
Phil Collins

Excerpted from the March/April 1979 issue Phil Collins’ muscular arms are flowing as his hands snap out the illusive 6/8 beat. The music swells around and through him while his piercing eyes look inward, directing his movements. Collins is an impressive player, obviously committed to his craft. Collins has been …

Bruce Rowland racked up numerous recording and touring credits through his extensive work in the pop, folk, blues-rock, and rock worlds.

RECORDINGS Taking the Reins Phil Collins Serious Hits… Live! A Hot Night In Paris Plays Well With Others A look back at Phil Collins’ masterful work onstage, as well as studio collaborations with famous friends. Phil Collins continues his reissue campaign with a pair of live albums now freshly remastered. …

Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. Eric Clapton. Lionel Richie. Phil Collins. Steely Dan. What do these artists all have in common?

You’ve seen the ad: an enormous double-bass outfit with eight deep-shell tom-toms, and behind the mighty set, the affable, but powerful, Chester Thompson.

The Genesis guitarist, who helped shape some of the most enduring music to come out of England in the ’70s, continues the unique and painstaking re-creation of his rich body of work.

The ’70s were a drummers smorgasbord.

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.

Josh Freese, Phil Collins, Philly Joe Jones, Brian Tichy, Floyd Sneed, John Von Ohlen, Lenny White, Danny Seraphine, Robert Sweet, Kevin Crabb, Troy Zeigler, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Marco Giovino

Mike Portnoy, Bill Bruford, Chris Pennie, Nick D’Virgilio, Phil Collins, Dan Weiss, Gavin Harrison, Virgil Donati, Mark Zonder, Ian Mosley, Dave King, Pat Mastelotto, Aynsley Dunbar, Joey Jordison, Dom Famularo, Scott Rockenfield

Brad Wilk, Joe Morello, Atom Willard, Gene Hoglan, Tony Williams, Bun E. Carlos, Frank Katz, Michael Bland, Keith Carlock, Mark O’Connell, LaFrae Sci, Flo Mounier, Shawn Pelton, Phil Collins, Danny Carey, Nicko McBrain, Alan White, Peter Erskine

Vinne Paul, Terence Higgins, Chris Cester, Bill Stevenson, John Riley, Mike Portnoy, Keith Carlock, Mike Lowry, Greg Saunier, Debbi Peterson, Shadow Wilson, John Guerin, Phil Collins, Gary Husband, Sam Loeffler, Gregg Bissonette

Josh Freese, Ben Perowsky, Marcus Baylor, Dave Grohl, Phil Collins, John Mahon, Jim Keltner, H. Benjamin Schuman, Rickey Shelton, Philly Joe Jones, Fab Moretti, Jimmy DeGrasso, Ralph Hardimon, Mark Schulman

Zach Lind, Thomas Lang, Mickey Roker, Gary Chester, Steven Gillis, Mark Zonder, Jake Fowler, Ray Rizzo, Joe Lizama, Danny Frankel, Ray Herrera, Toomas Paiste, Richard “Pistol” Allen, Danny Craig, Larry Mullen Jr., Richie Hayward, Phil Collins

Neil Peart, Valerie Dee Naranjo, Eric Harland, Phil Collins, Levon Helm, Tommy Lee, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Atom Willard, Gina Schock, Chuck E. Weiss, Skeebo Knight, Max Roach, Terry Bozzio, Mike Mangini, John “JR” Robinson

Joey Jordison, Stan Frazier, Kenny Wollesen, Brian Reitzell, Teddy Capmbell, Ryan Pope, Julio Barreto, Jason Mackenroth, Travis Demsey, Joe Travers, Doane Perry, Cubby O’Brien, Adrian Young, Chad Sexton, Andy Newmark, Cliff Almond, Phil Collins

Adrian Young, Chad Sexton, Billy Cobham, Chet Doboe, Donny Brown, Phil Collins, Marc Quinones, Mike Portnoy, Travis Barker, J.D. Blair, TS Monk, Kenny Wolleson, Will Calhoun, Rod Morgenstein, Virgil Donati, John Tempesta, Narada Michael Walden

