Billy Ward

By Alex Kluft Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction kicked off the opening night of their tour at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. This dream 90’s tour will end at the Hollywood Bowl on November 19th. For Jane’s Addiction, this was their first show with original bassist Eric Avery in 12 …

The mission is simple, but critical: One Beat. One Mission. End Hunger. WhyHunger—a non-profit founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio deejay Bill Ayres to “change systems, policies, and institutions that perpetuate hunger and poverty in our world”—enlisted more than 100 drummers and percussionists to perform a …

The Queen of Percussion, Sheila E., is having a great summer. Besides being back to touring, it was announced in June, that the Latin Recording Academy will honor Sheila E. and her father Pete Escovedo with a Lifetime Achievement Award on November 17th in Las Vegas. On July 20th, Modern Drummer, the worldwide leading …

Rat Scabies came to prominence with the Damned, the first British punk band to release a single (“New Rose,” October 1976), put out a full-length album (Damned Damned Damned, February 1977), and tour the U.S. (spring of ’77). Rat left the Damned in the mid-’90s, but has kept busy and …

“My passion in continuing Quiet Riot has everything to do with the fact that drumming is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Quiet Riot’s Frankie Banali told Modern Drummer in a 2015 interview. “I worked very hard and struggled a lot to get to the point that we did with …

LiveXLive to Produce and Distribute Live Pay Per View Show Featuring Incredible Lineup Reaching over 150 Million Social Media Fans — Taylor Hawkins, Chad Smith, Cindy Blackman-Santana, Thomas Lang, Alex Gonzalez A global platform for livestream and on-demand audio, video and podcast content in music, comedy, and pop culture, announced …

The Absence of Presence, American progressive-rock band Kansas’s sixteenth studio album, was released this past July 17 on Inside Out Music. The album follows up 2016’s The Prelude Implicit, which entered Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart at #14. Kansas, who have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide since their …

In the midst of the world-wide pandemic, Sweetwater is bringing its annual GearFest event completely online this Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27. All gear-obsessed musicians are invited, and no registration is required for GearFest2020. Featuring guest appearances, workshops, panels, in-depth interviews, and more from some of the biggest …

I really appreciated Billy Amendola’s Editors Overview in the November 2019 issue of Modern Drummer in which he asked readers to let the magazine and fellow subscribers know what we have been up to.

I’m really excited to announce that my recently released autobiography, Start With a Dream: A Drummer’s Journey from Rock & Roll to TV to Broadway, reached number one on the Amazon bestseller list!

Comedian/Actor/Drummer Andrew Dice Clay’s son Max talks about his influences, gear, and playing with his brother Dillon.

Los Angeles-based, female rock icons Cherie Currie and Brie Darling have joined together to record their debut album, The Motivator.

When I was eleven, Modern Drummer and Carmine Appice ran a contest. Carmine was searching for the next child drum prodigy to star in his upcoming Realistic Rock for Kids DVD. We submitted a video of my playing and I won!

Hi MD readers, Rich Scannella here, I am checking in between my gigs with Jon Bon Jovi & the Kings of Suburbia.

What a pleasure it was to headline at the world famous Catalina Jazz Bar in Hollywood and share the stage with Dean Brown, Brandon Fields, Andrew Ford, and Hans Zermuehlan!

Hello MD! Greetings from our tour bus, which is rolling from St. Charles, Illinois to Youngstown, Ohio. I’m currently drumming on Ronnie Spector’s Best Christmas Party Ever! 2018 tour.

The November issue of Modern Drummer includes a news item on the hunger-awareness campaign Beat Hunger, which recently brought together a number of pro drummers to help publicize the ongoing need for nutritious food and support for Haitians living in extreme poverty. A few of the participants were kind enough …

A massive hello to all you MD readers, Manny Elias here and it’s great to chat with you again! As some of you may remember I’m the original drummer from Tears For Fears (The Hurting and Songs From The Big Chair).

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan, and other metal royalty will be featured in the Annual Hall of Heavy Metal History Induction Ceremony.

Hi MD! When you start playing drums, it’s natural to picture what “type” of drummer you are going to be. You follow icons, styles of music, and project what you want for your career. But drumming has led me to so many other interests.

