Jeff Porcaro
As we honor Charlie Watts in this special tribute issue, we wanted to take a look back at how some other drummers accomplished what Watts did so brilliantly—which was create parts and arrangements that enhanced the song. A lot of drummers have discussed composition, production, and collaboration—as well as creating …
It’s About Time Initially, we were scheduling a short review of long-time MD contributor Robyn Flans’ book on Jeff Porcaro, It’s About Time: Jeff Porcaro, The Man and His Music. Then, we thought about it for a second. This is Jeff Porcaro! Any excuse to jog your memory, reflect, or …
In It’s About Time: Jeff Porcaro, The Man and His Music, author Robyn Flans relates the story that the title track to Steely Dan’s Gaucho album was nearly cut when the musicians couldn’t get a good take, causing Donald Fagen and Walter Becker to leave the studio. Jeff Porcaro and …
“Metropolis—Part I” by Dream Theater [Mike Portnoy].@ptrlcc “Chemical Warfare” by Slayer [Dave Lombardo].@nickkcuevas “Hemispheres” by Rush [Neil Peart]. The first section is so tough on the hi-hat.@mconrad332 “Around the World” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers [Chad Smith].@_rywill22 “Just like Heaven” by the Cure [Boris Williams].Eric Heumann “Rosas del Amor” …
My favorites are “Lido Shuffle” from Boz Skaggs’ Silk Degrees and “These Chains” from Toto’s The Seventh One. “Lido” is so fluid and energetic. “These Chains” is silky, smooth, and just feels beautiful. Porcaro always had a million bucks in every groove. It was so moving. He’s missed but never …
Back in 1977, after doing sessions in L.A. for a number of top acts and appearing on many hit records together, keyboardist David Paich and drummer Jeff Porcaro decided to write, record, and tour for themselves.
Some people think of Jimmy Bralower as the enemy. Why? Because the man makes his living programming drum machines for records. This is the guy who’s putting drummers out of work. Or is he? Jeff Porcaro once remarked that he looked forward to the day when, instead of hauling a …
At only 28, Mark Sanders is a veteran. Mark has toured with major acts and free-lanced in the L.A. megalopolis, recorded critically acclaimed albums, and done demo and jingle work.
For a long time, a shroud of mystery covered the fact that our favorite groups on vinyl were not always the same individuals we saw in concert. Certainly the records never revealed anything to the contrary. But as the facts began to unravel, a new hero emerged: the studio drummer.
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?
Whether listening to Jeff Porcaro on vinyl or watching him in the studio or on a live gig, a multitude of adjectives come to mind. First and foremost is finesse: an artful delicacy of performance, a tastefulness and subtlety.
Some well-known drummers, who have never taken lessons, play very well. Other well-known drummers, who have studied for years, also play very well. Drummers who have not studied sometimes tend to be critical of those who have. The following defensive statements were taken from interviews of well-known drummers who have …
August 5, 2012, was the twentieth anniversary of revered studio and stage drummer Jeff Porcaro’s untimely passing. Here Jeff’s bass-playing brother, Mike, reflects on the duo’s tight musical bond in the hugely successful band Toto.
Surprisingly enough, much of the drumming heard in today’s commercial media is aptly executed by a distinguished pair of performers, both of the same family, but of two different generations.
The era known as the ’80s, roughly the period between the dawn of punk and rap in the late ’70s and the rise of indie rock and hair metal in the middle of the next decade, was a time of great change in pop culture.
