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Note: Some MD articles are only available in pdf format. Those articles do not appear in this list. Subscribers to Digital and All-Access can view every Modern Drummer issue in their available formats. Browse all MD issues from our archive here.
August 2021:
Get Into the Groove

To further celebrate the soulful, timekeeping majesty of this month’s cover artist Earl Young, we dove into the Modern Drummer archives to find ten other groove masters talking about how they make the music move. Greg Errico, October 2011 “Sly Stone had great producing chops, and the songs would morph …


June 2021:
Modern Drummer June 2021 Cover
Session Thoughts

From the MD Archives Modern Drummer has assembled tons of wisdom from incredible players throughout its 45 years, so it’s no surprise we have exhaustive data on how drummers approach their art in the recording studio. Here are ten quick session tips we’ve plucked from our archives that may inspire …


January 1986:
The State Of The Art — Omar Hakim
Omar Hakim

  Electric Jazz: 1985 (co-winner) Don’t try putting a label on Omar Hakim. Warner Bros, tried it a couple of years ago: They wanted to promote Hakim as a multi-instrumentalist/singer, but before the album could be made, Omar accepted an offer to become Weather Report’s drummer. Okay, so that gig defined …


January 1986:
The State Of The Art
The State Of The Art

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 …


December 1984:
Omar Hakim — Going For The Feeling
Omar Hakim

WEATHER Report reaches the part in “D Waltz” where they bring it down real low. The drummer is smoothly and effortlessly executing a feather-light roll pattern between the hi-hat and snare, catching all the synth and sax accents with his kick. In the expectant hush, someone in the crowd yells, …


July 2014:
Omar Hakim

It makes perfect sense that he’s among the small group of key musicians Daft Punk called on to take the EDM duo’s already famous grooves to the next phase.


December 2017:
Dave Weckl, Omar Hakim, D'Addario and More!

Dave Weckl Launches Online Drum School | Omar Hakim Named Chair of Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music | D’Addario Foundation Awards Grants to 116 National Music Education Organizations | Plus more!


March 2017:
Great 80s Drum Performances, Part 2: Jazz and Fusion

The ’80s might not be anyone’s first reference point for the golden age of jazz, but a closer examination reveals wonders under the surface. Sure, traditional acoustic jazz was no longer in favor, though some of the established innovators of the ’60s and ’70s were still playing at a high …


February 2011:
February 2011 – Volume 35 • Number 2

Keith Harris, Jimmy Bralower, Omar Hakim, Zach Danziger, Mark Guiliana, Rod Morgenstein, Brendan Buckley, Justin Peroff, Dosh, Marvin “Bugalu” Smith, Tanner Wayne, Bun E. Carlos, David “Fingers” Haynes


June 2008:
June 2008 – Volume 32 • Number 6

Cindy Blackman, Paul Bostaph, Travis Barker, Chris Adler, Trevor Lawrence Jr., David Northrup, Steve Ferrone, Darren King, Billy Drummond, Gabriel Serbian, Wally Ingram, Atom Willard, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Randy Cooke, Omar Hakim, Carl Palmer


August 2000:
August 2000 – Volume 24 • Number 8

Jimmy Chamberlin, Stanton Moore, Rod Morgenstein, Mike Portnoy, Bashiri Johnson, Brian Blade, Trilok Gurtu, Joey Jordison, John “Bermuda” Schwartz, Devon Glenn, Aled Richards, Ted Kirkpatrick, Zac Hanson, Mike Portnoy, Danny Carey, Dave Weckl, Omar Hakim


May 2000:
May 2000 – Volume 24 • Number 5

Omar Hakim, Shawn Pelton, Evelyn Glennie, Rich Watson, Mike Sipple, Todd Nance, Domingo Ortiz, Wilson Laurencin, Sam Bryant, Aaron Comess, Chris Parker, Bill Bruford, Max Roach, Bobby Rondinelli, Michael Lauren, Lome Entress, Chet Doboe, Mike De Simone, Hal Howland, Robin Tolleson


January 2000:
January 2000 – Volume 24 • Number 1

Dennis Chambers, Tony Royster Jr., Matthew Cross, Jaki Liebezeit, Johnny Kelly, Chad Taylor, Martina Axen, Gregg Bissonette, Omar Hakim, Alan White, Shelly Manne, Peter Erskine, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Chick Webb, Steve Gadd, Ringo Starr, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, John Bonham


October 1996:
October 1996 – Volume 20 • Number 10

Carter Beauford, Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Elvin Jones, Omar Hakim, Tim Alexander, Trilok Gurtu, Dave Lombardo, Sheila E., Peter Michael Escovedo, Walfredo Reyes, Jr., Narada Michael Walden, Jonny Cragg, Eric Kamau Gravatt, Levon Helm, Ciarlante, Yuval Gabay, Billy Mintz, Chet McCracken, Eddie Bayers, Max Weinberg, Simon Phillips


