Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
Freddie Gruber
Right up until his passing on October 11, Freddie Gruber was a source of deep and important knowledge for many top drummers. This piece from the January 1996 issue of Modern Drummer, by one of his most accomplished students,…
Gannin Arnold Project5 World Class Drummers
DVD LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED $24.95 Fusion guitarist Gannin Arnold assembles five badass stickmen to wail on his Jeff Beck-inspired material. The resulting two-DVD set is an often-fascinating look at the different approaches, ideas, and emphasis that each player…
Don Brewer
As heartland rock icon Bob Seger tours arenas across the United States, we revisit our September 1999 interview with his longtime sidekick Don Brewer, who’s beloved among drummers for his classic work with Grand Funk Railroad. by Adam Budofsky Don…
What You Need to Know About...Drumheads
Originally published in the November/December 2010 issue of Drum Business. by Fran Azzarto Drumheads (or “skins,” as they’re sometimes called) have a history as old as the drum itself, although for thousands of years that history went pretty much…
Modern Drummer Festival™ 2011 DVD
The Hudson Music team was on hand once again to capture all the action as the Modern Drummer Festival 2011 took place at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. In a program packed with amazing performances and insightful educational…
Pearl Throne Thumper
A two-year development partnership between Pearl and Guitammer has resulted in the Throne Thumper, a device that allows drummers to feel low frequencies transmitted through their drum seat. List price: $499. pearldrum.com
Shawn Cameron of Carnifex
Until I Feel Nothing, Carnifex’s fourth record, was released on October 24. A lot of people have asked me if I’m happy with it, and the answer is, Yes, I am! It has some of the best songs we’ve ever…
In Memoriam: Willie “Big Eyes??? Smith
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, one of the great practitioners of a true American art form, was lost to blues fans around the world when he passed on September 16, 2011. The harmonica player, drummer, singer, and composer, who gained international…
Terri Lyne Carrington Performs “Mosaic Triad??? at the Tokyo Jazz Festival
Watch Terri Lyne Carrington and her band, featuring Esperanza Spalding, Ingrid Jensen, Helen Sung, and Tineke Postma, perform “Mosaic Triad” at the Tokyo Jazz Festival. Terri will be among the twelve world-renowned drummers on Modern Drummer’s prestigious Pro Panel for…
Black Swamp Pro10 Studio Line Expands
These 10x14 ($932) and 12x15 ($998) models feature 6-ply maple shells in red mahogany finish and come with 2.3 mm hoops. blackswamppercussion.com
Tommy Harden with Reba McEntire
Hi, fellow modern drummers! Life has been incredibly busy in Nashville lately, so I’ll try to give a short version of what’s going on in the “hamster wheel.” First, session work has been crazy! August was record month; I was…
Jayson Brinkworth of the Regina Drum Festival
Hi, everyone! It’s Jayson Brinkworth here, from the Regina Drum Festival in Saskatchewan, Canada. Our first annual event wrapped up on September 17 and went down as a huge success.Our Friday night local showcase featured amazing performances by the Kyle…
October Web Update News
Congratulations to drummer/percussionist Richard Bravo for his eight nominations for the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, to be held in November in Las Vegas. Read Bravo’s archived MD blog here. Kris Myers and Andy Farag are on Umphrey’s McGee’s latest,…
Kurt Reil of the Grip Weeds
Greetings from New Jersey! I sing and play drums for the Grip Weeds, and last year we released the double CD Strange Change Machine. We’ve received many great reviews and notices for it, along with lots of back-slapping from our fans,…