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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.
Brad Wilk of Prophets of Rage
Touring with an act that’s a household name comes with its perks, not the least of which is playing your own kit every night. Brad Wilk’s needs on the road with Prophets of Rage—the supergroup composed of members of Rage…
Karl Brazil With James Blunt
The U.K. touring and studio vet flawlessly supports the pop singer-songwriter’s flowing and dynamic set with ease on an international arena tour.
Ian Chang on Son Lux’s Brighter Wounds
A sharp drummer’s forward-thinking electronic concepts and downright dirty acoustic grooves shine on the trio’s latest release.
How Do You Develop a Unique Voice on the Drums?
Developing your own voice on the kit is a constant endeavor. Considering varied musical influences, teacher feedback, and an abundance of available educational material—among other factors—the question arises of how best to sit down in the shed and focus on…
Words Count
As drummers we’ve long battled identity issues that never seem to go away, no matter how far we advance our art. For years the famed drummer Bill Bruford has pointed out a certain “pitched-instrument bias” on the part of the…
Armando Perazza
Percussionist Armando Peraza, whose pioneering work brought together the worlds of Afro-Cuban, jazz, and rock music, passed away this past April 14 in San Francisco at age eighty-nine. He is survived by his wife, Josephine, a daughter, and three grandchildren.…
Ricky Lawson
Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. Eric Clapton. Lionel Richie. Phil Collins. Steely Dan. What do these artists all have in common? TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Sam Ulano
We lost a legendary New York City drum teacher when Sam Ulano passed away at age ninety-three on January 2 of this year. Ulano was a dear friend of Modern Drummer, especially in his vigorously active later years, during which…
ZZ Top Tres Hombres
A heinous decision in the ’80s to remix ZZ Top’s classic early tracks didn’t totally diminish Frank Beard’s funky grooves, but it sure was a buzzkill. Fortunately, that call was reversible, and Beard’s beauteous beats were presented in all their…
Ricky Wellman
Ricky “Sugarfoot” Wellman may be most widely known as jazz master Miles Davis’s last touring drummer, but perhaps more important is his role in the genesis of go-go music, a marathon funk style indigenous to the Washington, D.C., area. TO…
Ronald Shannon Jackson
“As you know, this is only about having fun,” Ronald Shannon Jackson told the audience in his warm Texas drawl at the 1991 Skopje Jazz Festival, a performance archived on YouTube. “We’re here to have a little pleasure and bring…
A Slingerland Unmasked
After purchasing and restoring the 1950s Slingerland bass drum pictured in this month’s featured kit, Marc Membreno was overtaken by the urge to flesh out the setup with other vintage Slingerland tubs. “I started with a 1958 blue sparkle bass…
The 2017 Hollywood Custom and Vintage Drum Show
Drum enthusiasts from around the globe convened at the Glendale Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California, this past October 7 to check out informative clinics and a plethora of new and vintage drumming gear. The stellar performance lineup included Jason McGerr…
The Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band, Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés, Good Tiger, Quartet NL, and more!
In a highly anticipated reunion, keyboardist Chick Corea and STEVE GADD co-lead a top-flight band in a mix of electric and acoustic jazz excursions with echoes of their mid-’70s brotherhood. Corea crafted most of the double disc’s original compositions with…
