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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.
Anthony Ghazel's Daughtry Touring Kit
Drums: Pearl Reference Maple kit in Piano Black with die cast hoops: 6.5×14 Reference One Brass Snare, 6.5×14 UltraCast Aluminum Snare (backup,) 9×13 Rack Tom, 16×16 and 16×18 Floor Toms, 14×20 Gong Drum, two 16×22 Bass Drums. Remo Heads: Snare Top- Controlled…
Out Now October 2025
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band. This…
Drum Workshop and Guitar Center Factory Day
DW Drums and Guitar Center hosted their annual DW Factory Day in Oxnard, CA on August 23. The day started with a drum off hosted by Guitar Center’s drum buyer Glenn Noyes and Roland VP of Sales Jim DeStefano. The…
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chad Smith Launches Foundation to Champion Music Education, Access, and Opportunity for Aspiring Artists
Chad Smith, the iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, today announced the official launch of the Chad Smith Foundation (CSF). Dedicated to amplifying young talent, the foundation aims to inspire, empower, and…
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Scene: The dining room table of the Erskine home where Peter and his wife are enjoying a quiet dinner. Out of the blue, two words come to Peter while he’s sipping cold water from a glass. “Drumming Anonymity.” Hmmm. Okay.…
Watch Out Terry Bozzio, Here Comes Zar Sukoi
It’s clear that drummer Zar Sukoi’s early influences are The Professor Neil Peart, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, and Terry Bozzio. However, since his band needed more than the essentials, he altered his kit to accommodate RotoToms. After a good deal…
Reimagining and the Three C's
It’s fantastic to be featuring Todd Sucherman, Stan Lynch, Kassa Overall and Evgeny Novikov this month. All four drummers have done quite a bit of reimagining within their musical careers. Reimagining anything takes the Three C’s: Creativity, Commitment, and Courage.…
Tif (Teddy) Lamson's Shania Twain Touring Kit
Drums: Gretsch USA Custom in Black Glass finish — 8×12 Rack Tom, 9×13 Rack Tom, 16×16 and 16×18 Floor Toms, 18×22 Kick Drum. Snare: Gretsch Custom 6.5×14 Ridgeland Snare in Red Glass finish. Heads: Toms Batter: Remo Emperor Clear; Toms Reso: Remo Ambassador…
Out Now September 2025
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band. This…
Lightweight Drum Hardware
For a different view on drum hardware, this is a chart of lightweight drum hardware, which is a popular subject with gigging drummers today, including myself. I compiled this list, including weights, models, and pricing, to help drummers choose lightweight…
Drum Fantasy Camp in DTLA
Now in its 17th year, Drum Fantasy Camp is owned and managed by Steven Orkin of Orkin Marketing & Management. Among other artists, Steven manages marketing for my buddies Dave Weckl and Steve Smith. The idea originated when Orkin started working…
Satin Flame Memories and Inspiration
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Justin Ryan. It is a heartwarming story in which every drummer can relate. Here are Justin’s thoughts on this very special instrument, “My Mother died when I was two years…
The Drum Community
In a world where community and actual personal connection is being devalued, Modern Drummer is proud to spotlight several drum community events in this (and last month’s) issues. Nashville’s Music City Drum Show was a rousing success where drummers from…
Mike McDermott's Joan Jett Touring Kit
Drums: SJC Custom M5 Maple Shells Black Stain/Black Hardware – 6.5×12 Rack Tom, 12×14 and 14×16 Floor Toms, 14×22 Kick Drum. Snares: CDC Custom 7×14 Maple, Modern Classic 7×14 Maple, Dark Horse Percussion 8×14 Wood Hoop Ballad Snare (Nickname “Santa’s lil’ Helper”).…
