September 2021 – Volume 45 • Number 9
On 30th Sep 2021
Articles in September 2021
Kenny Malone
August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021 When it came to the artistry of drums, musicality, creativity, and imagination on a session or a gig, Kenny Malone offered up his soul every time he touched the drums. When he spoke…
Authentic Latin Rhythms
Listening implants music in a person at a very early age. Listening is accepting all different genres of music—from ethnic to jazz, rock, classical, Latin, African, and everything else. This is when we really begin to understand the different essences…
Creative Calamities
Ringo put a very fine point on it when he sang, “It don’t come easy.” Sure, there are lucky schmoes who seem to attract celebrity, accolades, and riches without appearing to have much talent, or even an ounce of ambition.…
The Courage to Connect
In honor of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I want to look at the very uncomfortable topic of suicide. I realize this article isn’t something you would normally find in a musicians’ magazine, but think about it—how many incredible artists,…
Drum Show Roundup
Modern Drummer Revisits Two Pandemic-Era Drum Extravaganzas The past 20 or so months have devastated music tours, trade shows, club gigs, and just about any large gathering of humanity. The number of events cancelled or postponed during the global pandemic…
PDP
Concept Select Series Snare Drums PDP’s new Concept Select Series is a collection of three beautiful metallic snare drums designed with DW Drums in California. PDP obviously sought to up its game with these metal glories, and, as a result,…
Tony Thompson
December 1985 “On The Power Station album, I’m beginning to approach what I’m shooting for. My drums sound bigger than life, and I’m getting to play so much—really blasting off, but still working that funk groove. There are a lot…
Bernard Purdie
Excerpted from the November 1985 Cover Story Known as the “Father Time” of modern drumming, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie has drummed up an almost unbeatable record of more than 3,000 album credits—many of them smash hits. He has cut across all…
The Drummer as Entertainer
It doesn’t seem fair. The band is having a hot night. The singer is wailing, guitars are screaming, keyboards are thumping, and you and the bass player are locked in tight. Everything is falling into the pocket. But you look…
16th-Note-Triplet Hand and Foot Patterns
Excepted from Building Bass Drum Technique The patterns on the following four pages are built around hand and foot coordination with 16th-note triplets. The exercises become increasingly difficult as you work your way through. A slower tempo at the onset…
Custard Pie Brings the Funk
Picturesque Alsace borders France, Germany, and Switzerland. The region may present a storybook-like setting of timber-framed architecture, castles, and even the mythical birthplace of the Easter bunny. In reality, it is a fairy-tale land formed from turbulence. Originally settled by…
Hugh Syme’s Four Decades of Rush Dreamscapes
Rockers, art directors, and artists have made great teams since the glory days of album art—even right up to the slightly less awesomeness of tiny, non-tactile images on Spotify and other streaming services. From Reid Miles’ iconic Blue Note album…
Joey Jordison
April 26, 1975 – July 26, 2021 Metal maestro Joey Jordison—who had a seismic impact on aggressive rock as a drummer, guitarist, songwriter, and band leader—passed away on July 26, 2021. He was 46 years old, and had suffered from…
Rock Pattern Exercises
Excepted from Rudiments to Rock Carmine Appice designed Rudiments to Rock specifically to provide beginning drum students with fresh ideas and procedures. Through the book’s exercises and explanations, Appice takes novice percussionists from basic fundamentals to the more difficult, modern…
Matt Sorum
New Book, Celebrating Vinyl, Saving Animals, and Producing Billy Gibbons Matt Sorum has had about as cool a drumming career as one could possibly hope for. In a business that can be notoriously hard, Sorum has navigated the often-perilous world…
How to Make Friends with Vocalists
I cracked up during one of Rat Scabies’ interview segments in the recently released Count Me In documentary. The Damned drummer related the following wisdom about performing punk rock back in the “OG era” of the mid 1970s: “If they…
Rock Doc Drummers
Maybe there’s something in the water. Or the air. Or perhaps it’s simply the streaming services deluging us with content while everyone is looking for anything to take their minds off of the global pandemic. But, wow, a ton of…
Muppet Mania Bill Ruck’s Tribute to his Wife
Owen Sound, Ontario drummer Bill Ruck grew up with a fascination for the three players who would become his main stylistic influences: Buddy Rich, John Bonham, and Dino Danelli. “My parents were in their 40s when I was born, so…
Cool Percussion Goodies
Just as guitar players always seem to be on the lookout for new pedals, percussionists appear to be forever seeking unique things they can add to their armory of stuff to shake, hit, and slap. Many of the products profiled…
