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.
Butch Miles: Drivin' The Basie Rhythm Machine
It would probably be difficult to name a big band that swings and pulsates more than the dynamic Count Basie Orchestra. For over forty years. Basie has kept his aggregation alive and swinging with his inimitable brand of big band…
From The Past: Chick Webb
The story of Chick Webb is more than the story of a dynamic drummer of the swing era. It's the story of a gallant little man who overcame physical deformity, hardship and pain. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…
Beyond Forever: Lenny White
Lenny White was born in Queens, N. Y. and travelled to Forever. Excuse the forced pun, but it was with Chick Corea's Return to Forever, that Lenny made the reputation that engendered his foray as a solo act."I got a…
Terri Lyne Carrington: She's Only Just Begun
Why a feature story on a twelve year old little girl in a drummers magazine? Very simple. Terri Lyne Carrington of Medford, Massachusetts first off is not your average twelve-year-old girl; and she's not just an average little drummer. She…
Garry Marshall: Hollywood Producer Reminisces
This is a Cinderella story that should bring comfort to any drummer who has feared leaving the music business. It's the story of a man who had to hang up his sticks because fate decreed that he should become something…
Tabla Talk: Badal Roy - Jazz Tabla Master
After coming to this country from Pakistan in 1968, and meeting up with McLaughlin, Roy has gone on from virtual obscurity to play with some of the major figures in jazz. After achieving notoriety on McLaughlin's breakthrough My Goal's Beyond…
North - Directional Drums Strive For Unconventional Sound
The shape of the instruments is the first noticeable departure from conventional drums. Below the head* of each tom-tom, for instance, the drum continues downward in a cylinder then curves ninety degrees to end in a wild looking open flared…
Catching Up With... Chad Smith
It’s apt that Chad Smith is driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in California as he catches us up on his recent activities. Smith recently returned to the West Coast after four years in New York City, and he’s excited…
Catching Up With... Willie Green
Willie Green’s artful grooving mesmerized fans of the New Orleans institution the Neville Brothers for over thirty years, during which time Green likewise elevated music by Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Edie Brickell, and Elvis Costello. The latest representation…
Catching Up With... Neal Smith
Known for his blistering attack on hits like “School’s Out,” “I’m Eighteen,” and “Billion Dollar Babies” by Alice Cooper, with whom he played between 1967 and 1974, Neal Smith has since expanded his skills to include producing and composing. TO…
On The Cover - Matt Gartska
The drummer with Animals as Leaders has gone about as deeply into the art as one man can, and he loves nothing more than sharing what he’s discovered. Here’s to the explorers! TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…
Henry Cole
Like everything he plays on the drumset, the name he chose for his debut album as a leader—Roots Before Branches—is intriguing, and no accident. Few players have such a deep understanding of where they come from, or as wide a…
Dan Needham
For a long time the Nashville music industry was defined—some say hampered—by an imaginary wall dividing session and touring musicians. Each side had its top-call players, but even among these rarified individuals, there were few exceptions to the rules of…
Up & Coming - Anika Nilles
While some endlessly bemoan “YouTube drum culture,” players like this German upstart pay no mind. They’re just too busy, making the most of the medium and empowering the masses with fresh ideas. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…