Hey, Modern Drummer readers! Fred Eltringham here. I recently played some special shows that I think quite a few of you will enjoy, especially if you are a ZZ Top fan.

The June issue of Modern Drummer magazine features an interview with three-time Grammy Award–winning producer Russ Titelman who in his long career has worked with musical giants including Little Feat, Randy Newman, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Cyndi Lauper, Graham Central Station, Rickie Lee Jones, George Harrison, Chaka Khan, the Bee …

At Journey’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, drummer Steve Smith took the opportunity to, as we say, give the drummers some.

On Nathan East’s second solo album, Reverence, he once again steps into the spotlight as bandleader. Produced by East and Yamaha Entertainment Group of America founder Chris Gero, it’s no surprise that shortly after its debut (less than one month ago), the album hit the number-one spot on both the …

To borrow from the great Walt Whitman: Bill Stevenson is large. He contains multitudes. Over the last four decades, the hulking drummer has tirelessly propelled the likes of Descendents, All, and Black Flag—a trio of trailblazing bands as skilled at progressive, fusion-inspired jams as they are straight-up punk rock burners …

Alphonse Mouzon came to prominence in the ’70s as one of the top drummers on the burgeoning fusion scene, playing with premier acts like Weather Report and Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House.

Born in Long Island, New York, Zummo began drumming at the early age of three when he discovered his dad’s drumkit. By the time he was seven he was an award-winning drummer, taking home the top prize in Long Island Drum Center’s Battle of the Beats. In 2004, Zummo helped …

Well, 2017 seems to be approaching fast! There are a lot of great music performances and some tours and recordings to talk about.

Hi there MD readers, Corky here. As some of you may know, I have been a professional drummer for half a century. You might remember me from such bands as Mountain and West, Bruce and Laing.

Last month Modern Drummer Online premiered two videos featuring drummer Marcus Gilmore performing with pianist, composer, and bandleader Kris Davis during the recording of her new album, Duopoly.

See what’s in the November 2016 Issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Living Colour’s Will Calhoun!

Longtime New York City drummer Tony Leone is currently on the road with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

Hello, MD readers! I’d like to share recent news of my drumming and musical activities.

With Juniper, instrumental and percussion-heavy trio Square Peg Round Hole unleashes pondering melodies, brooding harmonic landscapes, and forward-thinking rhythms. Here, the group’s main drummer, Evan Chapman, discusses the concepts and influences behind the record’s broad sonic spectrum….

Allen is a revered figure in the field of forward-reaching, swinging jazz rooted in the tradition. When he first made waves in the jazz world, joining Freddie Hubbard’s band in 1982 at the tender age of nineteen, elder giants took note.

See what’s in the July Modern Drummer magazine 2016 Gear of the Year Issue.

See what’s in the July Modern Drummer magazine 2016 Gear of the Year Issue.

For drummers who’ve learned to thrive in the YouTube era, the creation of fresh, sharable content that will grab viewers’ attention often enough to keep their buzz buzzing is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Night Verses’ quirky drummer, Aric Improta, is certainly keeping his name on the lips of …

The music world is quite a bit less bold today with the passing of David Bowie, the iconic artist who was as famous for his appetite for new musical ideas as he was for his ability to wholeheartedly inhabit whatever sonic world he created. One happy result of the singer, …

Over the course of his forty-year career traveling the globe to teach, perform, and conduct clinics, Dom Famularo has interacted with some of the finest drummers and drum instructors in the world. The following list contains many of those names, organized by country/continent. If you’re looking for top-notch drum instruction, …

In 2009, Audio One’s sound-specialist and producer David Frangioni spoke to Madonna’s musical director Kevin Antunes about Brian Frasier-Moore contributing to Frangioni’s series of drum sample libraries. Antunes thought it was a wonderful idea and three years later, in 2012, David Frangioni Presents Brian Frasier-Moore, Volume 1 was released.

