Up & Coming Archives - Modern Drummer Magazine

Up & Coming

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.

Angie Boylan

Angie Boylan’s Brooklyn, New York–based band, Freezing Cold, was on the... TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives (500+ Issues) 40+ Drum Channel Subscribe…

by Meredith Ochs
May 1, 2020

Joshua Humlie of We Three

Anyone familiar with the popular television show America’s Got Talent understands the immense pressure on the contestants. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives…

by Mike Haid
Mar 31, 2020

Smash Palace’s Harry Lewis

His movements were overemphasized, and his sound cut through like a cannon. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives (500+ Issues) 40+ Drum Channel…

by Denise Skea
Mar 26, 2019

Gary Wallis

Gary Wallis live is something not to be missed. He puts on quite a show. "I enjoy the exhilaration of a live performance; you get so much out of playing in front of people." TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG…

by Claudia Cooper
Mar 20, 2019

Marillion's Ian Mosley

When was the last time you went to a concert where the audience clapped and sang along to every song—a concert where you were mesmerized by a charismatic singer and the magic of moving music? Welcome to the world of…

by Susan Alexander
Dec 12, 2018

Girls’ Night Out’s Kathy Burkly

Kathy Burkly, drummer and rhythmic force behind Boston-based Girls’ Night Out, says her grandmother regrets buying her a Sears snare drum 19 years ago. “She really wanted me to be a lawyer,” says Kathy. “She was very disappointed that I…

by Peter Cassidy
Nov 5, 2018

Ralph Peterson Jr.

There is something about this new breed of jazz musician coming up today. These young players, in this so-called “renaissance of jazz,” have an intensity and excitement about what they are doing that is breathing life into a genre that…

by William F. Miller
Oct 22, 2018

New Edition’s Danny Donnelly (A. K. A. Zoro)

Edition is one of the hottest acts in show business today, taking the R&B market by storm and making some crossover inroads onto the pop charts. This high-energy group, composed of five young men from Boston and inescapably reminiscent of…

by Rick Van Horn
Oct 11, 2018

Dave Huff: White Heart And Beyond

Dave Huff had to feel proud during the 1984 Grammy Awards show. He was the drummer in a Christian rock group called White Heart that was nominated for an award. Never mind the fact that the group didn’t win, or…

by Larry Rhodes
Oct 11, 2018

Roli Garcia, Jr.

Roli Garcia, Jr., is a drummer from Laredo, Texas, with an unusual string of accomplishments to his credit. In just eight years of playing the drums, Roli has jammed with Vinnie Colaiuta’s band, appeared as a guest artist at several…

by Rick Van Horn
Sep 24, 2018

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…

by Brian W. Elliot
Sep 20, 2018

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…

by Steven Peterson
Sep 14, 2018

Simple Minds’ Mel Gaynor

Mel Gaynor may be a modest, unassuming guy off stage, but behind his intimidating black drumkit, he speaks with a loud, dominant voice. Gaynor’s percussive contributions have helped Scotland’s Simple Minds develop their distinctively rich, but nevertheless, visceral, sound. Before…

by Bill Wolfe
Sep 6, 2018

Girlschool’s Denise Dufort

Backstage at the Ritz in lower Manhattan, Denise Dufort sits quietly in a corner of the tiny dressing room. Unassuming and perhaps a bit shy to boot, Dufort hardly gives off the impression that she’s the drummer in the all-female,…

by Robert Santelli
Aug 7, 2018

Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst

A lot of attention has been paid to Australian bands in the last few years, and for good reason. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years…

by Bill Wolfe
Aug 6, 2018