Modern Drummer
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.
Allison Miller: Shape-Shifter, Bridge-Builder
Allison Miller began her drumming journey early, studying with top Washington D.C. teacher Walter Salb as a youngster and being featured in Downbeat magazine’s Up And Coming section in 1991 as a teenager. After graduating from West Virginia University with…
Daniel Crean of Semi Precious Weapons
My name is Daniel Crean. I was born beside a train station. All my clothes are stolen. These truths factor in to why I play really loud. To get ready for my shows, I drink and pretend Danny Richmond just…
Derek Roddy: Blast Beat Master
Many metal drummers are known for having wicked double bass technique and lightning-fast hands. A quick scan of Derek Roddy’s videos on YouTube reveals a drummer whose technical mastery and creativity transcend metal stereotypes. Roddy makes ridiculously complex patterns look…
Justin Salinas of the Word Alive
Hey, MD readers, Justin Salinas from the Word Alive here! I’m currently secluded in my bunk in the back of our bus, writing up a blog while on one of the many long drives on the Vans Warped Tour. We…
Sterling Campbell: Covering It All, From The B-52’s To Bowie
Sterling Campbell has been playing drums since he was eleven, the youngest of six boys in a household where everything from Stevie Wonder and Chicago to Elton John and Led Zeppelin could be heard—and appreciated—at any time. He graduated from…
Mayhem Week! Art Cruz of Winds Of Plague
Week two of Mayhem is in the books. Last week we were on our way to Las Vegas, Nevada, to play an off-date show with our bus mates, Shadows Fall, when Jeff the bus driver had to pull over because…
Mayhem Week! Jeff Fabb of In This Moment
It’s fun being on a metal tour—most of the bands on Mayhem this year we’ve toured with in the past, and it’s great to see them again. The heat early in the tour was brutal—the sunscreen I put on my…
Richard Chadwick of Hawkwind
Hi pot-patters, I am Richard Chadwick, Hawkwind’s drummer for the past twenty-odd years, putting these words into your eyes. We’ve just gotten back from playing two festivals, one in Germany—Burg Hertzberg—and one in England—GuilFest. I love festivals. They’re the reason…
Mayhem Week! Chris Raines of Norma Jean
Hey, everyone! The 2010 Mayhem Festival is going by way too fast. We’re playing the Silver Star Stage with Atreyu, In This Moment, Winds Of Plague, and 3 Inches Of Blood. Everyone is super cool, and we’ve had amazing shows…
Kalle Mathiesen of Kalles World Tour
My name is Kalle Mathiesen, and I’m a Danish drummer. I have a one-man-show called Kalles World Tour. DPRP magazine wrote about my CD/DVD, ”Kalles World Tour comes across as a modern European version of Buddy Rich and Frank Zappa,”…
Mayhem Week! Brandon Saller of Atreyu
By the looks of the divots in my drumheads after the first day of Mayhem, the energy will be raging this summer. After a month in Europe on my scaled-down kit, it’s nice to get back to the big dog.…
Mayhem Week! Jeremy Spencer of Five Finger Death Punch
This is the first tour on which we have big production, which is really exciting but also presents a challenge. Some venues aren’t large enough to fit it in on the stage! We have a huge hydraulic drum riser that…
John Bonham: The Soul Of Rock Drumming
The greatest rock ’n’ roll drummer in history was a soul drummer. Despite all the deserved attention paid to his brilliant soloing ideas, his rhythmic sophistication, or his bass drum prowess, John Bonham was, above all else, a groover. Drummers…
Vinnie Colaiuta: Unlike Anybody Else
Ask fifty drummers about Vinnie Colaiuta, and you’re likely to get the same answer: “There’s Vinnie, and then there’s everyone else.” Vinnie Colaiuta’s career is a testament not only to his immeasurable talent, but also to his ability to maneuver…