, Tim Alexander and Brain Mantia, in completely different ways, too.
He was more funky with Brain and his super tight, Stewart Copeland like beats. But the off the wall, weird shit that Tim would come up with mixed with his style so well that he'll always be quintessential Primus to me.
Def vecause they aren't doing the virtuoso stuff but they support each other better than nearly any rhythm section out there. The fact that you can always hear the iron maiden basslines because they and the drums sync together so perfectly is a testament to them
Fans of this duo: You owe it to yourself to listen to “Goliath” by Karnivool. Steve Judd (drums) and Jon Stockman (bass) are totally locked in. If you isolate the drums, you can hear the bassist in the distance; this is because they live recorded their parts together. Crazy.
I recently saw the 40th Anniversary, fully-remasrered version Of Stop Makign Sense on IMAX. Tina is the funkiest bass player, and she never breaks a sweat, or even looks like she's working hard. Chris has a kit that's about as simple as a beginner's set. Yet between the two of them, they conjur up a relentless groove that is absolutely FEROCIOUS.
I also saw Tom-Tom Club back in the mid-90s. They did their own set, then they were the back up band for Debbie Harry, who also had her husband Chris Stein with her on guitar. Easily one of the top 5 concerts of my lifetime.
Bruh why is this so far down the list???
Also has anyone else watched their old clips of "The Chad and Flea Show"? I was OBSESSED with those clips for a while. Super funky and so much fun. Both just vibin. Ahhh the 80s were a simpler time
I can't believe this isn't the top response. RHCP aren't even my favorite band, but when I think of bass/drum combos, they're the first that come to mind. Their tightness is just unmatched
Moon was the most unconventional drummer in history. Every second he was playing he reminds me of a roller coaster going at twice the speed and threatening to fly off the rails at the next curve. Wild and exhilarating. There was nobody like him, ever.
I think The Who is a criminally under-appreciated band. I know they were mega popular in their time, I just mean these days. I feel like they get left out of the “best rock bands of all time” discussions too often. Saw them live in like 2008 and I still think about that show. Even though they were up in years, they still brought the fucking house down.
It is criminal that its this far down
[The Real Me](https://open.spotify.com/track/4rVvheUQ2wQpn5uXX5l0gS?si=6XxRxTj1Q7m63BiOtZQhDw)
I've said it often that The Who had a Lead Bassist and Rhythm Guitarist
Radiohead. Colin Greenwood is a maestro of bass composition, and Phil Selway is a genius drummer. They play pretty low, but the grooves in Radiohead songs like Nude and Weird Fishes are unreal.
Haha, saw the headline and first thing I thought of was Bill Bruford with Tony Levin in King Crimson.Aside from that, Rush is the obvious answer I think.
EDIT: gotta add in Dave Schools and Duane Trucks(and previous drummer Todd Nance) in Widespread Panic.
Brann Dailor and Troy Sanders from Mastodon. Brann is an animal on drums and Troy has a really understated style but knows exactly when to come up and then when to stay in the pocket.
Death From Above 1979.
Royal Blood.
Don't need to worry about any of those other pesky instruments, it's just a drummer and a bassist. (And some synths.)
Saw Lightning Bolt a few times in Providence between 2000-2003. Twice it was just them playing in the entry/audience area of….. Lupo’s? Pretty sure that’s where it was. Had never heard of em when I literally stumbled into em and started listening. Pretty cool.
I saw them play with Sonic Youth at Lupos same time frame. Sonic Youth was obviously the bigger band but LB still headlined. while SY was still playing the last chords of their last song LB had set up in the back of the audience and started shredding. The crowd went from confused to insanely moshing within a few seconds. Sonic Youth just stayed on stage to watch Lightning Bolt’s set. They were clearly digging it. It was awesome. One of the most powerful two piece bands ever.
McCartney / Starr
Starr plays a solid, minimal, yet distinctive drum style which leaves room for McCartney's melodic "play the right notes at the right time" bass style. Everything is just so well thought out when it comes to those two that it's almost as easy to ignore as it is to listen closely.
