
Alex Van Halen

Van Halen’s 1984 recording set the music world on it’s ear. The group’s songwriting had evolved to Top 10 single status. Guitar genius Eddie Van Halen’s rhythm guitar playing had become funkier, and his solos continued to redefinine the instrument. Eddie had been playing piano and keyboards for his entire …

For over forty-five years, Alex Van Halen’s brilliant, forceful, grooving, and melodic drumming has been the driving force behind one of the truly great rock bands that ever existed. His bash has graced so many classic Van Halen radio staples, like the bruising “Runnin’ with the Devil” or the freight …

15 MD Cover Artists Reveal the Big Ideas That Put Them on the Road to Success The abundance of educational material online, as well as great teachers to mold your passion and enthusiasm into technique and musicality, are massively beneficial to those seeking proficiency on the drums. But even with …
You know who it is the second you hear the crack of that snare drum. Like a musical fingerprint, Alex Van Halen’s sound and style are singularly his own.
“To me, ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ is just a term that describes something because there is no better word to use. ‘Rock ‘n’ roll’ in the ’50s meant something completely different from what it means today.

“I tried to assemble a kit that would fit with what we were doing musically,” says Carter Beauford. “Everyone in the Dave Matthews Band comes from a different musical background, and we were [representing] all those different backgrounds through the music. I’m psyched that the new Recording Custom has come …

The era known as the ’80s, roughly the period between the dawn of punk and rap in the late ’70s and the rise of indie rock and hair metal in the middle of the next decade, was a time of great change in pop culture.

Alex Van Halen, Alex González, John Humphrey, Marcus Gilmore, Brooks Wackerman, James “The Rev” Sullivan, Roger Taylor, Torry Castellano, Jim Bogios, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Carlos Vega, Steve Smith, James Gadson, Gavin Harrison, Carlos “Patato” Valdez
In this Issue: Alex Van Halen, Gregg Field

Art Blakey, Carmine Appice, Arthur Press, Jonathan Moffett, Joey Franco, Alex Van Halen, Steve Smith, Simon Phillips, Eric Carr, Neil Peart

Alex Van Halen, Phillip Wilson, Frank Beard, Stomu Yamash’ta, Ronnie Verrell, Ivan Conti, Steve Negus, Aron Kaminski, Alex Riel, James Black, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bill Bruford, Paul Jamieson, Yogi Norton
Posted: October 20, 2022

Red Hot Chili Peppers Austin City Limits review
By Alex Kluft 2022 was a big year for The Red Hot Chili Peppers. They recently closed out the first weekend of Austin City Limits and will play again on the second weekend of Austin City Limits. RHCP gave their first major performance of the year at the New Orleans …
Posted: September 28, 2022

Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert
By Alex Kluft Photo by Andreas Neumann On March 25, 2022, the world lost one the greatest drummers and member of one of the most important and biggest rock bands of all time, Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters. To honor Hawkins, Dave Grohl put together two of the biggest …
Posted: February 11, 2022

NOW YOU CAN HAVE ALEX VAN HALEN’S DRUMSET… IN YOUR WALLET! CRASH THE WORLDS GREATEST DRUM KITS ARE NFT’S
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in art, music, and technology are here to stay. Owner/CEO of Modern Drummer Magazine David Frangioni finds himself uniquely positioned. Frangioni is a self-made success in the music technology industry, a drummer, a producer/engineer, a publisher, a consultant, and a sophisticated collector. He and his team have spent a …
Posted: May 15, 2021

Modern Drummer Exhibiting at the 2021 Chicago Drum Show May 15th & 16th
Modern Drummer is exhibiting at the 2021 Chicago Drum Show (Sat May 15th & Sun May 16th) at the Prairie Events Center, at Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, Illinois! This is the 30th Anniversary of the Chicago Drum Show, and after 2020 we are excited to be joining 94+ …
Posted: April 7, 2021

Brian Tichy – Interview +“I’m the One” by Van Halen – Play Along & Lesson Video!
Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Ozzy Osbourne and more) recently recorded a play along and lesson video for Modern Drummer as a tribute to the great Alex Van Halen and the Modern Drummer Legends Vol 2 featuring AVH. Modern Drummer caught up with Brian for a brief Q …
Posted: October 3, 2019

Drummer and Artist John Douglas
A drummer and artist for his entire life, Douglas merged the two passions, ultimately becoming the premier drum customizer for international superstars including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bon Jovi, Maná, Van Halen, ZZ Top, Pantera, Iron Maiden, and Aerosmith.
Posted: May 31, 2018

