Although it's actually a gong, I'd go with the end of "Bohemian Rhapsody". OK, it's a really BIG cymbal.

Not that I like the song much, but I nominate the gong at the end of the Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin.

Have we done cow bell yet?

I love the one in the Bowie song "Sound and Vision" that's electronically treated to sort of sound like bacon sizzling.

Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin

The cymbal crash at the end of the instrumental jam in "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?"

One -- Metallica

"Message in a Bottle". Stewart Copeland cymbaliciousness throughout.

Killing an Arab.

A very subtle one at the end of "Spirits in a Material World" by Stewart Copeland

and a not so subtle one at the end of "Red Barcheta" by Neil Peart

bass555: A very subtle one at the end of "Spirits in a Material World" by Stewart Copeland

Oh, isn't there a good crashy one in "Invisible Sun" too? It's been a long time since I heard that record, but I seem to recall...

"Good Morning, Good Morning" The Beatles.

After the first line of each verse. For instance:

"Nothing to do to save his life, call his wife in." Bwooosh!

Gotta love the Ringo.

I've always been partial to the timing of the cymbal crash in Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Coming"

"hey I'm a * big smash" *3:15
\m/ (pops, with bonus exploding head at the end of the video)

The crashes during the last couple minutes of Comfortably Numb.

The one that stands out for me is the one in Mastodon's "Sleeping Giant".

Oh, and the opening of "Who Are You".

It's not rock, but the cymbals in the opera piece at the end of Caddyshack (golf course explosions) are epic!

Also Phil Rudd on any tune from AC/DC's Back in Black. He put the perfect crashes in the perfect spots for the entire album.

Torc: Oh, and the opening of "Who Are You".

Just about anything by Keith Moon actually.

1. The cymbal on "One More Red Nightmare" by King Crimson, drumming by Bruford.
link: Link (new window)
Bruford himself explains it:
[from http://www.billbruford.com/bill/faq.html]

"The cymbal was featured on "One More Red Nightmare" from King Crimson's "Red" album, and has quietly become a legend. I found it in the rehearsal room trash can, deposited there by the group in the room before us. It was turned up on one side in an effort to get it to fit in the bin, like an Australian bush hat; it had definitely seen better days. It was a "foreign made" Zilco Standard cymbal imported into the UK by Arbiter Co. Ltd., and, before you ask, I have no idea what happened to Zilco. Anyway, it's maltreatment had bequeathed it this fabulous trashy sound with a very short, fast decay. It looked so sad; I took pity on it and we fell in love. I used it for about a year or so before it split, and the end came swiftly after that."

2. the cymbal crash around the 1/4 or 1/3 mark of "Tubular Bells Part 1" by Mike Oldfield.

3. The cymbal crashes in "Epitaph" by King Crimson

4. the cymbal crash in "Lizard" at the end of "Prince Rupert Awakes".

Came in here to say what Sir Cumference said. Even though it was technically a tam-tam.

The opening of "Solar Sex Panel" by Little Village.

I like the sound of cymbals crashing backwards. I.E. Stawberry Fields and Tomorrow Never Knows by the Beatles.

Third_Uncle_Eno: 1. The cymbal on "One More Red Nightmare" by King Crimson, drumming by Bruford.
link: Link (new window)
Bruford himself explains it:
[from http://www.billbruford.com/bill/faq.html]

"The cymbal was featured on "One More Red Nightmare" from King Crimson's "Red" album, and has quietly become a legend. I found it in the rehearsal room trash can, deposited there by the group in the room before us. It was turned up on one side in an effort to get it to fit in the bin, like an Australian bush hat; it had definitely seen better days. It was a "foreign made" Zilco Standard cymbal imported into the UK by Arbiter Co. Ltd., and, before you ask, I have no idea what happened to Zilco. Anyway, it's maltreatment had bequeathed it this fabulous trashy sound with a very short, fast decay. It looked so sad; I took pity on it and we fell in love. I used it for about a year or so before it split, and the end came swiftly after that."

2. the cymbal crash around the 1/4 or 1/3 mark of "Tubular Bells Part 1" by Mike Oldfield.

