Feature Stories
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.
Seven Antonopoulos with Opiate For The Masses
The programming-heavy hard rock of L.A.’s Opiate For The Masses often draws aural comparisons to industrial stalwarts like KMFDM and Nine Inch Nails. But drummer Seven Antonopoulos resists pigeonholing his band as “industrial metal.” “Those kinds of bands often lack…
Greg Saunier of Deerhoof
by Mike Parillo Deerhoof may be flirting more than ever with mainstream success, but its loose-limbed timekeeper isn’t about to start planning things now. “When I’m playing, I feel like I’m speaking,” says Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier. “I want to…
Derek O'Brien
Social Distortion, Agent Orange, D.I.–these are just some of the pivotal acts that helped shape the Southern California punk rock scene. And it’s drummer Derek O’Brien who has manned the throne at some point in time over the past three…
Ian Matthews
When Ian Matthews got his first drumkit at age four, he was lucky that his babysitter was also a professional drummer. “He’d teach me a few rudiments and how to read a bit,” Ian remembers. “That got me into jazz…
Chuck Tilley
Chuck Tilley is thrilled these days to be occupying the drum seat for popular TV show Nashville Star. “The coolest thing about the gig is that it covers every musical style,” he enthuses, “from hard rock and blues to traditional…
Jeff Ballard
Fresh Perspectives On Jazz Drumming by T. Bruce Wittet This much is unanimously agreed upon: In the hierarchy of jazz drummers, Jeff Ballard has climbed so high he can clearly see the summit. What’s more, he’s making edgy, contemporary music…
Rob Bourdon: Midnight Confessions
by Ken Micallef Back in 1999, Rob Bourdon was just another drummer in LA, playing with his band Linkin Park, doing the rounds of clubs, and working on his loops, beats, and pieces. Fast forward eight years: Bourdon is now…
Nathan Followill of Kings Of Leon
Even strapping young lads like Kings Of Leon's drummer Nathan Followill aren’t immune to the aches and pains of touring. It’s par for the course when you’re a grizzled road dog by your mid-twenties. “When your leg’s cramping and there’s…
Tony Leone
When Tony Leone moved to New York City in 1998, his intent was to focus on straight-ahead jazz, and he started gigging with such jazz icons as Lou Donaldson and Illinois Jacquet, along with saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jim Rotunde,…
Yogi Horton
Modern Drummer online, along with some of Yogi Horton’s closest musical friends, is paying tribute this month to the great R&B drummer, who tragically passed away twenty years ago, in June of 1987. At the time of his untimely death,…
Scott Asheton of The Stooges
When punk rock progenitors The Stooges reformed for some shows in 2003, big names like Rick Rubin and Jack White expressed interest in helping the band produce a new record in the tradition of their classic albums Fun House and…
Sean O'Rourke
Atlanta studio ace Sean O’Rourke has been plugging away in the trenches of the local scene for over twenty years. Having also toured with Mother’s Finest, The Derek Trucks Band, and Aquarium Rescue Unit, O’Rourke is a seasoned road warrior.…
Brian Young of Founatins Of Wayne
by Waleed Rashidi If at any point in 2003 you were situated near an FM radio or MTV-equipped television, chances are you heard Brian Young’s drumming. That’s because the mega-hit song “Stacy’s Mom,” from power-pop rockers Fountains Of Wayne’s third…
Marco Minnemann: Beyond Chops
by Mike Haid A new breed of drummer has emerged over the past decade. This elite group of international super-drummers has changed the face of drumming and raised the bar on speed, ambidextrous technique, soloing, stick tricks, multi-pedal coordination, and…