On The Beat with TJ Taylor of SOiL: Talks New Record, Influences, and Upcoming Shows
Hello modern drummers! My name is TJ Taylor. It’s an honor to write to the MD community and fill you in on what I’ve been up to. Since mid 2017, I have been drumming for hard rock veterans SOiL.
Posted: April 17, 2018

On The Beat with Danny Wagner of Greta Van Fleet: Talks Influences, Songwriting, and Music Muscle
Hello Modern Drummer readers! Danny Wagner here. I play drums for the band Greta Van Fleet and am a long-time reader of the magazine. I’m honored to write an “On The Beat,” especially as such a young musician.
Posted: July 12, 2017

On the Beat with Bryce Lipz of Sisters Doll: Talks Influences and Opportunities
What’s up Modern Drummer magazine? My name is Bryce Lipz and I play drums for the Australian glam rock band Sisters Doll. I’ve been drumming professionally and touring for the past seven years. I decided to start playing drums when I was growing up listening to my Dad’s record …
Posted: October 31, 2016
Tommy Benedetti On Tour with John Brown’s Body
Tommy Benedetti, longtime drummer with the Boston-based roots/reggae vets John Brown’s Body, is currently on the road with the group supporting its newest release, Fireflies. Benedetti fills each song on the album to the brim with pure and tasteful grooves, and on tour he pushes them into overdrive.
Posted: July 1, 2016
Stephen Perkins on Jane’s Addiction’s Twenty-Fifth-Anniversary Ritual De Lo Habitual Shows
Modern Drummer Online caught up with Stephen Perkins while he was prepping for a clinic tour and some dates with Jane’s Addiction, commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the group’s watershed album Ritual De Lo Habitual.
Posted: December 16, 2015
El Ten Eleven’s Tim Fogarty
On post-rock instrumental duo El Ten Eleven’s newest record, Fast Forward, rhythmic backbone Tim Fogarty pushes the role of a drummer into uncharted territories of melodies, hybrid electronic setups, and live loops. “I always want to try and do more,??? Fogarty says. “That’s how we ended up with tons of …
Posted: October 14, 2014
The Essence of Progressive Drumming
What is the rhythmic essence of progressive music? What makes prog so different from other genres? Does it require a specific skill set on the drumkit, or does the nature of the music make it open to interpretation? MD posed these and other questions to the drummers in Spock’s Beard, …
Posted: April 29, 2014
June 2014 Issue of Modern Drummer Featuring Nate Morton of The Voice
See what’s in the June 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Nate Morton…
Posted: March 17, 2014
Ian “Meat??? Miller of Spiritual Rez
Bombast. Explosions. Harnessing the energy of Bonham in a…reggae band? Hi, I’m Ian “Meat??? Miller, drummer for Spiritual Rez, a volcanic reggae/rock group out of Boston that brings the dance party like you’ve never seen.
Posted: January 20, 2014
UPDATED – Beats, Brews & Banter with Patrick Berkery (War on Drugs, Wesley Stace, Danielson, Pernice Brothers)
Due to inclement weather, Philly Drum Project’s monthly event, Beats, Brews & Banter, has been postponed and will continue on Monday, February 10, at The R Bar (formerly Roosevelt’s Pub) at the corner of 23rd and Walnut in Philadelphia. The event will run from 7 to 9 p.m. and feature …
Posted: November 15, 2012
Rög’s Talkin’ DrumZ TV Series
The Minneapolis-based music video network MetalKast has announced a new Internet radio and video streaming show, Rög’s Talkin’ DrumZ. Production for the first season is underway, with a few episodes complete. A Kickstarter fundraiser campaign was started on November 5 to help complete production for the first season. The campaign …
Posted: July 30, 2012
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Reading Music
We asked the members of the MD Education Team if they think that reading skills are crucial. Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: April 6, 2012
Harland Burkhart of Wild Hunt
Wild Hunt usually starts songs as instrumental parts before the words are written and placed, so I often figure out a basic rhythm before anything….
Posted: February 2, 2012
Alex Van Halen: The Hard-Rock Archetype
After changing its name from Mammoth, Van Halen strutted a glam-punk attitude when it burst onto the national scene in 1978 with its self-titled debut album. Featuring the template-smashing talent of the whammy-bar-happy, two-hand-tapping guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his percussive-dynamo brother, Alex, Van Halen the band, to many, became …
Posted: September 21, 2011
Alex Sassaris of Eve to Adam
I’m Alex Sassaris, drummer of NYC rock band Eve to Adam. Since starting this band eleven years ago with my brother, singer Taki Sassaris, and guitar player Gaurav Bali, we’ve been spreading our unique blend of guitar-heavy, groove-oriented, melodic rock ’n’ roll.
Posted: August 3, 2011
Shawn “Clown??? Crahan
Shawn “Clown??? Crahan is best known as one of the percussionists in the metal-megalith that is Slipknot. But Crahan carries a rich drumming background into his new project, the Black Dots of Death.
Posted: July 1, 2011
Louis Raphael of Stiletto Ghetto
What up, fellow Modern Drummers! I first want to thank MD for the opportunity to write this. I have been a long-time fan of the mag, and this is truly an honor for me. My name is Louis Raphael and I am the drummer for Stiletto Ghetto. We’re a high-energy …
Posted: June 8, 2011
Chip Ritter — All About Showmanship
Hello, Modern Drummer readers! My name is Chip Ritter and I’m a drummer/instructor from Tucson, Arizona. As long as lights are pointed at a stage, I think showmanship will continue to play a vital role in live performance. One of my earliest
Posted: September 27, 2010
The Drummer: Classic Rock
An educated, entertaining, essential addition to every drummer’s library—and to the history of modern drumming—The Drummer: Classic Rock Collector’s Edition magazine builds on content from Modern Drummer’s Top-selling The Drummer book with expanded coverage of drumming royalty from the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll.
Posted: May 7, 2010
Richard Christy: Mega Extras!
Exclusive MD video of Charred Walls Of The Damned’s drummer demonstrating “Blood On Wood??? and “The Darkest Eyes,??? plus a list of his ten favorite drumming albums and shots of his kits over the years.
Posted: April 26, 2010
Robb Rivera of Nonpoint
My name is Robb Rivera and I punish the drums for a South Florida band called Nonpoint. I first started playing drums at the age of nine and I was and dabbling on guitar as well….
Posted: January 12, 2009
Great Drum Parts = GENIUS
The March issue of MD (out now) features Billy Ward’s fascinating conversation with Simon Phillips, Doane Perry, Marco Minnemann, Thomas Lang, and Jerry Marotta about the grooves that inspired them to play drums early on, and that continue to today. It seemed to make perfect sense for MD’s editors to …
Posted: January 8, 2009

