From the backrooms of the 70s US club scene to the present day...
They were a studio band that formed the backbone of the New Jersey-based All Platinum/Stang circuit. Whatever Sylvia and Joe Robinson's label needed, the Rimshots played it: some days raw funk, some days a warm soul accompaniment, some days the glimmer of early disco. This versatility made them an invisible but highly influential musical force.
At the heart of the band is drummer Michael “Sugar Bear” Fore; his beats are both powerful and "snappy," so much so that hip-hop producers began actively seeking this sound from the 80s onwards. Bassist Tommy Keith, meanwhile, is the backbone of the groove—carrying an energy that constantly pushes forward and holds the songs together. All of this, combined with the studio culture of George Kerr and the Sugar Hill scene, made the Rimshots a team whose traces can be found on dozens of records, even if their name isn't always credited.
They are also unsung heroes of sample culture. The drums on this album were meticulously sampled by many producers in the 90s, from DJ Premier to Pete Rock. For collectors, it's still considered a "breakbeat minefield":
https://thecamelrecords.com/products/the-rimshots-down-to-earth-lp-album-re-she-near-mint-nm-or-m?_pos=1&_psq=rimshots+down&_ss=e&_v=1.0
