
Taylor Hawkins

It is time to announce the winners of the 2022 Modern Drummer Readers Poll. Congratulations to all of the winners, and thanks for your artistry and contributions towards the history and evolution of modern drumming. Thank you for your recordings, concerts, clinics, shows, books, videos, articles, and everything else that …

Although much of what I’ll share here in this month’s overview is echoed over and over throughout this issue, I’ll speak on behalf of my team and me, the inside Modern Drummer family, many of whom were close to Taylor. It was with great sadness that we have lost a …

On March 25, 2022 musicians, 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 deep sorrow of losing such a wonderful person, amazing musician, and a bright light at …

As we at Modern Drummer and the entire drum and musical community continue to reel from the untimely and devastating passing of Taylor Hawkins, we wanted to create a tribute to this inspiring and energetic drummer who left us far too soon! We were all influenced by Taylor’s humanity, love …

I wasn’t good at sports and I was having a hard time finding girlfriends. It was 1982. I was ten years old, and just getting into the music of the day, new wave, the Police, and stuff. My older brother was a music enthusiast. I wanted to be in a …

We are excited to present the Modern Drummer 2018 Readers Poll winners!

The biggest band in the land tears up the road map and comes up with its most ambitious album to date. “We’re usually like Motörhead meets the Beatles,” the group’s drummer says. “But this one is really Motörhead meets Sgt. Pepper’s.”

Taylor Hawkins, Adam Cruz, Ray Luzier, Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd, Jerry Shirley, Todd Sucherman, Carl Palmer, Shawn “Clown” Crahan, Antonio Sanchez, Gil Sharone, Dino Campanella, Sam Ulano

Taylor Hawkins, Jason McGerr, Mike Clark, John Wackerman, Peter Erskine, Mark Craney, Jamie Oldaker, Chad Sexton, Travis Smith, Tennessee Thomas, Brad Pemberton, Vinnie Fiorello, Ginger Baker, Paul John Jr., Ian Paice, David Garibaldi

Shannon Larkin, Matt Wilson, Christian Vander, Paul Crosby, Brian Stephens, Russell Batiste, Ian Froman, Terry Chambers, Mich Fleetwood, Mongo Santamaria, Taylor Hawkins, Mike Portnoy, Gregg Bissonette, Ralph Humphrey, Dave Weckl

John Dolmayan, Matt Sorum, Taylor Hawkins, Alan Evans, Jimmy Degrasso, Ribb Rivera, Mike Clark, Gary Burton, Hal Aponte, Victor DeLorenzo, Jorge Rossy, Scott Underwood, Kevin Miller, Steve Ettleson, Rob Ladd, Craig Krampf

Taylor Hawkins, Milford Graves, Jimmy DeGrasso, Elaine Leighton, Jerome Dillon, Alan White, David Garibaldi, Steven Gillis, Ralph Peterson, Brian “Brain” Mantia, Nathaniel Townsley, Peter Erskine, Manu Katche, Milt Jackson, Bill Stewart

In this Issue: Eddie Bayers, Jerry Kroon, Kenny Malone, Owen Hale, Paul Leim, Lonnie Wilson, Tommy Wells, Milton Sledge, Dave Beyer, Ricky Fataar, Taylor Hawkins, Max Roach, Robin Goodridge, Sidney “Big Sid” Catlett, Dennis Chambers, Stewart Copeland, Jim Donovan, Jim DiSpirito, Adolfo ” Fofi” Lancha, Kenny Aronoff, Bill Stewart, Robby …
Posted: September 28, 2022

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: September 6, 2022

OZZY OSBOURNE TO PERFORM HALFTIME SHOW OF NFL KICKOFF GAME
LOS ANGELES RAMS-BUFFALO BILLS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 AT SOFI STADIUM IN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA PERFORMANCE COMES ON THE EVE OF RELEASE OF HIS PATIENT NUMBER 9 ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 9 ON EPIC RECORDS Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy®-winning singer and songwriter OZZY OSBOURNE will perform at halftime of the Los Angeles Rams season opener on Thursday, September 8 at SoFi …
Posted: September 5, 2022

Taylor Hawkins’ son thrills by playing drums with Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters returned to the stage on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium. 90,000 attendees paid tribute to their former drummer, Taylor Hawkins, who passed away suddenly on March 25. Shane Hawkins, took his father’s place at the drums to perform ‘My Hero’ with the band.
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: September 17, 2021

