Buddy Rich
In its 45 years of publication, Modern Drummer has collected essential data from thousands of remarkable drummers, percussionists, and educators. Throughout our 45th anniversary in 2021, we will offer some features that celebrate the musicians, editors, writers, and photographers who have served the drumming community in these pages. So, sit …
Jay Corre is an internationally known composer, arranger, and performer. He has performed with Buddy Rich, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Frank Sinatra to name a few.
A few years ago, Emil Richards took me and my wife to see Buddy Rich play at a musician’s night in a restaurant in Glendale.
Since answering a drummer-wanted Craigslist ad that listed influences from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Public Image Ltd. and Can, BJ Miller has proven the ideal rhythm generator for his band.
The interactive museum celebrates a decade of percussion education. Nestled in the heart of downtown Indianapolis is the Rhythm! Discovery Center, a gem of the drum and percussion world. Founded by the Percussive Arts Society in 2009 and now celebrating its tenth year, the RDC is said to be the …
Armand Zildjian starts a lot of his sentences the same way: “I’ve got a cymbal that . . . ,” after which he describes the attributes of a particular cymbal in his private collection. His enthusiasm is evident as he expounds on whatever it is that makes the cymbal special …
Hall of Fame: 1980 Big Band: 1979,’80, ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’85 Jazz: 1981, ’82, ’83, ’84 You’ve got to love the guy. Let’s face it: He doesn’t have to be out there on the road all the time. He could be taking it easy, because the contribution he has …
An Anniversary is typically a time to celebrate, but it can also be a time to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. And so, when the editors got together to plan a special issue to mark the beginning of Modern Drummer’s tenth year, it was agreed …
By 1929, a twelve-year-old Buddy Rich was already a seasoned performer, having been an integral part of his parents’ vaudeville act since he was eighteen months old. According to Mel Tormé’s biography of Rich, Traps: The Drum Wonder, with the days of vaudeville waning, Rich was approached by the Vitaphone …
In this month’s Jazz Drummer’s Workshop, the author and educator Eric Fischer analyzes one of Buddy Rich’s earliest surviving recordings. We reached out to our readers and social media followers to find out what other performances from throughout the legendary drummer’s remarkable career rank highly among the drum community.
Back in the ’50s, Jazz At The Philharmonic presented a “drum battle” featuring Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. To my knowledge, it was the first time they had appeared together. It was an exciting event, and it generated great interest in the drumming community. The format was one of challenges. …
No two drummers’ stories are exactly alike. From heavy rotation on MTV in the heyday of ’80s hair metal to his current role as the driver of the Buddy Rich Band, it’s clear that very few drummers’ career trajectories are like GP’s.
When Buddy Rich took charge behind the kit, the air crackled. Buddy aimed to excite, to give audiences their money’s worth with precision, sophistication, and world-class quality.
Whose playing endures through the decades? Whose music do we reach for when we want new ideas? When we want to practice? When we want to laugh? Who inspires and delights us most?
Kwaku Dadey is the quintessential African master drummer. He comes from a family in Africa that has a rich musical background. There have been master drummers in Kwaku’s family for well over five generations. Kwaku is a musician who not only carries on the great traditions taught to him by …
The stage of the small Georgetown club is crowded with equipment and players. Near the far corner, with a look of intense concentration on his face, Mike Shrieve provides locomotion behind his white Hayman kit.
Vegas. It’s a word that conjures a succession of freeze-frame images: The glittering marquees that boast some of the world’s most dynamic performers; the smoke filled but lavishly decorated gambling casinos; the million-watt color of Las Vegas Boulevard, known as “The Strip.”
On February 3rd, Karen Carpenter died of a massive cardiac arrest.
Buddy Rich has been a famous drummer for as long as I can remember. I first heard him on records in the early ’40s when I was around seven years old. I met Buddy in person in New York City when I was in my 20’s. Buddy’s career has spanned …
Aided by his wife, his two sons, and some trusted employees with whom he doesn’t share a last name, Maxwell has seen his business evolve to include custom drum making and cymbal repurposing. And his responsibilities go beyond owning and operating the two shops and online business. Maxwell joined Craviotto …
John LaBarbera is a Grammy-nominated composer and arranger whose works have been recorded and performed for nearly fifty years by many of the top artists of jazz, including by Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Tormé, Bill Watrous, Phil Woods, and the man often called the greatest drummer in …
In a unique timeline format, we trace the high points of Buddy’s historic career—and beyond.
In the early ’50s, Tony Scott hired a young drummer from Philadelphia named Joe Jones. To avoid confusion with Count Basie’s famous drummer (Jo Jones), Scott would introduce his drummer by saying, “This is the Joe Jones from Philly.”
Buddy Rich Paul’s Tune
It was four years ago, the January, 1977 premier issue of Modern Drummer, that Buddy Rich graced our cover. Rich is back again, with comments that are inspiring and honest. This exclusive interview is filled with anecdotes tracing Rich’s early career and personal acquaintances. But the main focus is Rich’s …
In 1939, I first met Gene. I started at the Hickory House in 1938. So Gene and I had been friends for over 30 years. I guess that everything that has been said about the man has been said before me.
Has Buddy Rich embarked on a new career in symphonic music? Not really. But he is giving it a try, playing with local symphony orchestras throughout the country.
Sid Catlett, to those unfamiliar with the name, was considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of the 30’s and early 40’s, and is still recognized as one of the most significant forces in the evolution of the art of jazz drumming.
Jay Corre is an internationally known composer, arranger, and performer. He has performed with Buddy Rich, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Frank Sinatra to name a few.
