News
Keep up to date with the drum world via news items, interviews, lists, and more
The Art of John Douglas
John Douglas, both a drummer and artist, merged his two passions, ultimately becoming the premier drum customizer for international superstars, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bon Jovi, Maná, Van Halen, ZZ Top, Pantera, Iron Maiden, and Aerosmith. Douglas gives…
‘Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green & the Early Years of Fleetwood Mac’ Streaming Event Coming 4/24
Rockcellar.com: "On Feb. 25, 2020, mere weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on everything the world over, Mick Fleetwood and a host of special guest celebrity friends/music legends gathered at the London Palladium to pay tribute to Peter…
Val Sepulveda – Hit Like A Girl Spotlight - HLAG 2013 Champion & 2021 Judge - 3/14/21
Val Sepulveda is an award-winning drummer from Villa Alemana, Chile now based in Los Angeles, CA. Her passion for drumming started when she was 13 years old sitting on her first drum kit. She always followed beats and rhythms in…
All Together Now LA2 Telethon
Music lovers, you may want to mark your calendars for March 20. Our friends at Rock Cellar Productions are co-hosting the 2nd annual all-star concert event & telethon - ALL TOGETHER NOW – LA2. Here are a few details from…
Hit Like A Girl® “HLAG-X” 10th Anniversary Contest & Celebration - It's On! - 3/7/21
Hit Like A Girl— the global contest for girls, women and gender expansive drummers and beatmakers—is on now! The 2021 Hit Like A Girl Contest designated as HLAG-X (since 2021 is the 10th Anniversary of the groundbreaking, online program), will…
The Repercussions of Percussion - Don Mathew, MD FAAPMR - 3/7/21
To my fellow drummers, I feel your pain...literally. I am a practicing physician that completed medical school about ten years ago and subsequently trained at Northwestern Medicine into a specialty called physical medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatry,…
Thank you to Far Out Magazine for Reminding us how brilliant Ringo Starr is. We Agree!
Credit: AlamyJack Whatley·February 5, 2021 5 isolated drum tracks to prove The Beatles’ Ringo Starr was a genius Too often has The Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr been the butt of some unkind jokes. Reportedly purported by his bandmate John…
Neil Peart - A Fan Remembers - 1/7/21
Photo by Craig M. Renwick We all have bad days. Some stick with us forever. Some bad days effect millions of people at the same time. When JFK, MLK, RFK, and John Lennon were taken, it was a series of collective…
Chemical Reactions - Album by Gavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard - Review – 12/11/20
Review by Rob Coen Chemical Reactions - Album by Gavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard Chemical Reactions - Released on Dec 11, 2020 - The latest Prog-Fusion meets orchestral music collaboration between Antoine Fafard and Gavin Harrison, UK virtuoso musicians. Add…
MD Interview with Don Lombardi – Founder of Drum Channel & Drum Workshop - 12/10/20
Don Lombardi – Drum Workshop’s 2nd Product the DW 5000 Bass Drum Pedal Who did you study with and how did it affect your development as a drummer?DL: I started taking lessons at the age of 12 with Nat Leslie,…
Top Drummers Pay Tribute to Revolutionary War Soldiers
Almost as soon as the pandemic hit this past spring, Sean J. Kennedy had the idea of recording some rudimental classics with a bunch of friends, virtually. The initial group was composed of brass players and percussionists, which Kennedy called…
Pioneering Drummer Viola Smith Passes
Drummer Viola Smith, one of the first female drummers of note, has passed away. She was an astounding 107 years old. Modern Drummer profiled Smith in the April 2003 issue; we’re sharing that piece in honor of her remarkable career.…
Rajiv Jayaweera Draws From Sri Lankan Heritage on Debut Album, Pistils
It’s atypical for a drummer-led debut to open with a contemplative, rubato tune shaded by hushed, minimal brushwork. But jazz drummer/composer Rajiv Jayaweera favors attention to sound and ensemble voice over bluster. On Pistils (Outside in Music), Jayaweera’s superb touch…
Epica’s Ariën van Weesenbeek “Abyss of Time” Drum Playthrough
In advance of Epica’s upcoming album, Omega, which will be released next February 26, we’re presenting an exclusive drum playthrough of drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek performing the single “Abyss of Time.” Omega is the Dutch symphonic metal band’s eighth full-length,…