Chad Smith, Mike Mangini, Sammy Figueroa, Peter Erskine, Tyler Stewart, David Lauser, Linda Pitmon, Craig Randolph, Willie Green, Mike Portnoy, Phil Collins, Matt Chamberlain, Roger Odell, Russ McKinnon, Chet Doboe, T. Bruce Wittet, Rick Van Horn, Frederick Bay, Daniel Glass, Ron Hefner, Matt Peiken

Dave Weckl, Walfredo Reyes Sr., Joe Chambers, Greg Eklund, Michael Giles, Michael Faue, Kevin Winard, Kalani, Sonny Emory, Abe Juckes, Ian Mosley, Bobby Borg, Phil Collins, Danny Carey

Phil Collins, John Freese, George Pendergast, Jeff Potter, Alex Gonzalez, Mat Walker, Roy “Future Man” Wooten, Alphonse Mouzon, Dane Clark, Dave Abbruzzese, Simon Phillips, Joe Morello

J.R. Robinson, Lars Ulrich, Ricky Lawson, Phil Collins, Joe Porcaro, Ralph Humphrey, Steve Houghton, Casey Scheuerell, Steve Schaeffer, J.M. Van Eaton, Terry Bozzio, Chad Wackerman, Neil Peart

Vinnie Colaiuta, Stan Levey, Neil Peart, Buddy Rich, Eliot Zigmund, John F. Williams, Steve Smith, Phil Collins

Bernard Purdie, Bobby Chouinard, Ed Soph, Gary Chester, Nick Ceroli, Ron Krasinski, Henry Adler, Simon Phillips, Phil Collins, David Garibaldi

Rod Morgenstein, Kenny Malone, Tommy Campbell, Adam Woods, Phil Collins, Johnny Blowers, Ed Shaughnessy, Vinnie Colaiuta, Kelly Keagy

Alan White, Nick Mason, Shelley Manne, Ollie Brown, Jimmy Bralower, Ed McClary, Frankie Banali, Carl Palmer, Rod Morgenstein, Eric Carr, Phil Collins

Phil Collins, Ndugu Chancler, Joe LaBarbera, Rick Allen, Sandy Nelson, Roger Hawkins, Bill Bruford, Les DeMerle, Neil Peart

Danny Seraphine, Barriemore Barlow, Michael Carvin, Charley Perry, Bob Moses, Clem Burke, Carmine Appice, Phil Collins, Chico Hamilton

Phil Collins, Joe Morello, Alphonse Mouzon, David Garibaldi, Butch Miles, Lenny DiMuzio, Milk Balter
Posted: October 13, 2022

Drumming’s Biggest Names To Play LIVE Tribute to Their Big Band Heroes
Seven All-Star Drummers Including Peter Erskine, Dennis Chambers, Russ Miller and Steve Smith will Perform October 20 and 21 HITKOR (www.hitkor.com) today announced its first-ever charity event which will take place over two days in mid-October. “A Salute to the Big Band Greats” will feature performances from all-star drummers Peter …
Posted: March 27, 2022

Tribute to Taylor Hawkins
On March 25, drummers and music fans around the world were devastated to learn that drummer Taylor Hawkins had died. Hawkins was a good friend of Modern Drummer, and we join in the sorrow of losing such a wonderful person and amazing musician at such a young age. In 1997 …
Posted: April 19, 2021

PROMARK DRUMSTICKS PARTNERS WITH CARTER MCLEAN TO LAUNCH SIGNATURE STICK
ProMark Drumsticks is thrilled to announce the launch of the Carter McLean Signature Stick, joining the elite ranks of Phil Collins, Neil Peart (Rush), and more. This signature stick, specifically designed with Carter, has a custom tip shape and is one of the most unique yet versatile sticks in the ProMark portfolio. Carter McLean is …
Posted: October 26, 2020

Pioneering Drummer Viola Smith Passes
Drummer Viola Smith, one of the first female drummers of note, has passed away. She was an astounding 107 years old. Modern Drummer profiled Smith in the April 2003 issue; we’re sharing that piece in honor of her remarkable career. It’s well known that during the Second World War, when …
Posted: July 20, 2020

