Hamilton’s Andrés Forero
Hamilton’s Andrés Forero Down in the pit and up among the stars Story by Ilya Stemkovsky Photos by Paul La Raia Andrés Forero is booked. And it’s not just any old steady gig that’s keeping him working. It happens to…
The Charlie Daniels Band’s Pat McDonald
photo by Joey Tanner The Charlie Daniels Band’s Pat McDonald Determination, Dedication, Motivation, Inspiration Story by Aaron Strickland Photos by Joey Tanner The devil may have gone down to Georgia, but he hasn’t gotten in Pat McDonald’s way. The…
CATCHING UP WITH - Jack DeJohnette
CATCHING UP WITH Jack DeJohnette by Ken Micallef Jazz supergroups don’t come along often, but when they do—and especially when they include this legendary drummer—kaboom! The fireworks created by Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and bassist Matt Garrison are based…
CATCHING UP WITH - Aric Improta
CATCHING UP WITH Aric Improta by Ben Meyer The Night Verses drummer has masterminded a multi-player video whose variety of styles, setups, and sounds make it one of the most compelling percussive productions in recent memory. As fans await the…
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News
Keep up to date with the drum world via news items, interviews, lists, and more
Gary John Burke April 9, 1948 – January 17, 2026
Gary John Burke died at home in Port Ewen, New York, on January 17, 2026, after a long illness with his wife by his side. He was 77. Born in Troy, New York, Gary built an accomplished five-decade career as…
Montreux Jazz Festival Miami Expands Festival, Adds Two Additional Nights of Music for 2026 Lineup, Celebrates Miles Davis Centennial
Miles Electric Band, Kind of Blue Acoustic Band (Feb 25) and Makaya McCraven (Feb 26) to Kick Off Festival at Miami Beach Bandshell PJ Morton, Tank (of Tank and the Bangas) & La Reezy to Join Jon Batiste & Trombone Shorty…
Chad Smith Walks In on Thirty Seconds to Mars’ Shannon Leto Playing Chili Peppers Hit on Drums: Watch
Drumeo’s “For the First Time” series has become a regular hit on YouTube, largely thanks to a viral edition featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith taking on the challenge of playing Thirty Seconds to Mars’ “The Kill (Bury Me).”…
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…
Tour Kit Rundowns
Your favorite drummers walk you through every detail of their drum setups.
Metal Sticks
Dedicated to interviewing iconic artists, educating drummers of all styles and genres, amplifying young talent, and showcasing Nicko McBrain’s archive of iconic gear & memorabilia, Metal Sticks aims to inspire all generations of heavy metal fans.
1984 Is When I Finally Got My Drum Sound #vanhalen #alexvanhalen
Legacy of the Beast Gong #metalsticks #ironmaiden
Gear
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
Zak Starkey’s Drums
Zak Starkey has long been regarded as the only drummer capable of adequately carrying the torch for The Who’s original drummer, Keith Moon. His 30-year gig with The Who, might have been considered a career highlight, but a lot has…
HHHusher
If you’ve ever recorded drums – or watched an engineer wrestle with a drum mix – you know one of the most hard-fought battles is microphone bleed. One particularly common occurrence is the hi-hat cymbals bleeding into the snare mic. Engineers try to squash it with mic placement, drummers adjust their technique, and in the end, everyone accepts a little bleed as “just part…
Yamaha EAD50
When Yamaha introduced the EAD10 drum recording system, it quietly rewired a lot of drummers’ expectations around recording. Clamp on a sensor, plug in a module, put on headphones, and suddenly you were producing a polished kit sound without fighting with mic placement, cable management, phase issues, and lost inspiration. It was a…
Slingerland Radio King Outfit 13/16/24 with 6.5 x 14 Snare Drum
Last year, after much anticipation, the Slingerland brand officially returned to the scene. Launched not as a reimagined modern version, but as a deliberate effort to reconnect with the brand’s original construction methods, materials, and tonal concepts that have helped define American drumming for decades. For this month’s Product Close-Up, we’re taking a…
JK Drum Systems: JK Hooves, Stabilize Your Drum Set!
Direct from the Netherlands comes “The Drum Positioning System of The World!” If you like to set up your kit the same way every time, you need to mark your gig rug with something. JK Drum Systems has an affordable,…
NEW PRODUCTS AND ENDORSERS FROM TOCA PERCUSSION, GROVER PRO PERCUSSION, AND THE AKAI MPC XL
NEW FROM TOCA PERCUSSION Toca percussion is proud to announce 15 new products including the Hannah Welton Auxiliary Snare Drum, the Boom-A-Drums, and our new innovation, the Talking Djembe. Toca is also proud to announce Eddie Montalvo as an endorser.…
Kit of the Month
A Longing After 22 Years of Musical Hibernation
Ian Roberts began drumming at the age of 11 and played passionately for 20 years, until the birth of his son in 2000. At that point, family and work became his top priorities,…
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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…
Charlie Benante - Pantera - Tour Kit Rundown
Modern Drummer Official 17.9K views January 12, 2026 10:01 AM