Taylor Hawkins, Dave Navarro, Chris Chaney = NHC!
SONG & VIDEO DEBUT from new band, NHC, featuring drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitarist Dave Navarro, and bassist Chris Chaney!! Click the links below to see/hear “Feed the Cruel” and “Better Move On” with Hawkins singing lead vocals and drumming. Hear the songs
Posted: September 18, 2020

In Tribute to a Tribute: Reflections on the Modern Drummer Festival 2020
by Fred W. Gretsch This past Saturday, September 12 saw the return of one of drumming’s great events: The Modern Drummer Festival. Not held since 2011, this year’s Festival marked the 20th in its iconic history. Of course, given the nature of the times, the 2020 Festival couldn’t be held …
Posted: September 1, 2020

Modern Drummer Festival 2020
Modern Drummer is rebooting its world-famous Drum Festival on September 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time with a live-streaming event honoring the late, great Rush drummer Neil Peart. Proceeds of ticket sales will benefit brain tumor research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The event, which will be produced and distributed …
Posted: August 20, 2020

20th Annual Modern Drummer Festival featuring A Tribute To Iconic Drummer Neil Peart.
LiveXLive to Produce and Distribute Live Pay Per View Show Featuring Incredible Lineup Reaching over 150 Million Social Media Fans — Taylor Hawkins, Chad Smith, Cindy Blackman-Santana, Thomas Lang, Alex Gonzalez A global platform for livestream and on-demand audio, video and podcast content in music, comedy, and pop culture, announced …
Posted: October 31, 2019

Rufus Taylor of the Darkness
The title track “Easter Is Cancelled” was the only song we didn’t even think about—just walked in, sat down, and somehow played the first three or so bars of the song.
Posted: May 28, 2019

Isaac Flynn and Austin Ward of Hembree
Calling his new project Hembree, Flynn put himself through what he calls “three years of songwriting boot camp,” working on music from the loft where he lives in Kansas City.
Posted: October 31, 2017