Drummers on Record: Current and Upcoming Releases of Note
The Killers Imploding the Mirage (Ronnie Vannucci) The Killers’ forthcoming album, Imploding the Mirage, is due to be released August 21 on Island Records, and will once again feature longtime drummer Ronnie Vannucci The Killers’ sixth studio album, and their first since 2017’s Billboard album chart–topping Wonderful Wonderful, was produced by the band …
Posted: October 1, 2019

MD Publisher David Frangioni Featured in Living a Life in Full Podcast
New Episode: Music, Technology and Writing Spun into Gold (and Platinum) with Modern Drummer publisher David Frangioni interview.
Posted: August 1, 2019

Fred Eltringham with Sheryl Crow
Hey Modern Drummers, Fred Eltringham here with an update from the road. I’ve been having a super exciting summer. In June we toured Europe supporting the great Phil Collins, who has been a massive musical inspiration for me.
Posted: March 11, 2019

Backstage Auctions Presents the "All Access David Frangioni Collection"
Backstage Auctions, Inc presents the upcoming “All Access David Frangioni” auction event which will feature a host of impressive and historic rock and audio memorabilia including drums and drum kits, audio equipment, and more, from award-winning audio engineer, author, and collector David Frangioni.
Posted: May 24, 2017
Kenny Aronoff on John Cougar’s “Jack & Diane”
The drummer, who appears in the new documentary film Hired Gun, recounts the making of one of his most famous tracks. The process of writing, arranging, rehearsing, and recording a John Cougar Mellencamp song went something like this: John would come to rehearsal with a song and either play …
Posted: March 28, 2017
On the Beat with UK Session Drummer Steve Barney: Talks Tours, Shows, and Recordings
Hi Modern Drummer readers! My name is Steve Barney and I’m a UK-based session drummer who is fortunate to hit drums and people applaud! My first inspiration for playing drums came when my dad took me to see a Genesis concert in 1980—I was completely blown away by Phil Collins …
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: January 19, 2017
On the Beat with Jared Evan: Talks Influences and New Album
Hey, MD! I’m Jared Evan and I’m a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, and drummer. I’m twenty-six years old and have been playing the drums since I was six.
Posted: December 7, 2016
On the Beat with Maxx Morando of the Regrettes: Talks Recording and Debut Album
Hey MD! I’m Maxx Morando, drummer of the Regrettes. I’m eighteen years old and have been playing drums since I was eight and joined the School of Rock in Hollywood. I met some of my bandmates there, three of whom are Sage, Genessa, and Lydia of the Regrettes. My main …
Posted: October 28, 2016
Friday Nuggets: Early Bee Gees Drum Fun
The seventh Bee Gees album, Cucumber Castle, is unique for a couple reasons. Most famously, Robin Gibb had left the group in 1969, previous to the recording of the soundtrack to a television special of the same name, which was fleshed out with additional tracks for commercial release.
Posted: February 8, 2016
On the Beat With Shmu (Sam Chown) of Zorch: Playing, Recording, and Contributing
Hey MD, I’m a drummer/lead singer in a live scenario and in an animal spirit sense. I wear the Justin Bieber headset and I also trigger samples on my Roland SPD-SX drum sampler. People know me as Shmu, the solo artist, as well as the drummer, singer, and songwriter in …
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: October 16, 2015
Phil Collins Reissue Campaign Delayed Due to Emergency Back Surgery
Phil Collins has been advised by doctors not to travel for the time being because of major back surgery that he recently had to undergo. As a consequence, the singer and longtime drummer with Genesis is unable to undertake the extensive promotion campaign and other creative obligations planned internationally on …
Posted: May 14, 2015
Little Dreams Foundation Charity Brunch – May 17th
Music Technologist David Frangioni is set to perform during the Little Dreams Foundation brunch on May 17th. Scheduled to attend is Phil Collins, among other celebrities and musical personalities.
Posted: May 11, 2015
Modern Drummer Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Other Instruments
We asked the members of the Modern Drummer Education Team if they felt that it’s important for drummers to learn to play other instruments (piano, bass, guitar, etc.), or should they focus on honing their craft at the kit exclusively? Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: April 27, 2015
Drummer Blog: Martin Levac on Channelling Phil Collins