July 1989:
July 1989 – Volume 13 • Number 7

  In this Issue: Omar Hakim, Rob Hirst, Michael Blair


January 1986:
January 1986 – Volume 10 • Number 1

Louie Bellson, Alan Dawson, Sly Dunbar, Steve Gadd, David Garibaldi, Danny Gottlieb, Omar Hakim, Larrie Londin, Neil Peart, Buddy Rich, Andy Newmark, Jimmy Bralower, Jules Moss, Bill Bruford, Gil Moore, Carl Palmer, John Bonham, Karen Carpenter, Nick Ceroli, Papa Jo Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Knapp, Shelly Manne, Kenny Clare, …


August 1985:
August 1985 – Volume 9 • Number 8

Larry Mullen Jr., George Grantham, Frankie Dunlop, Chris Steffler, Roy Hanes, Herman Rarebell, Chuck Riggs, Bill Bruford, Omar Hakim, Nick Mason, Terry Bozzio


December 1984:
December 1984 – Volume 8 • Number 12

Terry Bozzio, Omar Hakim, Ian Paice, Buddy Rich, Tristan Fry, Rick Allen, Steve Smith, Gina Schock, Bobby Blotzer


April 1984:
April 1984 – Volume 8 • Number 4

Neil Peart, Ralph Cooper, Jon Hiseman, John Steel, Michael Carabello, Dave Weckl, Mark Herndon, Butch Miles, Myron Grombacher, Omar Hakim



Posted: September 28, 2022

Category: News
Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert

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


Posted: August 12, 2020

Website News
Category: News
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: April 25, 2019

Bernard Fowler
Category: On the Beat
Bernard Fowler of the Rolling Stones

Talking About New Album, Percussionists/Drummers, and Gear Hello everyone in Modern Drummer land! Inside Out is the name of my new LP and it’s a reinterpretation of songs written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger for the Rolling Stones. As I was finishing up my last LP, The Bura, I …


Posted: October 24, 2017

Chris Ralles
Category: Drummers, On the Beat
On The Beat with Chris Ralles of Pat Benatar: An Invaluable Education

Greetings MD, my name is Chris Ralles and I am a drummer in the Los Angeles, CA area. Rather than bore you with a superfluous list of credentials, I thought it more pertinent to highlight the often-considered, not-so-glamorous experiences and lessons that helped make me the ever-grateful, working musician that …


Posted: August 21, 2017

Omar Hakim
Category: News, News and Events
Omar Hakim Named Chair of Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music

Omar Hakim, a master drummer who played on countless hits, from David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” has been named the new Chair of the Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music.


Posted: November 15, 2016

Rob Mitzner
Category: Drummers, On the Beat
On the Beat with Rob Mitzner: Talks Jann Klose, Action Moves People United

Hello, Modern Drummer readers. I’ve had a lot of incredible musical experiences since I last wrote you two years ago, including recording drums and Irish percussion for the Broadway show “Outside Mullingar”, and fulfilling my lifelong dream of performing at Lincoln Center in New York City.


Posted: November 15, 2016

Category: Drummers, On the Beat
On the Beat with Rob Mitzner: Talks Jann Klose, Action Moves People United

Hello, Modern Drummer readers. I’ve had a lot of incredible musical experiences since I last wrote you two years ago, including recording drums and Irish percussion for the Broadway show “Outside Mullingar”, and fulfilling my lifelong dream of performing at Lincoln Center in New York City.


Posted: September 30, 2016

Category: Clinics and Events, News, News and Events
Roland Showcase Makes a Big Splash in the Big Apple

Roland US hosted an East Coast VIP Showcase on September 21 to highlight the many products that were unveiled at its twenty-four hour global online music festival “The Future. Redefined.”


Posted: February 26, 2016

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories
Narada Michael Walden: Drummer, Singer, Songwriter, Educator, and Producer to the Stars

In this exclusive online article, he discusses working with a couple of his famous former drum students and comments on the individual tracks from Evolution.


Posted: January 11, 2016

Category: A Different View, Feature Stories, News, News and Events
David Bowie: A Different View

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, …


Posted: November 2, 2015

Category: Feature Stories
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: June 24, 2015

Category: News, News and Events
News: Journey, With Omar Hakim Coming in at the Eleventh Hour on Drums, Breaks Record at the Hollywood Bowl

The iconic concert venue the Hollywood Bowl launched its ninety-fourth season this past June 20 with an opening-night concert featuring classic-rock band Journey….


