It's not just the drummer. It's called being tight. Motown were very strict about it. It was what made Blondie, I'm told. They could all play but couldn't keep time. Once they learned that, the sky was the limit._D_S_J_R_ wrote: [SNIP] I think and a drummer once told me that one talent is very difficult.
A guitarist told me that he has to learn to play to the click track (played in the headphones). The drummer would exclaim fro m time to time "will the guitarist please keep time". The worst are worship leaders. They go all over the place. Many folk guitarists are nearly as bad - working to the phrasing rather than the underpinning rhythm.