My passion for the music of Genesis and Phil Collins took root in my teenage years. I was so passionate about Phil’s drumming that I changed my drums from right-handed to left-handed to better understand the subtleties of his style….
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: December 29, 2014
Drummer Blog: David Frangioni on the Phil Collins Little Dreams Foundation Concert
Hello, Modern Drummer, it’s nice to be back with a follow up after an amazing concert for the Phil Collins Little Dreams Foundation. The concert, albeit with a bit of drama, was a success. The Little Dreams Foundation sold out the Fillmore in Miami Beach and raised a lot of …
Posted: October 27, 2014
Drummer Blog: David Frangioni
Hello Fellow Drummers, my name is David Frangioni and I started playing the drums at age two. I lost one eye to cancer shortly thereafter and realized music is my passion. After years of my childhood playing, practicing, studying with Alan Dawson and Joe Morello, along with a drive to …
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: September 9, 2014
19th Annual KoSA Camp Delivers Clear and Straightforward Sentiment: “I Just Wanna Drum!???
The 19th KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, and Festival celebrated its annual week of intensive learning, living, and playing with internationally celebrated drum and percussion masters this past July in the serene mountains of Vermont. KoSA co-founders and directors Aldo Mazza and Dr. Jolán Kovács relayed a simple message …
Posted: September 3, 2014
East Coast Drum Jam Set for September 21st
The East Coast Drum Jam will take place on Sunday, September 21, 2014 at the DoubleTree Hotel Ballroom at US Hwy 1 South in Princeton, New Jersey….
Posted: April 17, 2014
Brand X {Missing Period}
Not that anybody perusing a drumming website should need convincing at this point, but Phil Collins is one badass drummer. Recently unearthed recordings add to the already mountainous evidence.
Posted: March 14, 2014
Mastodon
Live at Brixton
Mastodon’s sold-out show at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on February 11, 2012, was captured on film, and now it’s available as a digital-only product.
Posted: December 27, 2013
Ricky Lawson Passes
Ricky Lawson, the veteran drummer who worked with Michael Jackson, Steely Dan, the Yellowjackets, Phil Collins, Quincy Jones, and Earth, Wind & Fire, among other top artists, has passed away after suffering a stroke. We’ll post further details as we learn them. In the meantime, here’s an excerpt from Ricky’s …
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: November 12, 2013
Crimson ProjeKCt’s Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto to Host Third-Annual Three of a Perfect Pair Music Camp
Guitarist Adrian Belew, bassist Tony Levin, and drummer Pat Mastelotto are bringing their Three of a Perfect Pair music camp back to Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY for the third year in 2014….
Posted: October 7, 2013
The Collective School of Music Presents: Mike Clark Clinic Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 7 PM
Clinics will take place at the Collective School of Music, which is located at 541 Avenue of the Americas, 4th floor, New York, NY. Seating will be limited and must be reserved in advance by calling the Collective front desk at 212-741-0091 x100….
Posted: October 1, 2013
Hidden Gems
Great Drum Performances Uncovered
The October 2013 issue of Modern Drummer magazine features an article in which seven MD Pro Panelists share some of their favorite “hidden gems.??? Here MD’s editorial staff weighs in on their personal favorites….
Posted: September 27, 2013
Nashville Studio Great Tommy Wells Passes
We were saddened to hear of the passing of Nashville studio great Tommy Wells this week. In honor of Tommy, we’re presenting a portion of his first Modern Drummer feature, from August 1990….
Posted: September 19, 2013
The Collective School of Music Presents Free Drum Clinics
The Collective School of Music will present the following free drum clinics. Clinics will take place at the Collective School of Music, which is located at 541 Avenue of the Americas, 4th floor, New York, NY. Seating for the events will be limited and must be reserved in advance by …
Posted: September 5, 2013
2013 Regina Drum Festival
The third annual Regina Drum Festival will take place on September 28 and 29 at the Exchange and the Club in Regina, Saskatchewan, which is located at 2431 8th Avenue….
Posted: September 3, 2013
Steve Hackett Re-Revisits Genesis
The bandleader and longtime guitarist with the legendary British band discusses the great drummers he’s played with, as well as his latest release, Genesis Revisited II….
Posted: August 21, 2013
Mike Kennedy of the Wonder Years