An Exclusive Interview With The Dynamic Buddy Rich The club was filled; filled with people of all ages, and lots of young wide-eyed drummers, there for a glimpse of the living legend called Buddy Rich. MD met up with Buddy and his youthful band at a club in St. Louis. …
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: September 5, 2020
Remembering Quiet Riot Drummer Frankie Banali
“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 …
Posted: August 28, 2020
Jazz Great Charli Persip Passes
Charli Persip, one of the premier jazz drummers of the second half of the twentieth century, passed away on August 23 at the age of ninety-one. Persip was born in Morristown, New Jersey, in 1929, and began playing on the fertile Newark, New Jersey, jazz scene after graduating high school. …
Posted: April 30, 2020
Tony Allen Passes
Tony Allen. Photo by Bernard Benant. Tony Allen, the longtime drummer with African music legend Fela Kuti, has died in France. As the drummer with Fela’s groundbreaking band Africa ’70, Allen was responsible for creating many of the beats that defined Afrobeat music, the mix of jazz, funk, and the …
Posted: January 10, 2020
Rush Drummer Neil Peart Passes
Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for the iconic Canadian progressive rock band Rush, passed away on January 7 at the age of sixty-seven after a battle with brain cancer.
Posted: December 4, 2019
Drum Workshop Acquires Slingerland from Gibson
Drum Workshop, Inc. (DW) recently announced the acquisition of the Slingerland drum brand from the Nashville-headquartered Gibson Musical Instruments.
Posted: July 16, 2019
David Uosikkinen of the Hooters
Hello, my fellow drummers! When I’m not playing with the Hooters (next year will be our fortieth anniversary), I have my own band called David Uosikkinen’s In The Pocket.
Posted: June 13, 2019
Gregg Potter of the Buddy Rich Band
Cathy Rich and I brought Buddy’s band back as a touring, living, breathing sixteen-piece big band. The group features alumni who played with the BR Band at some time in their careers and who now travel the world to bring Buddy’s music back to the masses.
Posted: June 4, 2019
Josh Roossin of the Jacks
Josh Roossin here and I play drums in the LA-based rock n’ roll band the Jacks.
Posted: February 6, 2019
The first three Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps of 2019 are ready to make some noise.
The first three Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps of 2019 are ready to make some noise. Leading the riffs and grooves will be an incredible array of legends, platinum-selling artists, and certified rock stars.
Posted: January 24, 2019
Joe Corsello in On The Beat
I had done three world tours with Benny Goodman, a year with singer Peggy Lee, two world tours with the World’s Greatest Jazz Band,
Posted: December 27, 2018
Roger Earl of Foghat in On The Beat
Hello! Roger Earl here, writing from Long Island, New York, my adopted home. I grew up in SW London during the ’50s and ’60s, listening to American music like Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, and Chuck Berry.
Posted: November 1, 2018
On The Beat with Rich Pagano of the Fab Faux: Talks Recent Projects and Upcoming Shows
Hello Modern Drummer magazine voyeurs. Rich Pagano here to talk briefly about what has been happening and a couple of nice events that I am honored to be a part of in the near future.
Posted: January 11, 2018
Blues Music Awards Honors Top Drummers
The nominees for the 39th Annual Blues Music Awards, presented by the Blues Foundation, represent a prestigious collection of acclaimed performers and rising stars that reflect the breadth and diversity of today’s blues m
Posted: December 7, 2017
On The Beat with Ole Nesset of Death by Unga Bunga: Talks Band, Tours, and Drumkit
Hello, fellow drummers! My name is Ole Nesset and I am from Norway. I just got back home after a month of touring the States with my band, Death by Unga Bunga.
Posted: November 16, 2017
On The Beat with Gene Hoglan: Talks Recording, Tracking, and Gear
Greetings everyone, it’s your buddy Gene here. The fine folks at Modern Drummer have graciously allowed me to write a few words (even though, as many of you already know, the terms “Gene” and “a few words” rarely go together) about the recording of the latest Brendon Small opus, Galaktikon …
Posted: October 26, 2017
On The Beat with DW Founder Don Lombardi: Remembering Buddy and His DW Kit
Hello everyone! I loved the timeline tribute MD did on Buddy Rich in the September 2017 issue. One hundred years from now drummers will still be learning and be amazed by his mastery of the instrument. After reading, it got me thinking about my personal experience with Buddy taking out …
Posted: September 7, 2017
On The Beat with Steph Barker of Coast Modern: Pursuing the Dream
Hey MD Readers! This is Steph Barker, drummer for the Los Angeles indie pop duo Coast Modern. I have been a huge fan of Modern Drummer since I started drumming back in sixth grade, so I am over the moon and absolutely honored to contribute to “On The Beat.”
Posted: April 26, 2017
Web Exclusive: Producer Russ Titelman on 10 of His Favorite Drummers
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 …
Posted: April 21, 2017
On the Beat with Gregg Potter: One Hundred Years of Buddy Rich
Hi everyone, Gregg Potter here! Buddy Rich would have been one hundred years old this September. Unfortunately, his body left us thirty years ago this month, but his soul remains. I know the drumming community can all agree on the fact that Buddy Rich is one of the most influential …
Posted: April 18, 2017
Steve Smith’s Acceptance Speech During Journey’s Induction Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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.
Posted: March 31, 2017
Anton Fig On Tour With Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band
From 1986 to 2015, few drummers were more visible than Anton Fig. You could find him on network TV practically every weeknight backing the World’s Most Dangerous Band—later rechristened the CBS Orchestra—on David Letterman’s former NBC and CBS late-night programs.
Posted: March 21, 2017
On the Beat with Heath Fields from Shallow Side: Talks Beginnings, Overcoming Adversity, and New Album
Hello fellow MD readers. My name is Heath Fields and I’m the drummer for the band Shallow Side, from Cullman, Alabama. It’s an honor to be a part of the On the Beat family!
Posted: January 13, 2017
Bonzo Bash NAMM 2017
The first of these shows that Tichy & Sutton have produced, took place on September 25th, 2010, on the 30th anniversary of Bonham’s passing. They have since taken the show to both coasts, with BashFest 2017 sure to be the mightiest one yet.
Posted: July 11, 2016
On the Beat With David Frangioni: Carl Palmer Show Recap
Hello Modern Drummer readers, fellow drummers, and music lovers! David Frangioni here again and I’m pleased to share with you that the Carl Palmer concert was a resounding success. Carl and his band (along with special guests Steve Hackett, Mark Stein, and Liza Quin) killed it!
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: June 15, 2016
On the Beat With David Frangioni: Inspired by Carl Palmer
Hello Modern Drummer readers, fellow drummers, and music lovers. My name is David Frangioni and I’ve been playing the drums since I was two years old. Doing the math, that gives me about forty-five plus years of drum time.
