June 2019 Issue – Volume 43 • Number 6
On 01st Jun 2019
Articles in June 2019
The Lounge Lizards’ Voice of Chunk
Dougie Bowne gave up a perfectly good regular gig with a world-famous artist to follow his muse. Those in the know have been thanking him ever since. Dougie Bowne exudes harmony. He speaks with a gregarious enthusiasm, punctuating stories with…
The Cherry on Top
After growing up playing an eight-piece Premier Resonator drumkit with a mere two cymbals, Alan Vincelette of Moorpark, California, decided to flip the script. “I now have a four-piece cherry Craviotto drumset with several cymbals,” Vincelette explains. “I really like…
Matt Halpern on Periphery IV: Hail Stan
For a decade the prolific progressive metal drummer, educator, and entrepreneur has been powering Periphery’s wild time signatures and blazing riff s. We asked the sticksman all about the groundbreaking band’s first self-released title. MD: Where was Hail Stan recorded?…
In Memoriam: Avant-Garde Jazz Drummer Alvin Fielder
The jazz and experimental music world lost a giant this past January 5 when drummer, pharmacologist, drum historian, and founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) Alvin Fielder passed away near his Jackson, Mississippi, home.…
SledgePad Dampening System
A simple set-it-and-forget-it muffling device. Felt strips, blankets, pillows, shredded newspaper…these are just a few of the many ways drummers have tried to control bass drum sustain. Enter SledgePad, a simple-to-install and effective foam-based dampening system designed to focus bass…
Chick Corea’s Marcus Gilmore
Much has been made of his being the grandson of drum god Roy Haynes. And not without reason—he received his formative lessons at Mr. Snap Crackle and Pop’s knee. But he’s indisputably defined his own space on the jazz landscape…
Luke Bryan’s Kent Slucher
Country Music’s Big Backbeat Luke Bryan and his band headline amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums year after year. On a recent tour, the singer entertained a sold-out crowd at Dodger Stadium as the first country act to ever play the venue.…
Barton Vintage Beech Drumset
Boutique-style drums with the working drummer in mind. Barton is a relatively new California-based company that, according to its website, makes “real, honest drums that you can keep for a lifetime.” In order to keep its prices within the working…
Glitched Beats
Diving Deep into Displacements Most of us seem to be listening to music digitally these days almost exclusively. And while streaming means never having to deal with a skipping record or CD anymore, those skips and glitches can provide a…
Aston Origin, Spirit, and Starlight Microphones
A trio of cost-effective condensers designed to capture smooth, natural sounds. Aston is a UK-based company that manufactures high-quality yet competitively priced condenser mics suitable for a wide range of applications, including on drums. At the moment, Aston’s catalog comprises…
Moving Around the Kit
Utilizing Clockwise and Counterclockwise Motions in Fills In this workshop, we’ll explore moving fills around the kit easily in two directions: clockwise and counterclockwise. Most right-handed drummers orchestrate fills in a clockwise direction. For example, they may start a fill…
New Releases by Mark Heaney, Dream Theater, Huntertones, John Hubbell, and more
Recordings Taking The Reins Mark Heaney Drumscapes Vol. 1 The English drummer and composer, best known for his stint with Gang of Four, returns with a beautiful album of drum-centered music. We checked out the album—and took advantage of an…
Bonus Lesson: Kent Slucher Live With Luke Bryan
Digging into some of the country and rock powerhouse’s grooves and approaches. MD: There are two great fills you play at the end of the guitar solo in “Light It Up.” You mentioned that you really sit down and dissect…
Nuggets of Drum Wisdom
In addition to interviewing some of the most cutting-edge drummers on the planet—such as two of the featured artists in this issue, modern-jazz prodigy Marcus Gilmore and forward-thinking electro-funk artist Louis Cole—we also like to check in with some of…
Primus’s Tim “Herb” Alexander
We had the chance to catch up with Tim Alexander towards the end of one of Primus’s recent ten-week tours. When asked about his setup, Tim explained that his current arrangement stems from his recent heart surgery. “When I came…
Jason Bittner with Overkill
The legacy thrash band hits the road on an international trek that runs through mid-May. To complement their well-established live bombardment and new 2019 release, a metal vet joins them behind the skins. For their nineteenth studio album, The Wings…
New Gear from DW, Aquarian, Gon Bops, Tama, Pearl, and more
DW Collector’s Series Pure Almond Drumset Pure Almond drumsets have been added to the Collector’s Series. Features include a new staggered tandem core shell that’s said to put less tension on the shell and to balance the inherent attack and…
Ra Kalam Bob Moses
On His Own Terms Try this experiment: Mention the name Bob Moses to a drummer who’s been around a while. You’ll likely get one of two responses: “Bob who?” or something to the effect of “Oh, yeah, Bob’s the man!”…
Aric Improta “Creativity”
Showcasing the unique musical personalities of the fifteen drummers included in the project, “Creativity” is the latest addition to Aric Improta’s impressive collection of online content and the third in his Interpretation Project series. Uninterested in merely showcasing his own…