Hello there! My name is Mike Kennedy, and I am a twenty-five-year-old drummer for the band the Wonder Years….
Posted: May 8, 2013
Deacon Washington of Ghostwork
After many years of touring, recording, and being a hired gun in all manners of playing situations, I’ve finally met my match—fronting my own band from behind the kit while handling lead vocal duty….
Posted: April 2, 2013
Matchbox Twenty’s Paul Doucette Discusses North Track by Track
The May 2013 issue of Modern Drummer magazine features an Update with Matchbox’s Twenty’s Paul Doucette. Here, we continue the conversation about the band’s latest album, North, and Doucette gives his impressions of each track from the record.
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: July 23, 2012
20 CLASSIC PROG ALBUMS
Odd times, intergalactic themes, and more tom-toms. Rock drumming gets interesting….
Posted: July 11, 2012
NYC Independent Drummer Chad Elrod
I try to be as simple as possible in the decisions I make as a musician. But this isn’t simple at all! It’s actually really difficult….
Posted: April 10, 2012
ArtistWorks Drum Academy Launches Luis Conte School of Percussion on April 11
The Grammy Award-winning master percussionist debuts an interactive, bilingual online music school.
Posted: April 4, 2012
Def Leppard’s Rick Allen Announces The Debut Of Electric Hand: Rhythm + Change
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen is excited to announce his debut fine art collection titled, Electric Hand: Rhythm + Change.
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: March 13, 2012
12 Drumming Myths: Debunking Drum Gospel
Despite the prevalence of educational books, DVDs, and online lessons, most drumming information is still passed down the old-fashioned way: from one player to another, while shooting the breeze at the drum shop. A lot of what we hear, we take at face value, and we repeat these drumming “absolutes??? …
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: 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 9, 2012
Mapex Drums’ Drummer of Tomorrow Contest US Final Round
Mapex Drums’ Drummer of Tomorrow contest is gearing up for the United States Final round, being held at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, this coming January 19. The performance is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. at the Anaheim Hilton in California, Pavilion C & D. Doors open at …
Posted: September 1, 2011
Bruce Gary:
Controlled Bombast with the Knack
By injecting powerhouse drumming into a pop song context, the Knack’s late, great skinsman helped kick start a playing style that still rules today.
Posted: October 21, 2010
Richie Hayward: The MD Interviews, Part 1
Read the Little Feat drummer’s feature from March 1988.The drum world will never see another Richie Hayward. The longtime Little Feat drummer, who passed away in August, was among the most musically stylish and quietly influential drummers of the classic rock era, equal parts monster technician and old-soul groove master. …
Posted: September 27, 2010
The Drummer: Classic Rock
An educated, entertaining, essential addition to every drummer’s library—and to the history of modern drumming—The Drummer: Classic Rock Collector’s Edition magazine builds on content from Modern Drummer’s Top-selling The Drummer book with expanded coverage of drumming royalty from the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll.
Posted: August 24, 2010
John Eriksson: Portraits
(October 2010 Issue) Seeing Peter Bjorn And John’s John Eriksson add his fresh sounds to the band’s pop-rock mix is like watching a four-star chef toss ingredient after ingredient into a smoldering pot of stew. We asked Eriksson to share the percussive recipe he followed on PB&J’s last album, Living …
Posted: June 10, 2010
Keech Rainwater of Lonestar
Hey, everybody, my name is Keech Rainwater, and I’m from the country band Lonestar. I know, country music, right? Actually, we rock pretty hard and have been for the past eighteen years. I started out when I was about twelve years old and kind of already knew how to play …
Posted: April 27, 2010
Marko Tarvonen of Moonsorrow/Barren Earth
We come from Finland and play epic melodic metal…
Posted: March 16, 2010
Chris Johnson — Touring With Rihanna
Yo, what up, MD? This is ya boy Chris Johnson from Los Angeles, California. Like many others in this field, I started playing in church—my dad’s church, to be exact. So I was always there to play, practice, and everything. Needless to say, I was born in the church. Due …
Posted: February 5, 2010
Jason “Malletman” Taylor Blog
My name is Jason “Malletman??? Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton…
Posted: February 5, 2010