On The Beat with Rufus Tiger Taylor of the Darkness: Talks Writing and Recording Pinewood Smile
Hello everyone! I joined the Darkness about two and a half years ago. Guitarist Dan Hawkins called me whilst I was in Sydney and asked if I could play a press gig for them in two days in London for their then-new album Last of our Kind.
Posted: December 27, 2016
On the Beat with Tom Ogden of Deaf Havana: Talks Influences, Setup, and New Record
Hi, Modern Drummer readers. Let me start by saying how thankful and honored I am to be writing an article for such a great magazine and online community. So many drummers from so many styles have influenced me—I’m a massive Travis Barker fan since the age of twelve, and that’s …
Posted: November 15, 2016
Taylor Hawkins Mentors Students
Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters drummed with students at Riverside Central Elementary School in Rochester, MN on November 3.
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: July 6, 2015
On the Beat With Aiden Marceron of Bad Seed Rising
My name is Aiden Marceron, and I play drums in Bad Seed Rising. I’m thirteen years old, and I’m the youngest in the band. That being said, this makes us the youngest band signed to Roadrunner Records….
Posted: November 19, 2014
News: John Wackerman’s Drum Duets Volume II Features Duets With Chambers, Hawkins, Bozzio, Lang, and More
The follow-up to the popular and successful CD and book release, Drum Duets Volume I, John Wackerman’s Drum Duets Volume II features top LA session drummer, composer, and producer John Wackerman teaming up with sixteen world-class artists. The video project was shot with multiple camera angles at Drum Channel, runs …
Posted: January 28, 2014
March 2014 Issue of Modern Drummer Featuring the 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time
See what’s in the March 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring the 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time!
Posted: August 1, 2013
Guitar Center Launches Its 25th Annual Drum-Off Competition
Guitar Center’s Drum-Off launches its 25th annual search for the next great undiscovered drummer.
Posted: January 7, 2013
Brendan Yates of Diamond Youth
My names Brendan and I play drums for the band Diamond Youth.
Posted: October 12, 2012
Jeff Kummer of the Early November
Just last year, the Early November decided to start playing some shows again and record a new album. We signed a deal with Rise Records and released our newest album, In Currents, this past July.
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 20, 2012
Drum Channel Live Music Event To Support the Fender Music Foundation
On Wednesday, April 26, DrumChannel.com will be supporting the Fender Music Foundation’s first Save Music Education online benefit concert. (continued)
Posted: March 19, 2012
Vinny Appice: Leaving His Mark
May 2012 cover star Vinny Appice is a true rock ’n’ roll journeyman—identifiable not by his work with one particular band but by his flawless contributions to a long list of hard-rock luminaries. In this Web-exclusive supplement to his print feature, Vinny shares a couple of fun stories from his …
Posted: December 8, 2011
Tom Roady: Down Home Percussionist
An interview with the late, great Nashville percussionist, which originally appeared in the May 1996 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.
Posted: November 22, 2011
Grant Hart
Hüsker Dü’s drummer/singer created a template—and quickly broke it—for a generation of alternative rockers.
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: October 28, 2011
Gannin Arnold Project
5 World Class Drummers
Fusion guitarist Gannin Arnold assembles five badass stickmen to wail on his Jeff Beck-inspired material.
Posted: October 19, 2011
Nia Lovelis of Cherri Bomb
When I was really young my parents took me horseback riding, and the sound and feel of the rhythm got stuck in my head. It was then I knew I wanted to play drums. I come from a musical family: My mom was the lead singer/songwriter in an alt-rock band, …
Posted: August 1, 2011
Guitar Center’s Drum-Off, World’s Largest Drumming Competition, Kicks-Off
Guitar Center has announced the launch of the 23rd annual Guitar Center’s Drum-Off the nationwide search for the next great undiscovered drummer.
Posted: July 20, 2011
Justin Wilson of Sleeper Agent
I play in Sleeper Agent. Our music is fast-paced and energetic punk-infused pop rock. We’ve been together for about three years now. Our sound is heavily influenced by Jay Reatard, the Strokes, the Beatles, and many others…
Posted: July 13, 2011
Marty Beller of They Might Be Giants
Hello, Modern Drummer readers. Marty Beller, drummer for They Might Be Giants, here. In 2000, I got a call from TMBG bassist Danny Weinkauf. We had met through guitarist Dan Miller, who I had toured with in my band Meow. He said they needed a drummer for a show on …
Posted: February 23, 2010
Social Code’s Ben Shillabeer
I started playing in cover bands when I was sixteen, which is still something I do on occasion…
Posted: February 23, 2010

Social Code's Ben Shillabeer
I started playing in cover bands when I was sixteen, which is still something I do on occasion…
Posted: September 15, 2009
Twin Atlantic’s Craig Kneale
My name is Craig Kneale and I play in a rock band called Twin Atlantic, which hails from Glasgow, Scotland….
Posted: September 10, 2009
OneRepublic’s Eddie Fisher
Hello, everyone, this is Eddie from OneRepublic, and I’m on my way to L.A. for a photo shoot. As of today we’re almost finished with our sophomore album, Waking Up.
Posted: July 18, 2008
Zac Farro of Paramore
After several months of constant road work, eighteen-year-old Paramore drummer Zac Farro is finally back at home relaxing….
Posted: May 1, 2008
Chad Smith: Web Exclusive Interview
Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith takes a much-needed rest—for a minute—and fills MD in on the many cool side projects he’s involved in…
Posted: July 19, 2005
Damien Fahey
Damien Fahey has a dilemma: These days he’s having a difficult time finding the time to play his drums. You see, Damien hosts one of MTV’s most popular shows, Total Request Live, which airs weekdays at 5:00 P.M. EST to an audience of 50 million viewers.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Dave Grohl: Returning To His Roots With Probot
Many drummers have hit it big since the post-metal resurgence of the early ’90s. But no one has had the impact and influence of Dave Grohl. With the full-body flam and bass drum contortions of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Grohl forever changed drumming.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Chris Hesse: Rocking Out
I learned to play drums by putting on headphones and playing to Rush’s Fly By Night until I knew every song by heart. Neil Peart was my first major influence…
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
Stewart Copeland: An Interview
A case can be made that Stewart Copeland is the single most influential drummer of the last twenty-plus years. A good case….
Posted: December 8, 2017

Episode 120: Taylor Hawkins, Linear Drumming Basics, Dream Energy Series Crashes, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss January cover artist Taylor Hawkins of rock megastars Foo Fighters.