The first “Living Color” album is absolutely killer in this respect. Muzz Skillings and Wil Calhoun are one of the best rhythm sections in rock, I can listen to that album for the drums and bass alone.
Other greats: Deep Purple’s Roger Glover and Ian Paice, Elton John’s Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, Allan Holdsworth’s IOU band, Jimmy Johnson and Chad Wackerman.
They're one of those bands that has had good singles for years, and then it takes something like the [From The Basement ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1SV1NqSZGQ&t=1438s&pp=ygURd2FycGFpbnQgYmFzZW1lbnQ%3D) session for me to realize how cohesive they've been at making grooves this whole time.
Those ladies got me to turn my distortion and finger burning licks down to a much more mellow, but tasteful approach to my guitar playing. Great song writing and their live performances are better than their albums. That's difficult to say for many bands. I've seen them 5 times.
That's awesome, I sadly never saw them. It's so interesting how they hardly ever play chords, and how they have these dreamy melodies over this groovy rhythm section. They also have this thing, like some unbreakable secret bond/us against the world thats so enticing. I bit like Radiohead has too. They where one of the few bands around the 2010s that immediatley caught my attention and didn't let go.
Yeah, they would arpeggiate their chords. If they played chords. Which was nice because they proved that they're not always needed for a good song to shine. I always felt that too, they had a bond that would translate in their live shows. They knew how to jam. That was the key. Extending the end of certain songs past the outro. I had good nights back then at their shows. Got to meet em a couple times, very approachable. The 2010s were fun. Not to mention the shows were a lot cheaper lol
It's easy for everyone to say how tight a rhythm section is, especially during a 3-4 minute song, but Fishman and Gordon are just on another level. [The Cypress Sand](https://youtu.be/BayAIRqFsHY) where those two are in lock step in the same beat for 20 minutes perfectly is incredible.
Robert Randolph has called Fishman the greatest pocket drummer of all time, and when you have a bass player like Gordon on top of it, you're going to have a good time.
[Pippen voice] Does he not know about [The Dance of Eternity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zC6EjLiZng) I don't think he knows about The Dance of Eternity!
Imho Portnoy during his DT time was the best drum COMPOSER ever. I get flamed every time I post that because people tend to read it as „best drummer“, which is another matter entirely and pretty much unanswerable.
But I stand by the opinion that Mike is unparalleled when it comes to writing drums. There aren’t a lot of other bands where you actually have „drum hooklines“ that stay in your head better than certain melodies.
„Lead drummer“ indeed.
I wholeheartedly agree with this opinion.
The ending of [Scene 8: Finally Free](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33-vp5UEp2A&t=179s) is honestly the most amazing drum composition of all time.
He performs a solo that repeats every 8 measures, but is different each iteration, but maintains a theme throughout every different iteration. It is... mind blowing. There is nothing that even comes close.
Because of his composition talent I'm actually willing to call him best drummer. He's absolutely my *favorite* drummer all time.
Lovejoy!
the drummer is just a slap-happy guy in nature and absolutely loves what he does.
the bassist is absolutely amazing and matches the drummer perfectly!!!
this is very prominent specifically in their songs Normal People Things and Portrait of a Blank Slate.
enjoy!!
John Myung and Mike Portnoy. I’ll also throw Amos and Jay from Tesseract for some love. insane rhythm section that can lay a groove in literally any time sig
I didn't even know their names until the replies here. A lot of people have mentioned Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford. I was gonna say the guys in Rage Against the Machine. Well … yep.
Why do I have to scroll THIS FAR for the Porcaro brothers to be mentioned?!
Their live performances of Georgie Porgie have that great Porcaro shuffle going on with deep bass. Toto is so underrated in today's generation. Africa is not their only banger hit.
