On the Beat
Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
Doug Yowell
Hello, MD readers. I’m currently in a session, which is where I spend a lot of time these days. I’m not great at talking about myself, but I’ve had many experiences and I hope this gives a glimpse of what…
Bill Block, Creator of the Short Film The Drummer
I wrote and directed a short film called The Drummer. It’s about a cathartic day in the life of a down-on-his-luck drummer named Dave. Dave doesn’t say much in the film (he’s got maybe three lines), but he doesn’t need…
Jason Holmes of Black Taxi
Hello to the Modern Drummer blogosphere! This is my first blog here, with hopefully many more to come. My name is Jason Holmes, and I play drums in a band called Black Taxi. We all live, work, and rehearse in…
Chris DeRosa
Greetings, Modern Drummer readers! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. I wanted to mention a few words about a wonderful experience I had recently. I was asked by ShareTheMic and the U.S. Embassy…
Bob Pantella of Riotgod, Monster Magnet, and Atomic Bitchwax
Hello, brothers and sisters. It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog for MD Online. Last time, I was playing in four different bands and ran a recording studio. Well, I’m glad to say the same is still true.…
Al Pahanish Jr. of DYS
Greetings, earthlings and fellow MD time travelers. I’m currently the drummer for Boston hardcore legends DYS. This summer I was in the process of relocating to Phoenix, Arizona, when I got the call. I spent a great deal of time…
Gregg Potter with the Buddy Rich Big Band
Hello, Modern Drummer readers, this is Gregg Potter. It’s been a while since I’ve graced the pages or computer screens of MD. This is definitely a high point of any drummer’s existence, being allowed to communicate with the coolest, most…
Marcus James of Super Prime
Hello, MD readers! Originally I started out as a piano player, which is a good starter instrument for anyone trying to play music. Rhythms always came naturally to me, but so did melodies, so I was torn between instruments. Obviously…
Fernando Rensi
Hello, everybody! This is Fernando Rensi, from Brazil. I recently got home after four intense years on the run. The adventure started in Australia, in 2008, when I joined the band the Indigo Frequency. With them I had the craziest…
Fred Eltringham of k.d. lang and the Dixie Chicks
Hi from Nashville, Tennessee. I’m here to let you all know about some of the cool stuff that I’ve been up to. I want to start by saying I recently left the Wallflowers, who I played with since 2004. I…
Queen Extravaganza Finalist Billy Orrico
Hello, MD readers! First, congrats to Tyler Warren on winning the drum chair in the Queen Extravaganza band! What a thrill it was to be part of the finals and to meet Roger Taylor. I’ve been a lifelong Queen fan…
Queen Extravaganza Finalist Nico Saavedra
The Queen Extravaganza competition has been a great experience. I first heard about it through the Queen website, which is a place I tend to visit often since I’m a big fan. Then a friend of mine texted me about…
Queen Extravaganza Finalist Zach Mullings
Hey, everyone! My name is Zach Mullings, and I’m from Miramar, Florida. I’m one of the four drummers who were picked to audition for the Queen Extravaganza in L.A. First off, let me say how thrilled I am to be…
Dan Brill of Czar
Hello, Modern Drummer readers. My name is Dan Brill, and I am honored to contribute to MD’s blogs. In January of 2009, my band Czar formed almost spontaneously. A lot of our songs originated with loose, fragmented drumming ideas of…
