Drummers
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.
Bernard Purdie: Funky Hit Maker For The Ages
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie was born on June 11, 1939 in Elkton, Maryland, the eleventh of fifteen children. Bernard took an interest in rhythm at a very young age, and by the time he was fourteen he’d purchased his first real…
Chris Johnson — Touring With Rihanna
Yo, what up, MD? This is ya boy Chris Johnson from Los Angeles, California. Like many others in this field, I started playing in church—my dad’s church, to be exact. So I was always there to play, practice, and everything.…
The Greats: Hal Blaine
Musicians love to argue about things like, What drummer played on the most records in history? Some figure it’s got to be R&B great Earl Palmer. Other folks say, What about Steve Gadd; he’s been a first-call studio cat for…
Seven Antonopoulos of Leaves’ Eyes
Hello, all. I would like to start by thanking everyone at MD for the invite to blog a bit about what I’ve been up to. So after recovering from the NAMM show (that’s a long story in and of itself),…
The Greats: Ginger Baker
Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker was born on August 19, 1939, in Lewisham, South London and was one of classic rock’s first influential drumming superstars of the 1960s. Ginger—a nickname inspired by his red hair—gained fame as a member of the…
Jarrett Hottman of Before Their Eyes
What up, Modern Drummer readers? First off, I would like to thank MD for giving me this opportunity to write a blog. It’s an honor and privilege. I’ve been playing drums since I was thirteen years old and have been…
Carter Beauford: Dave Matthews’ Ace In The Hole
“Basically I grew up on pocket,” said Carter Beauford in his 1998 Modern Drummer cover story. “When it comes to music, that’s the bottom-line rule for me. Growing up, the jazz influences were there as well, but don’t forget there’s…
The Greats: Jim Keltner
Jim Keltner is inarguably a true studio drum god. Highly regarded for his session work on solo recordings by three of the Beatles, Jim could also be considered a close life-long friend of George Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr.…
Tegan And Sara’s Johnny Andrews
Feb 12, Northampton, MA Hello, Modern Drummer readers! I just want ot say how honored I am to be able to write a blog for the Web site. I’ve been a longtime reader of the magazine and have been inspired…
Bill Bruford - On A Never-Ending Quest
“I don’t want to be bored. I haven’t got time to be bored. If I ever bore myself consistently for a year, I’ll give up being a musician. I would lose my self-confidence—the feeling that I really do have something…
Artist Vs Poet's Joe Westbrook
Hey guys, its Joe Westbrook from Artist Vs Poet. I’ve never written one of these blogs so I guess I’ll start by telling my history with drumming. At the age of eight, after a good while of nagging my parents…
Travis Barker: Blink-182’s Man About Town
Travis Barker was born on November 14, 1975 in Fontana, California, and began studying drums at the age of four. Though he’s largely known as a high-energy punk drummer, Travis in fact studied jazz and was exposed to many different…
Eric Seats Next Great Drummer Show
Hello all in MD land! I’m Eric Seats, drummer, producer, and creator of the Next Great Drummer show. A little bit about my background: I got my first taste of drumming from my dad, Leroy Seats, who is to this…
J.C. Heard: One Of The Busiest, Swingin’-est Drummers Of Classic Jazz
J.C. Heard was born in Detroit in 1917, and started out as a tap dancer. He taught himself drums at age eleven, and two years later he was working with local bands. Heard’s break into the big time came in…
