August 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 8
Articles in August 2017
Get Your Head Out of the Page
Boy, it was strange typing that title. After all, when you’re in the information biz like Modern Drummer is, you’re generally trying to get people to do the opposite. But we’re also in the music biz, and the aim there,…
Styx’s Todd Sucherman
For twenty years he’s been at the very top echelon of the rock and drumming worlds, largely on the basis of his scalding, unerring readings of classic Styx tracks recorded well before he joined the fray. Truth be told, that…
On Topic - Louis Hayes
On Working With Jazz Legend Horace Silver in the ’50s Horace got me out of Detroit and working in New York. That put me in the spotlight. I made five recordings with Horace on Blue Note, as well as records…
Great Drums at Sun
A new compilation puts drummers square at the center of the most important musical invention of the mid-twentieth century. They called it rock.
Finding a New Musical Home
Let’s face it, sometimes it just isn’t happening at home. We may be in the age of bedroom studios, high-speed digital transfer, and cloud computing, but for the foreseeable future our physical address will continue to have a significant impact on our work opportunities. This month we speak with three pro drummers who decided they needed to up stakes to begin a new chapter in their careers. If you’ve been contemplating a move lately, their experiences could help you in making this important decision.
Paiste - PSTX DJs 45 Series
Affordable, micro-sized effects cymbals from the mind of one of today’s most distinctive beat-smiths.
KBrakes - Bass Drum Anchors
Mitigate kick drum creep with these simple-to-install feet.
Shure - MOTIV Series Mobile Recording Devices
iOS and USB solutions for musicians looking to document on the go.
My Prized Possessions
Commemorating multiple generations in woodworking with three one-of-a-kind stave snares.
New Gear from Zildjian, Auralex, RBH Drums, Agazarian, Sonor, Aquarian, and Vic Firth!
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Add-Ons Zildjian has expanded its Low Volume cymbal sets to include four individual add-on models. Like previous Low Volume cymbals, the recently added 20" ride, 10" splash, 16" crash, and 18" crash-ride are up to eighty…
Favorite Clyde Stubblefield Track?
This past February 18, funk pioneer and renowned James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield passed away. To coincide with this month’s tribute to the innovator , we asked our social media followers to name the tracks they think stand out from…
Thanks From Steve Smith
I would like to express my deep appreciation to my drumming peers that voted for me in the 2017 Modern Drummer Readers Poll. It has been an eventful year for me, with the Journey tours and being inducted into the…
Gene Chrisman on Dan Auerbach's Waiting on a Song album, Christopher Guanlao on tour with Silversun Pickups, and more
Out Now Gene Chrisman on Dan Auerbach’s Waiting on a Song A Southern studio legend lends his experience to a modern hit songwriter’s latest effort. This past June 2, Dan Auerbach, vocalist and guitarist of the blues/garage-rock band the Black…
Between the Buried and Me live album, Drum Trek method book, and more
Recordings John Frum A Stirring in the Noos It’s a band, not a person. And that’s not the only unexpected thing here. John Frum’s debut full-length, A Stirring in the Noos, offers a new voice to the ever-growing technical death…
Gil Sharone’s Wicked Beats Book
September 2015 MD cover artist Gil Sharone has built a career around his ability to navigate numerous styles in a convincing and authentic manner. If you don’t know him from his day gig with Marilyn Manson or his stint in…
The Steam Brain
Brooklyn-based percussionist, theater designer, and artist Eric Farber built this month’s monster setup for the Off-Broadway Civil War and science fiction musical Futurity. He created the production with his indie-rock band the Lisps over the course of eight years while…