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.
Matchbox Twenty and Liz Phair’s Neal Daniels
You may or may not have heard of pop/rock drummer Neal Daniels, but there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the future. He’s been providing the rhythmic foundation for touring artists like Rachel Platten,…
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” - Transcription by Marc Atkinson
This month’s transcription dives into the opening track from the iconic Nirvana album Nevermind, spotlighting the incredible drumming of Dave Grohl. It’s a masterclass on how to drive a band. Once the drums kick in the energy is relentless with…
Shelly and his Mannerisms
This month’s column is written by Kevin van den Elzen who hails from the Netherlands and now makes his home in Los Angeles. Kevin received his master’s degree at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California…
Community, Scene
It’s a subject that comes up often in my interviews— Being part of a community or a scene, and I can’t stress its importance enough! All drummers (should) know about how supportive the drum community is for one another. It’s…
Nic Collins - From Genesis to The Effect
Nic Collins has had quite a start to his drumming career. He began by playing drums in rock bands and performing in clubs around Miami, Florida. Then he landed the gig drumming on Phil Collins’ final tour. He followed that…
Sorry Charlie…
Much like a melodic “ear worm” that works its way into your brain, the running theme of TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube drumming videos has gotten its claws into my consciousness and conscience. The idea of “certainty” is not (for me)…
Russ Kunkel - Drumming with The Immediate Family and Lyle Lovett
Russ Kunkel is a true drumming legend. He has spent an entire career drumming for THE most significant singer-songwriters in music history. His drumming on classic recordings like Carole King’s Tapestry, Joni Mitchel’s Blue, James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James, and…
A Drummers Best Friend, Make the Music Smile
For many years it was said that a drummer’s best friend is the bassist. I will contend that in some musical contexts a drummer’s best friend might (as many other drummers have stated) be the rhythm guitarist. However, let’s not…
New and Notable April 2024
BFD Player 1.2 Update Offers More Drum Kits, Mix Presets and Grooves Pioneering drum software company BFD, announces BFD Player 1.2 – now available for purchase at bfddrums.com. The latest update in the BFD Player platform, originally launched in October…
Custom RCI Starlite Moondust Acrylic Kit
This month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes to us from drummer Lou Caldarola. Lou’s kit was created by Romano Cotone of RCI Starlite Company in CT. Moondust shells were a limited run consisting of clear acrylic shell with…
Shelly Manne: “You Can’t Have 2 and 4 Without…”
What is the essence of a musician? How do we quantify their achievements, their history, their sound, and their very being? For many of us, such revelations came by way of LPs — oftentimes not-to-secret communications from the past, but…
Listen to What the Music is Telling You to Play!
In this month’s Modern Drummer, legendary songwriter Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake’s Mike Reid, and Chic’s Ralph Rolle all allude to the phrase, “Listen to what the music is telling you to play” in their interviews regarding the subject of how…
Slingerland Radio King Drums - 1938 And 1950 Gene Krupa Super Deluxe Ensembles
The drum set is a little over 100 years old, the modern drum set that we are familiar with today is less than 100 years old. After the Civil War, the drum set was created out of necessity. Around 1890…
Enrique Iglesias and The Steve Morse Band’s Van Romaine
A synthesizer chord hits, as the stage lights blast through the smoke-filled arena. Recognizing the tune, the sold-out crowd leaps to their feet, just in time for the drum groove to kick in. It’s a powerful four-on-the-floor groove with sloshy…