While simple in concept, the shuffle, which features prominently in early jazz, blues, Motown, soul, funk, rock ’n’ roll, and hip-hop, among other styles, can be difficult to execute even for skilled drummers. In this article we’ll cover the essential shuffle variations by examining some of the most influential tracks …
Josh Freese, Jeff Porcaro, James Gadson, Vinny Appice, Morgan Rose, Vicki Randle, Ryland Steen, Artimus Pyle, Stephen Flinn, Steve Smith, Abe Laboriel Jr., David Garibaldi
Mike Malinin, Jeff Porcaro, Matt Wilson, Antonio Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto, Vera Figueiredo, Geoff Dugmore, Marky Ramone, Sammy J. Watson, Scott Neumann, Tom Ardolino, Phil Beale, Ken Coomer, Ryan Vikedal, Dean Butterworth, John Riley, Antonio Sanchez
Tré Cool, Wuv, Nicko McBrain, Dave Krusen, Phil Ehart, Trey Gray, Steve Gadd, Joe Morello, Rod Morgenstein, Peter Erskine, Neil Peart, Mel Lewis, Roy Burns, Mark Parsons, Rick Van Horn, Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, John Bonham, Tito Puente, Alan Dawson, Gary Chester, Eric Carr, Larrie Londin, Art Blakey, Philly Joe …
Ricky Lawson, Jim Black, Susie Ibarra, Jeff Porcaro, Abe Cunningham,, Robert Wyatt, Matt Abts, Randy Castillo, Andy Stochansky, Chad Wackerman, Jeff Hirshfield, Don Famularo, Aaron Comess,
Chad Sexton, Don Lombardi, Herb Brochstein, Roy Burns, Vic Firth, Ron Spagnardi, Virgil Donati, John Tempesta, Charlie Benante, Steve Gadd, Giovanni Hidalgo, Bill Stewart, Tony Royster Jr. , Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Paul Wertico, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Ferrone, Papa Jo Jones, Chad Smith, Mario Calire, Jeff Porcaro, Jason Bonham, Bun …
In this Issue: Jeff Porcaro, Nicko McBrain, Ed Blackwell, Rashied Ali, Andrew Cyrille, Milford Graves
In this Issue: Trilok Gurtu, Nick Menza, Jim Hodder, Bernard Purdie, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Hal Blaine, Jim Keltner, Jim Gordon, Rick Marotta, Paul Humphrey, Ed Greene
In this Issue: Vinnie Colaiuta, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, Mike Baird, Denny Fongheiser, Steve Schaeffer, Bobby Elliott
In this Issue: Jeff Porcaro, Rayford Griffin, Rikki Rockett
Jeff Porcaro, Clem Burke, Billy Higgins, Larry Blackmon, Phil Ehart, Rod Morgenstein, Russ Kunkel, Neil Peart
Ed Shaughnessy, John Guerin, Russ Kunkel, Joe Porcaro, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd
Posted: August 12, 2020
Upcoming Dire Straits Box Highlights Pick Withers, Omar Hakim, Jeff Porcaro, and Manu Katché
On October 9, Rhino Records will release box sets of all six of Dire Straits’ studio albums. The band’s first four albums, including the self-titled debut LP and its classic track “Sultans of Swing,” featured drummer Pick Withers; 1985’s Brothers in Arms, with the mega-hit “Money for Nothing,” featured Omar …
Posted: July 8, 2020
Remembering Joe Porcaro (November 1994 Feature)
With the passing of studio great Joe Porcaro, we’ve gone back into the vault for his November 1994 Modern Drummer feature, in which we learned about his path to the top of the L.A. studio scene, and got an inside view of what it was like during the heyday of …
Posted: May 30, 2019
John Lum of the Allman Betts Band
My background is heavily steeped in jazz and rudimental drumming, but I grew up listening and jamming to lots of heavy metal and classic rock and roll.
Posted: March 26, 2019
Chuck Tilley of Sixwire
I’m a great example of “be careful what you wish for.” After spending the last seven years drumming for the iconic country band Alabama playing more than three hundred and fifty shows, it was time to focus on my own band Sixwire.
Posted: February 26, 2019
Ian Casselman of Marianas Trench in On The Beat
I am Ian Casselman with the band Marianas Trench. We’re a harmony-oriented band and our fifth studio album, Phantoms, will be out March 1st.
Posted: May 17, 2018
On The Beat with Dan Needham of Michael McDonald: Talks Making Yourself Valuable
Hello fellow MD drummers! We recently returned from an amazing two-month American/European tour with the great Michael McDonald and I’m excited to be home with my family again.
Posted: February 8, 2018
On The Beat with Steve Murphy of the Hit Men: Talks Projects and Tours
Hey MD peeps! This is a great honor for me to be able to tell some of my story. Like most of you, I first subscribed to MD at an early age (back in the mid-’80s, yikes!) when I was busy trying to be what I eventually became―a pro drummer.
Posted: August 24, 2017
On the Beat with Lee Falco of Donald Fagen and the Nightflyers: Landing the Gig of a Lifetime
Hello! On July 31, we played our first show as Donald Fagen and the Nightflyers, kicking off a two-month tour (twenty-eight shows) around the US and Japan. It was a monumental night for my bandmates and me as we had spent the last eight months preparing and a lifetime dreaming …
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: February 8, 2017
Legendary Bassist Nathan East on His New Album Reverence
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 …
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: November 2, 2015
Dom Famularo’s Teachers List
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, …
Posted: August 21, 2015
On the Beat With Wayne Proctor of King King: Touring and Recording
Hey MD readers, it’s great to be back. It’s been a few years since my last update with Modern Drummer and a lot has been happening. Right now I’m getting a break before the madness starts again, and I find myself back in planes, trains, and automobiles across mainland Europe …
Posted: April 22, 2015
Drummer Blog: Salvador Placencia and Garrett Ray of Fool’s Gold
Greetings drummers of the modern age! We are Salvador Placencia and Garrett Ray, percussionist and drummer for the band Fool’s Gold from Los Angeles. We thought it would be fun to interview each other to give you a little insight on who we are and what we’ve been up to …
Posted: February 4, 2015
Modern Drummer Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Other Styles
We asked the members of the Modern Drummer Education Team if they felt that it’s important for all drummers to study Latin music and other musical genres, even if they don’t intend to ever perform those styles. Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: August 4, 2014
Jeff Porcaro to be Remembered With a Special Performance by his Father, Joe Porcaro
Tuesday, August 5, will mark twenty-two years since the passing of legendary drummer Jeff Porcaro….