Posted: May 31, 2016
Keith Carne on We Are Scientists’ Helter Seltzer
Brooklyn-based indie-rock band We Are Scientists’ fifth album, Helter Seltzer, released digitally this past April 22 and physically on June 3, is an advanced-level course in hook-ology.
Posted: May 18, 2016
On the Beat With Mike Fuentes of Pierce the Veil: Self-Taught Style
Hello everyone, my name is Mike Fuentes and I play drums for a band called Pierce the Veil. When I was fourteen years old my dad bought me my first drumset at a local swap meet along with a Buddy Rich DVD. After that, my brother Vic and I started …
Posted: April 27, 2016
On the Beat With Carmine Appice: Stick It!
Hi MD drummer dudes and girls! This is a fun time in my career. After forty-nine years in the music business and touring the world many times playing arenas, stadiums, theaters, etc., I’ve reached a point where I can sit back and review my life of drumming and music….
Posted: April 27, 2016
On the Beat With Carmine Appice: Stick It!
Hi MD drummer dudes and girls! This is a fun time in my career. After forty-nine years in the music business and touring the world many times playing arenas, stadiums, theaters, etc., I’ve reached a point where I can sit back and review my life of drumming and music….
Posted: March 31, 2016
MD Spotlight w/Mini Documentary: Remo Belli
This excerpt is taken from the complete article that appears in the May 2016 issue, which is available here. Spotlight Remo Belli How Time and Circumstance Gave Rise to the King of the Mylar Drumhead Remo is one of the most well-known brands in the music industry. Its logo can …
Posted: January 29, 2016
Brit Turner on Blackberry Smoke’s Holding All the Roses
Blackberry Smoke provided one of the year’s crossover album hits, topping country and rock charts with the Brendan O’Brien–produced Holding All the Roses. And once again, the Turner brothers, bassist Richard and drummer Brit, locked it all down with a sultry Southern swagger. MD caught up with Brit before a …
Posted: January 7, 2016
Bobby Rondinelli
With a résumé that includes Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, and more recently, Mountain guitarist Leslie West and the Axel Rudi Pell Band, Bobby Rondinelli remains a mega-force in heavy-rock drumming….
Posted: December 1, 2015
Twenty Drum Gifts for Under $20
With the holiday season upon us, there’s no better time to step back and look at all the different gift options that are available. In this first installment of our 2015 holiday buyer’s guide, we specifically want to focus on drummer gifts that are under $20. These items are perfect …
Posted: September 17, 2015
Greg Errico on Sly and the Family Stone’s Fantastic, Forgotten Concert Document Live at the Fillmore East
Listening to the recently released Sly and the Family Stone set, Live at the Fillmore East (Epic/Legacy), the band’s original drummer, Greg Errico, admits to getting quite excited, “almost like a fan,??? partly because he’s long wondered what became of the recordings. “They disappeared for years,??? he says. “I had …
Posted: September 15, 2015
Web Exclusive! Joe Walsh’s Joe Vitale: Practice Tips and Influences
Joe Vitale is currently touring with Joe Walsh as well as starring in the movie Ricki and the Flash, featuring Meryl Streep. We continue talking with Joe about a few practice tips as well as some of his influences….
Posted: May 22, 2015
Steve Smith and Vital Information NYC Edition U.S. Tour
Steve Smith and Vital Information NYC Edition are beginning a U.S. tour supporting the group’s Viewpoint album, which comes out next Tuesday, May 26. The band features, of course, Steve Smith on drums, as well as Andy Fusco on sax, Mark Soskin on keyboards, Baron Browne on bass, and Vinny …
Posted: May 18, 2015
Drummer Blog: Top Canadian Drummer Jayson Brinkworth Checks In
I wanted to update you on a few things happening in my drumming world. First off let me say what an honor and pleasure it is to be part of the very prestigious Modern Drummer Education Team. It is amazing to share ideas and concepts with so many great players …
Posted: May 7, 2015
Gavin Harrison on
Cheating the Polygraph
The Porcupine Tree drummer’s brand-new solo album is his personal take on the PT catalog. Here he delves deeper into his creative process.
Posted: March 24, 2015
Drummer Blog: the Blues Magoos’ Geoff Daking Talks Greenwich Village, Engineering, and Session Work
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 …
Posted: March 23, 2015
AJ Pero Dies at Age 55
Last Friday, March 20, longtime Twisted Sister drummer AJ Pero died in Poughkeepsie, New York, from an apparent heart attack while on the road with Adrenaline Mob.
Posted: March 23, 2015
Omar Hakim Releases Video for “Walk the Walk???
Omar Hakim has released a video for the track “Walk the Walk??? from his recent solo album, We Are One.
Posted: March 9, 2015
Lennie DiMuzio Passes
Modern Drummer is saddened to learn of the passing of Lennie Di Muzio, longtime artist relations manager for the Avedis Zildjian company. Later in life Di Muzio worked for Sabian Ltd., which, on its Facebook page, described Di Muzio as “a one-of-a-kind and a true legend who helped shape the …
Posted: March 4, 2015
10 Tips from Bobby Sanabria
The renowned Latin and jazz drummer/percussionist has always known how to get his point across, whether in the studio, on stage, or in the classroom. Here he offers words of advice that all of us, regardless of age or preferred musical style, should take heed of….
Posted: February 27, 2015
News: “World’s Greatest Drummer??? Concert to Feature Steve Gadd
The World’s Greatest Drummer Concert returns on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at the Derngate Theatre in Northampton, UK. Since the first concert in 2007, the event has featured some of the finest drummers alive….
Posted: February 20, 2015
Drummer Blog: The Bots’ Anaiah Lei on Incorporating Jazz and Other Musical Styles
Hi, guys and girls! My name is Anaiah Lei, and I drum for a band called the Bots, from Los Angeles, California. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I’ve been drumming for about eleven years. I joined the Bots not too long after it started and have …
Posted: February 19, 2015
News: 25th-Annual Chicago Drum Show to Take Place May 15–17, 2015
The 25th Annual Chicago Drum Show is shaping up to be another world-class percussion event. Organizer Rob Cook reports that every aspect of the show is on track to maintain the show’s status as a premier educational and entertainment event….
