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.
J.C. Heard: One Of The Busiest, Swingin’-est Drummers Of Classic Jazz
J.C. Heard was born in Detroit in 1917, and started out as a tap dancer. He taught himself drums at age eleven, and two years later he was working with local bands. Heard’s break into the big time came in…
Social Code's Ben Shillabeer
Hey there, everybody, this is Ben Shillabeer from the band Social Code, and I’m writing this blog, coincidentally enough, on the twentieth anniversary of getting my first drumkit! During the last twenty years, I’ve learned so much about music, drumming,…
Listen to Sound Files of the Gretsch Renown Purewood Oak Drumset
Audio clips of the great Gretsch Kit.
The Greats: Paul Bostaph
Slayer, Testament, Exodus, Systematic, Forbidden: Over the past couple of decades, drummer Paul Bostaph’s résumé reads like a “wish list” of heavy rock, metal, and thrash acts. But it’s really no surprise that this Bay Area–based one-man demolition crew has…
The Naked Heroes' Merica Lee
Oh, hey ya’ll, it’s Merica Lee from the Naked Heroes—a foot-stompin’, ass-shakin’, rawkus rock ’n’ roll band from Brooklyn, New York. We recorded our album 99 Diamond at Deadverse Studios in Union City, New Jersey, and it was produced…
Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy is considered one of the finest prog-rock drummers in the history of the genre, much of it due to his ground-breaking work in Dream Theater. “I couldn’t have dreamt of a better scenario for the path that we…
Destrophy's Joe Fox Blog
What’s up, Modern Drummer readers! I want to start off by saying what an honor and privilege it is to be able to share some details with all of you about myself and my band Destrophy. First off I have…
Dave Abbruzzese: Pearl Jam And More
Pearl Jam was months into their first U.S. tour, their second name, and their third drummer before most people had even heard of them. Their debut album, Ten, rested idle on retail shelves for nearly a year until songs such…
Jason "Malletman" Taylor Blog
Hello, MD readers! My name is Jason “Malletman” Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton. “Hamp” taught me how to swing my thing on vibes! As we begin 2010, I’m feeling reflective and want to…
Jason "Malletman" Taylor Blog
Hello, MD readers! My name is Jason “Malletman” Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton. “Hamp” taught me how to swing my thing on vibes! As we begin 2010, I’m feeling reflective and want to…
The Greats: Carmine Appice
Power, showmanship, and personality are what make Carmine Appice one of rock’s most notable players. His aggressive, double-bass, hard-hitting style was unquestionably unique when he emerged in the mid-1960s with Vanilla Fudge. With the Fudge’s trippy treatments of well-known pop…
The Greats: Josh Freese
If the old saying “He’s been around the block a few times” applies to anyone, it most certainly applies to Josh Freese. Given his rep as a studio ace, he’s been referred to in MD as “Mr. First Call,” a…
Bobby Rosengarden: The Stylish Rhythm Of TV’s Golden Age
Bobby Rosengarden was a well-traveled and well-recorded drummer whose career spanned the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s and included work with musical giants such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Benny Goodman, and Astrud Gilberto. But Rosengarden…
Gorden Campbell: Blog
Wassup, MD readers! I hope this blog finds all of you doing well! My name is Gorden Campbell and I live in Los Angeles, California. I grew up in a small city just north of Manhattan called Newburgh, N.Y. Newburgh…