The Los Angeles–based group Wand, featuring drummer Evan Burrows, singer and guitarist Cory Hanson, and bassist Lee Landy, are among the most prolific of the current crop of galaxy-gazing garage-rockers, producing three full-lengths in just over a year. Burrows makes the most out of the group’s ambitious music-world view, muscularly …

On October 3, 2015 in New York City, original Kiss drummer Peter Criss, session drummers Shawn Pelton and Billy Ward, along with Foghat’s Roger Earl, Modern Drummer’s Billy Amendola, and DW Senior Executive Vice President and drum making guru John Good made an appearance at DW Day at the Guitar …

During an all too brief tour break, Bordin took a moment to talk to Modern Drummer about why Faith No More got back together, the DIY ethos that drove the making of Sol Invictus, how he manages to deliver such a physical set every night, and much more….

The Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) Executive Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Hagan to its advisory board….

Sweetwater, a top online retailer of music instruments and audio equipment in the US, is presenting GearFest 2015 on Friday, June 12, from 9 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, June 13, from 9 am to 5 pm, at the Sweetwater campus located at 5501 US Hwy 30 W in …

Greetings, MD readers! My last blog was back in 2010 and much has happened since then. I am currently slamming the skins for the Pikeville, Kentucky–based hard rock/metal band Downtrend. We are signed to an indie label called Vision Metal Records out of Tennessee….

Vic’s Drum Shop in Chicago has been selected to receive the 2014 Outstanding Retailer Award from Vic Firth. The award was presented to drum shops across America that achieved double-digit sales growth last year with more than $25,000 in annual sell-through of Vic Firth products….

Hey drummers! I’m Geoff Daking of the Blues Magoos. I started playing in the early ’60s in Delaware. When I was in high school I came to New York City on weekends to see Monk, Cannonball, and Coltrane with those great drummers like Elvin Jones. I moved to Greenwich Village …

At first thought, it might be easy to write off any bass drum pedal as a simple combination of footboard and beater. After all, how many ways can there be to strike a kick drum? To those non-drummers out there, it probably seems as elemental as step on a pedal, …

Hi, Modern Drummer readers! This is Andre “Dre Energy??? Boyd. I’ve been on tour with Cirque du Soleil and playing cities like Zurich, Florence, Rome, Paris, Lisbon, Tenerife, and many more….

By its very nature, the drumset can be the hardest instrument to mike. Guitarists, for example, have it easy: They have only themselves, their axe, and maybe an amp to deal with, whereas a drummer’s territory essentially comprises a collection of vastly different instruments. In this article we’ll take a …

Jonathan Joseph recently wrapped up his second tour with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, a gig that you can read all about in the November issue of Modern Drummer magazine. Here we talk with Joseph, who’s also singer Joss Stone’s drummer and musical director, about his work with R&B singer Betty …

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, …

Drummer Bill Stevenson is among the most influential musicians associated with West Coast punk rock, on any instrument. After making his name with seminal hard-core band Black Flag in the ’80s, Stevenson proceeded to set a standard for punk drumming with the Descendants and All, later spreading his reputation even …

Here, as a companion to our August 2014 Influences piece on Mason, we speak with the drummer about his new album, his early days, the drummers who inspired him, and more….

Modern Drummer recently chatted with longtime Jethro Tull drummer Doane Perry while doing research for an article on drummer Dean Zimmer. Perry spoke at length about his relationship with Zimmer as well as his great friendship with the late, great Mark Craney, who, in addition to preceding Perry in Tull, …

Fest For Beatles Fans’ Michelle Joni Lapidos introduces the Ringo Symposium for our first video tribute to Ringo Starr. Saturday Night Lives’ Shawn Pelton kicks it off by sharing and explaining his favorite Ringo drum tracks….

World-renowned drummers, educators, authors, and instructional DVD creators Mark Schulman (Pink/Foreigner), Daniel Glass (Brian Setzer/Bette Midler) and Bruce Becker (Mike Stern/Ron Carter) will a drum camp this July 18–20 at the Hilton Woodland Hills/Los Angeles, located at 6360 Canoga Ave., Woodland Hills, CA….

Modern Drummer learned of the death this past weekend of Scott Asheton, drummer with the seminal Ann Arbor, Michigan, band the Stooges; his passing was noted in several media reports and on Stooges singer Iggy Pop’s Facebook page. In honor of Asheton’s unique place in rock ’n’ roll history, we’re …

Jazz drummer Foreststorn “Chico??? Hamilton died this past Monday at the age of ninety-two. Hamilton was notable for his refined approach to the drumset, which leaned more heavily on creative orchestrations than on flash, an approach that in the 1950s inspired the movements of cool and chamber jazz. Notably, Hamilton …

My professional recording career started in 1990 with Dog Society. After years of songwriting, club gigs, and sessions, the foursome was signed to Atlantic East West Records….