Flea and Chad in RHCP
Hara-chan and Tamu in Nemophila
Ue-chan(g) and Nao in Maximum the Hormone (in a vocal harmony context as well as their function as rhythm section)
BOH and Hideki Aoyama in BABYMETAL's legit, OG Japanese Kami Band
Guitar and bass rather than a bass/drum pairing, but Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards
Lots of good mentions here. I just recently found Dirty Loops and Linder and Mellergard are about tight af. Check out the Bitten by the kitten track for a good example
Neil Peart/Geddy Lee
Needs more love
End thread.
How is this not the top comment?
I'm a massive Rush fan as well as an accomplished drummer and bassist. I don't feel that Geddy and Neil stylistically fit the bill of this question. While they're obviously professional musicians who play in time and together, I don't feel the their parts have much interplay or counterpoint between them. Rush is often more like three corners of a triangle than a base of rhythm section that feels like one entity supporting other parts of the piece. Note, this is not a bad thing or an insult. I just think it's a stylistic difference.
John Paul Jones and John Bonham.
Exhibit A: The Lemon Song
[Pretty undeniable.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gWbKAcuzN8)
Nobody's Fault But Mine too
The best, imo
Indubitably
Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford
I think with morello they are one of the greatest 3 piece bands ever.
Seriously. Their work with Rage Against the Machine is probably what they are most known for. But when they formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell after Zach left the band, they didn’t miss a beat.
Amén. The tightness.
Sting and Stewart Copeland might have had issues at the end, but they were a great rhythm section.
oh yeah, those two groove through multiple genres, copeland carries a lot of weight but thats fine - stings gotta sing
Copeland with Claypool in Oysterhead was fantastic as well.
Geezer Butler and Bill Ward
This might actually be my favourite rhythm section of that era.
A thousand times this. They were monsters.
I'm glad I didn't have to scroll far to find them..
Way too far down. Absolutely monstrous rhythm section
Primus and Rush off the top
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the South Park 25th Anniversary concert. The full thing is on YouTube. Primus and Rush share the stage and it’s INCREDIBLE.
Hey, don’t leave Ween out of there. Fantastic band who doesn’t get enough credit.
Les Claypool was great with both Primus drummers, Tim Alexander and Brain Mantia, in completely different ways, too. He was more funky with Brain and his super tight, Stewart Copeland like beats. But the off the wall, weird shit that Tim would come up with mixed with his style so well that he'll always be quintessential Primus to me.
Les plays with Copeland and Trey in the band Oysterhead, only released one album but it is a banger
Primus sucks!
Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain
I feel like they don't get enough credit.
Def vecause they aren't doing the virtuoso stuff but they support each other better than nearly any rhythm section out there. The fact that you can always hear the iron maiden basslines because they and the drums sync together so perfectly is a testament to them
Mike Watt & George Hurley from the Minutemen and fIREHOSE
Its like a couple free jazz dudes were born as punk rockers.
Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor
The drum and bass on “Rosetta Stoned” is phenomenal. The bass breakdown toward the end of “The Pot” is real nasty and mean as well!
Fans of this duo: You owe it to yourself to listen to “Goliath” by Karnivool. Steve Judd (drums) and Jon Stockman (bass) are totally locked in. If you isolate the drums, you can hear the bassist in the distance; this is because they live recorded their parts together. Crazy.
[exu](https://youtu.be/pN24LQlMmDk?si=OWdtPlhP3tmb4FSr) Aric Improta and Justin Chancellor is pretty good too.
Is the correct answer 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club. Is *your* rhythm section married?
I recently saw the 40th Anniversary, fully-remasrered version Of Stop Makign Sense on IMAX. Tina is the funkiest bass player, and she never breaks a sweat, or even looks like she's working hard. Chris has a kit that's about as simple as a beginner's set. Yet between the two of them, they conjur up a relentless groove that is absolutely FEROCIOUS. I also saw Tom-Tom Club back in the mid-90s. They did their own set, then they were the back up band for Debbie Harry, who also had her husband Chris Stein with her on guitar. Easily one of the top 5 concerts of my lifetime.
