On the Cover
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.
Alan Dawson
In the basement studio where Alan Dawson teaches, a concert poster shows Alan dressed in a tuxedo, looking stately on his throne, drumming with Dave Brubeck. Scrawled across the top is a note from Brubeck: “Alan—thanks for the great job…
Bruno Mars’ Eric “E-Panda” Hernandez
By now most fans know that Eric Hernandez is not only Bruno Mars’ drummer, he’s also his brother. A pretty good player himself, Bruno tells MD, “I wouldn’t consider myself a drummer; my brother has always been a better one…
Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor
Being a pop star isn’t easy. Twenty-four-year-old Roger Taylor breathes a sigh of relief as he says, “It’s so nice to be talking about drums.” It’s probably the first time that he’s had the opportunity, despite the countless interviews he’s…
Mel Lewis
The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and the Village Vanguard just seem to go together. For one thing, they both represent longevity. The Vanguard is the oldest club in New York City; Mel’s band has one of the longest- running gigs…
Yes's Alan White
You can't blame Alan White of Yes for smiling. It's a lazy sort of grin, to be sure. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of…
Russ Kunkel
THERE are a few drummers in rock who always seem to know the right thing to play, and can play it without trying to throw in the kitchen sink too. Russ Kunkel fits into that category. TO READ THE FULL…
Queen's Roger Taylor
A big part of any successful interview is the preparation that's done before the actual interview takes place. It's during this stage that the interviewer gets a fix on the interviewee. But trying to size up Queen's Roger Taylor proved…
Art Blakey
THE first rays of dusk suffuse Art Blakey's Greenwich Village apartment with shards of amber gray light, and as the shadows dance upon his brow, Blakey's face takes on a totemic grace. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital…
Levon Helm
THERE'S something so refreshing about meeting Levon Helm. Amidst an industry full of people with pretentions and exaggerated airs of self-importance, Levon doesn 't know how to be anything but Levon. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access…
John Bonham
Perhaps you live in a town to which the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains The Same comes once every few weeks for the midnight showing. The audience at such events is a rough cross section of Led Zeppelin fans,…
Mastodon’s Brann Dailor
Call them metal, call them hard rock, call them prog…. One thing’s for sure, none of those labels do the Atlanta-based band Mastodon justice. Mastodon are welcome interlopers who, after nearly twenty years, have morphed and blossomed into makers of…
Loverboy's Matt Frenette
Things happen fast in the world of rock 'n' roll. The first time Matt Frenette was interviewed for MD, people were raving about Loverboy on the West Coast, but the group's popularity did not yet extend to the East Coast.…
Kris Myers of Umphrey's McGee
Toasting its twentieth anniversary this year, Umphrey’s McGee is at the height of its powers, delighting fans with new music, raging shows, and an innovative approach to online outreach. That goes double for its ever-evolving drummer, who brings big beats…
Andy Newmark
Just when you start to think that Andy Newmark has settled into a "bag", he invariably takes off in another direction. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine…
Papa Jo Jones
"I don't waste time," Papa Jo says, the words snapping upside my head like a malevolent rimshot, the eyes bugging out and his voice becoming as hard and sharp as flint. "Time is too precious. TO READ THE FULL STORY:…
