With the changes in times the mode of expression changes, IMO.
I don't think there has been a dumbing down of drumming; yesterday's bonzo, peart, moon, rich, weckl, colaiuta, tony, etc. is today's carlock, hass, donati, moore, hoenig, ?uestlove, carey, etc.
There are still plenty of new guys pushing the boundaries of our instrument and fruthering our art. I don't think there is a "dumbass beat". I think that for musical purposes everything has an important role in making the statement of the art, and to dismiss something that seems simple would be dismissing great players like ?uestlove, heyward, freese, or even classics like ringo... all of whom may have played mainstream popular music, but artfully and masterfully.
Excuse my rambling, I have gotten little sleep.




Bookmarks