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.
Jason Mackenroth with The Rollins Band and Mother Superior
Jason Mackenroth doesn't seem to understand the term "downtime." Not only is the drummer simultaneously playing in both The Rollins Band and Mother Superior, he's playing back to back sets on tour. Sure, The Rollins Band is Mother Superior with…
John Mahon with Elton John
John Mahon loves working with Elton John. He got the gig in 1997, originally to supply simple percussion parts and background vocals. Over the years, though, his percussion rig has grown. "I'm not trying to duplicate what Ray Cooper did…
Dave McClain of Machine Head
"He was jumping on my bass drums and yelling at me to play harder," says Machine Head drummer Dave McClain about production wiz Ross Robinson, who produced the metal band's 1999 album The Burning Red. "Our guitar player at the…
Sam McCandless of Cold
In 1998, Florida-based metal band Cold released its self-titled debut album, a dark, intensely brooding musical vision. But the band's strong songwriting, combined with impressive musicianship, allowed them to avoid being lumped in with bands treading similar ground. Drummer Sam…
Brian "Brain" Mantia
What do members of Faith No More, Limp Bizkit, Metallica, and Rage Against The Machine, as well as Bootsy Collins, Tom Waits, South Park co-creator Matt Stone, and legendary Police drummer Stewart Copeland all have in common? They each had…
Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden
We managed to track down Nicko McBrain in Madrid, Spain while in the midst of Iron Maiden's successful world tour. "Who'd have thought even ten years ago that we'd still be going strong," the drummer says. "With Bruce and Adrian…
Kevin Miller of Fuel
Loyal fans can definitely make a band feel welcome - especially in the case of Kevin Miller and his band Fuel. When the group was out searching for a place to conduct their pre-production rehearsals, a fan left his house…
Ben Mize of Counting Crows
Most rock drummers hit hard and play loud. But Counting Crows drummer Ben Mize prefers a different approach. "I love to play quietly, with brushes," he explains. "It seems to be more musical for me. I enjoy the ability to…
Drori Mondlak
Sometimes the truth about drums will come to Drori Mondlak at night. He'll stay up late, long after the gig, changing heads and tuning. Sometimes it will come to him during a jog in the forest, away from inner-city New…
Ryan Moore of Twilight Circus Dub Sound System
"I feel like I'm exploding with ideas. If I had a clone, I think I could churn out a good record every couple of months." Those familiar with the work of Ryan Moore's one-man band Twilight Circus Dub Sound System…
Johnny Morgan of Moke
South London rockers Moke are enjoying increased stateside visibility with their sophomore release, Carnival, due largely to the band's relentless touring. "It's been really good this time out," observes drummer Johnny Morgan. "More people seem to really be picking up…
Brad Morgan of Drive-By Truckers
Driving the rhythm for a rock band with three guitarists and three songwriters can be daunting for any drummer, especially one whose drumset once consisted of only three drums. For Brad Morgan of Drive-By Truckers, the discipline of the less-is-more…
Andy Narell
Primarily known as a steel pan player in the jazz idiom, Andy Narell is expanding his musical universe and exploring his version of "The French Connection." The first foreigner to compose for Trinidad's Panorama steel band competition (in 1999), Narell…
Scott Neuman
Scott Neumann, born and bred in Oklahoma, combines formal and informal techniques of playing the drumset--to great effect. Neumann began performing as a child, graduated from North Texas with a degree in music education, and over a decade ago entered…
