A drummer’s raw ride through modern, dirty, and driving punk—with the genre’s storied history in tow. Twelve Nudes, the eighth and latest release from the prolific singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader Ezra Furman, borrows from classic punk rock like the Ramones but with modern-pop sensibilities and a seething production. Throughout the album, which was released on August 30, drummer Sam Durkes drives Furman’s distorted up-tempo fervor with primal boom-bap kick and snare slaps, growling tom grooves, and a surprising avoidance of cymbals. Durkes started playing drums when he was twelve years old, growing up on a steady diet of ’70s punk and ’80s hardcore including the Clash and Black Flag. The drummer tells MD that he landed the gig with Furman around seven years ago after having built his playing career in the Chicago area. “Ezra was a fan of one of my bands, the Canoes,” Durkes says. “He needed […]