Posted: February 6, 2015
Drummer Blog: Vince Wilburn Jr. Talks Heroes, Projects, and Uncle Miles
Hello, MD readers. Vince here. I consider myself eternally blessed. From an early age, I was able to experience music from the very best seat in the house—backstage. My mom took me to all the greatest gigs, giving me a rare chance to see, hear, and really experience music, unlike …
Posted: January 2, 2015
What You Need to Know About…Effects Cymbals
The term effects, or FX, is applied to a wide array of cymbals, from tiny splashes to giant, oddly shaped sheets of metal to cymbals with tambourine jingles riveted to them. The key to helping customers find that unique voice they’ve been missing in their setup is to know what’s …
Posted: December 12, 2014
Cannibal and the Headhunters’ Robert Zapata Talks Influences, New Album, and Tour
I have been the drummer for Cannibal and the Headhunters for forty-six years now. For those who don’t know the group you might know the song “Land of a 1000 Dances.???
Posted: October 28, 2014
December 2014 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Gregg Bissonette
See what’s in the pages of the December 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Gregg Bissonette!
Posted: October 16, 2014
Drummer Blog: Cirque Du Soleil’s Amaluna’s Didi Negron on Living Your Dream
As a traveling musician in the traditional big top, I am able to implement my strong music theory background and improvisational skills while providing accompaniment and action on stage as my role of the “Goddess of Rhythm.???
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: August 19, 2014
Influences: Harvey Mason
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….
Posted: July 30, 2014
Kevin Bowers of the Feed
The first drumset I owned was a Diamond Rock from JC Penney. My parents had to constantly replace the paper-thin heads because I was fervently trying to play the Police’s “Message in a Bottle.???
Posted: July 23, 2014
Lamb of God’s Chris Adler Partners to Open Big Whiskey Grill in Richmond, Virginia
Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler recently announced his new partnership with restaurant owner Will “Mac??? McCormack to open the Big Whisky Grill near the West End of Richmond, Virginia….
Posted: May 15, 2014
Bonzo Bash Hits the East Coast
Brian Tichy brings Bonzo Bash back to Bergen PAC in New Jersey on May 31 to celebrate the legendary drumming of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham….
Posted: May 13, 2014
Jaye Moore of Dead Stars
My name is Jaye Moore, and I’m the drummer for the Brooklyn band Dead Stars. We are releasing our new album, Slumber, on June 17 on Old Flame Records, and then we’re hitting the road to support it all summer….
Posted: April 28, 2014
Alex Mascarin of We Outspoken
My name is Alex Mascarin, and I am a drummer in the band We Outspoken from Toronto, Canada. In this blog I would like share with you some of my drum setups and inspirations….
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: February 7, 2014
VIDEO – In the Studio With Actor/Drummer Michael Chiklis
In this video, drummer/actor Michael Chiklis takes Modern Drummer into his state-of-the art recording studio and performance space, which will be the hub for all his musical projects in the future. MD sat down for a two-part series with Chiklis at his home studio in Los Angeles, CA. Actress/drummer Pam …
Posted: January 9, 2014
Danny Seraphine
Ready For the Next Phase
anny Seraphine fueled a long list of classic tracks in his twenty-three years as a member of Chicago, inspiring generations of drummers in the process. Since returning in 2006 from a long performing hiatus, he has been grooving in peak form with his current band, CTA, as heard on its …
Posted: December 23, 2013
MD Contributor Stephen Bidwell on Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas
Fun Fun Fun Fest had its eighth go-round this past November 8–10, and it was three days of great music for fans of metal, indie, hardcore, electro, and hip-hop, as well as wrestling, comedy, skateboarding, and BMX….
Posted: December 23, 2013
MD Contributor Stephen Bidwell on Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas
Fun Fun Fun Fest had its eighth go-round this past November 8–10, and it was three days of great music for fans of metal, indie, hardcore, electro, and hip-hop, as well as wrestling, comedy, skateboarding, and BMX….
Posted: November 27, 2013
Chico Hamilton: 1921–2013
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 …
Posted: November 1, 2013
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Asia Drummer Carl Palmer Video Interview
Modern Drummer magazine caught up with Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Asia drummer Carl Palmer backstage at Yestival 2013 this past August. In Part 1 of this interview Carl waxes poetic about drumming legends Joe Moerllo and Buddy Rich. In Part 2 of this interview Carl talks about his love …
Posted: July 18, 2013
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Tuning (UPDATED)
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….
Posted: July 5, 2013
Matt Amadio of the Fleeting Ends
I’m co-writer in my band, the Fleeting Ends, and I have a great love for singing and melody, so it’s difficult to describe myself as just a drummer….
Posted: June 24, 2013
Flecktones Drummer Roy “Futureman??? Wooten Chats With Fiddle/Sticks Creator Casey Driessen
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones drummer Roy Wooten, aka Futureman, recently got together with fiddler and occasional Flecktones collaborator Casey Driessen for a two-day jam session and conversation for the project Fiddle/Sticks, in which Driessen has been exploring the fiddle as a rhythmic instrument. Here the two go into more …
Posted: June 17, 2013
Frankie Anthony of the Stick People
Hello, Modern Drummer readers, this is Frankie Anthony. I’m currently touring, writing, and rehearsing with my band mates in the Stick People….
Posted: April 26, 2013
25 Timeless Drum Books
What makes a great drum book? There’s no single answer, as different books have been written to address a wide variety of styles and techniques. But judging by a recent poll in which Modern Drummer readers were asked to name their favorite volumes, a few characteristics stand out….
Posted: March 22, 2013
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Ergonomics
Click here to check out what the MD Education Team members have to say about setting up your drumset for maximum results….
Posted: March 11, 2013
Richard Danielson of Vintage Trouble
My name is Richard Danielson, and I’m the drummer for Vintage Trouble. Our music has been described as many things. I like to call it “primitive soul.???
