News
Keep up to date with the drum world via news items, interviews, lists, and more
Louie Bellson Ninetieth-Year Celebration
Jazz drumming great Louie Bellson, who passed away in 2009, will be honored with a ninetieth-year celebration of his enduring works, organized by the Louie Bellson Legacy. There will be a full year of activities, beginning on Bellson’s birthday, July…
Mapex MyDentity Kits Now Available With Premium Heads and SONIClear Bearing Edges
Starting July 1, 2014, MyDentity custom drums will be available with the award-winning SONIClear bearing edge, which the company says was designed to help drummers “tune less and play more.” To kick off this change, the MyDentity Playmore promotion will…
VIDEO! Keith Urban's Chris McHugh Interview (Parts 1 & 2)
In part 1 of this video interview Modern Drummer goes behind the scenes of Keith Urban's "Light The Fuse" tour 2014 with powerhouse drummer Chris McHugh. Chris talks about his first drumkit, recording in the session scene, Jeff Porcaro, and…
Ringo Video Tribute With Drummer Liberty DeVitto and Photographer Rob Shanahan (from the Fest For Beatles Fans 2014 )
Segment four of our tribute to Ringo Starr, shot during the Fest For Beatles Fans celebration, begins with host Michelle Joni Lapidos welcoming former Billy Joel/Slim King/BJ Kramer drummer Liberty DeVitto. DeVitto demonstrates two songs from the Joel album The…
Check Out These Cool Stave, Aluminum, Ash, Steel, and Signature Snares From Gretsch!
The new Gold series ZigZag stave snare features individual vertical staves with hand-laid, alternating layers of maple and walnut in a satin finish, with the rhomboid shape of each piece creating an interlocking pattern. The thick, hybrid shell on the…
RBH Monarch Series Now Available With Exotic Veneers
RBH Drums has added exotic veneers to its Monarch series drums, including bird’s-eye maple with cherry inlay, cherry interior veneer, and cherry reinforcing hoops, that are said to produce a slightly brighter tone and moderately sharper attack than the standard…
August 2014 Issue of Modern Drummer Featuring Shannon Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars
(Available digitally June 24, 2014; on newsstands July 3, 2014) On the Cover Shannon Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars “I learned from everybody I listened to. But when we started playing, it was just our thing. So I did…
Innovative Percussion Legacy Series Drumsticks
Innovative Percussion introduced seven new drumset models into the Legacy Series this year. Measuring .580"x16" and .630"x16", the hickory models with wood tips list for $15.25. Hickory with nylon tips list for $16.50. Maple models are also available with wood…
M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro Portable Production Station
M-Audio, manufacturer of computer interface and studio integration solutions, offers a great advanced performance pad controller with onboard sequencing and software integration, called Trigger Finger Pro. The Trigger Finger Pro features sixteen ultra-responsive RGB illuminated pads, sixteen backlit step sequencer…
Latin Percussion Replica “Original??? Bongos and a Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Black Beauty Cowbell
A replica of the first drums crafted by LP founder Martin Cohen in 1964, each set of Original satin mahogany bongos come with original 1964 head graphics, natural rawhide heads, and special commemorative badges. Outfitted with traditional chrome-plated rims and…
Omar Hakim Video “Walk the Walk??? Drum Part Demonstration
“My idea was to make a solo that a little kid could play,” says Omar Hakim about his approach to the track “Walk the Walk” from his new solo album, We Are One. “When I was a kid there were…
Mark Hudson Ringo Tribute Video
In this video, drummer, producer/singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mark Hudson shares stories of producing Ringo and discusses how much Ringo's drumming was an influence on him. Hudson recalls how excited he was to play the original Abbey Road/Let It Be Ludwig…
New Highly Adjustable Bass Drum Pedal From Newcomer RKM!
The RKM bass drum pedal is said to allow complete adjustability of both leverage and reach. The cam features a hollow mandrel, which interrupts the pedal shaft and centers the action of the two adjustable arms at the center of…
Jojo Mayer Confirmed for KoSA 19 This July
Jojo Mayer has been confirmed for the 19th Annual KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, and Festival this July 22–27, 2014. Additional artists scheduled to appear as faculty and/or guest artists include Robby Ameen, Sergio Bellotti, Chris Coleman, Dominick Cuccia,…
