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February 1985 – Volume 9 • Number 2

A lot has been written about Big Country’s guitar sound, almost to the exclusion of everything else about them. While it’s undeniable that the band’s guitar sounds have captured a lot of people’s attention, their drummer is not exactly out to lunch. Behind that much touted bagpipe sound is some thunderously massive drumming, a whirlwind of crashing cymbals, throbbing tom-toms and rolling snare drums, all combined to propel Big Country out of the studio and over the airwaves. Drummer Mark Brzezicki once remarked, “Do you want to know the secret of our guitar sound? I’ll tell you. It’s in my drumkit.” And in a way, he’s right because his aggressive, Afro-army-esque rolls perfectly highlight and complement what he calls the “stirring “sound of the band. Never was a band better named, because their sound really is big—big to the point of Mark’s drums sounding like a bulldozer plowing through your […]
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Articles in February 1985

Bill Lombardo

Bill Lombardo has had an interesting career already, and he hasn't hit 35 yet. Beginning in the early '60s as a rock drummer, Bill participated in the San Francisco psychedelic scene. He went on to play funk, country, and top-40…

by Rick Van Horn
Aug 17, 2018

February 1985 - Volume 9 • Number 2

Mel Lewis, Mark Brzezicki, Nigel Olsson, George Marsh, Steve Gadd, Mick Avory, Aynsley Dunbar, Jim Keltner, Joe Franco, Danny Seraphine, Steve Smith

Modern Drummer
Feb 1, 1985

The Benefits Of Left-Hand Ride

What do Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Kenny Aronoff, Daniel Humair, and Lenny White have in common? They all play ride patterns with their left hand. Left-hand ride refers to the technique drummers use who play drumset in a normal, right-hand…

by William F. Miller
Aug 17, 2018

Mel Lewis

The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and the Village Vanguard just seem to go together. For one thing, they both represent longevity. The Vanguard is the oldest club in New York City; Mel's band has one of the longest- running gigs…

by Rick Mattingly
Aug 17, 2018

Mick Avory — Knowing The Job

The Kinks Konk Recording Studio sits on the edge of London in an area hardly recognizable to a city visitor. Located a good 40 minutes from Picadilly Circus by public transportation (i.e., underground and bus), the studio is on an…

Modern Drummer
Aug 17, 2018
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Nigel Olsson — The Heart of Nigel Olson

Nigel Olsson speaks from the heart. In fact, there seems to be nothing he does that doesn't revolve around his heart. As he plays and sings on stage with Elton John, he uses his entire body to complement the artist's…

by Robyn Flans
Aug 17, 2018

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