Posted: January 28, 2013
Jason Bonham Celebration Day Transcription
Late in 2012, Led Zeppelin released Celebration Day, a CD/DVD that documents the band’s 2007 reunion concert at the O2 arena in London. The opening number was “Good Times Bad Times???—a song that Zeppelin rarely performed live. Jason Bonham, filling in for his late father, John, captured the essence of …
Posted: January 11, 2013
Eric Selby of the Billy Thompson Band
One day I had an epiphany: Why be Ginger Baker? Because Ginger Baker has already been done, and done quite well….
Posted: January 10, 2013
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Jazz
We asked the members of the MD Education Team if they think it’s important for their students to study jazz. Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: December 26, 2012
Nick Rich of NEFU
Hello, world! Some of you may know me, but some of you may not. My name is Nick Rich, and my grandfather was Buddy Rich. I’m currently drumming and writing for a new band called NEFU, which stands for Now Everything’s Finally Understood.
Posted: December 19, 2012
Keith Harrison of the Pineapple Thief
Question: What do you call a guy who hangs out with musicians? Answer: A drummer! With the prospect of being the butt of such drummer jokes, I have to ask myself the question, “Why did I choose to play drums????
Posted: November 26, 2012
Emil Amos of Grails, Om, and Holy Sons
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.
Posted: November 19, 2012
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s John Riley
In addition to the cover story on big band star Buddy Rich, the December 2012 issue of Modern Drummer magazine features a fascinating conversation between the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s John Riley and VJO drum sub Paul Wells. The article contains lots of useful real-world advice from Riley; here Wells asks …
Posted: October 17, 2012
Buddy Rich: Style & Analysis
Click here to check out a classic Buddy Rich transcription from “West Side Story.???
Posted: October 15, 2012
Nashville Percussionist Farrell Morris Dead at Seventy-Four
Nashville percussionist Richard Farrell Morris died on Thursday, October 4, 2012, after a long battle with lung cancer. He was seventy-four….
Posted: October 5, 2012
David Halicky of The Vim Dicta
Hey Modern Drummer people! I’m David Halicky. Through drumming I can truly express who I am and how I’m feeling.
Posted: September 21, 2012
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Traditional Grip
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.
Posted: August 17, 2012
Gregg Potter on the “You’re No Buddy??? Tour 2012
Hello, Modern Drummer readers. I last spoke to you in January. At that time, I was just beginning this Buddy Rich odyssey. We’re now getting ready to do our first extended tour, starting in mid-August.
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: July 23, 2012
20 CLASSIC PROG ALBUMS
Odd times, intergalactic themes, and more tom-toms. Rock drumming gets interesting….
Posted: May 16, 2012
Influences: Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins
As Jane’s Addiction continues its successful Theatre of the Escapists tour, a new generation of fans is being hipped to the ecstatic tribal glam event that is a Jane’s show—and to the uniquely galloping drumming approach of Stephen Perkins. In the latest installment of Modern Drummer magazine’s Influences series, we …
Posted: April 24, 2012
Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich Drum Battle on The Sammy Davis Jr. Show
Watch a drum battle between Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich from The Sammy Davis Show in 1966 in this video.
Posted: March 19, 2012
Tim Walsh of the Stepkids
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…
Posted: February 24, 2012
Gimme 10! Bobby Sanabria
One of the most world-traveled, well-spoken, and high-profile drummer/leaders on the planet tells us what’s what, Sanabria style.
Posted: February 22, 2012
Buddy Rich 25th Anniversary Memorial Concert
The Buddy Rich 25th Anniversary Memorial Concert takes place for the first time in the UK at the London Palladium on 2nd April 2012. The lineup is confirmed as Dave Weckl, John Blackwell and Gregg Potter from the USA and Ian Paice, Ginger Baker, Gavin Harrison and Elliott Henshaw from the UK. Singing supremo Tony Christie will also appear. One of Buddy Rich’s …
Posted: January 20, 2012
25 Great Double-Drumming Tracks
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 …
Posted: January 18, 2012
Doug Yowell
I studied my heart out and began lessons with Peter Erskine when I was sixteen years old. He was as much a friend as a mentor. Peter not only taught me behind the kit but also took me to countless recording sessions to watch a true master working with all …
Posted: January 10, 2012
Mel Lewis: A Quiet Fire
For big band great Mel Lewis, the drums were his easy chair and the band his hearth. He was the fire.
Posted: January 4, 2012
Gregg Potter with the Buddy Rich Big Band
Hello, Modern Drummer readers, this is Gregg Potter. It’s been a while since I’ve graced the pages or computer screens of MD. This is definitely a high point of any drummer’s existence, being allowed to communicate with the coolest, most up-to-date drumming community on the planet!
Posted: January 4, 2012
Charlie Benante
Milestones were bountiful in 2011 for NYC thrash icons Anthrax and their founding drummer.
Posted: November 22, 2011
Paul Motian: Embracing The Past, Forging the Future
An interview with post-bop master Paul Motian, which ran in the April 2005 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.
Posted: November 21, 2011
Neil Peart: Taking Center Stage
In a Web-exclusive addendum to MD’s December 2011 cover story, we continue our conversation with Rush’s Neil Peart, discussing, among other topics, “drum solo week??? on Letterman, Neil’s surprise appearance at the KoSA Drum Camp, and the new Taking Center Stage DVD.
Posted: October 31, 2011
Freddie Gruber
Right up until his passing on October 11, Freddie Gruber was a source of deep and important knowledge for many top drummers.
Posted: October 18, 2011
Ian Paice: Influence
MD Pro Panelist Daniel Glass on the magic of Deep Purple’s Ian Paice.
Posted: October 6, 2011
Drummer to Drummer: Jimmy Chamberlin and William Mohler (w/ VIDEO)
Jimmy Chamberlin playing the track “Not From Here,??? from Drum Channel’s Gannin Arnold Project DVD.
Posted: September 6, 2011
LaMel Randolph of Lionize
My name is LaMel Randolph; I play drums in the band Lionize, based out of Silver Spring, Maryland. This year we released our latest album, Destruction Manuel, we played the Warped tour and Bonnaroo Festival, and we’re already writing and recording a new batch of songs.
