Mark Griffith
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.
Cindy Blackman-Santana Talks About Her New Record, Coherence
Cindy Blackman-Santana’s new record is called Coherence. It’s her biggest and most ambitious record yet. Coherence includes special guests like Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, bassist Matthew Garrison, keyboardist Ray Angry, and string arrangements from Dave Eggar. But it is Cindy’s…
Godsmack’s Sully Erna and the “Battle of the Drums”
At every Godsmack concert, there is a point during the show where the energy, the groove, and the drumming heat is turned up to 11. Suddenly, a second drumset rolls onto the stage, and there are two drumsets and two drummers on stage. That’s because Godsmack’s singer Sully Erna is as much a…
We Can (and Should) Learn from Everybody!
As drummers, it seems like everyone always wants to give us advice, whether we asked for it or not. “You should use a smaller set,” or “You need a bigger kit.” There is always someone suggesting that we, “Lay back…
Sasha De León of The Violent Hour
The Violent Hour is a great new band led by singer-songwriter Carla Harvey, their new record is co-written and produced by Charlie Benante. Although Benante plays drums on all the tracks on their debut EP and upcoming self-titled album, it…
Vive La Difference
In the last few years Modern Drummer has featured several drummers that have filled a famous gig after the original drummer has left, retired, or passed away. The most recent example is our last two cover features, Gregg Potter and…
Cathy Rich: The Other Side of Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich is the greatest and most influential drummer ever, but he had many sides. People, like diamonds, have many facets. Nearly 40 years after his death, more recordings keep being released that continue to show his many sides. Buddy…
Gregg Potter: Sitting on the Hottest Drum Seat EVER! Playing Drums in the Buddy Rich Big Band Machine
Following in the tradition of the legendary Buddy Rich Memorial Concerts founded and started in 1989 by Cathy Rich, Buddy Rich’s daughter put her father’s band back together in 2011 with Gregg Potter at the helm, and they started to…
Modern Drummer Remembers: Buddy Rich, 40 Years Later
Welcome to Modern Drummer’s Tribute to Buddy Rich on what will soon be the forty-year anniversary his passing. Yes, it is nearly forty years after his last jaw dropping solo, and drummers are still talking about him, shaking their heads…
Indie Rock Meets Jam Band: Mt. Joy’s Sotiris Eliopoulos
Since the very beginning of “indie rock,” bands like the Kinks and The Talking Heads were always combining their musical influences and creating shocking new approaches to rock music. The indie attitude is what pushes rock music forward. With the…
Nate Smith: Looking for the Dance in the Rhythm
Nate Smith is one of the most influential drummers and musicians of today! Stylistically, his music, his drumming, his collaborators, and his influences go everywhere. Talking about and finding the musical connections between Betty Carter, Michael Jackson, Dave Holland, Bill…
Drummers ARE Leading the Way!
It is difficult to lead a band from behind the set, and often behind the band, but drummers have always been very good leaders. The tradition goes back to Chick Webb and Roy Milton. Many drumming greats have led their…
Jimmy Madison: Drumming. Climbing. Living.
There is always a lot to be learned from a drummer who has been successful in the music business for 60 years. Jimmy Madison has seen it all. In 1966, he toured with Lionel Hampton. He came to New York…
Greg Clark Jr. Taking Things Seriously and Keeping Things Interesting with Will Smith and Stanley Clarke
When you talk to Greg Clark Jr. there are two words that you will hear him say many times: “interesting” and “100 percent!” They are also the two words that might best describe him and his drumming. After listening to…
Lamb of God’s Art Cruz: Learning and Listening, Musical Moments, and Healthy Obsessions
After hitting the East LA music scene with his band Winds of Plague and spending four years and doing four records with Prong; Art Cruz got the call of a lifetime in 2018. Lamb of God was one of his…