Posted: July 1, 2014
VIDEO! Keith Urban’s Chris McHugh Interview (Parts 1 & 2)
In part 1 of this video interview Modern Drummer goes behind the scenes of Keith Urban’s “Light The Fuse” tour 2014 with powerhouse drummer Chris McHugh. Chris talks about his first drumkit, recording in the session scene, Jeff Porcaro, and a few of his drum heroes. Drum tech Harry McCarthy …
Posted: March 7, 2014
Beau Kuther of Smallpools
Good day, fellow Modern Drummer fanatics. Most of you don’t know who I am, but if you skim your way through this brief and painless memoir of my drumming existence, you’ll probably end up knowing more about me than you bargained for….
Posted: November 18, 2013
Ryan Ricks of the Little River Band
The road I took to get here was definitely curvy. Out of college, I toured with Lacy J. Dalton, and after that I worked extensively with local guys in Nashville, playing clubs, colleges, and even some cruise ship tours….
Posted: October 30, 2013
Matt Starr
As of late, I’ve been in the studio with Ace Frehley (Kiss). As for the in-between-time, I toured Europe with Steamroller, which is a band with Doug Aldrich and Michael Devin of Whitesnake….
Posted: September 18, 2013
Nashville Drummers Jam 3: Tribute to Jeff Porcaro
The Nashville Drummers Jam, along with promotional partner, Tom Hurst Presents Loud Jamz, and venue partner, Douglas Corner Café, involves bringing top Nashville drummers together to perform their favorite songs from a selected theme while raising money for worthy causes. The Nashville Drummers Jam 3, which took place on September …
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: March 12, 2013
Rock Perspectives: Half-Time Shuffle
Click here to check out a video demonstrating many of the half-time shuffle grooves transcribed in the Rock Perspectives column in the April 2013 issue.
Posted: April 25, 2012
New Gear For 2012! Highlights From Winter NAMM (N–R)
Here are some of the coolest new products coming down the pipeline for 2012, all of which were on display at the annual Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, this past January (Part 3).
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: 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: November 3, 2011
Chris Gartmann of 3
Hey, everyone! This is Chris “Gartdrumm??? Gartmann from the band 3. I’m very excited to be blogging to you from the MD home page and also very much pumped about our new record, The Ghost You Gave to Me. Simply put, it’s our best yet!
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 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: 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: August 11, 2010
Bell Gardens’ Charlie Woodburn
Hello, Modern Drummer readers! I’m Charlie Woodburn, and I am a session drummer in Los Angeles, California. First, I would like to say thank you to Modern Drummer for letting me add to the blog because I have been reading the magazine since I was fifteen years old. MD has …
Posted: June 3, 2010
Simon Phillips: The Drummer As Perfectionist
Phillips’ rise in status from solid sideman to world-class player was largely based on his astonishing ability to play advanced ride patterns with either hand. Simon’s technique ushered in a new era of drumming, where the technical abilities of drummers were now evolving at the same rate as their musical …
Posted: April 7, 2010
Bigger Lights’s Ryan Seaman
I started playing drums at the age of eight, when my father introduced me to the Beatles.
Posted: April 7, 2010
Bigger Lights's Ryan Seaman
I started playing drums at the age of eight, when my father introduced me to the Beatles.
Posted: March 31, 2010
The Greats: Jeff Porcaro
World-renowned for his enormous list of sessions, Jeff Porcaro is also remembered as a co-founder of Toto.
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 9, 2009
Street Drum Corps’ Frank Zummo
I’m sitting at Tommy Lee’s Atrium Studio in Calabasas, CA, where Street Drum Corps is doing preproduction for our Interscope Records debut double album, due out in early 2010.
Posted: August 9, 2009
Street Drum Corps' Frank Zummo
I’m sitting at Tommy Lee’s Atrium Studio in Calabasas, CA, where Street Drum Corps is doing preproduction for our Interscope Records debut double album, due out in early 2010.
Posted: July 7, 2009
Fall of Envy’s Brandt Frenchman
I am Brandt Frenchman, and I’ve been a drummer for most of my life. I love all types and styles of music, although I’ve always gravitated toward the heavier rock side of things.