Posted: September 1, 2011
Carl Palmer Drum Solos
This DVD features Palmer’s classic “Karn Evil 9??? solo, from Emerson Lake & Palmer’s 1974 California Jam performance, as well as live solos culled from Asia concerts…
Posted: August 30, 2011
Shakerleg of the Kin
I hate drumsticks. Well, that certainly came out wrong. I love the way they sound, but not when I operate them, or rather, the way I am unable to operate them…
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: August 1, 2011
Jess Bowen of the Summer Set
My name is Jess Bowen, and this is my second blog for MD. If this is your first time reading, here’s a basic run-through of my band and myself…
Posted: July 28, 2011
A Different View with Danny Kortchmar
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.
Posted: July 21, 2011
Jerry Shirley
Read an excerpt from Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley’s brand-new book, Best Seat in the House: Drumming in the ’70s With Marriott, Frampton and Humble Pie.
Posted: July 1, 2011
MD Readers Poll 2011 Results
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….
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 10, 2011
Origin’s John Longstreth
Hi! My name is John Longstreth. I play drums for Origin, Gorguts, and Dim Mak. I can say a few things about myself, and I will, but what I would really like to do is talk about a lot of the myths and truths, the good and bad of what …
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: May 27, 2011
Remembering “The Chapin Magic”
Modern Drummer’s 2011 Readers Poll Hall of Fame inductee is the late drummer/educator Jim Chapin, who passed away in 2009.
Posted: May 2, 2011
Danny Seraphine: Update
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 …
Posted: April 26, 2011
Jay Michaelis of State Line Empire
Hey Modern Drummer readers! I’m super stoked to be writing a blog for all of you, as I’ve been an avid longtime reader. I guess it all started when I was five, when I saw Buddy Rich and Animal from the Muppets do a drum duet. In the days before Ritalin, …
Posted: April 1, 2011
Buddy Miles: The Power Of Soul
George “Buddy??? Miles—nicknamed after “the world’s greatest drummer,??? Buddy Rich—was born in 1947 in Omaha, Nebraska, and got an early musical education listening to the jazz that was played at home. At the same time, Buddy was listening to the R&B sounds of drummer Al Jackson Jr., who was the …
Posted: February 16, 2011
John “JR” Robinson: Web Exclusive
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 …
Posted: February 4, 2011
Henry Adler : Legendary Drum Teacher
Drumming pioneer, music retailer, author, and teacher Henry Alder was born in New York on June 28, 1915. His first professional playing job took place when he was fifteen years old at the Belmar Hotel in New Jersey. He subsequently worked in several pit orchestras in theaters, as well as …
Posted: January 25, 2011
Buddy Harman: The Original Country Drummer
Before Buddy Harman, there was no drumset on country music recordings. A true groundbreaker in the annals of drumming, after opeing up Nashville to the concept, Harmon went on to make nearly 20,000 records, including a plethora of hits with nearly every major artist of the genre. Harman grew up …
Posted: November 23, 2010
Richie Hayward: The MD Interviews, Part 2
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’ …
Posted: November 22, 2010
Chad Clark of Heaven Below
This year you can find me with my prized black-on-black Noble & Cooley drums touring with Heaven Below throughout the U.S. and Canada in support of our EP. The first single, “When Daylight Dies,” is gaining airplay across the country. In addition to Heaven Below and previous albums from several …
Posted: November 3, 2010
Jamie Miller of Night Horse
Hello, my name is Jamie Miller. Like the rest of the entries on the site, I will begin by saying I have been a huge fan of Modern Drummer magazine for a very long time and am pretty stoked to be writing this! With that said, I will give a …
Posted: October 4, 2010
Kyle Young of Maddam Ink
It all started in fifth grade music class. Everyone had to learn how to play 8th and 16th notes by tapping drumsticks on an old textbook, and if you had the guts to get up in front of the class, you could try yours on a snare drum (which meant …
Posted: September 29, 2010
Narada Michael Walden: Web Exclusive
by Billy Amendola More—way more—with the fusion and pop maestro. In a continuation of our interview with Narada Michael Walden from the November 2010 issue of Modern Drummer, the fusion and pop drumming/producing maestro reflects on his early days, teaching, spirituality, playing in odd time signatures, and coming full circle …
Posted: September 25, 2010
Richie Hayward: Little Feat’s Timeless Drum Hero
Richie Hayward, the drummer in the band Little Feat since their inception in 1969, was born in Clear Lake, Iowa, and was influenced by rock ’n’ roll pioneer Earl Palmer and big-band jazz drummer Sonny Payne. In 1966 he moved to Los Angeles and joined the Fraternity Of Man, whose …
Posted: August 25, 2010
Rick Henry of Havana Rocks
My name’s Rick, and I’m the drummer for Yorkshire hard rock outfit Havana Rocks. I thought it would be cool to share some info about me and the band with all the MD readers. Well, what can I say, I live, eat, and breathe to drum. I started playing at …
Posted: July 28, 2010
Kalle Mathiesen of Kalles World Tour
My name is Kalle Mathiesen, and I’m a Danish drummer. I have a one-man-show called Kalles World Tour. DPRP magazine wrote about my CD/DVD, ”Kalles World Tour comes across as a modern European version of Buddy Rich and Frank Zappa,” so I thought that my music could be of interest …
Posted: July 16, 2010
Dave Tough: Different—And In Demand
The inimitable Dave Tough controlled every band in which he worked with near-perfect timekeeping and his own distinct, buoyant style. Very much influenced by Baby Dodds, his primary concerns were musicality, maintaining an unwavering pulsation, and integrating the ensemble performance. His playing was subtle yet inspired, and though he rarely …
Posted: June 28, 2010
Barrett Deems: The Original Speed Demon
Though Barrett Deems was known as “the world’s fastest drummer”—resulting in his earning premier billing at Chicago’s Randolph Square in the 1940s and accolades from Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich—Deems’ effortless swing, solid time, and propulsive drive were the traits that enabled him to maintain a career over seven decades. …
Posted: June 24, 2010
Roger Earl of Foghat
Photo by Robert Alford Hello, fellow noise-makers! Well, we’ve just finished a new album that’s particularly close to my heart, Last Train Home. We had a couple of extra musos giving us a helping hand on this one. My older brother Colin is playing piano, and we don’t always get …
Posted: June 7, 2010
O’Neil Spencer: Show Drumming’s Shooting Star
Solidly rooted in the Sid Catlett school of drumming was O’Neil Spencer.
