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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.
Balloons in the Sky
You know that feeling when you’re playing a piece of music and you’re somehow disconnected? What you’re playing is not wrong, but it’s not right either. Something is missing. What? Who? The answer is you! YOU’RE missing. And sometimes, you…
OUT NOW!
Modern Drummer is spotlighting certain new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in…
Bryan Hitt’s Ludwig Epic Series REO Speedwagon 2009 Tour Kit
The Ludwig Epic kit shown here was used by Brian Hitt on REO Speedwagon’s 2009 Common Ground Tour, and it also appeared in Ludwig drum ads. It’s a custom kit that starts with two 16×22 bass drums, to which additional…
Ready and Prepared
In reading this month’s Modern Drummer I saw a bit of a theme. When the time came, all of this month’s great drummers were ready and prepared for anything that the music world could offer. I often hear the question…
Let’s Face It...
Chinese New Year usually finds me seated at a large circular table in Hop Woo’s, a terrific dining establishment in West Los Angeles. This annual meal is organized by the wife of my longtime friend and drummer Peter Donald. We…
Benjamin Patterson’s Crush Kit
This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes to us from Benjamin Patterson. Benjamin is rockin’ a Crush kit with his band Rock ‘n Roll Ave. The bass drum is a 20, and his toms are 12 and 14.…
INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS
Zildjian’s 400th Year Anniversary Celebration As part of Zildjian’s 400th year anniversary celebration, the company has commissioned a special T-shirt honoring one of its legendary artists, Art Blakey. All profits from the new T-shirt will go to the NAACP Legal…
OUT NOW!
Modern Drummer is spotlighting certain new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in…
Premier 1973 Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies tour kit
The kit shown here was created by Premier for Alice Cooper’s 1973 Billion Dollar Babies tour. According to a description posted on drummercafe.com in February of 2016, “This iconic mirror ball set consists of two 22” bass drums, three 16”…
Persistence
As I read this month’s Modern Drummer, I see a common theme, persistence. Unfortunately, as I look around the musical world (and the world in general,) I see less and less of it. There seems to be a lot of…
AJ’s Swampy Outlaw Kit
The most recent Kit of the Month comes to Modern Drummer from AJ Newton, who is the drummer for Nautical Rock Band Rusty Shipp based out of Nashville, TN. Michael explains, “Back in 2019 Michael Outlaw of Outlaw Drums built…
The Art & Challenge of Teaching
I am writing this on the last day of 2022, in preparation for my last semester of teaching full-time at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. Why am I leaving such a coveted job? The…
Phil Seamen: Percussion Genius, Legendary Rebel, and Born Raver By Peter Dawn
One day in late 2022, my phone rang, it was drum industry stalwart John DeChristopher telling me that fellow drum industry vet Colin Schofield was trying to get in touch with me. I emailed Colin only to learn about a…
Rogers 1960s Gold Louie Bellson and Sammy Davis Jr. Kit
This Rogers kit was originally owned and used by Louie Bellson in the 1960s. Noted drum historian and drum shop owner Steve Maxwell once owned the kit, and he provides the following description: the kit features two 14X24 bass drums,…