Jason "Malletman" Taylor Blog
My name is Jason “Malletman??? Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton…
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: October 20, 2008
Simon Collins
As the son of drumming and pop icon Phil Collins, Simon Collins grew up with music in his genes…
Posted: July 30, 2008
Donnie Yal of the Sammies
I, as you can read above, am Donnie Yale. I play drums in the NC band The Sammies. (NC is better b/c we are on top for all of you reading this in SC). Our sophomore album, Sandwich, is set for release on September 23….
Posted: June 19, 2008
Ed Toth on Tour with The Doobie Brothers
Hello, everyone, Ed Toth here, with the inside scoop on The Doobie Brothers' tour with Chicago. It's very exciting in that, for the encore, both bands will be on stage together playing each other's songs….
Posted: April 4, 2008
Rick Buckler
There have always been certain British rock bands who’ve been treated like deities at home, but who failed to translate to the American market….
Posted: February 16, 2008
The Great Levon Helm
Playing For The Song–And More! Steve Jordan Interviews the Great Levon Helm….
Posted: December 1, 2007
Update: Roger Taylor
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Nate “Danja??? Hills signed on to co-produce Duran Duran’s latest CD, Red Carpet Massacre. After all, the band—keyboardist Nick Rhodes, singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor (guitarist Andy Taylor decided to bow out …
Posted: November 4, 2007
Drummer/Leader Gunnar Waage
I started studying drums at the age of twelve, when my parents gave me permission to switch from the piano over to classical percussion at the conservatory….
Posted: March 1, 2007
Rich Beddoe of Finger Eleven
by Adam Budofsky Four years after their gold-selling, self-titled third album, Finger Eleven’s new one, Them Vs. You Vs. Me, finds dynamic lefty Rich Beddoe once again delivering the goods, with more multi-limb surprises and an even sharper ear for detail. Though Rich Beddoe wasn’t the original drummer with the …
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: July 20, 2005
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: 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: May 12, 2004
Brann Dailor of Mastodon
For Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor, playing in a band named after a huge prehistoric beast makes perfect sense. “When I’m performing or writing,” Dailor says, “I sometimes think, That definitely sounds like a Mastodon part.”
Posted: May 12, 2004
Matt Abts of Gov’t Mule
Jack Bruce, Larry Graham, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool, Phil Lesh- is there a drummer among us who hasn’t fantasized about playing with these and other giants of the bass guitar?
Posted: May 12, 2004
In The Loop With The Pros
With all of the samplers, prerecorded loops, and programmers in the studio, how much of what we hear today from a drummer is actual acoustic drums or electronics? MD asked some of the best “hired guns” in the business to comment on their current role and gear requirements in the …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Phil Collins
Phil Collins’ first studio album in six years, Testify, is another brilliant collection of pop songs, textures, and sounds from the singer/composer/drummer/producer, who still considers himself – first and foremost – a drummer….
Posted: May 12, 2004
J.R. Conners of Cave In
After shedding most of their hardcore persona a few years back, however, Cave In set out to redefine themselves, morphing into more of a prog-rock act, complete with epic compositions….
Posted: May 12, 2004
Nick D’Virgilio
Over the past several years one group has been mentioned time and again as the most melodic and listener-friendly of all prog bands on today’s scene. That group is America’s own Spock’s Beard, and their drummer is Nick D’Virgilio.
Posted: November 3, 2022

John DeChristopher Live From My Drum Room With Luis Conte
John’s guest is legendary master percussionist, Luis Conte. Luis discusses moving from his native Santiago, Cuba to Los Angeles at age 15, and his first big break touring with “The Hues Corporation.” John and Luis do a deep dive into Luis’ incredible and prolific career as a first call studio …