Ronald Shannon Jackson died at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, this past October 19. Jackson was a renowned drummer, composer, and bandleader who supported some of the giants of avant-garde jazz, including Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Albert Ayler….

For Mike Malinin and his bandmates in the Goo Goo Dolls—bassist Robby Takac and singer/guitarist John Rzeznik—having their tenth album, Magnetic, debut at number eight on Billboard’s Top 200 chart shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Grammy-nominated trio from Buffalo, New York, has sold more than ten million albums worldwide …

We asked the members of the MD Education Team to share their thoughts on how they prefer to tune their drums. Here’s what they had to say….

For the seventh consecutive year, Drum Fantasy Camp will allow drummers of all ages, playing levels, and musical genres to spend time in small classes with some of the world’s great drummers. This year’s camp will be held August 8 through 12 at the Hyatt Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio….

I am heading out on tour again with Marilyn Manson and wanted to drop a line as to what I’ve been up to since I last caught up with Modern Drummer in a 2010 magazine feature.

Hello Modern Drummer readers. My name is Manny Kellough, and I am known mostly as the original drummer for Billy Preston….

The South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference started out in the late 1980s as a showcase for the Austin music scene and unsigned bands but has expanded wildly into a ten-day affair.

The South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference started out in the late 1980s as a showcase for the Austin music scene and unsigned bands but has expanded wildly into a ten-day affair.

The Stickman Drum Experience Fantasy Drum Camp will take place at the Cedar Lodge on Blackstrap Lake in Saskatchewan from June 27 to July 1….

Click here to check out what the MD Education Team members have to say about setting up your drumset for maximum results….

ArtistWorks, a leading provider of interactive online music lessons, has teamed up with Modern Drummer to present a live-streaming workshop with master drummer and ArtistWorks online teaching artist Billy Cobham….

View the Billy Cobham “40 Years of Spectrum??? live-streaming event right here on March 16 at 9 am Pacific Standard Time….

LAMA College for Music Professionals has announced details for its upcoming drum recording workshop on February 2, 2013.

Hey, MD readers. My name is Eric Slick, and I currently play drums for the Philadelphia group Dr. Dog. I’ll give you a brief history of my past, but I’ll intertwine it with two essential parts of making music: challenges and failures.

As a drummer myself, I had a burning question, “Why is it we’ve never heard from the drummer’s personality and character on and off the stage????

Growing up in the ’80s, one was forced to pound the pavement and hit up older record heads for information on obscure and creative bands.

My name is Brit Turner, and I live in Atlanta, Georgia, with my wife, daughter, dog, two cats, one fish, and a snail. Great things have been happening for me lately.

Is traditional grip a useful technique that drum students should learn? We asked the members of the MD Education Team if they think traditional grip is relevant in today’s teachings. Here’s what they had to say.

Hey there, Modern Drummer readers, Jayson Brinkworth here again from Canada. Things have been crazy busy up here with Aaron Pritchett and One More Girl gigs, as well as many sessions….

The September issue of Modern Drummer magazine features Cult drummer John Tempesta offering ten tips on navigating a journeyman career and growing as a drummer. Here he elaborates on those topics and talks about his most recent projects, including the Cult’s new album, Choice of Weapon….

We asked the members of the MD Education Team if they think that reading skills are crucial. Here’s what they had to say….

The recording of the Villains’ second album, Velocity, started with a series of pre-production rehearsals attended by the band and producers Stan Lynch and Billy Chapin. (continue reading)

Hey guys, this is Matt Covey of Shai Hulud, the Suicide Dolls, and the Flaming Tsunamis. And the Hempsteadys. And the Franklin Brothers…and Young Pandas. About three and a half years ago, I was shocked to find myself on the road playing drums for a truly pioneering band….

The Grammy Award-winning master percussionist debuts an interactive, bilingual online music school.