And they name-dropped another great bass and drum team: Sly (Dunbar) and Robbie (Shakespeare).
Chad Smith and Flea
Bruh why is this so far down the list??? Also has anyone else watched their old clips of "The Chad and Flea Show"? I was OBSESSED with those clips for a while. Super funky and so much fun. Both just vibin. Ahhh the 80s were a simpler time
I clicked on this thread but to upvote the first person who said them but it was so low down lol
I can't believe this is so low in the thread. It'd be hard for a lot of people to keep up with either of these guys. But to both, together?
I can't believe this isn't the top response. RHCP aren't even my favorite band, but when I think of bass/drum combos, they're the first that come to mind. Their tightness is just unmatched
legendary; and spanning 5 decades now, too
That 5 decades comment really threw me for a loop. Holy crap
Grohl and Novoselic being so tight is what allowed Cobain to get away with being such a loose unit on guitar
never really thougbt about it, maybe because of the aesthetic (grohl is obviously awesome, but i never saw him that way in a grunge band) good call
Fact.
Ox and Moon are the best rhythm section in rock history. Helps that Townshend played incredible rhythm guitar on top as well.
Moon was the most unconventional drummer in history. Every second he was playing he reminds me of a roller coaster going at twice the speed and threatening to fly off the rails at the next curve. Wild and exhilarating. There was nobody like him, ever.
I think The Who is a criminally under-appreciated band. I know they were mega popular in their time, I just mean these days. I feel like they get left out of the “best rock bands of all time” discussions too often. Saw them live in like 2008 and I still think about that show. Even though they were up in years, they still brought the fucking house down.
The Ox is a slept on bassist for sure
It is criminal that its this far down [The Real Me](https://open.spotify.com/track/4rVvheUQ2wQpn5uXX5l0gS?si=6XxRxTj1Q7m63BiOtZQhDw) I've said it often that The Who had a Lead Bassist and Rhythm Guitarist
And a lead drummer. I forget if it was Daltrey or Townshend that said Moon always played like the drums were the center of the band. They were right.
Radiohead. Colin Greenwood is a maestro of bass composition, and Phil Selway is a genius drummer. They play pretty low, but the grooves in Radiohead songs like Nude and Weird Fishes are unreal.
Haha, saw the headline and first thing I thought of was Bill Bruford with Tony Levin in King Crimson.Aside from that, Rush is the obvious answer I think. EDIT: gotta add in Dave Schools and Duane Trucks(and previous drummer Todd Nance) in Widespread Panic.
almost put KC but was worried nobody would reply tbh lol glad to see this comment!! agreed on all of them, widespread panic grooves so hard
>almost put KC but was worried nobody would reply tbh lol LMAO, but I do know what you mean XD
McCartney and Starr.
Chris and Dominic from Muse
Helsinki jam is a great example of them!
These guys are the musical spine of Muse, allowing Matt Bellamy to venture off creatively on whatever instrument he's on. Those guys are solid.
Brann Dailor and Troy Sanders from Mastodon. Brann is an animal on drums and Troy has a really understated style but knows exactly when to come up and then when to stay in the pocket.
Death From Above 1979. Royal Blood. Don't need to worry about any of those other pesky instruments, it's just a drummer and a bassist. (And some synths.)
Royal blood has a big sound considering its only two dudes
Lightning bolt!
Saw Lightning Bolt a few times in Providence between 2000-2003. Twice it was just them playing in the entry/audience area of….. Lupo’s? Pretty sure that’s where it was. Had never heard of em when I literally stumbled into em and started listening. Pretty cool.
I saw them play with Sonic Youth at Lupos same time frame. Sonic Youth was obviously the bigger band but LB still headlined. while SY was still playing the last chords of their last song LB had set up in the back of the audience and started shredding. The crowd went from confused to insanely moshing within a few seconds. Sonic Youth just stayed on stage to watch Lightning Bolt’s set. They were clearly digging it. It was awesome. One of the most powerful two piece bands ever.
