May 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 5
On 01st May 2018
Articles in May 2018
Next to None’s Max Portnoy
Within the international drumming community, the name Portnoy is synonymous with progressive metal. Through his work with Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, Flying Colors, Transatlantic, and, most recently, Sons of Apollo, Mike Portnoy has garnered every award and accolade imaginable…
Eric Clapton's Jamie Oldaker
After forty years, the famed Eric Clapton cohort’s career is coming full circle.
Ray Lucas and Frank Capp Remembered
Ray Lucas: 1939-2017 The loyal NYC drummer had the music in him. Ray Lucas was an unsung hero of the dynamic New York City R&B/soul scene of the ’60s and ’70s, recording with Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, George Benson, and…
Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III on the Sword’s Used Future
Monstrous grooves underlie heavy riffs and Black Sabbath–inspired melodies on the group’s latest release.
Travis Orbin on Silly String II
Exploring the Session Guru’s Latest Chop-Infused Labyrinth
Bopworks - Drumsticks and Brushes
Faithful reproductions of classic models as well as contemporary designs with a vintage twist.
Paramore’s Zac Farro
Spending your teenage years making records and touring the world on a rocket ship to stardom is every young musician’s fantasy. Choosing to jump off that rocket while it’s still on a steady ascent may seem like madness. For this…
New Drum Gear from Tama, Remo, Rogers, Etymotic Research, Vic Firth and Ahead!
Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive Duo Drumkit Tama’s new Superstar Hyper-Drive Duo features maple shells with black nickel hardware, die-cast hoops, and the aluminum Star-Cast mounting system. The 10x14 Duo snare drum doubles as a floor tom and an extra-deep snare. The…
Rod Morgenstein with the Dixie Dregs
The prog-rock flag bearers reunite their classic 1970s Free Fall lineup for a spring U.S. tour.
The 42nd Annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention and Cascio Music Drummerfest 2017
The 42nd Annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention Clinics and performances abound as the industry’s biggest names gather for drumming’s largest event This past November 8–11, thousands of drummers and percussionists of all levels gathered at the Indiana Convention Center in…
The Elf’s Giant
For Eddie “the Elf” Piotrowski of Edison, New Jersey, it took more than ten years of collecting and assembling to build this month’s monster setup. Piotrowski explains that his extensive collection of individual drums and reclaimed sets, which includes a…
Tune-Bot - Studio Digital Tuner
A more accurate, user-friendly, and feature-laden version of the groundbreaking digital drum tuner.
Smashing Pumpkins’ Jimmy Chamberlin
For the second incarnation of the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, as heard on its new album, The Parable, the mighty drummer, who came to prominence in the ’90s with the Smashing Pumpkins, gathered players from East and West Coasts to create…
Belle and Sebastian’s Richard Colburn
For a touring band, life can imitate This Is Spinal Tap in any number of ways, from getting lost backstage to prop and gear malfunctions to, of course, drummers spontaneously combusting. And then there are predicaments that not even the…
Finding a Balance
Drummers often grapple with certain questions or problems that could be answered by simply finding the right balance between two choices. For example, a popular debate among drummers is the choice between using traditional or matched grip. Or some players…
