(June 2010 Issue)

Richard Christy shares his ten favorite drumming albums, as well as shots of his kits over the years.

1. Death Human (drummer: Sean Reinert) The perfect blend of speed and technicality—probably the biggest single influence on my drumming.

2. King Diamond Them (Mikkey Dee) The intro to “Welcome Home” is genius, one of the greatest drum intros ever.

3. Watchtower Control And Resistance (Rick Colaluca) After twenty years of practicing along to this album, I’m still trying to figure out what Rick is doing on these songs. Incredible.

4. Malevolent Creation Retribution (Alex Marquez) The greatest double bass/tom fills of all time. The intro to “Coronation Of Our Domain” is legendary.

5. Riot Thundersteel (Bobby Jarzombek) Some of the most inventive double bass patterns and hi-hat/kick drum fills ever. Bobby Jarzombek is the man.

6. Wrathchild America 3-D (Shannon Larkin) Insane drumming that encompasses every style of music. A criminally underrated band that I’m dying to see reunite.

7. Van Halen 1984 (Alex Van Halen) “Hot For Teacher” is the reason I play drums. I heard it when I was ten years old and was hooked.

8. Dismember Indecent & Obscene (Fred Estby) Some of the loosest but most exciting drumming. Practicing to this album helped me master the double-time ride/snare thrash beat.

9. Rage Perfect Man (Chris Ephthimiadis) Probably my favorite snare drum sound. This album has some of the greatest thrash metal drumming ever.

10. Cannibal Corpse Tomb Of The Mutilated (Paul Mazurkiewicz) The creator of the bomb blast, Paul plays some of the heaviest drumbeats ever on this album.

 

Richard playing his Mapex set at his parents’ house in Kansas, circa 1991

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording with Public Assassin at Full Sail Studios, Orlando, Florida, October 1993

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard’s Drum Sled at a Springfield, Missouri, warehouse, January 1995

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording the Death Sound Of Perseverance album demos, fall 1997

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard’s setup for the recording of The Sound Of Perseverance at Florida’s Morrisound Studios, April 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Death in France, October 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording demos for Control Denied’s first album at Chuck Schuldiner’s home studio in Oviedo, Florida, January 1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording Burning Inside’s Apparition at Florida’s Audiohammer Studios, summer 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setup at Morrisound Studio for the recording of Control Denied’s When Machine And Man Collide, December 2000