Posted: March 23, 2015

Category: News, News and Events
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: July 8, 2014

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories, Multimedia, Videos
Anup Sastry Videos:
“Ephemeral??? and “The Escape??? by Intervals

Intervals drummer Anup Sastry, who we profile in the July 2014 of Modern Drummer magazine—get it here—was kind enough to share two exclusive play-along tracks with us….


Posted: June 23, 2014

Category: Drummers, Multimedia, Videos
Omar Hakim Video:
Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky???

Omar Hakim and John “JR??? Robinson were the two drummers who played on Grammy-winning EDM duo Daft Punk’s album Random Access Memories. Here Omar gives us the inside scoop and a rare up-close demonstration of the groove to the album’s big hit song “Get Lucky.??? Note how Omar approaches the …


Posted: June 23, 2014

Category: Drummers, Multimedia, Videos
Omar Hakim Video:
“Molasses Run???

Omar Hakim’s composition “Molasses Run??? first appeared on record when he joined the legendary fusion band Weather Report for its 1983 album, Procession. Thirty years later, he revisited the song for his new solo album, We Are One. Here Omar plays it at speed, and then slows it down so …


Posted: June 20, 2014

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories, Multimedia, News and Events, Videos
Omar Hakim Video
“Walk the Walk??? Drum Part Demonstration

Watch Omar Hakim demonstrate his drum part for the song Walk the Walk??? from his new solo album, We Are One in the video….


Posted: June 12, 2014

Category: Drummers, News, News and Events
Steve Smith and Zakir Hussain Path of Rhythm Drum Camp

Steve Smith and Zakir Hussain are inviting drummers of all kinds to take part in a unique drum camp experience….


Posted: June 11, 2014

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories, Multimedia, Videos
Omar Hakim Video
Fluid Time, Groove, and Listener Anticipation

The MD offices happen to be a hop, skip, and jump from Hakim’s northern New Jersey home studio, so one afternoon we took full advantage and stopped by, with cameras and questions in tow. In this exclusive clip (one of several we’ve got for you—watch this space), Omar, whose drumming …


Posted: May 30, 2014

Category: Feature Stories, Multimedia, Spotify Playlists
July 2014 Spotify Playlist

Want to hear music from the artists featured in the July 2014 issue of Modern Drummer? We’ve got you covered. Our July 2014 Spotify Playlist includes some fantastic tracks, including several cool covers….


Posted: May 28, 2014

Category: Drummers, Issues, News, News and Events
July 2014 Issue of Modern Drummer Featuring Omar Hakim

See what’s in the July 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Omar Hakim…


Posted: May 28, 2014

Category: Feature Stories, Multimedia, Product Close-Up
Product Close-Up: Grover Pro Custom Snare Drums (From the July 2014 Issue)

Check out Grover’s new custom snare drums, which are reviewed in the July 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.


Posted: November 25, 2013

Category: Drummers, On the Beat
Rosie Slater of New Myths

I started playing the drums when I was nine years old and have been playing with 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love, New Myths, Supercute!, Lesley Gore, and others….


Posted: November 12, 2013

Category: News, News and Events
WINNERS: Blend.io + The Loop Loft Contest

Over the past month, members of the Modern Drummer and Blend.io communities were able to showcase their musical talents in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the Loop Loft and Blend.io….


Posted: September 4, 2013

Category: Drummers, News, News and Events
Midas Fate’s Drummer to Perform on London Drum Show

Aquiles Priester, who recently was announced as Midas Fate’s drummer, will be performing at London Drum Show on October 13….


Posted: August 12, 2013

Category: Clinics and Events, News, News and Events
Montreal Drum Fest October 26-27, 2013

Line Up for Montreal Drum Festival Announced


Posted: December 19, 2012

Category: Drummers, On the Beat
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 29, 2012

Category: News, News and Events
Pearl Launches Project 108

Pearl is asking drummers and percussionists from around the world to send in videos of themselves playing 4 bars at 108 beats per minute.


Posted: December 19, 2011

Category: News, News and Events
Dec Web Update News

Drumming news from around the web for December 2011.


Posted: December 22, 2010

Gorden Campbell Modern Drummer Drummer Blog
Category: Drummers, On the Beat
Gorden Campbell

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 …


Posted: September 29, 2010

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories
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: February 3, 2009

Category: Drummers, On the Beat
Roger Taylor of Duran Duran Drummer Blog

Roger Taylor here (no, not the one from Queen, the other one!). Duran Duran recently completed filming a documentary about the making of the Rio album….


Posted: July 20, 2005

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories
Tony Thompson

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.


Posted: May 19, 2005

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories, Update
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

Category: Drummers, Feature Stories
Adam Deitch with John Scofield

“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 …



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