Donn Bennett

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.

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More from the Frankie Banali Collection

Frankie Banali was best known as a member of Quiet Riot, the Los Angeles based metal band whose 1983 breakout album Metal Health was the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard album chart. They racked up huge hits…

By Donn Bennett
Jun 1, 2025

David Garibaldi's Drums and Cymbals

Since David Garibaldi retired from Tower of Power, (but certainly not from drumming), he’s still writing, teaching, recording, performing, pushing his own limits, and exploring new styles of music. David’s career with Tower of Power spanned 55 years. He left…

By Donn Bennett
Apr 1, 2025

Todd Sucherman's Entire Pearl Styx Kit

After 53 years, 17 albums and countless world tours, Styx is rocking harder than ever and playing over 100 shows every year. They’ve sold 54 million records and are the only band to ever release four consecutive triple-platinum albums. Todd…

By Donn Bennett
Feb 1, 2025

The Rikki Rockett Poison Drum Collection

Rikki Rockett co-founded Poison in 1983 with his longtime pal Bret Michaels. The band slugged it out for years in their hometown of Mechanicsburg, PA before heading to west to CA. Their debut 1986 album Look What the Cat Dragged…

By Donn Bennett
Jan 1, 2025

Tommy Lee’s Motley Crue Girls, Girls, Girls, Tour Pearl Free Floating Snare Drum, Drastic Plastik Trigger Pads, and Tour Artifacts.

This Pearl snare drum is one of two custom Free Floating snares that Tommy Lee used on Motley Crue’s 1987 Girls, Girls, Girls Tour. Both snares were 6.5 x 14 Free Floating models with custom red hardware. One snare has…

By Donn Bennett
Nov 1, 2024
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The Carmine Appice Motherlode

Drummer, singer, songwriter, soloist, band leader, author, educator, innovator… It’s nearly impossible to describe Carmine Appice’s massive influence on the drum world. He sits near the top of Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Drummers of All Time,…

Donn Bennett
Sep 1, 2024

Frank Ferrer’s Guns ‘N’ Roses Pork Pie Drums

Guns N’ Roses are one of the most influential hard rock bands ever. The band has endured one of the most tumultuous roller coaster rides in the history of rock and roll, but they’re still going strong and rockin’ hard…

By Donn Bennett
Jul 1, 2024

What do Charlie Watts, Simon Phillips, and Thomas Lang All Have in Common?

There’s never been a more unlikely group of drummers corralled to record an album than the curious trio of Charlie Watts, Simon Phillips, and Thomas Lang. In 2009, Austrian producer Peter Viehweger assembled some of LA’s finest players to record…

Donn Bennet
Jan 31, 2024

Ringo Starr’s “Now and Then” WFL Set

By Donn Bennett Like most musicians of my generation, I was deeply influenced by The Beatles. For years I obsessively studied Ringo Starr’s playing and the minute intricacies of his various drum kits. By the mid-1980s my obsession led to…

Donn Bennett
Dec 1, 2023

Steve Smith’s 1980 Sonor Phonic Kit

In early 1980 Journey was preparing to hit the road to support their album Departure which included the hit single “Any Way You Want It.” By that time, the band was a headline act playing arenas across North America and…

By Donn Bennett
May 31, 2023

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault: Steve Smith’s 1987 Sonor Lite Vital Information Drum Set

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Steve Smith’s relationship with Sonor drums. Steve bought his first set of Sonor drums in 1977 while touring with jazz-fusion violinist, Jean-Luc Ponty. He played the same Sonor set touring with rock guitarist…

By Donn Bennett
Jun 30, 2022

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault

“If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It” By 1979, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were starting to get somewhere. Their second album You’re Gonna Get It had earned the band a gold record and the band was preparing to record…

By Donn Bennett
Mar 31, 2022
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The Romantics Go Pink!

In 1980, the Romantics were riding a wave of success following the release of their smash hit, “What I Like About You.” The band was formed in 1977 in Detroit, and built a national following slugging it out in bars…

By Donn Bennett
Feb 1, 2022

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault

Tré Cool’s Burnt Slingerland Kit Tré Cool is one of my favorite drummers. He is also one of the most interesting people I’ve worked with. He’s certainly one of few drummers who can ride the razor-thin line between control and…

By Donn Bennett
Dec 17, 2021
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