Feature Stories
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.
Chad Szeliga
Making grooves “pop” is Chad Szeliga’s purpose. The drummer joined Breaking Benjamin for 2006’s Phobia, and his experimentation with jazz, bebop, and fusion helped him pepper a huge modern rock record with incredibly tasty nuances. “Listen to Vinnie Paul,” says…
Rexsell Hardy Jr. Growing up in Chicago
Rexsell Hardy Jr. came up in Chicago’s Gospel scene and started out playing drums in his grandfather’s church when he was just five years old. By age six he was playing around Chicago with his father’s Gospel group, The Hardy…
Ryan MacMillan of Matchbox Twenty
Over the past ten years, Matchbox Twenty sold over 28 million records, including three multi-platinum albums and a string of hit singles. Their new two-CD collection, Exile On Mainstream, contains their greatest hits plus six brand-new songs featuring recently arrived…
Wuv: P.O.D.'s Stickman Shines On The Band's Latest
(July 2008 Issue) by Steven Douglas Losey “When I’m playing my drums, it’s like burning incense to God.” In an industry that is fond of burning out young bands and tossing out their ashes with the trash, P.O.D. has been…
Simon Phillips
Drumming legend Simon Phillips will simply not slow down, and his star-studded drumming career continues to grow and evolve. Since Simon joined Grammy-winning, LA-based rock band Toto fifteen years ago, the group has toured relentlessly, refining their classic material while…
David Uosikkinen: Gearing Up For The Road
Get out the Slim Fast, I'm going out on the road. Every time I get ready to do a tour with The Hooters, I think it may be my last. I've been on this horse for a long time, partner,…
Wally Ingram
What a difference a year can make. In January 2007, Wally Ingram was finishing up brutal chemotherapy and radiation treatments, battling for his life against the squamous cell cancer that had invaded his throat and neck. At the end of…
Chad Smith: Web Exclusive Interview
Story by Billy Amendola Photos by Alex Solca Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith takes a much-needed rest—for a minute—and fills MD in on the many cool side projects he’s involved in. Among the projects closest to Chad Smith’s…
Billy Drummond
As a leader, Billy Drummond has recorded three albums that exemplify his past-meets-future approach, a style marked by an allegiance to yesterday’s jazz masters, but with a forward-thinking bent. The Gift, Dubai, and Native Colours show Drummond to be an…
Gabriel Serbian of The Locust
After over a decade of service as a rapid-fire hardcore punk outfit, The Locust has finally written its ultimate opus–well, relatively speaking. Last year’s New Erections is the longest album the band has released, and features some of their most…
Cindy Blackman: The Lady Comes To Play
by Ken Micallef Last year, drumming dynamo Cindy Blackman left behind her big-ticket rock gig with Lenny Kravitz to unleash the jazz devil inside. Her drumming prowess is simply astounding–and is now finally on full display. Serial jazz and rock…
Testament's Paul Bostaph: Metal Risk Taker
by Waleed Rashidi “The demand on modern metal drumming is such that you have to be able to play a lot more syncopated patterns with your feet. I can’t approach double bass the way I used to.” Slayer, Testament, Exodus,…
Steve Ferrone
Drumming great Steve Ferrone is always busy. One particularly fun project he recently completed was a live recording called Soul Summit. It featured such musical luminaries as Bob Babbitt, Karl Denson, Richard Elliot, Mike Mattison, Jason Miles, Susan Tedeschi, Reggie…
Darren King : Freedom To Fail
You’d never know it by listening to Mute Math’s terrific debut album, but drummer Darren King got his act together not by playing his best, but by playing his worst. In between demoing songs for the band’s forthcoming album in…