I’m Tim Walsh of the Stepkids, and I’m excited to be on here and hope to add to the wealth of knowledge that is MD’s awesome thirty-five-year history…

This is an excerpt of an article that originally ran in the December1986 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

Two drummers working it out, face to face—trading licks, contributing to a massive groove, spurring each other on—it’s one of the great musical traditions, and surely it goes back to the very invention of the drumkit at the beginning of the last century. This group of tunes focuses on tracks …

This article originally ran in the September 2005 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

It’s more than a thrill to be announced as the drummer for Queen Extravaganza! Roger Taylor, one of my favorite and most inspirational musicians, picked me as their new drummer! It’s insane. And I found out while I was on a roof, no less!

Over the course of the past ten weeks, vocalists, guitarists, drummers, bassists, and keyboard players from across the U.S. and Canada have auditioned online at www.queenextravaganza.com, hoping to become part of the Queen Extravaganza Tour, a major production launching in 2012 featuring performances of Queen’s biggest hits. The contestants performed …

Ben Riley commands respect from the moment he hits the bandstand. While he is best known (and beloved) for his years spent in Thelonious Monk’s quartet at the peak of that master’s powers, Riley has also recorded and performed with many other jazz greats.This article orginally ran in the February …

An interview with post-bop master Paul Motian, which ran in the April 2005 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

Drumming news for the month of November complied in one place.

Things have changed so much in the past ten years—in general, and for me personally, in the way I interface with the music industry. I feel like those ten years have progressed in a very different and far more varied way than the ten years that passed before them.

MD Online recently spoke to Jack about the process of making his new EP, including the making of the video for the track “Outer Space Dream.???

Intimate in-studio videos of Billy Ward’s exciting new project offer a unique view of a high-art Americana recording.

Right up until his passing on October 11, Freddie Gruber was a source of deep and important knowledge for many top drummers.

Familiarize yourself with the basics of cymbal alloys and you’ll be well equipped to make the correct cymbal purchases for the type of music that you play.

Hello to all you drummers in MD-land! I am currently touring with ’80s teen idols Debbie Gibson and Tiffany on their Journey Through the ’80s tour…

More with the world-renowned right-hand man to rock’s singer-songwriter royalty, who is featured in the Different View column of this month’s issue of MD.

I play in Sleeper Agent. Our music is fast-paced and energetic punk-infused pop rock. We’ve been together for about three years now. Our sound is heavily influenced by Jay Reatard, the Strokes, the Beatles, and many others…

Welcome once again to the MD Readers Poll, where the greatest drummers on the planet are honored by the most educated drum fans around. Let’s get right to it: the envelope, please….

Modern Drummer’s 2011 Readers Poll Hall of Fame inductee is the late drummer/educator Jim Chapin, who passed away in 2009.

by Bob GirouardIt seems that since Danny Seraphine made a comeback of sorts of the 2006 Modern Drummer Festival, he’s kicked the current phase of his drumming career into high gear, appearing at events like Drummers for Jesus, the 2009 Chicago Drum Show, and a Terry Kath tribute, and making …

2011 is off to an exciting start for me as I prepare for a short radio promo tour followed by rehearsals and tours throughout the year with singer-songwriter Jason Reeves….

Hey, everyone, Pat Torpey here! Do you remember me? I’m the drummer of Mr. Big, and we have a new CD/download (or whatever you like) out that’s ready for your perusal. It’s all the original members—Billy Sheehan, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, and me. We decided to title it What If… …

Billy Ward is a unique force in the drum world—a technician of the highest order who can bring taste and creativity to a huge variety of musical situations, a clear and enthusiastic educator, and a notorious drumming thinker who is always ready with an unusual but pragmatic take on the …

Story by Billy AmendolaBetween his appearance on this year’s Grammys and his upcoming performance at the Oscars, JR continues his conversation with MD about what a typical day in the studio is like, his early influences, his upcoming DVD, drum solos, reading charts, and taking a break from the studio …

Hello, MD readers! I want to share my brush with greatness with you. I’m an amateur drummer who was lucky enough to be sent to David Fishof’s Rock ’N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in Philadelphia by my wife. The camp was held the weekend of October 22-24 and was a blast, …

It is my privilege to be invited to contribute here at moderndrummer.com, as I’ve looked forward to each new issue of the magazine for over twenty years! A little update: This past summer was pretty cool. May through August found me once again on the road with Ray Manzarek and …

Hey, MD readers! It’s your boy Gorden Campbell, and I’m back once again to give you an update on my travels around the globe! This has been a busy year for me. From the George Duke and American Idol tours, to recording my first instructional DVD, I’ve had a great …

Daniel Glass is an award-winning drummer, author, historian, and educator best known for helping to usher in the resurgence of swing with renowned L.A. group Royal Crown Revue….

