i open up reason, go thru my breaks, find one that percs me up a bit, sounds fresh to the ears, then i find another to high pass over it, then whatever vibe im getting from the drums i'll work on it. the pad is usualy my next step, or the b-line. i always always try and work my b-line to my drums taking note of the kicks etc making it smoosh but still sound individual. then the rest kinda falls into place...
Call me a noob but i don't get caught up on the technical shit as much anymore, i just make what im feeling and don't get hung up on it, if it sounds good then just go with the flow and tweak after, im usualy done with a tune in a few hours, then mixdown and tweaks a day or 2 after.
People definatly get hung up on all the intricacies i think tho, the more you work at it the more it will come naturaly... don't force things if u have an idea in ur head for a tune, then spend 2 hours tweaking and layering a kick drum then your just gonna get fed up and ur idea's is probably only half of what it was. they didn't have all this technology 15/20 years ago and those tunes still sound as fresh today.
I don't get how people can spend so long doing that crap to drums anyway... if u start on ur drums with all that shit how can u possibly tell what its gonna sound like when u add everything else? lol.