Steely Dan Archives - Modern Drummer Magazine

Steely Dan

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.

What’s Your Favorite Jeff Porcaro Track?

My favorites are “Lido Shuffle” from Boz Skaggs’ Silk Degrees and “These Chains” from Toto’s The Seventh One. “Lido” is so fluid and energetic. “These Chains” is silky, smooth, and just feels beautiful. Porcaro always had a million bucks in…

Sep 30, 2019

The 5/4 Half-Time Shuffle

A Perennial Groove with an Enlightened Perception For those of you who’ve never heard the coveted half-time shuffle, which is also commonly referred to as the Purdie shuffle, I’d encourage you to check out the timeless tracks “Babylon Sisters” and…

by Daniel Bédard
Aug 26, 2019

What's Your Favorite Hal Blaine Track?

  “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian),” with the Raiders. This track shows off his big drumset, and Blaine is playing some intricate patterns throughout the entire song. Steve Short My favorite Hal Blaine performance has to…

Aug 26, 2019

Dennis Chambers’ Half-Time Shuffle

In this lesson, we’ll focus on variations of a groove that Chambers plays on the song “Babylon Sisters.” TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of…

By Daniel Bédard
Jan 30, 2019

What’s Your Favorite Dennis Chambers Performance?

Steely Dan’s "Alive in America" is amazing! the perfect groove for the perfect music. “Josie,”“Peg,” and “Babylon Sisters” are all awesome. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine…

Jan 30, 2019

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie

Your lover did you wrong? It ain’t worth cryin’ over. Put on a Bernard Purdie record. Peelin’ fallin’ from the ceilin’? Don’t worry about it. Get into that Purdie groove. Another gray day? Go out and watch “Pretty”Purdieplaydrums. You’II feel…

by Connie Fisher
Sep 27, 2018

Sonny Emory

Sonny Emory chimes in with his thoughts on some big topics. 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…

Interview by Bob Girouard | Photo by Petra Turk
Dec 28, 2017

Steve Gadd

Sometimes, a person becomes noted for something which is merely a by-product of what the person was actually going for. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47…

by Rick Mattingly
Dec 18, 2017

Paul Jamison

Paul Jamieson's name keeps popping up in interviews with professional drummers. He's the behind-the-scenes person who has built and customized drums TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine…

by Scott K. Fish
Nov 13, 2017

Jeff Porcaro

Whether listening to Jeff Porcaro on vinyl or watching him in the studio or on a live gig, a multitude of adjectives come to mind. First and foremost is finesse: an artful delicacy of performance, a tastefulness and subtlety. TO…

by Robyn Flans
Nov 13, 2017

Hal Blaine

To chronicle the career of Hal Blaine is an almost awesome task. The office walls of his Hollywood Hills home are adorned with gold records that span the last two decades of music, such memorabilia as a mounted "thank you"…

Robyn Flans
Mar 23, 2017

In The Studio-On The Road with RICK MAROTTA

Rick Marotta was born January 7, 1948 in New Rochelle, New York. And, apparently, he was also horn to play drums. For without any formal training, Marotta's natural "feel" for the instrument has made him one of the world's most…

by Michael Rozek
Mar 20, 2017

Joe and Jeff Porcaro: Like Father, Like Son

Surprisingly enough, much of the drumming heard in today's commercial media is aptly executed by a distinguished pair of performers, both of the same family, but of two different generations. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99…

Feb 23, 2017

Drum Soloist - Steve Gadd: Aja-Steely Dan

Steely Dan's Aja 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 Now All Access (Print + Digital) USA $14.99…

Feb 23, 2017

Ed Greene: L.A. Studio Heavyweight

Ed Greene has the distinction of being one of Los Angeles' hottest studio drummers. Greene explains what it's like to work in the studios while trying to keep your personal musical goals alive, and what the responsibilities of a studio…

Story by Robyn Flans
Feb 23, 2017