Interview by Robyn FlansRead the Little Feat drummer’s cover feature from October 1995. MD: You have a unique playing style with Little Feat. Can you describe that style and where it came from? Richie: My style has grown with the band. It started out heavily influenced by blues, rock ’n’ …

John Tempesta has worked his way to the top of heavy metal drumming, but his first inspirations and influences to pursue the instrument came via Ringo Starr in the Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night and Dennis Davis supporting David Bowie at Madison Square Garden in 1977. John bought a …

Read the Little Feat drummer’s feature from March 1988.The drum world will never see another Richie Hayward. The longtime Little Feat drummer, who passed away in August, was among the most musically stylish and quietly influential drummers of the classic rock era, equal parts monster technician and old-soul groove master. …

Hey, Modern Drummer fans! I hope you’re all busy playing your butts off out there! As some of you may know, four years ago I made the big decision to retire my position as artist relations director at Paiste, after having the pleasure of that great gig for nineteen years. …

Aye, MD faithful readers! My name is Tosin Aribisala. It is an honor for me to write a blog for this awesome drummers’ magazine. I have been an ardent reader and subscriber to Modern Drummer for over eleven of my twenty-three years playing the drumset….

The multi-Grammy winner is never short on great suggestions for improving your playing. In fact, when we asked Wertico to offer ten tips for his story in this month’s issue, he gave us sixteen! Here’s what we couldn’t fit in the magazine….

For those of you who don’t know of me, I got my first big break as the touring drummer for the Moments, aka Ray, Goodman & Brown…

by Billy AmendolaAt the young age of seventy-six, there’s just no slowing down for artist, activist, and avant-garde queen Yoko Ono, widow of the late Beatle John Lennon. Her latest CD, Between My Head And The Sky, made with her new Plastic Ono Band, was coproduced by Yoko and her …

The longtime Letterman bandleader and keyboardist chats with MD about some of his favorite drummers.

In celebration of the great, sometimes groundbreaking drumming performances of TV’s golden age, we present to you highlights along the illustrious Drumming On TV timeline…

Hello to all who have arrived here; nice to meet you. I play for a quartet called Flying Machines…

The venerable drum teacher passed away this July 4, leaving behind thousands of acolytes–and a million great stories. In this companion to the In Memoriam in the October issue of MD, we hear from some of Chapin’s many friends and drumming disciples.

Billy Idol/Foreigner drummer Brian Tichy recently rediscovered his longtime obsession with getting into shape by using a speed bag. How, what, why? Let’s find out.

It’s Anthony Biuso here, checking in with a blog to let you know what’s been going on in my world. I left (hed) p.e. in August of 2008 to devote more time to my previous band, T.S.O.L. I had a great time touring and playing with (hed) p.e., and it …

It’s Anthony Biuso here, checking in with a blog to let you know what’s been going on in my world. I left (hed) p.e. in August of 2008 to devote more time to my previous band, T.S.O.L. I had a great time touring and playing with (hed) p.e., and it …

In this online exclusive, we continue our conversation with Gerald Heyward, Aaron Spears, Cora Coleman-Dunham, and Nisan Stewart.

I just want to take this opportunity to share with you the amazing journey I’ve had over the last year–2008 was truly an unforgettable experience. After decades of playing in bands with other musicians and participating in international drum festivals, I decided to focus the last three years on solo …

Mitch Mitchell was not alone in blending jazz and rock drumming styles, but he may have pushed the combo further than anyone who came before him. Here a number of noted drummers provide further insight into Mitch’s influence….

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 …

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….

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….

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 …

My name is Felipe, and as I write my first blog, I'm getting ready to tour with STM Records' ISM.