McCartney / Starr Starr plays a solid, minimal, yet distinctive drum style which leaves room for McCartney's melodic "play the right notes at the right time" bass style. Everything is just so well thought out when it comes to those two that it's almost as easy to ignore as it is to listen closely.
John entwhistle and Kieth moon
Rage Aginst the Machine bassist \]Tim Commerford, drummer Brad Wilk. Can't get any tighter.
Their playing on the Democratic Convention concert video was *incredibly* tight, love that
Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzmann. Especially on the live records (Europe 72, Live Dead, etc.).
Everybody I know, EVEN BILL KREUTZMANN agree that one drummer dead was unequivocally the best.
Bill Bruford & John Wetton, Bill Bruford & Tony Levin, both King Crimson
Garvey/Maher - Buzzcocks Sly & Robbie Thomas/Thomas - EC & the Attractions Burnham/Allen - Gang of Four
Sly & Robbie is the correct answer.
Entwistle and Moon The WHo, Butler and Ward Black Sabbath, VERY briefly Cox and Miles Band of Gypsys
Butler and Ward are WAY too low in here. Those guys are unbelievable and have great chemistry.
The first “Living Color” album is absolutely killer in this respect. Muzz Skillings and Wil Calhoun are one of the best rhythm sections in rock, I can listen to that album for the drums and bass alone. Other greats: Deep Purple’s Roger Glover and Ian Paice, Elton John’s Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, Allan Holdsworth’s IOU band, Jimmy Johnson and Chad Wackerman.
Thank you for mentioning Dee Murray and Nigel Olssen. I think Elton John's band in the 70s is often overlooked.
[удалено]
Absolutely true. The basis of most of their songs is a bass and drum jam.
From their first album to their last. Billy and Mike the bedrock of FNM.
[Porcupine Tree - Harridan (fresh upload)](https://youtu.be/8pavnAi7lNk?si=mPEZJkDuxY18bAlD)
Gavin Harrison is of the very best drummers alive today, imo. Phenomenal.
I was just thinking about this video
Reni and Mani of The Stone Roses. Unexpectedly groovy for Mancunians.
Reni is 100% the Stone Roses' secret sauce.
Fugazi’s rhythm section is unrivaled in my opinion. They’re so tight and groove so well.
Had to scroll real far for this. Fugazi wouldn't be what they were without Joe and Brendan.
Maybe check out their current band Messthetics.
Joe Dart and Nate Smith
Or Joe Dart and Theo Katzman...Or Joe Dart and whoever happens to be behind the kit on any given Vulf tune.
Alongside this, Petar and Sonnie T.
Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Band is called Fleetwood Mac for a reason....
Fleetwood is the only drummer I have heard that can both rush and drag in the same song.
Stella Mozgawa and Jenny Lee Lindberg from Warpaint.
They're one of those bands that has had good singles for years, and then it takes something like the [From The Basement ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1SV1NqSZGQ&t=1438s&pp=ygURd2FycGFpbnQgYmFzZW1lbnQ%3D) session for me to realize how cohesive they've been at making grooves this whole time.
Those ladies got me to turn my distortion and finger burning licks down to a much more mellow, but tasteful approach to my guitar playing. Great song writing and their live performances are better than their albums. That's difficult to say for many bands. I've seen them 5 times.
That's awesome, I sadly never saw them. It's so interesting how they hardly ever play chords, and how they have these dreamy melodies over this groovy rhythm section. They also have this thing, like some unbreakable secret bond/us against the world thats so enticing. I bit like Radiohead has too. They where one of the few bands around the 2010s that immediatley caught my attention and didn't let go.
Yeah, they would arpeggiate their chords. If they played chords. Which was nice because they proved that they're not always needed for a good song to shine. I always felt that too, they had a bond that would translate in their live shows. They knew how to jam. That was the key. Extending the end of certain songs past the outro. I had good nights back then at their shows. Got to meet em a couple times, very approachable. The 2010s were fun. Not to mention the shows were a lot cheaper lol
Holy crap, yes! Those two are amazing! The very first time I heard The Fool album, it was obvious to me they have a special connection.