Posted: May 12, 2010
Charli Persip Update
Charli Persip was born in Morristown, New Jersey, in 1929, and began playing on the fertile Newark, New Jersey, jazz scene after graduating high school.
Posted: March 29, 2010
Daughters’ Jonathan Syverson
Hello, humans. My name is Jonathan Syverson, and I’ve never actually written any sort of blog. But as anyone who knows me would tell you, I absolutely LOVE talking about myself, and since Modern Drummer was kind enough to come asking, it would be my pleasure to oblige. Back in …
Posted: March 26, 2010
Dennis Chambers: Fiercely Comin’ At You From Multiple Directions
Dennis Chambers was born on May 9, 1959, and started playing the drums at the young age of four. By his sixth birthday he was already playing in nightclubs. Strictly self-taught, at the age of eighteen Dennis went straight from high school to playing with George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, where …
Posted: March 26, 2010
Chad McKinsey of The Suicide Denial
Modern Drummer…here we are at last. You, and me…. My name is Chad McKinsey, and I’m the drummer for the band the Suicide Denial. This makes me go back and think of the very first time I received any sort of percussion instrument, which was a Yamaha DD-50 drum pad …
Posted: March 22, 2010
Eric Singer: Just Being Himself
For eighteen years, Kiss’s drummer has helped his world-famous band stay in our hearts and on the radio by doing what he does best—being himself. In this special online extra from his May 2010 MD cover story, we begin by asking Eric about…The Band’s Younger Fans. In 2004 we did …
Posted: February 23, 2010
Slightly Offbeat: Buddy Rich, Meet Eric Fischer
Buddy Rich devotee Eric Fischer shares the master’s throne in lovingly detailed videos, with Rich solo transcriptions.
Posted: February 22, 2010
Steve Smith: The Ultimate Multi-Dimensional Drummer
Over the past thirty years, Steve Smith has scaled the heights of pop-rock success with Journey, has been widely acknowledged as a true master of the instrument, and has performed with the greatest jazz artists of his generation—including in his own group, Vital Information. Since the age of nine, Smith …
Posted: January 29, 2010
Bobby Rosengarden: The Stylish Rhythm Of TV’s Golden Age
Bobby Rosengarden was a well-traveled and well-recorded drummer whose career spanned the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s and included work with musical giants such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Benny Goodman, and Astrud Gilberto….
Posted: January 21, 2010
Alexis Razon of Vinyl
“To start, it is an honor to write for an outstanding magazine that caters to drummers and percussionists worldwide. MD is a great resource for the drumming community….”
Posted: December 31, 2009
Chick Webb: The First True Drumming Idol
Chick Webb simultaneously defined drumming during the swing era, while also paving the way for the “modern??? jazz movement of the 1940s…
Posted: December 4, 2009
Buddy Rich: The World’s Greatest Drummer
Buddy Rich has been called the greatest jazz drummer of all time—a statement that few would argue with.
Posted: December 3, 2009
Philly Joe Jones: One Of The Greatest Hard Boppers
Philly Joe Jones is one of the greatest of the hard boppers. His contributions to the art of jazz drumming are immeasurable. He was a virtuoso with a pair of brushes, and a genius at turning the rudiments into fluent musical ideas. More than any of his peers, it was …
Posted: November 24, 2009
On Tour And On Stage: 9 Lives (+9, +9 More)
On Tour And On Stage: 9 Lives (+9, +9 More). MD’s editors just can’t keep a list of their favorite albums short–even in service of a can’t-resist pun. Twenty-seven live albums you gotta have.
Posted: October 26, 2009
John Chominsky of Final Gravity
I grew up reading MD cover to cover and couldn’t wait for the next issue to come out, so I’m psyched to tell you what I’ve been up to through this MD portal (okay, blog)….
Posted: October 20, 2009
Drumming On TV
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…
Posted: August 20, 2009
Remembering Jim Chapin
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.
Posted: August 1, 2009
Beyoncé’s Marcie Chapa
Anyone who saw her perform as a young girl knew that it was just a matter of time before Marcie Chapa would carve out a name for herself in the ranks of talented percussionists. Well, that time came several years ago, when the drummer/percussionist won her regional audition for a …
Posted: July 22, 2009
Flynnville Train’s Tommy Bales
I can’t begin to tell you all what an honor it is to have been chosen in the 2009 MD Readers Poll in the Up & Coming category….
Posted: July 17, 2009
Brian Tichy: Speed-Baggin’
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.
Posted: June 10, 2009
Rob Bujak of Nova
I am currently drumming for the band Nova, out of San Francisco. I'm gonna have to admit that I have an obsession with drums; all I do is think about drumming.
Posted: June 1, 2009
T.S.O.L.'s Anthony "Tiny" Biuso
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 …
Posted: June 1, 2009
T.S.O.L.’s Anthony “Tiny” Biuso
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 …
Posted: May 18, 2009
Brian Chase: An Appetite For Adventure
As a Web-only bonus, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs drummer pontificates on listening, sounding how you want to sound, and working with a click….
Posted: May 15, 2009
Petrel's Rebekah Petrel
I’m twenty years old and a singer/songwriter/musician and drummer/keyboard player for Petrel, a rock/pop band my sisters Jessica and Destiny…
Posted: May 15, 2009
Petrel’s Rebekah Petrel
I’m twenty years old and a singer/songwriter/musician and drummer/keyboard player for Petrel, a rock/pop band my sisters Jessica and Destiny…
Posted: April 23, 2009
Steve Smith: Head, Hands, Feet, And “Shoulders???
Hudson Music has recently released Steve Smith’s DVD Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants, which Smith describes as “a detailed look at the drumming of some of the jazz giants who have helped create the vocabulary and concepts of drumming in general.???
Posted: February 26, 2009
Rhythmm Epkins
I am currently the drummer and backup vocalist for The English Beat in America.