3. The cymbal crashes in "Epitaph" by King Crimson

4. the cymbal crash in "Lizard" at the end of "Prince Rupert Awakes".

This, this, this, and this.

GypsyJoker
This, this, this, and this.

Thank You! :-)

The little *ting* at the end of "Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

As far as straight 'cymbal crashes' (not hi-hat work as in Rock and Roll by Led Zep), it's the overmiked cymbals in 'All You Zombies' by the Hooters (orf my lawn). turn up the treble and the volume and feel your eardrums sizzle.

also the dual splashes Stewart Copeland uses right before the chorus in 'Wrapped Around Your Finger'

also like the double china crash halfway thru the last verse in 'Middle of the Road' by the Pretenders (in middle of the road, you hear the darndest things - PAH PAH)

the 6 cymbal stops in 'Runaway' by Bon Jovi that cover the beginning notes of the guitar solo

oh and by the way there are no cymbals used in the 'In The Air Tonite' fill by Phil Collins

/drummer

ABACAB

ride that china boy Phil

"killing an arab" reminding me of the perfect decay on the crash cymbal used in "just like heaven". i hate that song, but the drums and cymbals pretty much make it the only reason i haven't stabbed so many swooning teenage girls in the time since this song's release.

samperkinsdog: "killing an arab" reminding me of the perfect decay on the crash cymbal used in "just like heaven". i hate that song, but the drums and cymbals pretty much make it the only reason i haven't stabbed so many swooning teenage girls in the time since this song's release.

I can, in some ways, endorse this.


P.S; hump the girls, do not stab them.*


*^{proper check of I.D. and signed consent form is always appreciated in a court of law}

Rocks Off by Rolling Stones

Marshmallow Jones: also the dual splashes Stewart Copeland uses right before the chorus in 'Wrapped Around Your Finger'

Also excellent.

On my own, I guess I'd offer the cymbals Ginger Baker contributes to "Can't Find My Way Home," although they're way too loud in the mix, and Stewart Copeland's hi-hat throughout Peter Gabriel's "Red Rain."

Also, Bruford's work on "Starless, including the great hi-hat work in the 13/8 (IIRC) section and the gong during the guitar riff/bass ostinato section, and Billy Cobham's work throughout "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters."

Lots of good crash cymbal work throughout this one... (new window)

beginning "back off biatch" - guns n roses

Journey's "Faithfully" has a great crash cymbal right at the end. They even end the video with it.

Keith Moon on Beck's Bolero at 1:40, when he goes nuts and knocks over the drum mic, leaving only his cymbals audible for the rest of the tune.

Geeze, no one even bothered to mention Garth Algar in the music store?

/Likes to play.
/Bass, that is.
/Too lazy to find accompanying pic.

The end of "Faraway...So Close."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIL0PjhBKNI&feature=related

Oh, and also the China cymbal that's all over Steve Miller's more popular songs.

Rumor has it it was broken.

Led Zeppelin - In My Time of Dying - almost too many to count.
Best ones at 7:20 and 9:00.

and hard dance song

Tabatha Static: The cymbal crash at the end of the instrumental jam in "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?"

This - and the hi-hat all through Mellow Yellow (Donovan) - Yep, I'm that old...

I'm a drummer (honest), and I've always felt there's a very significant crash on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. It's the transition hit between Brain Damage and Eclipse. It really sets the album's finale.

vikingfan: Led Zeppelin - In My Time of Dying - almost too many to count.
Best ones at 7:20 and 9:00.

Very true.

I want to throw in "The Black Page" by Frank Zappa.

Specifically from the live DVD Zappa Play Zappa. Tony Bozzio, as always, is a killer drummer.

YouTube Linky (poppyclick)

No mention of "Eye of the Tiger"?

/Crash! Crash, Crash, Crash!

The gong crashes in VHs Love Walks In.
Cheesy as hell, I know, but its the first thing that came to mind.

I cant believe i just posted that in public.

YYZ - The funky China crash that Neil later ended up breaking and now uses 3 consecutive China crashs insted....

Also the Portnoy Max Stax