
Who is the real drummer of animal?
It is a popular legend that Animal was inspired by Keith Moon, the wild drummer of the Who. Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac is also sometimes cited as the inspiration for Animal. However, there is no evidence in the original sketches for the character that suggest that he was based on anybody in particular. Is Elmo a Muppet?
Who played the drums for animal on the Muppet Show?
Feb 22, 2002 · Despite the antics, Animal was a very good drummer, and was able to hold his own with legends such as Buddy Rich. Animal is performed and voiced by Frank Oz while his drumming is performed by Ronnie Verrell. Fans of The Who's drummer Keith Moon claim that the character of Animal was based on Moon, who was known for his wild antics.
Is animal the drummer modelled on Keith Moon?
Aug 06, 2021 · That drummer was Ronnie Varrell, the man behind all of Animal's drumming. The famous drum battle between Buddy and Animal. This was a huge moment for Verrell because …
How long has animal been playing the drums?
Mar 08, 2015 · The real drummer behind most of Animal’s drumming appearances was a big band showman and session drummer named Ronnie Verrell. In his career he played with one of the UK’s most well-known big bands, The Ted Heath Orchestra, and then played on sessions for the likes of Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett and Winifred Atwell.

Who was the drummer behind Animal in the Muppets?
Ronnie VerrellHe also provided the drumming for The Muppet Show's Animal, and was a "Skinnerette" on The Frank Skinner Show....Ronnie VerrellInstrumentsDrumsYears activemid-1940s – 2001Associated actsThe Ted Heath Orchestra, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra5 more rows
Is Animal based on Ginger Baker?
Bulger: While certain attributes of Ginger Baker were said to have been the inspiration for Animal, the rock drummer from The Muppets, Animal only played in one band: Dr. Teeth. His style was limited, as was his personality and vocabulary. His creative progression was far surpassed by the spectacle.Mar 10, 2012
Is Dr teeth based on Dr John?
The character of Dr. Teeth is partially based on Dr. John. Jim Henson's original sketch for the character (reproduced in Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles) shows the good Doctor as a large, bearded man with sunglasses, a white suit and a wide-brimmed hat.
What does the word Muppet mean?
a stupid person/ (ˈmʌpɪt) / noun. slang a stupid person.
Who is the drummer on the Muppet Show?
Animal is the wild drummer on The Muppet Show, performing with Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. A crazed percussionist with three styles of music — loud, louder, and deafening — Animal speaks in a guttural shout, often repeating a few simple phrases, such as "BEAT DRUMS! BEAT DRUMS!".
What episode does Animal say drums are food?
In The Muppet Show episode 110, when asked by Kermit if he preferred drumming to food, Animal replied that drums are food. Animal's wild attitude can be compared to Cookie Monster.
When did Animal appear in the Muppet Show?
In his first appearance in the 1975 pilot The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, Animal is chained in a basement cell when not onstage performing with the Electric Mayhem. He later became a lead character on The Muppet Show, and his unrestrained style has made him popular with young people for decades.
Who designed the animal in Electric Mayhem?
While early sketches for other Electric Mayhem members indicate direct connections with famous musicians, Animal, in contrast, was designed by Jim Henson, and the early rough sketch doesn't appear to be related to any real musician.
Who replaced Kermit in Muppets?
In Muppets Most Wanted, Animal was the first to notice that Kermit had been replaced by Constantine . Animal is probably the most popular member of the Electric Mayhem.
Crazy antics
Animal epitomises every stereotype of a drummer – wild, eccentric, and always getting up to crazy antics. Some people say the character could have been modelled on Keith Moon, the drummer from The Who. Unlike Keith Moon though, Animal is not known for his conversation skills and instead he tends to shout in guttural monosyllabic outbursts.
Animal the teacher!
Animal can remind us of “what not to do” – i.e. bad band etiquette and some of the annoying things that drummers sometimes do (Animal does them to the extreme).
Drum battles
Animal and Harry Belafonte – http://youtu.be/UycCK4arxaE#N#Travis Barker vs Animal drum battle http://youtu.be/NKiTEwtJ_ak
12. Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine was one of the most important drummers in rock and roll history, and definitely one of the most recorded. He belonged to a Los Angeles-based group of session musicians called “The Wrecking Crew” – a name which he coined.
11. Al Jackson Jr
Known as “The Human Timekeeper”, Al Jackson Jr. was one of the founding members of Booker T. & The M.G.s – a group of session musicians who made up the house band for Stax Records in Memphis Tennessee starting in the early 60s. They also released their own instrumental music during the 60s and 70s.
10. Benny Benjamin, Richard Allen & Uriel Jones
Sometimes the best things come in threes! These drummers worked with The Funk Brothers – the in-house band at Motown Records. These drummers were Benny Benjamin, Richard “Pistol” Allen, and Uriel Jones.
9. Buddy Harman
Harman basically invented country drumming. He was the first official house drummer for the Grand Ole Opry in the late 50s, even though he had to set up his drums behind a curtain because at this point, drums still weren’t widely accepted in the country music scene.
8. Roger Hawkins
The Muscle Shoals rhythm section (also known as “The Swampers”) were one of the top studio house bands in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. They played on hundreds of recordings and dozens of gold and platinum hits.
7. Jerry Granelli
This Canadian jazz drummer played on one of the most famous Christmas albums ever released: A Charlie Brown Christmas.
6. Buddy Saltzman
Buddy Saltzman was an American session drummer in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. He’s rarely mentioned, despite some of the chart topping songs he played drums on. Hits like “I’m A Believer” by The Monkees, “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, and “Dawn (Go Away)” by The Four Seasons all feature Saltzman’s drumming.

Overview
Characteristics
Frank Ozhas stated that Animal's character can be summed up in five words: sex, sleep, food, drums, and pain. However, Animal has retorted: "Drums are food!" Animal's vocabulary is generally limited to guttural shouts and monosyllabic grunts, often repeating a few simple phrases, as well as his trademark gravelly laugh. During performances, Animal is usually chained to the drum set by a collar around his neck, as his musical outbursts are extremely violent. In some episodes, h…
Performers
Animal was performed by Frank Oz from his first appearance in the pilot for The Muppet Show until his 2000 appearance in the video game Muppet RaceMania, and has been performed regularly by Eric Jacobson since his 2002 appearance in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. On The Muppet Show, his drumming is performed by Ronnie Verrell. Animal has had roles in all Muppet movies, and was the only member of The Electric Mayhem to be included regularly on the Muppe…
Appearances in other media
Animal was the official mascot of the U.S. Ski Team during the 1998 Winter Olympics. He was also featured in one of eleven commemorative stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service.
In 2010, Animal was featured in a viral video alongside power-pop band OK Go, where he challenged the band's drummer, Dan Konopka, to a staring contest. Animal ultimately wins and forces Dan to be his roadie for a year.
Filmography
• The Muppet Show (1976–1981) (TV)
• The Muppet Movie (1979)
• The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
External links
Animal on Muppet Wiki
• Official website
• Animal on Drummerworld