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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.

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150 Years of SONOR Drums: A Conversation with Jeff Mulvihill

In 1875 the then 28-year-old journeyman Johannes Link founded the first drum factory in Weissenfels, Germany with the aim to produce drum skins and basic marching drums. Over the following 32 years, this endeavor would expand and grow with son…

By Mark Griffith
May 1, 2025

MARCO SOCCOLI REMEMBERED

“The drum community is a community like no other. It is made up of very special people whose work (and sometime much more) revolves around drumming, drums, and music. Marco Soccoli was a very special person and a pillar of…

Modern Drummer
May 1, 2025

Les Claypool: Inside the Interstellar Drum Derby

When Primus lost their drummer (again,) this time it was different. For a band that’s always had a knack for finding unique and brilliant rhythm players, there was suddenly… no plan. No backup. No “oh, we’ll just call this guy.”…

By Danny "Ziggy" Laverde
May 1, 2025

TONY BROCK: That Sleazy, Greasy, English Backbeat

Most might know Tony Brock as the drummer from the 70s and 80s band The Babys, but his career is MUCH more than that. He has a new band called Close Enemies, but we’ll start at the beginning. Tony started…

By Mark Griffith
May 1, 2025

The Journey of Primus’ John Hoffman

Last year, many of us were surprised when Primus announced that drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander was leaving the band. It had happened before, but this time seemed different. Soon after, Primus announced that it would be holding the Interstellar Drum…

By Danny "Ziggy" Laverde
May 1, 2025
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The 2025 Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship Award

Neil Peart’s legacy, artistry, inspiration, and the impact that his drumming will forever have, is what the Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship is all about. His wonderfully constructed drum parts, his lyrics, and his commitment to drumming will always…

By Mark Griffith
Apr 1, 2025

Best Foot Forward

Like most of you reading this article … I am a drummer.And, I would imagine, like a lot of you reading this article … I am a basher.I bashed my way through basement bands as a school kid.I bashed my…

By Michael Cartellone
Apr 1, 2025

Janet Jackson’s Jerrod “J-Rod” Sullivan

Growing up in Georgia, 45 minutes outside of Atlanta, Jerrod “J-Rod” Sullivan is the epitome of chill, but his drumming is anything but chill, it’s all about power. Coming out of the R&B Neo-soul scene of suburban Atlanta in the…

By Mark Griffith
Apr 1, 2025

Billy Hart Drumming from the Past and Present, and Looking Towards the Future

When you walk into a concert hall or a jazz club and see a five-piece set of Pearl drums with an 18” bass drum, 10” and 12” power toms, a 14” floor tom, and a series of overlapping Zildjian cymbals…

By Mark Griffith
Apr 1, 2025

Rufus Taylor of The Darkness

After several early gigs and tours with Queen related bands like the Queen Musical, Brian May, Queen (themselves,) and the great Jeff Beck; Rufus Taylor has been playing with The Darkness for 10 years and four records. With their new…

By Mark Griffith
Mar 1, 2025

Jonathan Barber: Leading With Conviction

Since Jonathan Barber won Modern Drummer’s Best Up and Coming Drummer in 2018, he has become one of the busiest drummers in jazz. He has been playing with Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Jeremy Pelt, Jimmy Greene, and Pat…

By Mark Griffith
Mar 1, 2025

Nate Morton: The Driving Beat Behind The Voice

It’s been 26 seasons for the NBC hit show, The Voice and Nate Morton has been the driving beat behind every one of them. Self-taught from age five, Nate’s formal drumset training began during middle school with Grant Menefee in…

By John Glozek, Jr.
Mar 1, 2025
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The Versatile Virtuoso: Joe Dyson’s Journey Through Jazz

Joe Dyson is a name that resonates deeply within the jazz community, even if he doesn’t have one particular band to call home. Instead, Joe has built his reputation playing with a veritable who’s who of jazz greats, moving seamlessly…

By Herman Jackson
Feb 1, 2025

HOW MARK SCHULMAN OVERCAME HEARING LOSS TO REDEFINE HIS CAREER

If you like music and you haven’t seen Mark Schulman play live by now, I don’t know who you have been watching. Mark Schulman has been a road warrior drummer for 32 years, touring with P!nk, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Stevie…

By Mark Griffith
Feb 1, 2025
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