While many only know Billy Bob Thornton as an Academy Award–winning actor, he’s in fact been a musician far longer, ever since growing up in Arkansas…

Twenty-four year old Thomas Pridgen unleashes the most rabid drumming in recent memory on The Mars Volta’s The Bedlam In Goliath. Of course, the band’s fans have come to expect madness and mastery from the innovative Long Beach, California group…

Hey everyone, Jayson Brinkworth here writing from Canada. If this magazine doesn't get you fired up about playing drums, you must not have a pulse!

Hey everyone, Jayson Brinkworth here writing from Canada. If this magazine doesn't get you fired up about playing drums, you must not have a pulse!

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….

With our new CD, Population, hot off the press, and with the backing of Yaris and Arts & Crafts, we hit the road last October for a two-month mega-tour across Canada and the US.

It shouldn’t really be much of a surprise that Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Nate “Danja??? Hills all have production credits on Duran Duran’s new album, Red Carpet Massacre.

I’m convinced that, ten years from now, we’re going to look back at 2007 as an unusually fertile time in music and in drumming.

I have a hard time when I hear a drummer say, “I saw you play with Billy Joel fifteen times, and there were so many questions I wish I could have asked you….”

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Nate “Danja??? Hills signed on to co-produce Duran Duran’s latest CD, Red Carpet Massacre. After all, the band—keyboardist Nick Rhodes, singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor (guitarist Andy Taylor decided to bow out …

There’s been a fantastic wave of pop lately, so for you fellow pop-heads, I wanted to share some of what I’ve been diggin’ on my iPod….

Simply put, Max Roach brought jazz drumming into the modern age. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell revolutionized jazz with new melodies and concepts; Max matched these musical geniuses with startling rhythms and reactive, action-packed drumming that still influences drummers on a profound level today….

If there is one thing I feel pretty confident discussing, it’s the concept of adaptability. In terms of drum history I went from being a tri-tom field drummer in high school to playing a Brufordesque Simmons kit in a prog-core quartet Jello Biafra called “the ‘Rush of hardcore.”…

In the February 2007 issue of Modern Drummer, we ran a feature called “Double Drumming’s 25 Greatest Hits.??? At the time we asked MD readers to submit their own favorite double-drum performances, which we’d post online at a later date. Well, the time has arrived, double-drum fans—the floor is yours!

As a self confessed “elder statesman of music,??? and one of the most influential drummers of the past fifteen years, Jimmy Chamberlin has a thing or two to say about the state of the instrument….

Time. Feel. Groove. Pulse. For many, these are illusive concepts with multiple meanings. Does a heavy metal drummer “feel??? the pulse in the same way as a pop drummer?…

MD Online spoke with the busy drummer mid-tour about what it’s been like going from rebuilding motorcycles to playing on hit records and sold out shows around the world….

The Dave Brubeck Quartet was the most popular jazz group of that time. “Take Five,” featuring a drum solo by Joe Morello, was a million-seller. This group toured the world playing concerts instead of location club gigs. I can’t think of one jazz group today that approaches the level of …

As the drummer for two now classic metal acts, Pantera and Damageplan, Vinnie Paul has clearly leaned toward the heavier side of the rock spectrum. With his latest project, Rebel Meets Rebel, Vinnie is certainly maintaining ground he’s covered in the past….

New York City drummer Rich Pagano is way more than just a member of the hippest Beatle cover band you’ll ever hear. He’s also an accomplished singer and producer. As we journey through Rich’s MD Online interview, we’ll learn that not only does he do a stellar job of providing …

Not many people get to do exactly what they love and get paid for it – much less with two of the biggest artists in the world. Mickey Curry toured and recorded with Hall & Oates at the peak of their career, laying down a solid backbeat with perfect feel …

Billy Hart is one of the unsung giants of jazz. He’s recorded over six hundred albums, including seminal dates with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Joe Zawinul, Sam Rivers, Pharoah Sanders, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Hank Jones, Pat Martino, Charles Lloyd, Dave Liebman, and most recently, heavy hitters like …

Not many drummers dictated the sound of the 80’s like Tony Thompson. That big, huge drum sound was everywhere: on classic recordings like Power Station’s “Some Like It Hot,” David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” Madonna’s “Like A Virgin,” Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love,” the list goes on.

