Steve Jordan
It’s 4:00 in the afternoon, and the set of Late Night With David Letterman is crowded with people. Cameramen are setting up shots, electricians are adjusting lights, stagehands are moving things around, various assistants are checking innumerable details, and Steve…
Mickey Curry — The Man Behind The Big Bam Boom
About four years ago, Mickey Curry’s life changed radically. From the club band he had been playing with, he went straight into the major leagues, recording with Hall & Oates and Bryan Adams. He was out on the road with…
Jerry Allison — Rock Pioneer
Rock ’n’roll was born in the 1950s. The music that came out of that era laid a foundation for rock musicians to follow for years to come. Jerry Allison was one of those founding members of rock ’n’roll, coming to…
Martin Drew — British Jazz
Jazz music is an American art form and, understandably, it is dominated by American performers. However one of the most respected small groups in jazz today, the Oscar Peterson Trio, is led by a brilliant Canadian pianist accompanied by a…
News
Keep up to date with the drum world via news items, interviews, lists, and more
Ludwig Launches Its First Electronic Drum Kit with Guitar Center Exclusive Verse EX
The collaboration marks Ludwig’s entry into electronic percussion and reinforces Guitar Center’s leadership in developing exclusive products for today’s players Ludwig has entered the electronic drum market with the Verse EX, a Guitar Center exclusive designed to bring the brand’s…
AFTERSHOCK
Danny Wimmer Presents’ record-breaking 2025 festival season concluded on October 2–5 with Aftershock in Sacramento’s Discovery Park. The festival drew over 164,000 fans and is the West Coast’s biggest rock, punk, and metal festival. Aftershock ran for four epic days,…
Who Is RUSH’s New Drummer Anika Nilles?
Anika Nilles has been announced as RUSH’s drummer for their upcoming reunion tour, which will mark the band’s first shows in 11 years, and first concerts since the passing of the legendary Neil Peart in 2020. Rather than tap a…
Nandi Bushell “Would Have Said YES in a Heartbeat” If Offered Foo Fighters Drummer Gig
Nandi Bushell, the 15-year-old drumming sensation who once defeated Dave Grohl in a drum battle, says she “would have said YES in a heartbeat” if offered Foo Fighters’ recently vacant drummer position. While the Foos have made no official announcement…
Videos
Rig rundowns, play-throughs, interviews, and more featuring your favorite drummers
Danny Carey - TOOL - Tour Kit Rundown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ7oqWdMvt8 Welcome, fellow audiophiles, drumming enthusiasts, TOOL fans, and lovers of all things progressive! Today, we've scored an exclusive backstage peek into the rhythmic labyrinth that is Danny Carey's drum kingdom for TOOL's Fear Inoculum Tour. Surrounded by instruments, Danny…
Gear
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
Donn’s Favorites of 2025
Wow!! I’m constantly amazed at how so many extraordinary drums keep finding me. I really don’t go looking for them, but they just seem to keep turning up. 2025 brought some truly exceptional drums. When Modern Drummer asked me to…
NEW EVANS ACCESSORIES, PROMARK 4 PACKS, LUTEFISH UPDATES, JK HOOVES, YAMAHA ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRONIC DRUMS, ROLAND V-DRUMS 3 AND 5 SERIES, MORGENSTEIN TOOL’S WING THING PRO, ALESIS UNVEILS THE NITRO ULTIMATE.
Evans Pull Cord Drum Key and ProMark 4-Packs Tired of struggling with drumhead changes? Swapping them out has never been easier, thanks to the all-new Evans Pull Cord Drum Key. This latest innovation from EVANS is quick, easy-to-use, transportable, and built to last through countless gigs and…
Early Drummer's Traps, Chinese Toms, and Sound Effects
In the early 1900’s the proper term for a professional working drummer was a “Trap Drummer,” this was short for “contraption drummer.” These musicians were much more than simple timekeepers. They provided live musical accompaniment and sound effects for vaudeville…
ARTSTRUMENTS 5PK-L Drum Mounting Kit with Lights
As drummers, our drum kits are more than just tools of the trade. With interesting shapes and textures, mesmerizing finishes, and striking color combinations, they’re visual works of art. Art invites appreciation, but space is a limited luxury for most of…
YAMAHA DTX8K-M PROX
Whether on stage, in the studio, or in the comfort of home, Yamaha has earned its reputation for building instruments that just work. As a proud owner of a late-90’s Yamaha Beech Custom drum kit, I can vouch for that…
TUNER FISH Lug Locks
Stay Tuned… hey say you can’t tune a fish… but you can tune a drum! Most of us have had a drum that just won’t stay in tune because the tension rods wiggle loose, thus detuning the head. This can…
Kit of the Month
Joe’s Offset Kits
This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes to us from Joe Bellia, drummer for The Weeklings and Southside Johnny. This is Joe’s offset bass drum set up which allows him to…
Continue ReadingPodcasts
Host David Frangioni goes in-depth with the biggest names in drumming
Todd Sucherman - Styx - Modern Drummer Podcast with David Frangioni #36
EXCLUSIVE: The wait is over—Todd Sucherman’s Q&A Podcast has landed! Joined by his longtime drum tech Mark Petrocelli, Todd answers your top questions submitted via social media. Host David Frangioni guides the conversation, digging into the stories, tips, and insights…
Johnny Rabb - Collective Soul - Modern Drummer Podcast with David Frangioni #35
Modern Drummer catches up with Collective Soul drummer Johnny Rabb and his longtime drum tech Wayne Shovlin backstage in West Palm Beach, Florida, during the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour. Hosted by David Frangioni, this episode of the Modern Drummer…
Jack Lawless - Jonas Brothers - Modern Drummer Podcast with David Frangioni #34
As promised, here is the podcast with Jack Lawless of the Jonas Brothers, filmed during their visit to the Seminole Hard Rock Live last year. Enjoy! Check out Jack's rundown here: • Jack Lawless - Jonas Brothers - Tour ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3a_TXrSK1U&list=PLk9v-UDiMeUgmap-dWI4ZFSn47nLUmwlG&index=3
Jim Sonefeld - Modern Drummer Podcast with David Frangioni #33
Modern Drummer sat down with Jim Sonefeld of Hootie and the Blowfish while on the Summer Camp with Trucks tour. Watch Jim's Tour Kit Rundown Here: • Jim Sonefeld - Hootie & The Blowfish ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCa1GA1yKdI&list=PLk9v-UDiMeUgmap-dWI4ZFSn47nLUmwlG&index=5
Hall of Fame
A look back at the legendary drummers elected to Modern Drummer’s Hall of Fame
Keith Moon Elected to Hall of Fame in 1982
Excerpted from the September 2003 issue In his last interview, published posthumously in October 1978, Keith told International Musician and Recording World, “You can’t work out things too much. We do certain build-ups and things, but you can run into…
John Bonham Elected to Hall of Fame in 1981
Excerpted from the John Bonham tribute issue, July 1984 John Bonham played, for the most part, a very simple drumkit, consisting of a 14x26 bass drum, a 12x15 small tom—at first mounted on a snare stand and later on the…
Buddy Rich Elected to Hall of Fame in 1980
Excerpted from the January 1977 issue When it comes to interviewing Buddy, one must learn to expect the unexpected. You can end up with a first rate story, or no story at all. He’s a very intense human being, with…
Gene Krupa Elected to Hall of Fame in 1979
Excerpted from the October/November 1979 issue “I’m happy that I succeeded in doing two things: I made the drummer a highpriced guy, and I was able to draw more people to jazz.” The above quote of drum master Gene Krupa…