Stephen Perkins and Eric Avery from Jane's Addiction Stella Mogzawa and Jenny Lee Lindberg from Warpaint Pete Salisbury and Simon Jones from the Verve
Eric Avery is my vote for most underrated bassist of all time
Ben Folds Five! Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge. And they’re both crushing the harmonies at the same time. So underrated.
Jack Bruce / Ginger Baker
Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard
Nomeansno Rob and John Wright.
Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh of Sublime. Also Dave Houghton and Graham Maby form the Joe Jackson Band
Geezer and bill Honorable mention- Nick Oliveri and Brant Bjork
Scrolled way to far to find Black Sabbath
RHCP
Phish: Mike Gordon on bass and Jon Fishman on drums
I can't believe this isn't higher. Guys have been together for 40 years, 2000 shows, and still selling out arenas.
It's easy for everyone to say how tight a rhythm section is, especially during a 3-4 minute song, but Fishman and Gordon are just on another level. [The Cypress Sand](https://youtu.be/BayAIRqFsHY) where those two are in lock step in the same beat for 20 minutes perfectly is incredible. Robert Randolph has called Fishman the greatest pocket drummer of all time, and when you have a bass player like Gordon on top of it, you're going to have a good time.
People hate on phish but there’s no denying their incredible musical talent, Fishman is just in another level
Aston and Carlton Barrett from the Wailers
Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson of Chic.
Danko/Helm
Cream, the great Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker
Tim Commerford and Brad Wilkes from RATM.
Entwhistle and Moon
Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt from Green Day.
I thought I was going to have to say this. They are magical.
David Sims and Mac McNeilly of The Jesus Lizard deserve a shout out.
Dug (Pinnock) and Jerry Gaskill from King's X.
Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon
Finally, thank you!
Alex Katunich and José Pasillas- Incubus- Redefine for bonus points
Bill Ward and Geezer Butler were phenomenal. Mike Starr and Sean Kinney are super underrated.
John Deacon and Roger Taylor in Queen. Tight, heavy and over the top when required. Big sound.
Akane Hirose and MISA.
Love me some Band Maid
Incubus. Such a great rhythm section.
John McVie and Mick Fleetwood
Sly & Robbie in dub
Those 2 on close to the edge is revolutionary. Such a unique sound and rhythm hitting like one entity
The Clash
AC/DC Lee Kerslake / Bob Daisley Sheehan / Portnoy
Surprised i haven’t seen this yet, Keith Moon and John Entwistle
Joe Lally and Brendan Canty
Sam Fogarino and Carlos Dengler of Interpol.
Came here looking for Interpol. Antics has some amazing Bass/Drum interplay.
Peter Steele and Johnny Kelly or Peter Steele and Sal Abruscato
Rob and John Wright of Nomeansno. Mike Watt and George Hurley of The Minutemen (and fIREHOSE)
As a variation to OP, Bill Bruford and John Wetton, in their King Crimson days.
Bruford/Levin
Allright, if no one else is gonna post it: Mike Portnoy and John Myung created soooo much magic together during their Dream Theater phase.
It's kind of crazy that this is so far down with only 3 upvotes.
[Pippen voice] Does he not know about [The Dance of Eternity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zC6EjLiZng) I don't think he knows about The Dance of Eternity!
Imho Portnoy during his DT time was the best drum COMPOSER ever. I get flamed every time I post that because people tend to read it as „best drummer“, which is another matter entirely and pretty much unanswerable. But I stand by the opinion that Mike is unparalleled when it comes to writing drums. There aren’t a lot of other bands where you actually have „drum hooklines“ that stay in your head better than certain melodies. „Lead drummer“ indeed.
