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.
Jon Christensen - European Jazz Master
Jon Christensen is probably one of the few European jazz drummers who has made a name for himself in the U.S. In Norway, of course, he is the father of a whole generation of drummers, easily recognized by the way…
George Brown — Kool Funk
Mention New Jersey to anyone in the music business these days, and the name Bruce Springsteen comes to mind almost automatically. But Springsteen and his E Street Band aren’t the only world-class acts to originate in Jersey—and still call the…
Adrenalin’s Brian Pastoria
I first met Brian Pastoria while his group, Adrenalin, was rehearsing some tunes from their recent album American Heart. The group’s road manager, Thom Kuchulan, noticed me standing outside the studio and invited me in to listen. The band was…
U2's Larry Mullen, Jr.
Since ancient times, the sound of drums has prevailed at human rites of passage: war drums, funeral drums, marching drums, drums of life, and drums of death. It was the call of a “different drummer” that guided Henry David Thoreau.…
George Grantham — Dedication
It was the ’60s—an exciting time—and Southern California was developing its own answer to the “British Invasion, “San Francisco’s psychedelia, and Detroit’s Motown. L.A.’s scene was creating country/rock/folk with exciting newcomers like Jackson Browne, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the…
Frankie Dunlop — Making It Swing
I first heard Frankie Dunlop’s drumming in the best way possible. When I was about 17years old, I was visiting a friend who had Two Hours Of Thelonious on the turntable. The drumming on that record went straight to my…
Herman Rarebell — Keeping The Basics Together
HAVE you noticed how more drummers seem to be getting involved in writing? Many people regard this as a very healthy thing. Drummers are becoming more than just the people in the back who keep the time happening. The obvious…
Platinum Blonde’s Chris Steffler
In setting up this interview with Chris Steffler, drummer of the hugely popular Toronto band, Platinum Blonde, I was impressed by how easy he was to reach. After only two calls to his management, I was able to talk to…
Chuck Riggs
Eddie Cantor used to say, “Sometimes it takes ten years to become a star overnight.” Chuck Riggs, 34, knows the feeling. He had been working with tenor sax player Scott Hamilton for a full ten years before the release of…
Tommy Campbell — Progressive Chops
The date: May 20, 1984. The place: the Entermedia Theatre. The event: Zildjian Day in New York. Some of the greatest drumming talents in the world took the stage to display their craft. The artists appearing that day were Alex…
Kenny Malone’s Quest For Knowledge
The one thing that Kenny Malone wanted to communicate most during our interview was a sense of joy. He told me so, although he didn’t have to. His whole make-up—who he is as a person and how he approaches music—is…
Adam Woods — breaking the rules
In England, it’s not easy to join a top-40 band and make a good living at playing music. It’s also not easy to become a virtuoso on your instrument and then spend five nights a week for years headlining the…
Johnny Blowers
His students know he’s experienced, but it’s doubtful that many realize just how experienced drummer Johnny Blowers is. In a career that spans six decades, Blowers has recorded with jazz greats such as Sidney Bechet, Bobby Hackett, Eddie Condon, Red…
Steve Jordan
It’s 4:00 in the afternoon, and the set of Late Night With David Letterman is crowded with people. Cameramen are setting up shots, electricians are adjusting lights, stagehands are moving things around, various assistants are checking innumerable details, and Steve…
