Buddy Rich: A Timeline
No player in history could so confidently—and inarguably—wear the title of “the world’s greatest drummer.” Buddy Rich was simply a phenomenon, astounding vaudeville audiences in the late 1910s and early ’20s, well before most children began their conventional schooling. Indeed,…
50 Crucial Jazz Drumming Recordings
A hundred years. It’s a wonder to think that’s how long people have holed themselves away with their Victrolas, hi-fis, iPods, and Google Homes, listening intently to the wondrous music that four generations’ worth of jazz drummers have gifted humankind.…
Antonio Sanchez Soars Beyond Birdman
Antonio Sanchez knows the key to being a successful jazz drummer in this unpredictable decade: Always keep evolving. To stay ahead of the game—both artistically and business-wise—the indefatigable artist embraces a whirlwind schedule and wholeheartedly welcomes a challenge. In addition…
Video Interview with Buddy Rich Writer and Arranger John LaBarbera!
John LaBarbera is a Grammy-nominated composer and arranger whose works have been recorded and performed for nearly fifty years by many of the top artists of jazz, including Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Tormé, Bill Watrous, Phil Woods,…
News
Keep up to date with the drum world via news items, interviews, lists, and more
Support Our Art Director Charlie Weinmann and Partner Christina Holland in Rebuilding After the Eaton Fire
Modern Drummer invites our community to come together and support our Art Director, Charlie Weinmann, a vital member of the Modern Drummer family, and his partner, Christina Holland. On January 8, 2025, Charlie and Christina tragically lost their home and all…
Honoring Neil Peart: Five Years of Legacy and Inspiration
January 7th is a day that drummers will always remember as the day that the drumming community lost one of the greatest drummers ever, Neil Peart. January 7, 2025, marks five years since we lost Neil and is a time for all drummers to remember…
The Police’s Stewart Copeland Performs Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin'” as He Hears It for First Time: Watch
Stewart Copeland, legendary drummer of The Police, was tasked with playing along to Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)” while hearing it for the first time as part of Drumeo’s popular YouTube series. Drumeo’s first “For the First Time” episode…
Phil Collins Sits Behind Classic Drum Kit for First Time in Over a Decade: Watch
Phil Collins’ various health issues have prevented him from playing the drums for the past several years, but the iconic musician briefly tested out his classic Gretsch concert tom kit for the first time in more than a decade in…
Videos
Rig rundowns, play-throughs, interviews, and more featuring your favorite drummers
Danny Carey - TOOL - Tour Kit Rundown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ7oqWdMvt8 Welcome, fellow audiophiles, drumming enthusiasts, TOOL fans, and lovers of all things progressive! Today, we've scored an exclusive backstage peek into the rhythmic labyrinth that is Danny Carey's drum kingdom for TOOL's Fear Inoculum Tour. Surrounded by instruments, Danny…
Gear
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
The Rikki Rockett Poison Drum Collection
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Baldman Percussion Presents: The Junk Hat 2.0!
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ddrum DDTi Trigger Interface
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NEW PRODUCTS FROM PDP, DRUM WORKSHOP, SONICCOUTURE, AND SABIAN
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The Year’s Best of the Northup Drums Museum
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A Year in Reviews
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Kit of the Month
Jeff Kozol's UltramarineMapex Armory Set
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Continue ReadingPodcasts
Host John DeChristopher goes in-depth with the biggest names in drumming
This Week's Episode!
Bruno Esrubilsky | Modern Drummer Podcast #13
Drummer Bruno Esrubilsky of Mitski, sat down with Modern Drummer's David Frangioni and Danny "Ziggy" Laverde to discuss his influences, the tour, his approach to performing Mitski's music, and more. Check out Bruno's Tour Kit: https://youtu.be/RXTdcFdSIq8 Like what you see?…
Paulina "Pau" Villarreal | Modern Drummer Podcast #12
After winning the "Up & Coming" category in our 2023 Modern Drummer Readers Poll, Paulina "Pau" Villarreal and her bandmates from The Warning sat down with David Frangioni for an episode of the Modern Drummer Podcast. They covered several topics,…
Brooks Wackerman | Modern Drummer Podcast #11
In this episode of the Modern Drummer Podcast, David Frangioni is joined by drummer Brooks Wackerman of Avenged Sevenfold. They discuss everything from work ethic to warm-ups, bands, influences, and more. Brooks made the cover of Modern Drummer back in…
Shannon Larkin | Modern Drummer Podcast #10
In this episode of the Modern Drummer Podcast, David Frangioni sits down with Godsmack's Shannon Larkin at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for a fascinating conversation about his early career, influences, touring life, going sober, and his time…
Hall of Fame
A look back at the legendary drummers elected to Modern Drummer’s Hall of Fame
Keith Moon Elected to Hall of Fame in 1982
Excerpted from the September 2003 issue In his last interview, published posthumously in October 1978, Keith told International Musician and Recording World, “You can’t work out things too much. We do certain build-ups and things, but you can run into…
John Bonham Elected to Hall of Fame in 1981
Excerpted from the John Bonham tribute issue, July 1984 John Bonham played, for the most part, a very simple drumkit, consisting of a 14x26 bass drum, a 12x15 small tom—at first mounted on a snare stand and later on the…
Buddy Rich Elected to Hall of Fame in 1980
Excerpted from the January 1977 issue When it comes to interviewing Buddy, one must learn to expect the unexpected. You can end up with a first rate story, or no story at all. He’s a very intense human being, with…
Gene Krupa Elected to Hall of Fame in 1979
Excerpted from the October/November 1979 issue “I’m happy that I succeeded in doing two things: I made the drummer a highpriced guy, and I was able to draw more people to jazz.” The above quote of drum master Gene Krupa…