September 2021 – Volume 45 • Number 9

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…

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…

Minna Koskenlahti

Casting Musical Spells “Stillness” is not a term typically applied to percussion. Stuff gets hit, walloped, thrashed, pounded, and otherwise pummeled, which suggests motion and dynamic kineticism. But on her debut solo album Toinen/Other , Finnish experimental-percussionist Minna Koskenlahti explores…

Russ Miller

Building an Empire One Brick at a Time Russ Miller is known throughout the music industry as a go-to session musician, top-level music creator, in-demand educator, and an incredibly successful businessperson. He has spent his nearly 40 years as a…

ROC Drums May 1986

Many years ago, a friend of mine told me these crazy awesome Stratocaster clones were being sold out of a storefront on Dorman Avenue in San Francisco. We decided to investigate, and a man who looked more like a teenager…

NEW GEAR - September 2021

64 Audio U6t Universal In-Ear Monitor Drummers who are done with that wedge blasting away at them a few feet from their drum throne, but don’t want to expend the time and expense to order custom in-ear monitors, should look…

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…

Mapex

Saturn Four-Piece Rock Shell Pack Resonance appears to be an essential element of almost every component of the Saturn SR529XU Rock architecture. With a focus on warm and robust tones, these drums sound explosive and articulate in every application—whether that’s…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Johnny Kelly

Filling In the Noize I’ve played guitar in Quiet Riot off and on since 2004, and permanently since 2010. Before my band mate and drummer Frankie Banali passed away from cancer in 2020, he made it clear he wanted Quiet…

September 2021 - Volume 45 • Number 9

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.…

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…