March 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 3

George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ Jeff Simon

Features George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ Jeff Simon Forty years ago he went electric with his guitar-slinging, blues-wailing childhood friend. Since then, millions of albums have been sold and as many miles traveled, and he’s still the unstoppable heartbeat of…

March 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 3

An Editor's Overview - The Uncommon Man

by Billy Amendola Hello, everyone! We’re already well into the new year, and I always like to take the opportunity around this time to thank readers, drum industry members, and everyone else who has supported Modern Drummer over the past…

Dave Weckl

Features Dave Weckl Among the game-changing fusion drummer’s recent projects: a reunion of the group that began our infatuation with him in the first place. Story and photo by Mike Haid In 1985, Chick Corea, who had helped usher in…

Rat Scabies

Features Rat Scabies He hasn’t been a member of THE DAMNED for twenty years. But the impression he made on fans of the legendary British punk band was indelible. With a current documentary hipping legions of younger listeners to the…

Conquering Life’s Stage Fright - Part 1: The Three C's

by Mark Schulman Imagine you’ve worked on your skillset for many hours throughout your life and you’ve developed what you perceive to be an accurate awareness of your abilities. Imagine having spent most waking hours since the age of five…

Stickings That Rock, Part 1: From A Hand Pattern to a Groove

Basics Stickings That Rock Part 1: From A Hand Pattern to a Groove by Rich Redmond This month we’ll look at a sticking that can be found in the first few pages of George Lawrence Stones’ book Stick Control and…

Twelve Essential Shuffles - Some of Drumming's Most Influential Feels

Rock 'N' Jazz Clinic by Rich Scannella While simple in concept, the shuffle, which features prominently in early jazz, blues, Motown, soul, funk, rock ’n’ roll, and hip-hop, among other styles, can be difficult to execute even for skilled drummers.…

1,000 Ways to Practice a Single Page, Part 1: Introducing the Method

https://vimeo.com/201166237 Strictly Technique 1,000 Ways to Practice a Single Page Part 1: Introducing the Method by Libor Hadrava I’ve always wanted a system for practicing different subjects that I can take with me anywhere without having to lug around a…

Ddrum - Max Series Drumset

https://vimeo.com/195029027 Product Close-Up Ddrum Max Series Drumset Leave your gaff tape at home! These alder/maple drums have a big, articulate, and controlled sound right out of the box.

Daryl Hall and John Oates' Brian Dunne

If you’ve ever seen Live From Daryl’s House, it’s a good bet that you’ve thought to yourself at least one time, Now that’s one gig I’d love to have. And to be sure, the enormity of performing with pop and…

Kit of the Month - The Eliminator

Kit of the Month The Eliminator When searching for the inspiration to build this month’s featured kit, Travis Wenzel of Elk Mound, Wisconsin, looked no further than his band’s rehearsal space. “This project started out as a 125th-anniversary Sonor Force…

DW - Bass Drum Beaters

https://vimeo.com/193385145 Product Close-Up DW Bass Drum Beaters Four multi-tonal options for dialing in the perfect feel and sound. DW recently released a quartet of bass drum beaters that are designed to provide multiple tones and textures from a single source.…

Great 80s Drum Performances, Part 2: Jazz and Fusion

Great 80s Drum Performances Part 2: Jazz and Fusion by Ilya Stemkovsky The ’80s might not be anyone’s first reference point for the golden age of jazz, but a closer examination reveals wonders under the surface. Sure, traditional acoustic jazz…

Opeth's Martin Axenrot

The Swedish demon can be heard in all his glory on Opeth’s twelfth studio album—a study in getting timeless sounds and performances on a new-world recording. by Mike Haid Listening to the airy, floating, Baroque-style “Persephone,” the opening track from…

6 More Mobile Apps Every Drummer Should Know

Electronic Insights 6 More Mobile Apps Every Drummer Should Know A half dozen fun, informative, and practical smartphone programs for drummers by Miguel Monroy According to a series of surveys conducted by Pew Research Center in 2015, sixty-four percent of…

Noble & Cooley - SS Classic, Horizon, and Walnut Snare Drums

150-plus years in business, and the historic American company continues to build some of the finest drums around. Noble & Cooley’s history goes all the way back to 1854, when Silas Noble and James P. Cooley made their first marching…

Dream - Paper-Thin Crashes, TriHats, and Libor Hadrava Stacks

Product Close-Up Dream Paper-Thin Crashes, TriHats, and Libor Hadrava Stacks Musical, affordable, and versatile options from Canada’s twelve-year-old “newcomer.” Since 2005, Dream Cymbals and Gongs has been providing competitively priced handcrafted instruments that are designed by professional Canadian percussionists and…

On The Cover - Kenny Aronoff

On The Cover Kenny Aronoff This is one of life’s simple truths: The more you learn, the more you realize how much more you have to learn. Here is another simple truth: Kenny Aronoff understands this better than almost anybody.…