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June 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 6

Listening to the albums that put Heart on the map in the ’70s, like Dreamboat Annie and Little Queen, it’s clear the band members were students of Led Zeppelin—and that drummer Michael Derosier was the star pupil.
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Articles in June 2018

Foreigner’s Dennis Elliott

“I was blessed to land a gig as life-changing as Foreigner,” the London-born drummer Dennis Elliott says. “It was a band I totally believed in.” Elliott played with the group for seventeen years, powering solid-gold tracks like “Urgent,” “Feels Like…

by Robin Tolleson
Apr 25, 2018

Drum Wisdom: Jim Mola

By his own admission, Jim Mola moved to New York in 1985 to set the world on fire as a drummer. Now, after thirty-three years of experience in the trenches as a working musician, the types of gigs he’s playing…

Article by by Keith Carne | Photos by John Fell
Apr 25, 2018

Russ Kunkel - The Song Server

At the dawn of the ’70s, music fans noticed the credit “Drums: Russ Kunkel” popping up on reams of LP jackets. From that pivotal point, Kunkel’s momentum as a session ace surged through five decades. The drummer’s tasteful parts and…

Article by Jeff Potter | Photo by Joel Bernstein
Apr 25, 2018

Ben Riley, Pat Torpey and Z’EV

Ben Riley: 1933-2017 Monk’s main man was the epitome of swing and style. Jazz drumming great Ben Riley died last November 18. He was eighty-four. Although best remembered for his high-profile 1964–67 tenure with the iconic pianist Thelonious Monk, Riley…

Modern Drummer
Apr 25, 2018

Introduction to Polyrhythms

How to Play Odd Groupings, Part 1

by Aaron Edgar
Apr 25, 2018
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Keith McMillen Instruments - BopPad

A seemingly simple USB pad controller with virtually limitless capabilities.

Michael Dawson
Apr 25, 2018

Dashboard Confessional’s Ben Homola

Consummate touring/recording drummer Ben Homola has recently been sporting a new C&C drumkit on the road with alt-rock band Dashboard Confessional. “The C&C maple kit I have out on the road was built for this tour,” says Homola. “One thing…

Interview and Photos by Sayre Berman
Apr 25, 2018

Rick Marotta

For the drummer, who’d built a sterling session and live career for nearly ten years with artists including John Lennon, Paul Simon, Jim Croce, James Taylor, and Steely Dan, 1978 was yet another super-busy year. In the studio, on the…

by Billy Amendola
Apr 25, 2018

Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Mike Mangini with Into the Great Divide, Legend of the Seagullmen with Danny Carey, and more

RECORDINGS Miles Davis & John Coltrane The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 Wes Montgomery In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording Two releases of fabled, much-bootlegged European jazz concerts are finally given proper treatment with remastered sound and impressive…

Modern Drummer
Apr 25, 2018

Five-Note Phrasing - Part 2: Adding More Tension and Release

In this lesson we’ll continue exploring five-note phrases within a 16th-note subdivision. To become fluent with these groupings, you need to internalize where the five-note phrase begins and ends. To review, let’s reinforce the ability to hear the starting point…

by Marc Dicciani
Apr 25, 2018

Blake Richardson on Between the Buried and Me’s Automata, Part 1

Digging Into the Veteran Technical-Metal Group’s Latest Offering

by Willie Rose
Apr 25, 2018

Dafnis Prieto on the Dafnis Prieto Big Band’s Back to the Sunset

The prolific Afro-Cuban and jazz connoisseur honors his musical heroes with a heavy ensemble.

Article by Willie Rose | Photo by Henry Lopez
Apr 25, 2018
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New York Jazzer Jimmy Macbride

Still only in his mid-twenties, the drummer has been making a name for himself in the ultra-competitive New York City jazz scene for several years now, bringing an assured command of his instrument to recordings and live work with a sound that belies his age.

Interview by Ilya Stemkovsky | Photo by Yuki Tei
Apr 25, 2018

What’s Your Favorite 1970s Jazz or Fusion Drumming Album?

This month, as we delve into the music and drumming of 1978, we asked our readers and social media followers to name some of their favorite records from the entire decade. Here they weigh in on great ’70s jazz and…

Modern Drummer
Apr 25, 2018

Techra - XCarb Drumsticks

Light and fast carbon-fiber models designed for utmost durability.

by Michael Dawson
Apr 25, 2018

2017 Sydney Vintage and Custom Drum Expo

Australia’s finest craftsmen shine among celebrated international mainstays during a day of exhibits and performances.

Story by Bob Campbell | Photos by Michael Zaluzny
Apr 25, 2018

Do I Need a Fallback Plan?

Part 1: Assessing Your Path

by Russ Miller
Apr 25, 2018

What You Need to Know About Bass Drum Heads

While drums have existed since the dawn of civilization, it wasn’t until the 1950s, after the chemical corporation DuPont trademarked a new polyester film called Mylar, that drummers were presented with more ways to tailor their sounds via their choice…

by Michael Dawson
Apr 25, 2018

New Drum Gear From Tama, Remo, SJC Custom Drums, apulSoft, U.S. Drum Supply, Basal, and Vater!

  Tama Star Reserve Volume 4 Snare This snare’s copper shell is hand-hammered by master metal craftsmen in Japan and is said to produce a fat sound and rich resonance coupled with an extreme dynamic range. Also featured on this…

Modern Drummer
Apr 25, 2018
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Van Kleef - Ageless Collection 4.5x14 Snare

A spectacular specimen sporting a precious 1.5mm sterling silver shell.

by Michael Dawson
Apr 25, 2018

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