December 2021 Archives - Modern Drummer Magazine

December 2021 – Volume 45 • Number 12

Quotes from the Original Fearless Leader No plan. No staff. Just a grand passion, the personal savings of Ron Spagnardi and his wife Isabel, and the sweat entity of his dad and their daughter. There was little hope that a second issue would be possible, or any other issues thereafter. But 45 years later, Modern […]
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Articles in December 2021

Timeless Tutorial

Choosing The Correct Job

Some readers might look at this heading and think, “What? It’s hard enough to find any job!” But I’m quite serious about the ramifications—musical, emotional, and financial—of knowing where to put yourself. Of course, we all know there are monetary…

By Michael Blair, Head Talk, January 1992
Jan 10, 2022
Jazz Heroes

Max Roach

Excerpted from the June 1982 issue Max Roach is a vital link in the chain of drum history. He was recognized as the man who pioneered a modern drumming style for his work with bebop giants like Charlie Parker and…

Story by Scott K. Fish
Jan 10, 2022
Jazz Heroes

Jack DeJohnette

Excerpted from the October 1989 issue “I’m having more fun with music,” says Jack DeJohnette. “Now that I’m in my mid-40s, I don’t take everything so seriously. As I let go of a lot of past fears and false illusions…

Story by Rick Mattingly
Jan 10, 2022
The First Five MD Hall of Fame Drummers

Gene Krupa Elected to Hall of Fame in 1979

Excerpted from the October/November 1979 issue “I’m happy that I succeeded in doing two things: I made the drummer a high­priced guy, and I was able to draw more people to jazz.” The above quote of drum master Gene Krupa…

Story by Karen Larcombe
Jan 10, 2022
An Editor's Overview

45 Years of a Vibrant Community

It’s just unbelievable how quickly 45 years can go by. It was 1977, when founder Ron Spagnardi launched what the world would come to know, love, and behold as Modern Drummer magazine. Modern Drummer is much more than a magazine.…

Modern Drummer
Jan 10, 2022
Features

Toppermost of the Poppermost

Pop-Culture Triumphs, 1977-2021 Modern Drummer has reported on a colossal number of drummers in its 45-year history, but pop-culture doesn’t revolve solely around drums and drumming. (Drats!) Creativity does not exist in a vacuum. Other events tend to inspire, inform,…

By Michael Molenda
Jan 10, 2022
MTV Era Darlings

Stewart Copeland

Excerpted from the October 1982 issue How did the Police come about? I was on tour with Curved Air. We had a night off and a local journalist took me around to see his favorite local group, which was a…

Story by Robyn Flans
Jan 10, 2022
Prog Pioneers

Alan White

Excerpted from the February/March 1980 issue Yes is one of the few bands who combine exploration of musical art forms with the vitality of rock music. Their arrange­ments are impeccable and their playing skills, superb. What’s more, those guys can…

Story by Susan Alexander
Jan 10, 2022
Backbeats

12 Iconic Punk-Rock Drummers Sound Off

We spun through the MD archives to collect some brash, aggro wisdom from punk-rock, punk-pop, or post-punk drummers who have shared their musical insights in these pages. Punk isn’t always about diving blindly into intensity with limited technique, and some…

Modern Drummer
Jan 10, 2022
Jazz Heroes

Peter Erskine

Excerpted from the January 1983 issue If Peter Erskine isn’t careful, he’s going to start giving jazz, musicians a good name. I mean, we all know about the reputation jazz players have with the general public, right? The stereotypical jazzer…

Story by Rick Mattingly
Jan 10, 2022
MTV Era Darlings

Larry Mullen

Excerpted from the August 1985 issue Let me say first of all that I don’t do interviews, ever. I did them when the band started, and then 1 stopped because I didn’t enjoy them. I’ve seen issues of Modern Drummer.…

Story by Connie Fisher
Jan 10, 2022
MTV Era Darlings

Roger Taylor

Excerpted from the March 1985 issue What prompted you to start playing drums? When I was at school, I used to listen to the radio and records a lot. When I was younger, it was sort of the start of…

Story by Robyn Flans
Jan 10, 2022
Prog Pioneers

Carl Palmer

Excerpted from the June/July 1980 issue How did you first meet Keith Emerson and Greg Lake? It just so happened at the time in London when Emerson and Lake were getting together I was kind of the only guy in…

Story by Cheech Iero
Jan 10, 2022
MTV Era Darlings

Martin Chambers

Excerpted from the July 1982 issue The single biggest influence in Martin Chambers’ onstage attitude and playing considerations was Keith Moon. “He was a very good player and a very talented free player, much like Mitch Mitchell. But the thing…

Story by Robyn Flans
Jan 10, 2022
Features

By the Numbers

MD Covers Reveal Drum-Culture Stats Forty-five years provides a lot of perspective on the artists, styles, and techniques Modern Drummer has covered, as well as how those subjects informed the drum community from year to year. Any magazine editor will…

By Michael Molenda
Jan 10, 2022
Prog Pioneers

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…

Story by Susan Alexander
Jan 10, 2022
The First Five MD Hall of Fame Drummers

Neil Peart Elected to Hall of Fame in 1983

Excerpted from the April/May 1980 issue How did you become involved with Rush? The usual chain of circumstances and accidents. I came from a city that’s about 60 or 70 miles from Toronto. A few musicians from my area had…

Story by Cheech Iero
Jan 10, 2022
Jazz Heroes

Billy Cobham

Excerpted from the August/September 1979 Issue Billy Cobham is one of the strongest innovative forces on the drumming scene today. Both his technique, and drum set up are awesome. We met at Starr Recording Studios where Cobham was to record…

By Cheech Iero
Jan 10, 2022
MTV Era Darlings

Jon Farriss

Excerpted from the October 1988 issue Innocently and completely unexpectedly, Jon Farriss poses the question, “Are you really sure that drummers want to read about me?” It was a definite “first” within my realm of experience as a music journalist.…

Story by Teri Saccone
Jan 10, 2022