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.
A Year in Concerts
Photos taken by Alex Kluft who photographed over 250 concerts in 2024. Thank you Alex! Gojira, BMO Stadium, 10.5.24 Dan Wojciechowski, Peter Frampton,Greek, 4.13.24 Hannes Van Dahl, Sabaton,YouTube Theater, 10.15.24 Steve Jordan, Rolling StonesSoFi Stadium-7.13.24 Charlie Benante, PanteraMSG, 2.22.24 Scott…
2024 Modern Drummer Readers Poll Results.
Another exciting year of drumming has passed, and it’s time for the 2024 Modern Drummer Readers Poll. Congratulations to all of the winners! Thank you for your drumming and contributions towards the history and evolution of modern drumming. Your recordings,…
2024 Modern Drummer Hall of Fame: Bill Ward
Bill Ward created a style of drumming within the music of Black Sabbath. We’re not going to get into the musical differences between heavy metal and hard rock in this article. Call it what you want… but that slow, sludgy,…
Bruno Esrubilsky The Rhythmic Glue Behind Mitski’s Ever-Evolving Sound
Bruno Esrubilsky’s journey with Mitski has been nothing short of seamless, both musically and personally. From the first time he connected with Mitski and longtime collaborator Patrick Hyland, Bruno felt he had found the right place, “The vibes were incredible…
Kenney Jones talks about Faces Live at the BBC
With all the new releases and reissues of special boxsets, it can be easy to miss one (or two or three.) When Rhino announced the release of Faces Live at the BBC: The Complete Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973, Modern…
Derek Mixon Tone Chasing with Chris Stapleton
When I interviewed Russ Kunkel last year, I asked him what younger drummers he was checking out and impressed by. He didn’t hesitate, saying, “I think Derek Mixon is one of the best drummers out there, I think we have…
Mark Guiliana: A New Solo Record, Being in the Moment, and Playing with His Heroes
It’s just after 9am on a Wednesday morning and Mark Guiliana is brewing coffee at his home in east LA. He’s in-between tour dates with St. Vincent and a trip to NYC to play a week at the Village Vanguard…
Leslie Mandoki: Living His Dreams
Guitarists Al Di Meola and Steve Lukather call Leslie Mandoki the Hungarian Quincy Jones, and Jack Bruce calls him the German Duke Ellington. But drummer, lyricist, songwriter, bandleader, and producer Leslie Mandoki scoffs at those comparisons, and refers to Quincy…
The Gumbo Groove
New Orleans Legend: Johnny VidacovichYou Play What’s Pertinent to the Music! To be a true drumming legend in a town steeped in drumming is quite an accomplishment. But how does that happen? In the case of Johnny Vidacovich, you play…
Joey Mullen: Crafting the Rhythm Behind Paramore’s Explosive Sound
In today’s highly competitive world, carving out a name in drumming requires more than just raw talent. It demands courage, perseverance, and confidence. The man in question Joey Mullen, has proven that he has what it takes to succeed at…
Zac Farro Unleashed: A Legend in the Making
In the realm of modern rock drummers, Zac Farro is a standout star with a journey as dynamic as his drumming. As Paramore’s rhythmic powerhouse since his teens, Farro has navigated the band’s transformations, including a hiatus and triumphant return,…
Vinyl Me, Please
Matt Fiedler is the CEO of Vinyl Me, Please (VMP.) But what is Vinyl Me, Please? It is a combination of a record retailer, a reissue label, and a music distributor. But more than anything, Vinyl Me, Please is a…
Kaleen Reading of Mannequin Pussy
Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy cathartic music is a gift that makes you want to rage and go against the man, but it also makes you reflect about your existence in this lonely, harsh world we live in. Formed in 2010, the…
EL ESTEPARIO
TRUST THE PROCESS Photos courtesy of Alesis Drums / El Estepario With over 5,000 online drumming video clips and millions of subscribers, Valencia, Spain’s El Estepario (Jorge Garrido) has become a worldwide drumming sensation. Today it seems like every drummer…