Posted: February 19, 2009
Mitch Mitchell: Drummers Weigh In
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….
Posted: January 23, 2009
Ronnie Vannucci: Killer With A Cause
Seeing as he’s from Las Vegas, the home of twenty-four-hour gambling, retina-freezing neon, and spontaneous wedding ceremonies, The Killers’ Ronnie Vannucci has a penchant for doing things–to quote a famous Vegas crooner–his way…
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: December 19, 2008
JD of My Ruin
I’m the drummer for the Los Angeles—based hard rock band known as My Ruin….
Posted: October 8, 2008
Richard Hoak of Total F**king Destruction & Brutal Truth
My name is Richard Hoak, and I’ve been playing drums since 1992. Currently I’m playing with Total F**king Destruction and with Brutal Truth.
Posted: October 8, 2008
Richard Hoak of Total F**king Destruction & Brutal Truth
My name is Richard Hoak, and I’ve been playing drums since 1992. Currently I’m playing with Total F**king Destruction and with Brutal Truth.
Posted: August 20, 2008
Styx’s Todd Sucherman
Modern Drummer interviews Todd Sucherman of Styx. “Anyone who has to honestly play Styx music will realize that there’s more here than meets the eye. I get to play a lot of drums in this band.??? (continue reading)
Posted: August 20, 2008
Billy Bob Thornton: Thinking Inside The Box
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…
Posted: August 13, 2008
Nico Hartikainen of Danger Radio
I've been playing for about twelve years now. I started when I lived in Helsinki, Finland.
Posted: April 27, 2008
John Chipman
I've been incredibly blessed in life. I've been playing drums for nearly thirty years, and like many of you out there, I started out playing at home as a child and was quickly hooked on playing the instrument….
Posted: April 1, 2008
Randy Cooke
By Billy Amendola Photos by Rob Shanahan Randy Cooke was born in Toronto, Canada, and has been playing drums since he was a kid. Influenced by his dad, a snare drummer for The Toronto Scottish Pipe & Drum Band, Randy began learning drums in the military drum corps known as …
Posted: March 22, 2008
Chachi Darin of the A.K.A.s
My name's Chachi Darin, and I play drums for the Philadelphia-based band The A.K.A.s. I just got home from a six-week US tour preceding the March 18 release of our new record, Everybody Make Some Noise….
Posted: March 19, 2008
Han Bennink
Known to solo with anything that will instantly augment his kit, from clogs to a fire alarm, Han Bennink is Holland’s most radical drumming export….
Posted: February 19, 2008
Rich Scannella with John Eddie
First time writing in on the MD blog, but I’m a life long reader: I’ve been getting MD in the mail since the December 1980 Buddy Revisited issue!
Posted: February 5, 2008
Matt North
Last October, I played a gig in New York at Greenwich Village's Mo' Pitkins. Before leaving Los Angeles, I was told the club had a gorgeous Slingerland house drumset—just bring cymbals….
Posted: February 1, 2008
Ira Elliot: Caught in the Web
Nada Surf is one of the smartest, freshest-sounding rock bands of the past ten/fifteen years. And like they say, behind every brilliant band is an equally crafty drummer. Kit man Ira Elliot is as sharp as they get.
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 5, 2007
Dee Pop of The Bush Tetras
As with most people around my age, my heroes were Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa (who both seemed to turn up regularly on variety television shows), Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, Mitch Mitchell…
Posted: November 15, 2007
Jojo Mayer: Revealing the Secret
For years, Jojo Mayer has been regarded as a drumming shaman, a man of mystery, a technical guru existing on the outer reaches of traditional drumming logic….
Posted: October 19, 2007
Max Roach
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….
Posted: September 19, 2007
The Evolution of Jimmy Chamberlin: Still Smashing
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….
Posted: May 18, 2007
Ian Matthews
When Ian Matthews got his first drumkit at age four, he was lucky that his babysitter was also a professional drummer. “He’d teach me a few rudiments and how to read a bit,??? Ian remembers….
Posted: January 25, 2007
Steve Asheim of Deicide
Death metal scene-leaders Deicide have been playing their intense music for seventeen years, first attracting major exposure with their self-titled debut album in 1990….
Posted: September 25, 2006
Joe Morello: Revisiting A Master
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 …
Posted: August 25, 2006
Steve Smith Update
There have been some major changes lately in Steve Smith’s two touring bands….
Posted: May 1, 2006
Prairie Prince: An Interview
Prairie Prince was born on May 7, 1950 in Charlotte, North Carolina and has been a founding member of art-rock band The Tubes since 1969. He was also a major player in getting the band Journey off the ground, and over the years he’s worked with Brian Eno, Jefferson Airplane, …
Posted: July 19, 2005
An Interview with Hal Blaine
Paving the way for some of the great studio musicians of our time, like Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, and John JR Robinson, were Earl Palmer and Hal Blaine. MD recently sat down with the jovial drummer to walk a bit down memory lane.
Posted: July 19, 2005
Steve Jordan Interview
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, …
Posted: July 1, 2005
Steve Gadd: Opens Up
The drumming legend gives his most revealing interview.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Louie Bellson A Lifetime Of Greatness
When one of the greatest drummers of all time turns eighty, celebrations are held all over the country – from coast to coast for months.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Steve Houghton
Many Musicians Institute alumni know Steve Houghton as one of the most passionate and challenging instructors in P.I.T.’s history. But Steve is also an accomplished player, earning performing and recording credits with Woody Herman, Billy Childs, Freddie Hubbard, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Diana Krall, Scott Henderson, Gary Burton, and Arturo Sandoval….
Posted: May 12, 2004
The Artistry of Joe La Barbera
You have to be careful who you show off in front of, as Joe La Barbera learned early in his career. “I was working with a singer named Frankie Randall,” Joe recalls. “He had an offer to open for Buddy Rich in Las Vegas for a month. So I was …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Tommy Perkins: Charting His Past, Present, And Future
For more than fifty years, Tommy Perkins has devoted himself to performing as a full-time working drummer. At age fifteen he made his first recording as a Texas Playboy. That was the 1950 hit single “Faded Love” by Bob Wills.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Ben Perowsky: Beyond Labels
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 …