Posted: April 9, 2009
Papa Roach’s Tony Palermo
Tony gives Modern Drummer associate editor Billy Amendola a drum-centric, song-by-song breakdown of Papa Roach’s new album, Metamorphosis.
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: November 1, 2008
Web Exclusive Interview: Jon Wysocki of Staind
Jon Wysocki has been laying down his tasteful, well thought–out grooves with the chart-topping band Staind for thirteen years. The group, which hails from Springfield, Massachusetts, also includes lead singer/guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, and bassist/vocalist Johnny April. They’ve recorded six studio albums and four number-one singles, and …
Posted: September 12, 2008
Pete Thompson
I've most recently been on tour with Robin Trower, with whom I've recorded a live double CD,.
Posted: August 18, 2008
Anthony Zimmitti of The 88
My name is Anthony Zimmitti and I am the drummer in The 88. I was born and raised in Van Nuys, California. Drums have been a part of my life from the time I was about two years old….
Posted: May 13, 2008
Wayne Proctor
Hi to all you Modern Drummer cyberspace visitors. My name is Wayne Proctor and I am from the U.K….
Posted: May 6, 2008
Matt R. Johnson of The Mighty Orq
Hey, everyone, this is Matt R. Johnson. I play drums and sing in a band from Houston called The Mighty Orq….
Posted: October 1, 2007
The Return of Double Drumming’s Greatest Hits
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!
Posted: February 1, 2007
Curt Bisquera
Curt Bisquera has been a first-call studio drummer since 1991, appearing on recordings or playing gigs with Mick Jagger, Tom Petty, Celine Dion, Morris Day, Ronan Keating, The Dixie Chicks, Seal, Bonnie Raitt, The Spice Girls, Boz Scaggs, Johnny Cash, Dave Koz, Ricky Martin, and Elton John. Here Curt talks …
Posted: December 15, 2006
Gavin Harrison: Porcupine Tree’s Grand Illusionist
Mind-twisting rhythms meet super-fat grooves? Gavin Harrison is a rare artist who knows how to do both…
Posted: October 19, 2005
Mickey Curry
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 …
Posted: July 19, 2005
David Northrup
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…
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
Kevin Franks of Silvertide
Drummer Kevin Frank, singer Walt Lafty, bassist Brian Weaver, and guitarists Nick Perri and Mark Melchiorre of Silvertide created quite a buzz in their hometown of Philadelphia. In fact, the band was so hot, it led to an all-out label bidding war that veteran music mogul Clive Davis won. That’s …
Posted: May 19, 2005
Billy Ashbaugh
‘N Sync, a pop band backed by live musicians, have gained a reputation of spectacle and not-to-be-missed precision. MD Online recently caught up with rising drum star Billy Ashbaugh, the man who keeps it all together….
Posted: May 12, 2004
Troy Luccketta
It’s not unusual for bands that enjoyed success during the glory days of glam-metal to still tour today. What is rare is finding any of these groups producing new albums that don’t sound hopelessly dated….
Posted: May 12, 2004
Jeff Porcaro: A Tribute
Ten years after his passing, the drumming and music community still feels the loss of the studio giant.
Posted: November 17, 2022
John DeChristopher Live From My Drum Room With Jim Keltner
John’s guest is the legendary and incomparable, Jim Keltner! John and Jim discuss Jim’s incredible and prolific career starting with his first recording, Gary Lewis and the Playboys’ “Just My Style.” Continuing with his work with Bob Dylan, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Gary Wright, …
Posted: August 11, 2022
Episode 83: Remembering Jeff Porcaro
In this episode, John remembers the great Jeff Porcaro whom we lost August 5, 1992. Joining John is a legendary group of Jeff’s friends and contemporaries and a literal “who’s who” of the drumming community, including Jim Keltner, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Robinson, Rick Marotta, Stan Lynch, Gregg Bissonette, Gary Mallaber, …
Posted: August 19, 2021
This week on the Modern Drummer Podcast, Nashville studio drummer, engineer, and producer Shannon Forrest joins Billy Amendola to talk about his years touring with Toto, his early days with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and his road says with the Dukes of September in 2012. (Featuring Boz Scaggs, Donald …
Posted: October 25, 2019
MD Podcast Episode 215: Jeff Porcaro, Choosing a Ride Cymbal, Alesis Strike MultiPad, and More
Mike and Mike discuss what they personally look for in a ride cymbal, and they share input from a special guest. The featured artist this week is legendary pop/rock drummer Jeff Porcaro. Up for review is the Alesis Strike Multipad. After fielding a few listener questions, the show concludes with …
