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YouTube star Kristina Rybalchenko aka ‘Kriss Drummer‘ has one of the largest drumming-related channels on YouTube these days with over 1.28 million subscribers. Somehow, even as an accomplished and talented drummer she had never heard ‘Baba O’Riley’ by The Who before, one of Kieth Moon’s finest drumming performances.
In another instant classic ‘First Time Challenge’ with Drumeo, Kriss Drummer listens to the song for her very first time but a version of ‘Baby O’Riley’ that does not include the drums. She then attempts to play drums on the track as she thinks it would sound.
Kriss Drummer Crushes ‘Baba O’Riley’ By The Who
It does not take a Music degree to recognize that The Who produced some of the most complicated and challenging music arrangements of their era. So for Kriss Drummer to listen to this track without drums and then attempt to play it within minutes really is a testament to her skills as a drummer and proof that she’s a LOT MORE than just a YouTuber.
This is one of the longer ‘First Time’ challenges from Drumeo with her attempt beginning around the 7:50 mark in the video for those who would like to skip ahead:
Pete Townshend wrote ‘Baba O’Riley’ and it was released back in October of 1971. It has since gone on to be named one of TIME magazine’s 100 greatest songs as well as one of the ‘500 Greatest’ songs of all time by Rolling Stone. For Kriss to have never heard this song as a drummer is a bit of a travesty but at least that’s been rectified with this drumming challenge.
All of that said, I still think Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers still has the greatest ‘First Time’ challenge from Drumeo. Check it out:
Was that Chad Smith or Will Ferrell? I can never tell.