November 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 11
Articles in November 2018
Flam Ostinatos - A Creative Approach to a Drumming Staple
In the context of contemporary hybrid rudiments, the flam has been used in different ways to create some new and exciting patterns. Inspired by some of these modern hybrid combinations, I’ve come up with a concept to add yet another…
Hidden Treasures
Photo by Jeff Smith Hello, everyone in MD land. I hope your summer went well. There were so many classic and new bands out on the road; hopefully you got to enjoy a few of those live shows. And hopefully…
Drums of the Tombs
The musician, composer, and producer Tom Holkenborg, who performs under the stage name Junkie XL, custom ordered this month’s featured kit to use while creating the score to the 2018 action film Tomb Raider. To match the movie’s Pacific-island setting,…
Jan Delay’s Jost Nickel
Just when you think there’s nothing new under the drumming sun, someone like this veteran German player comes along and sheds new light on the craft. The fact that he plays with such blistering technique and sophisticated musicality only makes him that much more compelling.
Jay-Z’s Eric “Boots” Greene
He’s developed some of the nastiest funk and fusion chops. And he thinks and plays like a producer. So it’s no wonder that he flourishes on the world’s biggest stages—and in the modern studio environment.
Dean Butterworth on Good Charlotte’s Generation Rx
The pop-punk mainstays deliver again with powerful hooks and purposeful songs charged by their versatile ace behind the skins.
Angel Olsen’s Josh Jaeger
After five years of steady touring and recording with the indie-folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen—including a fifteen-month tour cycle behind 2016’s My Woman—Josh Jaeger is shifting gears. With Olsen using 2018 to focus on solo shows and writing for a new…
Drumset Ergonomics - Part 5: Positioning the Hi-Hat, Ride, and Rack Toms
https://vimeo.com/281286833 Welcome back! The final two articles in this series will focus on the placement of primary and secondary suspended instruments, with an emphasis on preserving shoulder health. Primary suspended instruments are the ones we play most often (hi-hat, ride,…
Who's Playing What, Beat Hunger Benefit, and More
Richie Gajate-Garcia Receives Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln College This past May 5, the percussionist, educator, and author Richie Gajate-Garcia received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, in recognition of his contributions to the areas…
Jake Morris
Thirty years after he cofounded the influential and inscrutable indie-rock band Pavement, Stephen Malkmus is among the most confident and compelling bandleader/songwriters of his generation. And in this drummer, he has a musician who only accentuates his greatest assets.
Ddrum - Dios Series Snares
A well-conceived trio of deep wood and metal models designed to deliver distinct but useful tones.
Evans UV1 Bass Drum Heads
A durable ultraviolet-cured coated option for three of the company’s most popular models.
ToneAlly - Percussion Teaching Tool
Sharpen your stick heights and angles with this unique tactile practice device.
Keith Urban’s Seth Rausch
Seth Rausch, who’s currently touring with country superstar Keith Urban, met with MD to talk about his extensive setup that includes custom pieces, a bespoke snare, and a secondary electronic cocktail kit. The multitude of components was ideal for Urban’s…
8 Reasons to Love Whitesnake
(Above: When Deep Purple went on hiatus in 1979, drummer Ian Paice helped Whitesnake achieve mass popularity.) Whitesnake formed soon after the dissolution of the Mark IV lineup of Deep Purple, when singer David Coverdale combined his love of blues, rock,…
What’s Your Favorite Buddy Rich Performance?
In this month’s Jazz Drummer’s Workshop, the author and educator Eric Fischer analyzes one of Buddy Rich’s earliest surviving recordings. We reached out to our readers and social media followers to find out what other performances from throughout the legendary…
Buddy Rich - “Stars and Stripes Forever”
By 1929, a twelve-year-old Buddy Rich was already a seasoned performer, having been an integral part of his parents’ vaudeville act since he was eighteen months old. According to Mel Tormé’s biography of Rich, Traps: The Drum Wonder, with the…