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.
Reissue of Keith Moon’s “Pictures of Lily” Drum Set
Keith Moon’s original 1967 “Pictures of Lily” Premier drum set was not only visually stunning, it was also likely the first customized-graphic kit put into use by a major rock act. Premier’s in-house publication, Talking Drums, states that Moon approached…
Sandy Nelson
Dec. 1, 1938 – February 14, 2022 We ALL, (every drummer alive,) owe Sandy Nelson a well deserved moment of drumming (as opposed to silence.) Before the Surfaris had a hit in 1963 with “Wipeout,” Sandy Nelson was recording drum-centric…
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…
Sarah Thawer: Developing, Evolving
Sarah Thawer is not your typical drummer. Starting her unconventional music education at a very young age of two, she shaped her musical identity by combining her cultural roots with her extensive experience absorbing all the music around her—from Jazz…
July 1987 - Volume 11 • Number 6
In this magazine: Peter Erskine, Anton Fier, Charly Antolini, Michael Eurich, Dave Weckl, Kenny Aronoff, Rod Morgenstein, Alan Dawson & Steve Gadd TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Past Masters of Rock... Absorb, Adapt & Adopt!
I have the incredible honor of interviewing some of the greatest musicians in the world on the YouTube channel, “The Sessions Panel.” The purpose is to capture the story of these great artists for future generations to learn and be…
Transcriptions:
“Salute to Kareem,” Mother’s Milk; “Suck my Kiss,” Blood Sugar Sex Magik; “Breaking the Girl,” Blood Sugar Sex Magik;“Readymade,” Stadium Arcadium; “Dark Necessities,” The Getaway; In this month’s cover story and interview Chad Smith talks about R&B and funk drumming,…
Carl Palmer’s 1973 Stainless Steel Kit
In 1973, Carl Palmer and Paul Ravn designed this unique stainless steel kit which was manufactured by the British Steel Company, and their subcontractors. It features quarter-inch-thick shells fitted with Gretsch hoops. Each drum features an ornate engraving of woodland…
Chad Smith’s Red Hot Chili Peppers Audition
I grew up in Detroit and moved out to California in August of 1988. Through a friend of a friend, I got the audition with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. My friend knew a girl who was dating John Frusciante.…
“Essential Dialog” for Creative Percussion Controllers
This is where the journey begins… This is the first in a new series of articles exploring the creative use of percussion midi controllers. I was recently watching YouTube videos covering the history of electronic drumming. It’s amazing to see…
Bob Moses Drum Wisdom: The 8/8 Concept
This month we will be begin exploring Bob Moses’ classic book called Drum Wisdom. In this book Bob explores the organic side of drumming with wonderful explanations of some of the most important ideas in playing music. We will begin…
Behind the Legends
Modern Drummer’s new series of LEGENDS books are a labor of love. They feature brand new interviews. Brand new transcriptions. Never before seen pictures. Digital downloads of rare recordings. Deep dives into equipment. And more… When else does a reader…
Concepts for Beginners
This month’s article will focus on some monumental ideas that will help you quicken your growth as a drummer when first starting out. Some of these concepts were taught to me by my drum instructors when I was younger, and…
Martin Bulloch of Mogwai
As musicians, we’re all familiar with the expression “music is math.” This definitely rings true with the ever so calculated and melodically powerful Martin Bulloch, drummer for the much accoladed Glasgow based band, Mogwai. Martin’s precision to detail and musically…
