Features
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.
David “Pick” Withers
Conjuring Mood Grooves with Dire Straits Called “the biggest British rock band of the ‘80s” by Classic Rock magazine—and with sales of more than 100 million albums and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018—the story…
Fred Armisen
The Multitasking Marvel ofLate Night with Seth Meyers If Fred Armisen was “just” the band leader, drummer, and former guitarist of The 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers, it would be a pretty monumental accomplishment. But Armisen is…
Remembering Scott Asheton
The Stooges’ Punk Rock Pioneer The Stooges first burst onto the national stage roaring out of Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1969 with a cutting-edge and revolutionary debut album, and the music world has not been the same since. At the…
Jeff Porcaro
It’s About Time Initially, we were scheduling a short review of long-time MD contributor Robyn Flans’ book on Jeff Porcaro, It’s About Time: Jeff Porcaro, The Man and His Music. Then, we thought about it for a second. This is…
Eric Leiderman
Late Night with Seth Meyers Producer Puts Drums Up Front Why is the TV producer from Late Night with Seth Meyers featured on the cover of Modern Drummer, you ask? Eric Leiderman was a drummer first, and he has been…
Scott Kettner
Photo by: Carolina Mama The NYC-based drummer/percussionist has made the best of the craziness of 2020, releasing a new album with his band Nation Beat (The Royal Chase), publishing a new method book on samba drumming (Maracatu for Drumset and…
From the Archives - Elvin Jones
What would Elvin Jones’ drums say if they could talk? How would they describe their relationship with Elvin? Would they speak fondly of the times they have been caressed by their master—the times he has used mallets and brushes to…
JR Robinson
Always Ahead of the Curve and Deep Inside the Pocket These days, with all the insanity surrounding us and COVID-19 impacting every facet of our lives, it’s a wonder how anyone can keep focus on creative pursuits. Not only maintaining…
Van Halen’s Alex Van Halen
For over forty-five years, Alex Van Halen’s brilliant, forceful, grooving, and melodic drumming has been the driving force behind one of the truly great rock bands that ever existed. His bash has graced so many classic Van Halen radio staples,…
Steve Jordan
He’s brought a timeless elegance to some of the heaviest recordings of the past five decades. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
The Modern Drummer Festival 2020
A Celebration and Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Neil Peart Modern Drummer had been planning to bring back the world-renowned MD festival in 2020, and we were ready to put the plan into action. Then the world stopped…
Secret Machines’ Josh Garza For the Sake of Rock ’n’ Roll
Not everyone would release an album in the middle of the pandemic. For Secret Machines, it seemed to be the perfect time to break their hiatus and share their new record, Awake in the Brain Chamber, for the sake of…
Professor and the Madman’s Rat Scabies
The legendary punk drummer discusses the fourth release from his trans-Atlantic band featuring former Adolescents and D.I. vocalist/guitarist Alfie Agnew, ex-D.I. and Mind Over Four vocalist/guitarist Sean Elliott, and Scabies’ old Damned bandmate Paul Gray on bass. MD: What was…
Nick Mason
The long-delayed release of a live album by his new Saucerful of Secrets band provides a good opportunity to catch up with Pink Floyd’s sticksman—much better late than never. This past March, two years after launching Nick Mason’s Saucerful of…