Growing up on a mix of R&B, pop, rock, and country, David Northrup, originally from Syracuse New York, moved south in the early ’90s playing sessions and gigging the Florida club scene. One of those gigs led him to meeting and working with ace session guitarist Les Dudek…

In Part 2 of our interview with the drummers of The Velvet Underground, we talk to Maureen Tucker, the player most often associated with the group….

At an age where most would be settling back and reaping the rewards of their major accomplishments in life, Richard Starkey, better known to the world as Ringo Starr, is not even thinking about slowing down. In fact, he’s exactly where he wants to be at this stage of his …

Steve Jordan has accomplished more in his drumming career than he ever could have imagined. Of the big names he played with, a short list would include Ashford & Simpson, Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, The Pretenders, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, David Sanborn, Tom Scott, …

Tommy Lee is in a great mood, and he has every reason to be. His new CD, appropriately titled Never A Dull Moment, has just been released, and it’s off the hook! We recently caught up with Tommy while preparing for his upcoming tour.

Storming out of Tulsa, Oklahoma with their major-label debut, Middle Of Nowhere, featuring the “Can’t get it out of my head” hit “MMMBop,” drummer Zac Hanson and his brothers Isaac and Taylor became the biggest-selling teen idols of 1997. Zac, only eleven years old at the time, found himself a …

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….

With this week’s news of the passing of singer/songwriter/guitarist Lou Reed, millions of fans are grieving, while millions more people are learning for the first time how gargantuan an influence the New York musician and his ’60s band the Velvet Underground have had on rock music….

In between those gigs he’ll squeeze in a performance with Ricky Martin, Stevie Nicks, or Jennifer Lopez, among other top acts. But Danny’s brain is always thinking: How do I make my playing better? Equally important to him these days: How do I make the instruments I play better? Enter …

When drummer Fred Hell was shot four times during a home invasion robbery, he was left with a bullet lodged in his skull. A member of LA-based psychobilly trio Tiger Army, Fred faced a long recovery and the possibility he might never play drums again….

Billy Hart is one of the unsung giants of jazz. He’s recorded over six hundred albums, including seminal dates with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Joe Zawinul, Sam Rivers, Pharoah Sanders, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Hank Jones, Pat Martino, Charles Lloyd, Dave Liebman, and most recently, heavy hitters like …

Lil’ John Roberts’s name has been popping up more and more here at MD – in interviews with other artists, in conversations with people in the drum industry – and, most importantly, in mail from fans. It seems everyone is talking about Lil’ John. And after seeing him play, you’d …

“He’s a bad boy, that’s for sure,” says guitar star John Scofield of his talented young sideman Adam Deitch. On the Sco gig, Deitch comes across like a composite of two great drummers that the guitarist has worked with before’the original funky drummer himself, Clyde Stubblefield, and highly regarded jazz …

This last June, Ignition was released by Brian Setzer’s new unit, which he calls The Brian Setzer ’68 Comeback Special. And where Brian goes, so does Bernie….

At a 1999 Birdland performance with The Dave Holland Quintet, Billy Kilson led band and audience in a rousing chorus of drum worship. Holland, one of jazz’s most celebrated bassists and composers, has played with all the innovators, from Tony and Elvin to Jack DeJohnette and Billy Higgins. So you …

Jack DeJohnette has remained one of the world’s premier drummers by always looking forward, and never losing the passion. Oh, and by playing some of the most uniquely beautiful drums ever.

The lyrics from one of Ralph MacDonald’s songs on his latest CD, Home Grown, start and end with words that sum up his life: “There is no better life than the island life. I love the island life, it makes my body free, it keeps my head together.”

Performing on stage twenty years after releasing Purple Rain, Prince doesn’t look like he’s aged a bit. In fact, it looks and sounds like he has more energy now then ever – and he seems to be enjoying it all a lot more this time around.

The scene: a cold night in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at North On Sixth, a multi-level hole in the wall jook joint where the bathroom graffiti is more political than obscene. Attracting a crowd of Manhattan intellectuals and Brooklyn deadheads, North On Sixth is tonight showcasing Ben Perowsky’s Moodswing Orchestra. A collection …

Though he’s played drums for over two decades, Matt Walker is perhaps best known as “That guy who replaced Jimmy Chamberlin in Smashing Pumpkins.”