One of the Greatest Drum Solos of All Time Belongs to 1971 Hit - And It Still Rocks
Bill Bruford, whether he was playing for Yes or King Crimson or just about anywhere else, is regarded as one of the best drummers of all time.
He came in at No. 16 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest drummers of all time and consistently delivered innovation.
Bruford called King Crimson, "my spiritual home, albeit with a bed of nails, for a quarter of a century," in his 2009 autobiography, but it was with Yes that he delivered his masterpiece, at least according to Business Insider.
Live Performance of 'Long Distance Runaround' Named Among Best Solos
Business Insider claimed Bruford's 1989 live performance of Long Distance Runaround at An Evening of Yes Music Plus at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA stands among the greatest solos of all time with not only his technical prowess, but decision to adopt electronic kits.
"Neil Peart and Bill Bruford were some of, if not the first drummers to adopt electronic kits ... Bruford shows just how versatile the electronic kit can be - in fact, there appear to be no acoustic drums at all in this version of his kit," BI wrote.
"What's interesting in this Bruford solo is the range of global sounds he conjures with the electric kit. With one hand he's hitting pads that trigger traditional tom sounds but with the other, he's producing Middle Eastern drums and auxiliary percussion like woodblocks and bells. This produces a cool mixture of prog, tribal, and orchestral sounds. But underneath it all there's still those punchy drum tones synonymous with the music of the '80s that ground the solo."
The song was initially released in 1971 on the B-side to Roundabout which became one of the band's most popular songs. However, Long Distance Runaround held its own and became a staple in rock radio.
Related: One of the Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time Belongs to 1969 Hit – And It Still Hits
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 5:37 PM.