Okay, let me define "mediocre." I didn't mean "can't keep time." I just meant a drummer who has a good sense of rhythm, knows good music when she hears it, keeps steady time, but may not have the "palate" of choices that a more experienced drummer has, so stays out or plays more simply where a more seasoned drummer would be doing more interesting stuff. That's what I meant by mediocre. What you describe is what I'd call a really bad (maybe useless) drummer. Some people only play drums because they think it's cool or fun, not because they have any talent. What you describe I would say is WAY worse than a drum machine. I'd still choose no drummer at all over a drum machine, but that's just me. --Jean