Crown Of Thorns' Hawk Lopez
My name is Hawk Lopez and I’ve been with Crown Of Thorns since 1994, when I was recommended to Jean Beauvoir by Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo….
Posted: January 8, 2009
Crown Of Thorns’ Hawk Lopez
My name is Hawk Lopez and I’ve been with Crown Of Thorns since 1994, when I was recommended to Jean Beauvoir by Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo….
Posted: November 1, 2008
Web Exclusive Interview: Jon Wysocki of Staind
Jon Wysocki has been laying down his tasteful, well thought–out grooves with the chart-topping band Staind for thirteen years. The group, which hails from Springfield, Massachusetts, also includes lead singer/guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, and bassist/vocalist Johnny April. They’ve recorded six studio albums and four number-one singles, and …
Posted: May 1, 2008
Chad Smith: Web Exclusive Interview
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…
Posted: April 5, 2008
Alejandro Vallejo of Vallejo
Hello, fellow skin bashers and drumming maniacs! My name is Alejandro “Alex” Vallejo, and I play drums in the Austin, Texas—based Latin rock band Vallejo….
Posted: January 15, 2008
Alex Van Halen: Bashing and Crashing In the Here and Now
Practically joined at the hip to his brother Eddie, nephew Wolfgang, and David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen has finally returned to the road with the band that bears his name….
Posted: December 25, 2006
Evan Johns of Hurt
Evan Johns says the last two and a half years have been a long journey for his band, Hurt. “There was a lot of not eating, yelling, and screaming, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, man,’??? Johns reports….
Posted: May 19, 2005
Ned Brower of Rooney
I saw the California-based pop band Rooney perform live before I was familiar with their music. Besides featuring some very powerful, tasteful drumming, I found them to be extremely melodic, with hooks that stuck in my head for days after the show….
Posted: May 12, 2004
Michael Brueggen of Supagroup
New Orleans-based rock ‘n’ roll traditionalists Supagroup spent half of 2003 and most of 2004 on the road with bands like Queens Of The Stone Age, Fu Manchu, and Drive By Truckers, touring in relentless support of its much praised, self-titled fourth album….
Posted: June 23, 2022

Episode 76: John DeChristopher Live From My Drum Room With Lorne Wheaton
John’s guest is Lorne Wheaton. Lorne is one of the most respected and sought after drum techs and stage managers in the business, and has worked for a who’s who of drummers and bands, including Steve Smith/Journey & Vital Information, Alex Van Halen/Van Halen, Mickey Curry/Bryan Adams, Keith Carlock/Steely Dan, …