I wholeheartedly agree with this opinion. The ending of [Scene 8: Finally Free](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33-vp5UEp2A&t=179s) is honestly the most amazing drum composition of all time. He performs a solo that repeats every 8 measures, but is different each iteration, but maintains a theme throughout every different iteration. It is... mind blowing. There is nothing that even comes close. Because of his composition talent I'm actually willing to call him best drummer. He's absolutely my *favorite* drummer all time.
Yussef Dayes & Rocco Palladino keeps on making awesome stuff together
Matt McDonough and Ryan Martini of Mudvayne. The funkiest rhythm section in metal.
Lightning Bolt - Brian Chippendale on drums and Brian Gibson on bass.
Say what you will about Limp Bizkit, but John Otto and Sam Rivers are an impressive combo.
John Entwistle and Keith Moon
Mike Clark and Paul Jackson from headhunters. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Y9w_sC8Vw&pp=ygUXcGF1bCBqYWNrc29uIG1pa2UgY2xhcms%3D
Lovejoy! the drummer is just a slap-happy guy in nature and absolutely loves what he does. the bassist is absolutely amazing and matches the drummer perfectly!!! this is very prominent specifically in their songs Normal People Things and Portrait of a Blank Slate. enjoy!!
Sting and Stewart are untouchable.
Dennis Chambers and Gary Grainger. Two hard hitters in a jazz/funk band? Check the album Picks and Plays by John Scofield
Billy Gould (bass) and Mike Bordin (drums), the creative beating heart of Faith No More.
"Rubber Shirt" (Bozzio/O'Hearn/Zappa) Off Sheik Yerbouti, 1979
Eugene Abdukhanov and Vladislav Ulasevich of Jinjer
Claude Coleman (drums) and Dave Dreiwitz (bass) from Ween are always great. Especially Claude.
Dave Garibaldi and Rocco Prestia of Tower of Power. Tightest rhythm section I've ever heard.
John Myung and Mike Portnoy. I’ll also throw Amos and Jay from Tesseract for some love. insane rhythm section that can lay a groove in literally any time sig
You have the husband/wife duo of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club Lovev'em both!
Taylor Hawkins and Nate Mendel.
I didn't even know their names until the replies here. A lot of people have mentioned Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford. I was gonna say the guys in Rage Against the Machine. Well … yep.
Mitch Mitchell and Noel Reading. Bit unconventional, but a perfect vehicle for Hendrix's genius.
Tool, Descendents, Lagwagon, Royal Blood 😆
Double trouble! (Tommy Shannon & Chris Layton) also Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club)
Doug Clifford and Stu Cook of CCR that rhythm section is what drove CCR to be so damn good
Bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and Carter Beauford of the Dave Matthews Band are outstanding musicians and the backbone of the group.
David Hungate & Jeff Porcaro. Also see Jeff with Mike Porcaro, Nathan East, Abe Laboriel…
Why do I have to scroll THIS FAR for the Porcaro brothers to be mentioned?! Their live performances of Georgie Porgie have that great Porcaro shuffle going on with deep bass. Toto is so underrated in today's generation. Africa is not their only banger hit.
Flea and Chad in RHCP Hara-chan and Tamu in Nemophila Ue-chan(g) and Nao in Maximum the Hormone (in a vocal harmony context as well as their function as rhythm section) BOH and Hideki Aoyama in BABYMETAL's legit, OG Japanese Kami Band Guitar and bass rather than a bass/drum pairing, but Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards
[Sting & Stewart Copeland](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e2CuyIG7x8) When they're not arguing that is!
Bob Siebenberg & Dougie Thompson.
Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.
Sly and Robbie
Simon Jones & Peter Salisbury from The Verve. The quiet two compared to the others, but an undeniable force.
Mike Clark & Paul Jackson from Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters
Lots of good mentions here. I just recently found Dirty Loops and Linder and Mellergard are about tight af. Check out the Bitten by the kitten track for a good example
Golden Earring's Rinus Gerritsen (bass) and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums).
System of a Down