Roger Taylor Vs. Mikkey Dee: March Drum Madness

Roger Taylor is Queen's stalwart engine, there from the first, while Mikkey Dee joined Motorhead well into their career. But each has come to define his band's sound in ways that are distinct to both of them -- and each earning a richly deserved roster spot on our March Drum Madness competition.

Taylor helped Queen play a canny mixture of hard and pomp rock, while Dee stabilized the core of a metal band that had struggled to find musical consistency in its drum chair. Now, Taylor and Dee are part of a roster of 32 of the most famous drummers in classic-rock history who make up this March Drum Madness bracket. Over the coming weeks, their ranks will be cut in half in each of five rounds until we arrive at your choice for the greatest rock drummer of all time.

Dee, born Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou, joined Motorhead in 1992 after a brief stint with Don Dokken, setting a new standard for lengthy in-concert solos of both precision and power. Notable favorites include "Born to Raise Hell" and "God Save the Queen." Taylor, though best known as Queen's drummer, has also been a prolific songwriter for the group. He wrote or co-wrote a trio of U.K. No. 1 Queen songs (including "Under Pressure"), as well as the MTV favorite "Radio Ga Ga," among others.

Which will you choose? You can vote once per hour in each of our 16 opening March Drum Madness battles, until the first round ends March 23 at 11:59PM ET. The ultimate winner will be revealed on April 7.

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