Must-Have Gear
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.
The Flower Kings’ Mirkko DeMaio
The Flower Kings—the name alone conjures images of prog-rock luminaries like Genesis and Yes, who in the late ’60s planted the seeds for all the fantasy-laden symphonic rock to come in the following decades. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG…
Peter Frampton’s Dan Wojciechowski
Dan is the best drummer I’ve ever played with,” Frampton said. “He has an immeasurable amount of technique at the ready, but his feel is the thing.
Session Great Nir Z
When it comes to gear, Jerusalem-born/Nashville-based session drummer Nir Zidkyahu, whose ultra-precise, intense pocket can be heard on hit records by pop/rock great John Mayer, alt-rock legend Chris Cornell, and modern country superstar Blake Shelton, isn’t too particular, as long…
Angel Olsen’s Josh Jaeger
After five years of steady touring and recording with the indie-folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen—including a fifteen-month tour cycle behind 2016’s My Woman—Josh Jaeger is shifting gears. With Olsen using 2018 to focus on solo shows and writing for a new…
Perfect Beings’ Sean Reinert
Sean Reinert made his name drumming up a storm with experimental death metal bands Death and Cynic—playing with fire, precision, and a serious level of technical facility. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99…
Margaret Glaspy’s Tim Kuhl
Tim Kuhl’s musical background is rooted in classical percussion and jazz. But in recent years, electronica artists, who can captivate crowds with little more than a laptop and quick-thinking musical minds, have seduced the drummer into conceptualizing outside—and inside—the “box.”…
Pete Lockett
Pete Lockett has traveled the globe countless times in search of new sounds and ethnic styles to interpret. The latest example of his approach is Boom!, a collaboration with Luis Conte where the two master percussionists seamlessly meld Indian, Cuban,…
Smashing Pumpkins’ Jimmy Chamberlin
For the second incarnation of the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, as heard on its new album, The Parable, the mighty drummer, who came to prominence in the ’90s with the Smashing Pumpkins, gathered players from East and West Coasts to create…
Brad Wilk of Prophets of Rage
Touring with an act that’s a household name comes with its perks, not the least of which is playing your own kit every night. Brad Wilk’s needs on the road with Prophets of Rage—the supergroup composed of members of Rage…
Ulysses Owens Jr.
During his long tenures with the jazz stars Christian McBride and Kurt Elling, Ulysses Owens Jr. aspired to build his own standing as a leader. The dazzling and seriously swinging drummer has taken another strong stride in that direction on…
Steve Jordan - 10 Things the Groove Master Has to Have on Tour
No touring musician is exempt from the grueling demands of life on the road. Whether he’s playing sold-out arenas with John Mayer or Eric Clapton or hip clubs with Robert Cray or the Verbs, Steve Jordan has ten things that…
Mark Guiliana
Touring is tough. And the ordeal of modern flying has upped the headache factor. But Mark Guiliana has learned to deal: He’s traveling ultra-light and loving it. The Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet is touring the U.S. and Europe in support…
Tammy Glover of Thorcraft Cobra
Changing up my gear keeps me inspired. That said, I’ve been using my dad’s vintage 1953 Gretsch red sparkle on recordings since the ’90s. Initially it was a three-piece kit with a 16x22 kick, a 6x14 snare, a 10x13 rack…
Skid Row’s Rob Hammersmith
As drummers, the idea of leaving home for a gig with just a few small items can be stressful. For most of us, the choices we make regarding gear are well-thought-out decisions based on research, experimentation, and experience. The idea…
