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.
Roger Taylor Excerpted from the March 1985 issue
What prompted you to start playing drums? When I was at school, I used to listen to the radio and records a lot. When I was younger, it was sort of the start of the techno-rock thing. I was brought…
Breaking Down “Lightning in a Bottle”
When I start the Summer Set’s “Lightning in a Bottle,” I like using the rim. In the recording, it sounds like there’s a hi-hat, but when I play it live, I change it up. I like to add ghost notes…
BONE Custom Drums
8.5×14 Carbcutter Snare BONE Custom Drums was founded by drummer Nejc Boskovic in 2005 after earning a degree in Composite Drum Shell Analysis from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering University in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Boskovic’s primary focus for research and development…
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…
On the Road Roundtable
How Collective Soul’s Johnny Rabb, Better Than Ezra’s Michael Jerome, and Rich Scannella Approached Touring in the COVID Era This past summer, I played drums with Tonic, who were special guests on the Just Looking Around Tour with Collective Soul…
Ready for Our Close-Up!
Kits & Cymbals on Camera at the MD Festival So many amazing drummers contributed to our 21st Modern Drummer Festival. But they were not alone. The co-stars of the big show were the kits and cymbals used by the performers…
A Message of Hope
Ricky Byrd and Bob Stander Look Back at Creating Soundscapes for Sobering Times When Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Ricky Byrd released Sobering Times in 2020, it celebrated his own 30+ years of being clean and sober, while…
In the Pocket
Pocket Percussion Expands Its Groove At a time when many retailers are facing difficulties maintaining their businesses, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania’s Pocket Percussion is not simply surviving, but thriving in the challenging and crowed space of retail-drum shops. n 2019, owner/operator…
A Bigger Boom
Producer Jacquire King on Reamping Drums Producer, audio engineer, and mixer Jacquire King is a multiple Grammy winner who has worked with Tom Waits, Buddy Guy, Kings of Leon, and many others. His commitment to crafting distinctive and idiosyncratic sounds…
Words Versus Nuts and Bolts
I’m literally happy to be sitting in the jazz-drumming-column chair for Modern Drummer. It’s a well-worn seat that I’ve occupied from time to time over the years. If I stand accused of being too wordy, well, then I plead “guilty…
Daniel Gollin’s Hodgepodge with History
Daniel Gollin has played in a lot of bands—Halfway to Gone, A Thousand Knives of Fire, 40 Pound Hound, and many more—and his kit salutes its owner’s musical mishmash by being comprised of bits and pieces. Some of those pieces…
Concentration
There is no way around it. If you want to succeed as a musician, you have to practice. It requires focus, drive, and concentration to turn your skill set from outstanding to legendary. That means removing distractions—all distractions—when you are…
A Salute to Modern Drummer Festival 2021
The year 2021 is behind us, and 2022 arrives with many hopeful wishes—as well as the second virtual festival in Modern Drummer’s history. We put together the 20th edition of the Modern Drummer Festival—albeit virtually for the first time—on September…
