May 2019 Issue – Volume 43 • Number 05
Articles in May 2019
RBH Westwood Series Drumset
All RBH drum shells are handmade by Hagwood at the RBH shop in Virginia Beach, so there’s no difference in quality or craftsmanship between the Monarch and Westwood series.
Innovative Percussion
Two of IP’s latest signature designs are for legendary session drummer John “JR” Robinson and punk/metal great Brooks Wackerman.
Slightly Stoopid's Ryan "RyMo" Moran
When we caught up with RyMo at a Slightly Stoopid show, he had already logged three tours with this setup.
New Releases by Kyle Crane, The BBB, Flav Martin, MewithoutYou, The Neal Morse Band, and more
New releases featuring Jerry Marotta, Bernie Dresel, Mike Portnoy and more
Navene Koperweis on Whitechapel’s The Valley
Koperweis’s distinctly huge and open drum tone sings throughout The Valley, a rarity in a genre where you’re more apt to hear controlled kit sounds or samples.
Josh Groban’s Kaz Rodriguez
Take a perusal of London-based drummer Kaz Rodriguez’s social media videos, and it quickly becomes evident that he cannot be easily pigeonholed.
Bow Thayer’s Jeff Berlin On His Solo Album Random Misfires
Berlin continues to reclaim musical ground and technical facility he thought he might lose forever.
PASIC18
The Percussive Arts Society held its annual international convention this past November 14–17 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.
Jharis Yokley with My Brightest Diamond
Innovative indie-pop act, My Brightest Diamond, embarked on a North American tour opening for the Canadian alternative group Stars.
Spinbal
Spinbal is a unique ball-bearing-based washer allows for nearly endless sonic and visual possibilities and offers the benefit of extending the life of the cymbal itself.
Ani DiFranco’s Terence Higgins
Terence Higgins somehow manages to balance projects with Ani DiFranco, Don Was, George Porter & Ivan Neville, John Medeski’s Mad Skillet, and Tab Benoit
P!nk’s Mark Schulman
“Mark has been a special part of my band for twelve-plus years, during that time we’ve developed a super close-knit touring family,
Funkify Your Swing Feel
Fusing rhythms from one style of music to another can help a player develop new ideas and fresh rhythmic approaches that might not have yet been previously explored.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Brian Chase
Brian Chase should demand your attention. He is the rare musician who’s as much at home drumming behind the ecstatic yawp of punk legends the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as he is jousting with the cream of New York City’s improvising coterie.
What’s Your Favorite 2000s Metal Drumming Album?
Heavy metal underwent significant change between 2000 and 2010, as the genre continually split into new styles.
The Duality of 16th-Note Meters
Time signatures such as 15/16, 17/16, and 29/16 can bring out anxiety in drummers who aren’t familiar with them. The truth of the matter is that they’re only slightly different from quarter-or 8th-note meters, which are far more common.
Enduring Effort
The first time I saw MD at a shopping mall bookstore in the early 2000s, I remember thinking, Wait, someone makes a magazine for US?
New Gear from Gretsch, Latin Percussion, DW, 64 Audio, Nordic, and more
New gear for you to see
Drum Wisdom: Bruce Becker
Bruce Becker is an L.A.-based teacher regarded as a guru of the mechanics of drumming. His colleagues refer to him as “Yoda,” “the Master,” “the Technique Guy.”