December 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 12
Articles in December 2017
Roy Mayorga With Stone Sour
With the hot new album Hydrograd in hand and health issues put well behind him, the drummer is amped to be back on the road for Stone Sour’s headlining tour.
Jon Theodore Style and Analysis
From his days playing mind-melting Mars Volta compositions to his current gig with the rock giants Queens of the Stone Age, Jon Theodore has inspired drummers with powerful grooves, explosive fills, and rock-solid time. His ability to craft the perfect parts…
Paiste - 900 Series Cymbals
Hand-hammered 2002 bronze with a special dark finish for a slightly warmer tone.
Neo-Prog, American Style
The Oakland-based Once and Future Band doesn’t shy away from the influence of progressive rock’s legendary forefathers throughout its self-titled debut, with a heavy emphasis on sunny harmonies and ELO/Yes-inflected song structures. Drummer RAJ OJHA navigates the ever-shifting arrangements with…
2017 DCI World Championship Results
Capping the seventh undefeated season in their sixty-year history, the Blue Devils, based in Concord, California, won a record-breaking eighteenth title this past August 12 at the Drum Corps International World Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Coinciding…
Sonor Swinger
When the indie rock group Faux in Love went into the Guilford Sound studio in Guilford, Vermont, to record its latest record, drummer Bruce Black decided to bring this vintage, late-1960s Sonor Swinger setup. According to Black, and confirmed to…
Mark Guiliana
Touring is tough. And the ordeal of modern flying has upped the headache factor. But Mark Guiliana has learned to deal: He’s traveling ultra-light and loving it. The Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet is touring the U.S. and Europe in support…
Dave Weckl, Omar Hakim, D'Addario and More!
Dave Weckl Launches Online Drum School Fusion legend Dave Weckl recently launched an online school that includes HD video lessons, play-along packages, and exclusive live footage and lessons from current tours. Courses include hand and foot technique and drum tuning.…
Learn to Love Easy
There’s a folksy old saying that goes something like, “People sure do make things more difficult than they need to.” We’ve all made that observation at one time or another about others—and, let’s be honest, at times we even make…
The Psychedelic Furs’ Paul Garisto
Paul Garisto joined the iconic post-punk band the Psychedelic Furs in late 1983 and remained with them until early 1988. After that initial run with the band, he toured and recorded the album Instinct with Iggy Pop, contributed to albums…
Justin Brown
Thirty-three-year-old Oakland, California, native Justin Brown is an extremely busy bicoastal musician whose drumming with Thundercat, Gerald Clayton, Christian McBride, Stefon Harris, Kenny Garrett, Esperanza Spalding, and Vijay Iyer is simply a foretaste of his brilliant debut album as a…
Flowing Diddles, Triple Strokes, and Paradiddles
Essential Motions for Smoother Transitions
Modern Drummer 2018 Readers Poll
Make your voice heard in the most important poll in the drumming world! Voting is open November 1-24, 2017. Hall of Fame Jimmy Cobb Roger Hawkins Levon Helm Danny Seraphine Clyde Stubblefield Studio Jay Bellerose Matt Chamberlain Steve Jordan Miles…
Dennis Bryon
Since the mid-’70s, Dennis Bryon’s hypnotic grooves have been responsible for luring most of the civilized world’s population onto the dance floor. Bryon accomplished this feat by playing with one of the most successful groups of all time, the Bee…
John Aldridge
The famed engraver, drum tech, and vintage enthusiast helped start a movement.
Eli Keszler
When the Brooklyn-based performer and composer Eli Keszler settles in behind a drumkit, it’s likely that he’s given as much thought to the space he’s playing in as the notes he’s filling it with. “As a composer it’s essential that…
Black Swamp - Dynamicx Sterling, Live!, and BackBeat Snares
Pristinely crafted wood-shell drums for any professional situation.
Yamaha - Rydeen RDP2F5 Drumset
An excellent entry-level option with quality sound and sturdy hardware.