Departments
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.
Joe Magistro on the Magpie Salute’s High Water I
Long-running relationships, veteran perspectives, and killer tones power the first studio release from a collective of seasoned pros.
Remembering Pat Torpey, Learning to Read Music, the 1978 Issue, Roy Burns, and Dropped Beats
Remembering Pat Torpey Thank you for your article on the Nashville Drummers Jam tribute to the late Pat Torpey . For the longest time I felt like I was the only drummer who considered Pat to be a huge influence.…
Pre-Gig Calibration
Being an employable drummer in 2018 carries more demands than it did in 1918, especially when it comes to melding live performances with the variety of A/V technology being used by most pop, rock, and R&B artists these days. And…
Kenny Clare and Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clare British drummer Kenny Clare died on January 11 at the Westminster Hospital in London, at the age of 55. Kenny had been hospitalized for eight weeks and had several operations for the removal of cancer from the esophagus.…
An Evanescence Tribute
The U.K.–based drummer Ben McIlvenna assembled this customized Tama Silverstar for live gigs with his Evanescence tribute band, Fallen. McIlvenna tells MD that he’s been building the setup over the past five years. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
Courtney Barnett’s Dave Mudie
Alright drummers, let’s go over that international travel checklist one last time: suitcase, cell phone, cell phone charger, snare and cymbals (assuming there’s a backline kit being provided at your destination), sticks, in-ears, drum key, and, most importantly, your passport.…
Reggie Quinerly and Steve Gadd take the reins, Chad Smith with Joe Satriani, Claus Hessler's Camp Duty Update, and more
Reggie Quinerly proved himself as a strong, swinging, fluent, and sensitive drummer accompanying the likes of Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Joe Lovano, and Greg Osby, as well as on his first two discs as a leader. Taking a left turn,…
Margaret Glaspy’s Tim Kuhl
Tim Kuhl’s musical background is rooted in classical percussion and jazz. But in recent years, electronica artists, who can captivate crowds with little more than a laptop and quick-thinking musical minds, have seduced the drummer into conceptualizing outside—and inside—the “box.”…
Donavan Hepburn with Jeff Lynne’s ELO
Fresh as ever, the English orchestral rock giant takes to the road while powered faithfully by the man behind the skins.
Matt Starr on Mr. Big’s Live From Milan
The latest live release from the seminal rock hitmakers documents one of the group’s last performances with their founding sticksman, Pat Torpey.
What’s Your Favorite John Bonham Performance?
In this month’s Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic, the drummer and educator Powell Randolph explores a classic John Bonham foot pattern. In keeping with the “Bonzo” theme, we were curious to find out from our readers and social media followers which…
On the Road
I love our new series, “It Happened on the Road,” and this month’s piece on Courtney Barnett’s Dave Mudie is no exception. It’s wild considering what can happen when you throw a group of musicians into a bus, van, plane,…
